Columnist Melanie Umbaugh reflects on her first 48 hours in Buenos Aires.
I’ve been in Buenos Aires for less than 48 hours, and so far it’s been a whirlwind. The city is gorgeous, but there are still so many things that I have no clue about.
I usually enjoy flying, but the plane ride to Argentina was so long and uncomfortable that I didn’t sleep at all. I arrived in Buenos Aires in the morning, sleep-deprived and confused. Getting through customs was easy but time consuming. I waited in line behind a German field hockey team, and I was internally freaking out about messing up my customs declaration form and ending up detained at the Buenos Aires airport, but everything was fine and I officially entered the country with little incident. An accident on the highway meant that it took ages to get from the airport into the city, so I didn’t arrive at the house where I’m staying until that afternoon.
I’ve been able to see a couple different areas of the city, and I’m loving it so far. There’s such an interesting mix of architecture — lots of bright, blocky buildings next to classic European-style edifices. There are many gorgeous 19th century building with graffiti all across the front lining the streets of Buenos Aires and although it’s still strange to me to see them, the effect is totally picturesque. There are cafés on every block, each of them adorable in their own way, and the neighborhoods I’ve visited are all bustling and alive.
There are some aspects of daily life that are still very confusing. The exchange rate for $1 USD is currently about $14 Argentine pesos, and I’m no math wiz, so trying to understand how much a plate of pasta costs is a more difficult process than I’d like. That said, there is a lower cost of living here, so once I better understand the value of a peso, I’ll start taking advantage of the multitude of cafés and other nearby establishments.
My confidence in my Spanish skills has taken a considerable hit. I ordered food while on the plane in Spanish with ease, then I landed and stared blankly at a waiter who asked me a question. Dealing with visa issues at the airport all in Spanish went surprisingly well, but in most situations, Argentineans do not speak that slowly, so I’m ready to start my language classes so these interactions hopefully get much, much easier.
The pace of life is totally different in Argentina compared to America. I’m a fast walker and a fast talker, so not being able to talk fast here is already rough for me, but in Argentina, people also take their sweet time getting where they need to go. It’s routine to be 20 or 30 minutes late to an engagement. People generally nap or rest during the afternoon and dinner isn’t until 9 or 10 p.m. I’ve always considered myself a night owl, but I’m still not caught up on sleep, so this weekend I’ve been hungry and exhausted by the time dinner rolls around.
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These first couple days in Argentina have been fascinating so far, and there’s so much more to come over the course of the semester. I have a lot of adjusting to do, and so much Spanish to learn, but I can’t wait to really delve into life here.
Melanie Umbaugh is a sophomore studying theater. Have you been to Buenos Aires? Email her at mu495313@ohio.edu.
