the next movement

So as has been the norm, I took some time off again. I’ve moved, again. This time into a place really close to the apartment so carefully scrutinized in my previous post, but unlike the last place, my roommates are laid back, cool, and seemingly straight shooters. Leo and Fer chill out, watch soccer, talk movies, girls, politics and all the other things that should be discussed in a proper pad. They are older, but this is also normal here. It takes longer to get out of the parents house in Argentina, especially after the 2001 crash.

From Left, Diego (my old spanish teacher and buddy), Leo (new roommate) and yours truly

Anyway, things are rolling along. My life is about as stable as I consider to be normal here in Argentina. There was recently a somewhat accurate article written in the NyTimes discussing these daily, weekly, yearly mores of the Argentine. LINK. It’s true that the little inefficiencies of this county tend to get under the skin of the ex-pat community here. None of them are a huge deal, but collectively begin to erode into the mindset, expectations, or routine of the average yankee (the use of ‘American’ is looked down upon as all persons living in South America are ‘Americans’ too), brit, kiwi…

For example, waiting in line at the supermarket reminds me of the DMV. People routinely forget a key product and walk slowly back through the grocery store to find it while the 10 person line grows like a feeding caterpillar. One at the cashier, folks decide to pay with cash, food stamps, and then 2 different cards. It can be unnerving. Hell, my New Yorker friends call me slow.

Other parts of this I enjoy. I have not once felt pressure to leave a table at a restaurant after finishing a meal. Even at one of my favorite restaurants that routinely has a 45 minute wait, you are never pushed or pressured to leave after your meal. It’s your time; and as long as you’ve actually bought a plate of food, they’re not gonna repeatedly ask if ‘you would like another round yet’ or if ‘your ready for the check, now??’

Really, this seems to be true in most places that are not the states and have a European vibe. Now, you can add Argentina, or more specifically BA to the list. I guess the part that is strange is that there are so many ways in which this city is or tries to be like the major US or European metropolises, and certain ways in which it is just not. It’s the disconnect there.

As we all know, when traveling or living abroad we get to experience life as others do which is the whole point, right? I got no problem with doing a little character building and having some latin good times in the process…I mean, damn…that doesn’t sound too bad at all.

Some Random Pics to Feast your eyes upon:

gabe, smiley and i from their birthday blowout

your boi and the man maradona


a lil tango action

and i'll finish it off with a little ridiculousness, por que no?