My first view of Argentina came from the inside of a speeding taxi out a tinted window.
The inside of our car went silent after the driver asked where we were from. The three of us in the back seat had wide eyes as we tried to take in the new atmosphere. Images flew by the window as I constantly tried to compare and contrast them to the preconceptions I painted in my mind at home. The city of Buenos Aires is beautiful in many ways, but also very dirty. Seeing the sheer quantity of buildings can be overwhelming for me no matter where I am just because grew up in the country. There is something regal about visiting a city though. No matter how uncomfortable and unpleasant the trip in can be, my fixed gaze out the window always makes me feel like some sort of celebrity. This time was no exception. Especially since, I was in the back seat being driven by a well dressed Argentine with white shades.
-You can see the cornucopia of this beautiful Argentine architecture
I wanted to ask him his name, but I was nervous. I sat patiently and silently in the back while I took in the scenery. A battle took place in my head as I contemplated on how to ask him. Question after question flew through my mind as the new world flew by my window. I finally asked in Spanish what his name was. He said it was Jorge. I replied that it was very nice to meet him. This spurred on the small talk. I inquired what his favorite thing about Argentina was. He answered very upbeat that he enjoyed “futbol y mujeres” (soccer and women). I found this amusing and continued on with our conversation. My skills in Spanish were not as strong as I would have liked, but now I have even more motivation to achieve my goals. When I mentioned I was in Argentina to learn Spanish, Jorge reminded me quite politely, but with a touch of pride that I would not be learning Spanish here because the people of Argentina speak “Castellano”.
-This is a bank and some boats on the coast of Buenos Aires in an affluent district they are proud of.
I will continue to be reminded of both small and large differences of the Argentine people and culture. I look forward to digging deeper into these identities. We finally arrived at our hotel and I thanked Jorge for the ride as we tipped him. I doubt I will ever see that Jorge again, but it just so happened that the man at the desk of our hotel is also named Jorge. Our hotel is much different than I pictured. It is very small and very old, but that does not mean it cannot be cozy. The “Hotel Diplomat” reminds me a lot of something you would find in Europe. Since I am the only guy, I have a single room. There is just enough room for a standard size bed and a single bathroom with pink walls. Not only that, but, I have my own bidet. I do not even recall seeing one in my life time! The shower felt great after I situated a few things. Now I am ready to see what Argentina, my new home for several weeks, has to offer.
-Hey! Hey! Hey! Look at that bidet!
“La lectura es el viaje de los que no pueden tomar el tren.”
-F. Croisset
Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers!
~Cain
