Week Five: One Month Gone

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." Henry Miller

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” Miriam Beard

“A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” Moslih Eddin Saadi

Argentine Flag

Wow! I cannot believe that I have been here for a month! The time has flown by and I know this year will be over before I know it! When I first arrived I was exposed to the many charms of Buenos Aires. I was walking in the shoes of a tourist (and I still am and will be) but I have also seen things that most (if not all) tourist do not see.

I am excited to get a chance to actually see this country...and not only the tourism facade that the country might want us to see but also the way the common citizen lives and the way the marginalized community lives. So far I have only skimmed the surface of understand how this country works but it is a start.

I hope that by the end of this year I will have thoroughly explored Buenos Aires and its surrounding area. I hope to also enter into the night and day different world that exists outside of Buenos Aires. As I have been told, Buenos Aires has become its own little country sort of isolated from the rest of the country. I hope to get a chance to leave BA and see what life is like outside the country's largest and capital city.

As for now though, I am still figuring things out here in BA. It has been a major change for me going from living my whole life a rural area full of clean air and lots of green nature. I lived in New York City for one month and Seville, Spain for 3.5 months but this city is unlike any city I have seen so far. With over 15 million people it is the largest foreign city I have tried to live in. So I am getting used to city life. Plus I am living alone, unlike Spain, meaning that I have to figure out many more things on my own.

As challenging as it has been so far, I am really enjoying being in this new and interesting place. There is so much to see and experience...so much is unknown and I am excited to figure it all (well most) of it out.