Initial Impressions: My First Week in Buenos Aires

It’s very early on a Wednesday morning, and I officially landed in Buenos Aires a week ago. To say that this week has already felt like a lifetime feels both very authentic and like an understatement. Even with just a week under my belt, there are a few things I know for certain - I am in love with this city and its people. I am also extremely appreciative of the opportunities afforded to me by both my family and USC. As someone from a tiny town in South Carolina, I honestly never imagined that my life could look like this in only my third-year at university. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

But as for more technical impressions, I’m excited to report that nearly EVERYTHING is different, but in all the best ways. To preface, this city is exactly what I wanted - bustling, lively, and with an overwhelming amount of things to do. To some people, my descriptions won’t sound very appealing, but I chose this city and university according to my preferences, of course.

Buenos Aires has everything that I feel most cities in the US lack. Green space is abundant, and there are parts of nature in every direction you can look. My favorite piece of culture in this city and country is that there is no lack of a “third space.” By the third space, I mean places other than school/work and home. People in Buenos Aires live life more intentionally and prioritize having the space and time to do so. Meals are longer, guests linger, and the nights stretch on for hours. It’s been shocking in only good ways - I love the lack of pressure to hurry up, or to not linger in public spaces. I haven’t seen a single “no loitering” sign while here, and while this seems like a small difference, it cultivates an entirely different foundation in how the city lives and breathes.

Plaza Serrano en Palermo, Buenos Aires

The food is amazing here, and affordable in comparison to US standards. I think the grocery store has been my most foreign experience so far! Personal bags (and maybe this is only in some large grocers, as I’ve only been to one) are tied up in thin plastic bags, which you cannot remove until after you check out with your items. I think that I’ve experienced a lot of hospitality from both of my hosts that I’ve had while here. It’s nice to have a similar feel to the southern hospitality of home. In general, things are going extremely well here, and I’m having so much fun discovering the character of this historic city and culture.

The biggest challenge, however, is reaching out to other students. I’ve met my “cohort” of sorts, of other international students. It’s been very interesting to connect with non-American students; there are so many cultural differences that I wouldn’t even begin to consider without having met these people, in all aspects of life. I even think I’ve been able to pique some curiosity in SEC football, and the community that comes with a school like USC. However, my cohort is small, and I feel a bit of disconnect with some of the students, both international and local. I’m currently exploring programs and opportunities to connect with people from more diverse backgrounds, but it’s a lot of mental effort on top of starting classes in my non-native language. However, I am determined and intent upon making the most of my time in Buenos Aires, both socially and academically.

I think that any other negative feelings I’m having are largely due to a small language barrier. Learning Spanish in a structured, formal environment is much more restrictive than I initially realized it would be. Coming from a family where nobody even knew a second language, I didn’t even realize how much I was missing out on in my language preparation. It’s a humbling feeling to technically have the skills and knowledge at your side, but only be able to use them clumsily. Studying grammar and vocabulary all day pales in comparison to frequent, informal conversations with a native speaker. That being said, I feel that I am improving rapidly, even with just a week here, it’s becoming easier to listen to and comprehend my second language. My speaking has also substantially improved, but I have infinite room to improve in all aspects of speaking like a native. However, an opportunity I’m most excited for is a local volunteer program with an English school! Along with meeting more people and continuing daily interactions with classmates, I believe that this volunteering opportunity will be my most fulfilling venture here. The bottom line? Practicing in your second language with native speakers can be (for me,) embarrassing at the best of times, and demoralizing at the worst. However, I call it growing pains. Even when I have to give up on conversing and pull out Google Translate, I remind myself of how far I came to get here (over 5000 miles!), and how one (or several) interactions do NOT define my experience. How can I be embarrassed to literally practice what I came here to learn?

Slight negatives aside, this week has been only the start of a million different paths my life could go down. I’ve already learned so much, and simultaneously realize that I’m only beginning to scratch the surface of the knowledge I can gain during my time here. Even with this post, I hardly feel that I truly gave insight into every revelation I have experienced here, but I’ll do my best to cover it in more posts! I’ve never felt as in control of my path as I do now, and although I am certainly not struggle-free, I believe I have the tools to overcome the challenges of my future and grow exponentially in the process.