hola!

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve given in to peer pressure, jumped on the bandwagon, and joined the crowd. I’ve decided to start a blog! These days it seems like everyone has a blog or a website or are twittering/tweeting/twooting/whatever, so I figured, why not me?

I’m actually living a pretty interesting life right now, at least in my opinion. This past August, after graduating from college, I packed up two (ridiculously heavy, over-the-airline-weight-limit-by-several-kilos) suitcases and shipped myself down to Buenos Aires, Argentina! I had a one-way ticket, relatively vague plans, a lot of unnecessary clothes, and that’s about it. After an initial panic attack upon arrival and the discovery that my pre-arranged rent was not what I thought it would be, but was in fact 6 times that amount, I hit a lucky streak and things got settled pretty quickly. I found a sweet job, a new place to live, a bunch of awesome new friends, and I’ve been living la vida loca ever since!

I absolutely love Buenos Aires! There is something about this city that really speaks to me, and every day is an adventure. Thus, this blog has several purposes. First, it’s a diary, so that I can remember all the things that I do, because honestly I do so much that sometimes by Friday I've forgotten what I did on Monday, and I don’t want any precious memories to fall through the cracks! Second, it’s a guide. I stalked a lot of blogs and sites before I came to BA, and found a lot more after I got here, and they all really helped me get a feel for real life in the city. So I figured I’d add my two cents and maybe a different perspective to help out others who are interested in coming to the land of wine and meat. Third, it’s a way for me to stay connected with people back home who want to know all about my life down in the southern hemisphere (hi Mom!). And finally, it’s fun! I like writing and I love Buenos Aires, so why not shout this love from the mountaintop known as blogger.com?

I intend to just write freely about my life here in Buenos Aires, with no particular structure or order, although I'll probably organize things eventually, because thats just what I do. I’ll include both the bigger events/things that go on as well as daily life stuff, because even though BA is a metropolitan city and is considered the “Paris of South America” (open to discussion), things are verrrrrry different here and the simplest tasks often require a certain level of effort, patience, and interpretation (see forthcoming posts about laundry, food shopping, mail system, walking down the street, etc, etc, etc). Expect posts about all the amazing things that I do, the crazy nights and the delicious food (more about food later), the trips and concerts and parties and all that fun stuff, but I’m sure there will also be a fair amount of complaining, nostalgia, and general bitching. Living in Buenos Aires is just like living in any other city: there are good things and there are bad things. However, for me the negatives in Argentina are just as fascinating as the positives—I love learning about this culture from the inside and just want to experience everything this fantastic country has to offer.

So that’s the deal! I’ve been here for about three months now, with no plans to return to the States in the immediate future. I’m actually really looking forward to writing this blog, and can only hope that my enthusiasm for this life I’m living translates! First real post will be coming soon, so hasta pronto! :)