Antelope

As I drifted across the blue skies in my humongous Delta aircraft, I began to imagine what lay on the other side of my fifteen-hour journey. As the plane rocked gracefully towards Argentina, my home for the next six months, I thought back to everything I had learned about Latin America. I had an image form in my mind: I expected a dusty barrio, full of profound cultural practices and distinct foods as spicy as they were tasty. I envisioned a world as different from the Western world as Narnia or Hogwartz. I signed up for Argentina, because I wanted to learn more about this mystery of a land, which I knew so little about.

That was when I got off the plane. Much to my surprise, it looked like Europe. This was the single most shocking realization I had when I landed. One of the administrators of my program, Marcelo told me that it was that characteristic that made Argentina so interesting.

“They call the US the Melting Pot,” he explained. “Well, Argentina is more like Fondue.”

He said that this analogy is perfect because the culture of Argentina can’t be defined by one culture, or even a few. When you look down a street in Argentina, you see glimpses of French dining and Spanish music. When you walk down the beautiful stone walkways, you can sense the Italian-influenced architecture. When you drive around the city, you can admire clocktowers from England and a pubs from Germany. You can enjoy Latin American Tango dancing, where it all began and you can chow down on a steak from the country ranches, just miles away (Or antelope as I learned at dinner yesterday). All of these cultural factors are present in this country, creating one unique lifestyle unmatched by any country in the world.

In four days, I have gained some perspective, interacted with some people and enjoyed new music, landmarks and food. And yet I realize that I have so much more to learn about this country. I have seen Argentina with my own eyes, and yet it still remains as big of a mystery as it was the day I left for Logan airport one week ago. Six months from now, I hope to understand this country. Until then, all I can do is take that first bite into the Antelope that is travelling, and see where it takes me.