Living in Buenos Aires is great. There is always something going on, there are a million things to explore and figure out, and the food is delicious. There are definitely drawbacks and problems, like in most places you go where you are a foreigner, but all things considered, it could be much worse. I’m well aware of the differences that make Argentina a more advanced country in Latin America, but every once in a while I’m still prone to getting annoyed with certain things here. That’s human nature, I suppose. You don’t realize what you had until you are away from it.
That’s how I find myself with Ecuador right now. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been romanticizing it like crazy, and writing about it quite a bit to try to get it all figured out. I know things weren’t perfect there and it was a tough year of my life, as my blogs on the subject will prove. Still, I miss it, and my time as a volunteer.
As a volunteer, you are set aside from other travelers or expats because you are there for a specific reason and usually for a specific period of time. Whereas now I am working full time in Buenos Aires with no set return date to the States, in Ecuador I knew that at some point I was going home. Working 20 hours a week, I had time to do what I wanted and travel more often, especially with frequent vacations from the university.
I miss that life and as much as I remind myself how difficult it all was, there is a part of me that wishes I could do it again. If for nothing else then the mere fact that right before I left things started to get really good. I miss the friends I made and due to living in such a small city, I felt like I had a place. In a bustling city of 13 million, I don’t feel the same way here in Buenos Aires. I’m just another person who, if not speaking, may or may not be from Argentina.
I don’t know how I’d feel if I were at home. Instead, I’m creating new experiences and struggling through new problems, different as they may be. So my experience is different from most. But in some way, they always seem similar. I miss what I had now that I don’t have it.
Latest posts by jgbrandt8
- Not Too Far Gone - March 4th, 2010
- Mate Makes Amigos - January 15th, 2010
- Day in the Life: G to the R to the E in Bs to the As - December 18th, 2009
- Would It All Be Worth It If...? - December 1st, 2009
- New Doors Open, Finally - November 25th, 2009
- Putting Volunteering on Hold - November 3rd, 2009
- Use Your Time Wisely - October 20th, 2009
- Going Abroad Alone or With a Group? - October 7th, 2009
- Keep Your Head Up, Champ! - September 29th, 2009
- I Sold Out, Dude. Went All Corporate. - September 22nd, 2009
