Beginning Saturday morning from the Pittsburgh International Airport, the 22 of us took a short flight down to Atlanta. What we thought would be only a few hours exploring this large place and memorizing the location of every restaurant, turned into even more hours of practicing our best patience and keeping in our anticipation until it was the next day and we were finally flying over the border of the United States.

Waking up in Argentina, I was excited to hop on the bus and see the city I’ve been learning about for months now. Yet, before we could even exit the Ezeiza Airport, I felt the change in culture. I was able to immediately confirm my prior research about the family and strong relational culture as large groups were waiting in the lobby to enthusiastically greet their families. However, with just a turn of the head, I felt like I was back in the States with the only food restaurant being a familiar chain, McDonald’s.

As we drove through the city, many of my expectations also changed. The picturesque city that I was anticipating based on many of the images I saw online was not necessarily the view I saw today. Instead, the buildings resembled some of those you may find in South Oakland back home, with a more worn out, plain, flat look. Yet, as we began to weave through the streets, I could make out the European influences through older architecture. The neighborhood we will be staying, Ricoletta, is known for its French history, which is also seen in the wealthy condition and development of the local shops, restaurants, and apartment buildings.

After checking into our very nice, clean apartment rooms in this upper-middle-class district, we ventured for a “snack” lunch, which ended up serving single portions enough to feed a small family. The restaurant was Italian influenced with delicious pasta and pizzas. I noticed many families enjoying their long Sunday afternoon meal together as I learned about through my research. This place is where I enjoyed my first (and certainly not last) real Argentine empanadas. After feeling so full and then exhausted from the long flight and lack of sleep, I decided it was time to try my first (and certainly not last) real Argentine café. In fact, the cute coffee shop we found was right across the street from a Starbucks but was still packed with people sharing a cup. I was surprised by how small a café pequeño was, but it was strong and delicious.

After a quick orientation lecture led by CAPA, I felt even more prepared to immerse myself into the city of Buenos Aires. I learned about the transit system and how subways and taxis will be the easiest and cheapest way to navigate the large city. I also learned pick-pocketing is a major issue in many areas so I am hoping we do not encounter any such problems.

Then it was time for another meal. Well, it was more like several meals during one sitting, which lasted several hours and featured beef empanadas, sausage, blood sausage, sirloin steak, and flank steak. See a common theme? Good thing I am a meat lover.

Overall, I am getting even more excited to explore the city and eat even more. Since it unfortunately (and uncharacteristically) rained for most of the day today while walking, I hope the autumn weather improves and allows for a better outside appreciation of the city. I also want to continue getting more acquainted to the currency as I realized several hundred pesos is common to spend on items, all the while continuing to speak as much Spanish as I can with the natives. ¡Hasta mañana!