After perhaps the longest two days of my life, I can finally ay that I am comfortably seated in my bed in Argentina! From the bus ride into the city from the airport and to walking around to get to know this beautiful city, I was able to see many different aspects of Buenos Aires. I would like to share a quote from a fellow student that truly sums up the overall look of Buenos Aires: “Everything just looks like it needs to be power washed.” While this sounds obscure, it makes a lot of sense after spending even just a few minutes in the city. From the lower-class poor regions to even the richer middle-class neighborhood where we are staying, many buildings are made of a concrete-like material rather than the metal and mirrors many skyscrapers in the United States often display. Even the nicest buildings do not have as much outdoor upkeep as American buildings thus giving everything a “power washable” look.

Amidst the darkened concrete, a sparkling, brand new looking Starbucks and McDonalds sat along the street. They are by far the nicest looking buildings in the vicinity. Due to their global presence, they can afford to both charge more on products and spend more on appearances. A quick look at the Starbucks app showed me that this Starbucks as not even close to being an anomaly, as the city appears almost riddled by the coffee chain. Other than these global enterprises, nearly every other store front belongs to a store that is not anywhere else. This shows that while Argentina is affected by globalization, it still maintains much of its culture and local shopping excursions.

One of the most surprising things to adjust to was the concrete clad buildings, particularly in the lower class areas. The CultureSmart book I read prior to arrival and even a quick google search of Buenos Aires share pictures of a bright and colorful city, which contrasts starkly with the beige of concrete and the gloomy sky that met us outside the airport. In all fairness, it is Sunday and due to the Catholic nature of Argentina, most of the businesses were closed for the day and the rain certainly did not do the skyline many favors. Keeping this in mind, I’m incredibly excited to continue my journey in the sun tomorrow. Adios!