Argentine, not Argentinian

Lisa's snapshot of the view just before we landed in Buenos Aires

Hola from below the equator in Buenos Aires, Argentina! I left behind the Super Bowl and snowstorm Linus in New York City for a gorgeous, sunny summer in South America. After a 10 hour flight where my roommate Lisa and I were treated like queens by far too friendly male flight attendants (ex: we walked away with complimentary champagne bottles), we had a delicious welcome lunch at our academic center, and finally parted ways to familiarize ourselves with our individual host mothers and homestays.

I cannot believe that I'm actually here in the "Paris of South America," and that this beautiful city with leafy green trees (oh how I missed green vegetation after braving through the harsh NYC winter) lining the streets and colorful barrios teeming with outdoor street markets will be my home for the next four months. It's insane. I'm constantly reminded about the things I'll miss back home, but immediately grow beyond excited for all that's to come.

My host mama's name is Maria and she is the absolute sweetest human being. There's a certain inherent maternal instinct about her—I feel a sense of security and comfort whenever she's around. My Spanish is extremely rusty, so she tends to accommodate by speaking broken English which is adorable nonetheless. I've been listening to Maria and Lisa (who is fluent) converse back and forth, and I'm just awed at the beauty of the language. Her home is decorated with sentimental keepsakes and knick knacks, odds and ends that don't match but somehow fill the room with a coordinated sense of rhythm and comfort.

One of Maria's hobbies is painting and she loves to both create, receive, and display artistic pieces in her home.

Lisa and I live next door to each other, separated by a thin strip of wall decorated with these eclectic mirrors.

Lastly, our first homestay meal! Homemade empanadas and pizza (the tomatoes here are ridiculously rich and juicy!)

The city is still shiny and new to me; I'm amazed by how starkly different this metropolis is to the one I've grown up in all my life. Besides the language barrier (and okay, eating dinner at 9-10PM, too), I don't think adapting will be too difficult. Bring it on cultural transitions!

It's 1:24AM, and I've got a big day tomorrow.  There are mosquitos lurking in my room, and I pray for the state of my arms, legs, and face in the morning. Wish me luck, and buenas noches!

Update: Yep, my legs got raped by mosquitos last night. Gonna rock some midi-, maxi-skirts, and trousers for the time being lol