In April 2023, I headed to a country I had never visited. Argentina is in South America, a part of the world I had never been in, to be surrounded by a language I don’t speak, to see things I haven’t seen, and to meet people I have never met. I left with the plan of getting hired by an immigration firm based in Capital Federal, Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, the opportunity did not pan out for me because of poor logistics, compensation, etc. However good or bad this may be, I have found myself in a beautiful place. The people in the city are very diverse, and the culture is very different from mine. In many ways, things are not easy as they are in Canada. I admire the humour and patience I have found in people here.

Buenos Aires is a huge place. Population-wise, it’s second to São Paulo, Brazil, the largest in South America. The domestic inflation here is (currently) over 100% making things cheap for foreigners and extremely expensive for locals. I’ve found the city’s history fascinating, while the current political climate is not so intriguing.

There is no shortage of empanadas, chicos sipping mate, and people that fill up seats on public transit. Indeed, like most big cities, dirty places, scary places, and sleepless places are easy to find. I have been impressed at the diligence of many shop owners in keeping things clean, tidy and offering excellent customer service. I have noticed a lot of hard-working, thoughtful and intelligent people here. I’m not a fan of generalizations that paint big swaths of people in a bad light, such as I have felt has been the case for Argentina. I realize there is poverty; I realize there are uneducated people who have no desire to work. However true that may be, the opposite is also true.

Currently, I am taking lessons to learn the language. I press on to continue trying new things and explore new places. I’m thankful for this time in Buenos Aires.