A Day in Buenos Aires

Every morning I wake up to the warmth of my space heater, making my little bedroom comfortable. Outside my window, I can see the early rays of the sunrise at 8am. The kids have all left for school already, so it is quiet in the house. I check google weather to see what day I have ahead of me, usually to find yet another beautiful sun shining day. I have instant coffee with Romi and Julio and sometimes munch on granola or sweet dulce de leche spread on a bread roll. I have my keys and my subway pass in my pocket as I leave the apartment to meet Eliza at our Callao subway stop. While walking the three blocks to meet her I look for the fast moving taxis and marvel at the colorful buses that whiz by. Business men walk past me in suits, accompanied by the many dog walkers of the city who’s packs of hounds sniff my legs. I pass by the park where people wake up early to do their morning yoga. They look like synchronized dancers, moving perfectly together. The pigeons scatter out of my way as I make my way finally to the station. Me and Eliza endure a long commute to the other side of the city to Belgrano. The old neighborhood is rich with embellished buildings and tall green palm trees. We walk three more blocks off the subway and pass elementary schools busy with eager learners. We chat about our nights and the silly things our families do. We have to pay attention to our step because of the cobblestones under our boots. On every corner we pass a market who’s store is glowing with the bright fruit of Argentina such as, oranges, mamons and aguais. We are greeted by the university’s grand glass building at the top of the hill. It almost looks out of place because it is so modern and the surrounding buildings are white with clay and brick. The flags of the international student’s home countries wave proudly against the Belgrano sign. Students gather in packs on the outdoor patio before hurrying to class. We take the glass elevator seven stories up and part ways at the top to our classrooms. I am greeted by Eugina, our professor, and five other American students. During class, we can hear the roar of students upstairs in the cafeteria cheering for the futbol game. After a few hours of Spanish, we too retreat upstairs to have an empanada and watch the match. We come downstairs to finish class, which makes it difficult to pay attention when I can see the magnificent city outside my window. All the residents of the buildings have patio gardens and rooftop jungles. After class, my fellow API group members gather outside of school for a quick lunch to fuel ourselves for our city excursions. We walk the city and explore the different neighborhoods. My favorite neighborhood is Puerto Madero, where the old government buildings are contrasted by the new luxurious hotels, such as new multiplex cinemas, theaters and cultural centers. It is now one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Old ships line the walls of the port, which is held together by the white tooth pick looking Puente de la Mujer bridge. We peek into the magnificent granite churches, furnished with massive pulpits and golden ceilings holding dancing cherubs. The vendors outside line the streets, trying to catch our eyes with shining jewelry and handcrafted goods. They play drums and drink and sing while the people pass by their tarps of art. At night, the Casa Rosada, the heart of the Plaza de Mayo, where the president of Argentina Christina Fernandez de Kirchner works glows bright with the pink lights that illuminate its grand balconies and walls. Buses circle around to let tourists catch a glimpse of the historic buildings. While walking around the plaza, the smell of the sweet sugar coated peanuts roasting in hot brass bowls makes me hungry. We grab the next subway ride home, packed tight with tired workers. Luckily, we are only a few stops away. We follow the direction of the crowd which drops us off at our busy street, Avenue Santa Fe. We window shop as we pass by the lighted windows of the stores. They are full with boots of all shapes and colors and fashionable clothes straight from the magazines. As we walk we can smell the restaurants cooking dinner for the early crowd, for it is only 8pm here. We are eager to get to our own houses where dinner will be cooking. The kids are busy with homework and studying, and I too take out my homework. Romi serves us dinner late when Julio gets home from work. We all sit as a family in the kitchen and enjoy the gnocchi and bread made fresh. We all laugh at Nacio’s jokes and listen about each other’s days. After dinner we settle down for the night and finish the last of our work. Although all is calm inside, outside the world is bustling with taxis and bright lights. I hear the kids laughing as they walk home. I’m glad to be where I am, amidst the sights and sounds and family.