October 15th
In the afternoon, I went for a walk through San Telmo, taking a different route to explore another side of the neighborhood. My destination was Casa Rosada – the presidential office and the heart of Argentina’s government. It’s known for its pale pink color and sits at the head of Plaza de Mayo, a central square where many political movements have made history. Unfortunately, the museums were all closed—turns out most of them shut down on Mondays and Tuesdays. So, I wandered around Plaza de Mayo, soaking in the scene: beautiful government buildings, French-inspired cafés, and narrow, angled streets lined with grand architecture.
On the way home, I took a detour and found a bookstore full of used books. I couldn’t resist picking up a book of Argentine poetry for just a dollar—seemed like a good way to practice my Spanish by trying to interpret the poems. I met up with Nai at her favorite coffee shop a few blocks from the apartment, and we got our go-to orange and carrot juices.
That night, I decided to check out a language exchange I’d seen online. There are tons of meetups for locals and foreigners, and I’ve read really great things in the reviews, so I figured I’d give it a try. About 25 people had confirmed online, so in true Argentine fashion, I showed up a little late—only to be the first one there. The host greeted me like I was the group leader. “Oh, you must be the organizer!” she said. Uh, no… not even close. She led me to a huge, empty table set for 25 people and said a waiter would be with me shortly.
So, I sat there, waiting, and feeling pretty ridiculous. Luckily, there was a TV playing the Argentina vs. Bolivia soccer game, which kept me entertained for a good 30 minutes until two other guys finally showed up. One was a middle-aged guy from the Netherlands living in Aruba, and the other was a 20-something Brit planning to make a permanent move to Argentina. With some company, garlic bread, drinks, and soccer in the background, we ended up chatting the night away. Not exactly the language exchange I had in mind, but hey—new people, good conversation. Not a bad way to spend an evening.
