ba, ar

sorry my chilean loved ones, i really like it here in buenos aires. we've been here a week and i've enjoyed the time. i'm struck by how different the two cities (santiago and BA) are. the amount of english here is just incredible. it's like i'm in a city in the US (that might be a bit drastic but if you lived in Stgo you'd know what i mean). the amount of mc donalds, burger kings though are staggering (probably over 300 compared to the 10 i saw my year of being in chile). and it shows! BA has more of that cultural opposite that the USA shares... really fat people and really skinny people. in santiago its like many of the people aren't fat or skinny, they're just somewhere in the middle.

for a country that was closed off to any english media by law (post 1982-ish war with Britain over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands that ended badly), BA stations play an impressive number of english songs on the radio, in stores, cabs, etc. argentines seemingly have a keen familiarity with english as their pronunciation is generally much (dare i say, better...) than what i saw in Stgo.

both cities withstood military dictatorships in the 20th century (in different decades), under different circumstances and with different effects... and where each country has ended up today, economically speaking, has completely shifted during this last century.

people are much more direct in BA than in STGO (obvious for those of you who have lived and travelled down here). argentines want to know, almost immediately, where you are from. fortunately for my comfort level, responses have been pleasant. i'm always a little nervous to say i'm from the US in SA. * "vayanse a la mierda gringos" spray-painted on a tourist plaque in san telmo. after our attempted bribing experience in mendoza, i could understand a little resentment directed towards "the man" as it were...

the architecture is impressive. there are a ton of colonial influences that make each neighborhood unique and fill the city with landmark sites. what's most impressive is how the old is mixed with the new. they really have been able to showcase the city's original structures by building right next to them but otherwise leaving them intact- it really enriches their city. obviously BA is much more suited for gringo tourism as signs in english nearly everywhere help to explain the city's history. Santiago would be difficult to navigate in a sight-seeing way without spanish, unlike BA.

of course this looks like i'm making comparisons to indicate some kind of ranking... that's not my goal, i just can't help but examine these things as i find santiago to be such a distinct place for its lack of connection to the foreign world. everything they have that's north american, BA has 10 of. the interplay between business and language in that way is very intriguing for me. and also, santiago feels like home. i was a little sad leaving chile for the last time (on this particular south american tour of course :)) and i'm always trying to contextualize my experience there with other experiences i have along the way.

-cait