[This image doesn't really have anything to do with the story except to illustrate the change, growth and challenges that the Porteños are experiencing. We took it today on our walk from Recoleta to Puerto Madero's Faena Hotel where we had lunch.]
When I ran down to our local Bodega - Armesto - to chat with my homies (the wine guy and the cheese guy) I realized that we are really settling in here. Sure, people look at me as if I came from Mars and insist to speak English with me eventhough I'm speaking Spanish. The general response - which I don't really know how to interpret - is "Wouldn't it be easier if we all spoke English?". Well, a kick in the balls would be more subtle.
Anywho, once you have graduated from the misery life of being a tourist to a traveller to a human being new doors open, both physical and metaphysical. The only way to create trust is to walk the talk, i.e. being here and keep on keepin' on. People start to accept you after a while. Accept the fact that you won't go away or that you are different. Worthy of getting to know and different from the fannie pack wearing crowd.
At the same time the language starts to work for you. All the TV watching and magazine reading is paying off. You start to construct sentences on your own that actually makes sense. It's nothing fancy but people understand. You connect. There is love. No wonder that you are so tired every night. All the impressions are exhausting.
Back to the wine and the cheese guy. We discussed wine and cheese for quite some time. Not bad. The conversation was rather simple but we connected and they send me off with a bottle of Lagarde, a Camembert and a smile. Sure, it was a monetary transaction but I felt something. A sense of beloning.
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