I remember today seeming like it was months ago...because it was...

Friday, May 4^th, 2012

Today was Elan’s going away party, as he was in the first wave of students to leave Argentina. I remembered talking to him about leaving in May when we were in Bariloche exactly 2 months ago and feeling like May was an eternity away, yet here it was, his last night in Buenos Aires…Time is flying, and sometimes I feel like I’m making the most of it, but other times, I feel like I’m wasting it all away.

I’d just gotten a care package from my aunt that had Mac n’ Cheese, so I decided to make 2 boxes to bring to the party to give everybody a taste of their favorite American classic, because most of us are staying until at least June (and for me July). It was a hit and everybody kept asking where I’d found it—sadly, not anywhere in Argentina. In addition to the mac and cheese, we were actually having an asado, which is a giant barbecue. Grillmaster Elan was working hard at the grill to keep everybody satisfied. And yes, I am a vegetarian, but if you’ve been reading, you’ll recall my saying that here I am an Argentarian, meaning I will eat meat as part of the cultural experience, and asados are a big deal in Argentina, because sharing food, especially such large quantities of meat, is always a big deal. I normally hate chorizo/sausage, but I was grooving on the mini choripans we were making and the chicken was as moist as ever. Oh man. Ok, so maybe I’m not a true vegetarian. But I’ve only eaten meat no more than 2 times a month for the past 8 months, and I think we’d be a lot better off if this were the case for everyone. Sadly, it is not.

In addition to the abundance of meat, there was of course, an abundance of alcohol. Yet despite the quantity, everybody was under control. We were all social drunk—eager to tell stories, take pictures, have a laugh and enjoy good conversations. THIS IS THE KIND OF PARTYING I’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT!!! I had so much fun, and I think Elan and Toshy’s host mom said it best when she came out to say good night and we were concerned if we needed to leave, and she said no, no, stay! These are the nights you’ll remember forever. Not in an OMGTHATWASEPIC kind of way, but in the sense that something about it was inherently special because it represents such an ephemeral time in our lives—being young, studying abroad, taking in Argentina…

After god knows how many Dixie cups of wine, “Korean” photos (everybody making peace signs—oh Seoul how I miss you!) and conversations far and wide, I had to call it a night. I’d gotten to know everyone a little better, eaten excellent food and laughed all night long.

Sometimes I think I’m not spending my time wisely, and yes, there are days when the only thing I do is sit at home on my iPad, and there are also days when the only thing I’ve done is had a good conversation, but those are worth it. They are things I will remember forever because they reflect my favorite thing to do in Argentina. And even if some things here don’t work well, if at all, a conversation is something I can always rely on.