The Odyssey continues into its 6th month. It was never planned quite like this, but life at this point has lead me to Buenos Aires... And I can't seem to leave. I can't explain why yet, but this city feels like home. I have been here for the most part of 3 and half months and I am thinking of staying longer. That is if I can find some work and then a place to live.
The journey back to Buenos Aires from Curitiba took 2 days of bus travel (5 buses and 2 taxis). The first bus - Curitiba to Foz Iguazu was the cliché bus from hell. To get into my seat I had to stand on in and slide in because the man in front to me already had reclined his seat to its full capability. Then, without too being judgmental, one of the fattest men I have ever seen sat in the seat next to me and shmooshed me into whatever little space I had left. 10 hours later the bus stopped at what I found out was nowhere near the bus station of Foz Iguazu (Brazilian side) that I needed to be at to catch another bus to cross the border into Argentina. Luckily, I found 2 Danish girls that were doing the same thing and were able to work out how to get to Puerto Iguazu (Argentinian side). Looking back now, the whole experience was quite comical. When we finally crossed the border into Argentina at 7AM, I had probably the biggest smile on my face that ever was - I felt as though I was home. To make me even happier Argentinian buses are renowned for being incredible. I booked a 190 peso bus with the reclining leather seats and traveled back to Bs As in style. Arriving the next morning in Bs As to friendly faces, friends and many hugs made it a great day.
The past few weeks have been filled with much partying and spending time hanging out my friends. The decision to stay here and change my tickets again was not a difficult one to make in reality. I understand though that as great as this city and country is there are of course major problems as well. The people in this city have been through so much over the past century and it seems to continue. Just seven years ago the country was thrown into chaos once again, resulting in half the population falling below the poverty line. If you want to know more, you can watch a 12 part documentary called 'Argentina: Ahora o Nunca' (Now or Never). I only just starting to understand the effect on the people here and reasons why this place is the way it is.
In reality, I have only just scratched the surface. There is so much more to experience and understand. My world of Bs As seems to only to take place between Palermo and San Telmo at the moment. This is just a tiny area area of what is a city of 13 million people. I am also adjusting back to Spanish. Since returning from Brazil a few weeks ago, I realised that Portuguese has killed my Spanish. I guess I didn't give it enough time to cement in my brain before I went to a country with a language that is in many ways similar, but very different at the same time. Even though it is challenging, I must persist. In fact this is why I am traveling and why I am here - because I need challenges like this to move forward. It seems to be too easy to talk English here at the moment, especially as most of my friends speak it. I must make more of an effort.
I seem to be struggling at the moment with the concept of balance. It feels as though I am breaking down the walls of what was once my life and I need to be building the foundations to make myself stronger than before. My friend Santiago reminded me that even though I feel at home here, I must remember that this is not my native country. Everything is difficult in some ways - it can be exhausting. I have also been hanging out with some incredible people and maybe living life as if everyday is a weekend. I have never lived my life in this way before. But there are things that I realise I must do and find the time for. At the same time, I love my life at the moment - having the freedom to share my time, my thoughts and my energy with great people.
For the moment, my life is Buenos Aires. The plans I had to travel back to London via Peru, NY and Toronto will have to wait for another few months.
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