I went back home for six months once. I lived with my parents and worked as a temporary receptionist before heading abroad again. Everything was so clean, so green, the people were so friendly and open and smiling all the time. At least that's what struck me right off the bat. I went to a birthday party with a friend and was shocked that I actually talked and laughed with people I didn't know the entire night. Here? It's a cheek kiss and then ice ice, baby, you may as well not exist if you find yourself at a gathering of 20-somethings who all know each other. I was surprised while working as a temp in various offices (real estate, architecture, petroleum and more) at how relaxed everyone seemed. Interesting to go back to a place where sometimes, people actually enjoy their jobs. Imagine that. Having central air and heat and water that always works and fluffy towels and fast internet made me feel like I was living the luxurious life. I was blown away at all the new technology everywhere--particularly using an iPad to run a card and select a tip amount. People generally drove very well, which made the odd speed demon really stick out. I, even though I'd never driven in BA, drove a bit faster and more recklessly at first, but calmed down eventually. I loved being around people from all over the world again, hearing a million different languages and seeing different clothing. The diversity in Buenos Aires does not hold a candle to where I'm from. The food, oh God, I went nuts at first but then got in the best shape of my life thanks to a cheap gym membership (around 70 bucks a month for a really nice gym!) and being able to cook with whole grains and other cheap, healthy ingredients that are available absolutely everywhere. Oh, and the prices. Everything seemed so cheap, absolutely everything. As for socializing, my parents' generation is pretty rigid when it comes to scheduling things, which was hard to readjust to, but my friends and I have always been last-minute planners.
I missed going out late at night, people on the streets at all hours, the architecture, the history, the public transportation, and that certain je ne sais quois that BA possesses. Buenos Aires will always have a place in my heart, and I do miss it in some ways when I leave. But my husband and I will be on the first plane back to Houston the second his spouse visa gets approved. In the past week alone we've been dealing with Medicus overcharging me, a leaking fridge that freezes everything randomly, a broken heater, no internet (edit: Telecentro) going on a week now (thank God for smartphones and wireless hot spots), and today the encargada told me to conserve water because the pipes can't pull in more water from the Río de la Plata, so all we have is what's in the tanks. It's exhausting to live this way, dealing with problem after problem, fixing one only to have another pop up, and that is something I will not miss in the slightest.