It’s hard to believe it’s been only eight days since I left New York for Córdoba, Argentina. It feels like months have passed.

The past week has been a sensory overload, in the best way. I’ve been in two countries, drank countless glasses of wine, and eaten delicious meals. I’ve met and started to get to know 70 amazing people from 15 different countries, with jobs ranging from life coaching to project management to developing.

I ran, I worked, I took a yoga class, I had dinner at one of the best steakhouses in Córdoba. I went to a riverside beach an hour outside the city, and ate at a lakefront restaurant with incredible views of the Argentine landscape. I’ve discovered my building’s rooftop pool, walked around the city center, took a Spanish class, and participated in an “Amazing Race” photo scavenger hunt around Córdoba.

Some highlights from week one:

• Hanging out at Tantalo, a Panama City rooftop bar with amazing views overlooking the old city and modern “Miami small.”
• Seeing the Panama Canal in person.
• Adjusting my schedule to Argentina time, where they eat dinner at 9 and live music doesn’t start til 1am. Also adjusting my expectations of service – my first lunch took 40 minutes to get to me. It was a pre-made sandwich…
• Dulce de leche. Nuff said.
• Witnessing all the platform shoes that are all the rage among Argentine women.
• Enjoying the company and creativity of some fellow Remotes at our “Creative Side Project” meeting, and getting inspired by everyone’s great ideas.
• Learning about the galerías – courtyard-like pedestrian zones with restaurants and stores.
• Watching a stray dog play fútbol in the park with some Remotes. (Side note: there are so many stray dogs here, and they are so friendly. I maintain a safe distance, but locals and Remotes alike are starting to befriend them.)
• Eating amazing steak at Faustino’s, along with a nice glass of Malbec.
• Wine tasting at Martin’s place, who helped Remote Year find accommodations in Córdoba. (P.S. I love my apartment. It’s huge compared to my East Village closet, and has a balcony. And a rooftop pool.)
• The beautiful sunset at the restaurant in Carlos Paz, a riverside town an hour away from Córdoba.
• Listening to a full concert orchestra play at Sarmiento Park, close to my apartment, along with Argentines enjoying their maté.
• Of course, starting to form relationships with these awesome people who will be my tramily (tribe + family) for the next year.

Enjoy the pictures below. Hint: they have captions.

PTY crew in the gangway at JFK. With Kelly, Anabelle, Jason.

Bye NYC!

Old Panama City

View from our Panama City hotel — what our cab driver referred to as “Miami small.”

Panama Canal!

Panama Canal!

My new “tramily” at orientation.

Beautiful street art in Sarmiento Park

My sweet apartment

Very excited to find our rooftop pool!

Kelly and I visiting Iglesia de los Capuchinos, which we can see from our balcony

Interior of Iglesia de los Capuchinos

Iglesia de los Capuchinos at night

View of one of Cordoba’s many galerias

Creative side project meeting with Remotes

We believe in the human capacity to transform what nature gives us into something extraordinary. Inside Capitan during our creative side project meeting

At the wine tasting with Sam Pessin, Remote Year Founder. Also Adam & Kelly.

First steak and Malbec at Faustino’s

Remote Year riverside in Carlos Paz

Beautiful sunset at Carlos Paz

Palm trees wearing sweaters at Paseo de Buen Pastor

Plaza San Martin

The Cathedral

Dulce de leche ice cream pit stop during the Amazing Race with Samantha

Sarmiento Park is full of great sculptures

Street festival

Enjoying choripan — chorizo sandwich — during the Amazing Race. With Samantha and Eric.

PTY overlay girls stay together! From left: Miranda, me, Anabelle, Kelly

Where I’ll be for the next 51 weeks!