Week 9: Bye, Buenos Aires!

It feels like we just got to Buenos Aires, and yet the last week came and went. We had a pretty jam-packed week, with some special highlights:

La Bomba de Tiempo, an incredible drum show that occurs every Monday at the Konex Theater in Buenos Aires. We watched 14 drummers, got to see two female rappers perform, and generally had the buena onda (good time).

My last tango class at La Viruta, and a bit of salsa too! The class wasn’t quite as fun as the previous ones, but still a good way to get some last-minute practice in.
Learning all about a Turkish shwarma stand owner’s life, how he came to live in Argentina, and how much he loves his profession.
While I only peripherally participated, Tinderball was a brain-child of some of the more active daters on the trip. One of them runs a dating blog (which is hilarious and worth reading), and decided to host a charitable event where everyone could bring their latest dates.
Another closed-door dinner, this time at a chef’s apartment. This apartment was amazing, the food was really good, and his rooftop patio had incredible views of the city. Also got to know a Remote’s old friend, who now lives in Buenos Aires and runs a language school there.
Having a barbecue during lunchtime at my company’s BA office – delicious burgers and good company.
Leading my first life coaching-esque sessions! I did a purpose mapping workshop my last week in Córdoba, and paid it forward to two close altMBA friends this week. They enjoyed it and got a lot out of it, and I had fun guiding them through it. Wins all around.
Getting my first haircut! Definitely worked out a-ok.
Our farewell party, which was essentially at a rented out mansion. We had a bar, a dance floor, an asado (barbecue) on the roof – it was awesome. I had a cold (again) so only stayed for a little, but knowing that I had a last choripan and danced a little to Major Lazer was good enough.
Brunch at Ninina, definitely our favorite go-to café in Palermo, followed by a solo outing to the MALBA, the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires.
At the MALBA, getting to know Jorge Macchi through his Perspectives exhibit, which was truly fantastic. Maps cut out to only have streets, a disco ball with cutouts in the wall where the reflective lights should go, and a “music box” made from cars passing on a boulevard were some of my favorite exhibits. It showed how an artist can view the most mundane thing as something extraordinary, which I really appreciated.

My last dinner with Paula and Javi at Guarda la Vieja, a cool local bar/restaurant in the Almagro neighborhood. We talked politics, education systems, and how next time we meet up, it’ll have to be somewhere awesome like Rio de Janeiro. Always sad to say goodbye to friends, but one of my favorite parts of being in Buenos Aires was being able to reconnect with them.

Sunday, I had a failed attempt to visit Teatro Colon, one of the most important theaters in the world. The theater offers guided tours every day except three – Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and 1 de Mayo, which is Argentine Labor Day. I realized this after leaving my taxi, and had to dejectedly find a taxi back. On the bright side, this meant another meal at Ninina before heading to the airport for our flight.

With Buenos Aires, I know it’s always a hasta luego, not an adios. I had a great time walking the same streets I did eight years ago, and look forward to coming back soon!

Bonus: another amazing video by Laura Pounds, summarizing our month in Buenos Aires.