When I first touched down at EZE and proceeded to take the bus ride into the city, I will admit that the first thing that went through my mind was: what the hell have I gotten my self into?  Never in my life have I been in a city so massive (all-in-all a community of over 13 million people), and I suddenly realized how truly far away I was from my easy-going Colorado mountain lifestyle.  The speed of everything happening all around me was already becoming a bit overwhelming, even while still at the airport.  A friend once told me that even New York City, when compared to Buenos Aires, seems tamed and dwarfed. And now that I’m here, I don’t doubt his claim at all.  Anyways, to make matters worse than they already were, I lost the address to the hostel that I was scheduled to stay at.  The address that I had previously written down was my only salvation (or so I thought) for making it to my desired destination, Palermo Soho (the neighborhood that I am currently living in).  So, when the bus dropped me off downtown, I had to get in a cab and try to explain to the driver (who didn’t speak a word of English) where to take me.  All I could remember was the name of the street, so I told him in my rusty Spanish to drop me off somewhere on Guemes in Palermo.  After a nearly thirty minute cab ride to get to Palermo, which is just north of downtown, I was forced to guess the address and have him drop me (along with my 60lb backpack) off in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world, without really knowing where I was.  However, the seasoned traveler that I like to consider myself didn’t panic, and I began walking in the direction that I thought to be correct, northwest on Guemes.  Luckily for me, I also remembered the color of the building (yellow) from pictures online, and within about four blocks of walking, I finally found it, with relief rapidly setting in.

After getting settled in, I decided that the best thing to do would be to take nice long stroll through Palermo, ya know, to get my bearings and what not. The first thing I noticed, without a doubt, is how generally attractive all of the people are.  About every few blocks I pass a woman that I would be lucky just to see during an entire night out in the Denver/Boulder area.  Of course not everyone is a super model, but most of the women here that I’ve seen are simply just…attractive. Thin with long, flowing, and beautiful hair and this sort of Medditeranean/European look about them.  I guess it’s what happens when Italy meets Spain, mingles a bit with Germany and Eastern Europe, and thus producing an overall higher concentration of attractive women than any other place I have ever been. Don’t know what it is, but there must be something in the water! I guess I can’t really complain. Anyways, besides all of the beautiful people, I notice a wonderful variety of other sites and sounds simultaneously stimulating everyone of my senses. The constant chatter of porteños (as locals of Buenos Aires are called) from street corners and street-side café’s, cars buzzing past me at light speed, the relentless honking of horns, the smell of pizza, empanadas, and fresh baked goods from the corner Panadaría in the air, and finally, an array of what seem at first glance to be incredible eateries, designer shops, and art galleries.

Liking what I’m seeing so far…

*Above, the Concrete Paradise at Sunset.  View from a friends apartment in Barrio Norte.

It has been nearly two years since I first began planning and dreaming about the wanderlust inspired adventure that is about to take place.  And now those very plans and dreams are about to come into fruition, as I get ready to depart for Buenos Aires, Argentina in the morning.  Who would have thought that a simple twist of fate like meeting two girls from Argentina while traveling in Fiji would lead me where I am today, trying to pack my life into a backpack and prepare myself for and indefinite stay in a foreign country.  Their love their country however, is what inspired me to look into traveling there someday.  But now, I’m moving there, and nervousness and excitement run hand-in-hand through my body and thoughts fill my mind as I sit here in my room thinking about all of the potential possibilities related with a departure into the unknown.  A departure into a world completely foreign to me, a world hopefully awaiting with open arms.  For me though, that’s the beauty of it all, not knowing what’s going to happen, and when I think of the limitless possibilities, I get truly excited.

Rarely have I worried that I’m making a poor decision and I’ve done well remaining confident when confronted by those who think I’m out of my mind for moving to Buenos Aires without anything (beyond a week in a hostel and 4 weeks of Spanish class) set up or planned ahead.  I have trained myself simply to not listen to those who are adverse to such an idea and in turn it has driven me towards my goal even further.  One thing I am sure about though, is that my life twenty or thirty years from now would be filled with regret if I didn’t pack everything up and just go for it.  When I sit and let this thought marinate in my mind, I suddenly realize that I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life, and on the dawn of my 24th birthday, there couldn’t be a better time to embark upon such an adventure.  Fresh out of college (at the beautiful University of Colorado at Boulder), no serious suit and tie cubicle hell of a job, no debt or mortgage to pay off, no girlfriend, no commitments, nothing holding me back.  It’s just me, my savings, the clothes in my backpack, and the road ahead.  Man it’s a beautiful life right now, and I can’t wait to get it started.