I have officially been in Argentina for a month. Simultaneously, I feel like I have been here for multiple months and also only a few days. It is wild to think about how much my life has changed in only a month. I have spent most of my first month learning to adjust and adapt to my new routines and environment. Adjusting to meal times here has been one of the most challenging things to do. Typically, merienda, which is their afternoon snack, takes place around the same time as dinner would in the United States. Dinner is typically eaten around 9:00/10:00pm. While not every night looks like that, when they do, it has taken me a huge adjustment to get used to. All of the quirks and cultural differences are finally starting to feel normal to me. I have loved being able to explore different places in my city and being able to meet so many amazing people.
I also celebrated my 23rd birthday this past week. Celebrating my birthday definitely brought along the most difficult feeling of homesickness for me. This is the first time in my life I have not been able to celebrate my birthday with my family and friends at home. Receiving messages and calls throughout the day definitely helped, but it was a very emotional day. I am incredibly grateful for my new friends that I have made here. I feel extremely lucky because I was able to celebrate my birthday with new friends here. Between a morning celebration, a lunch party, and pizza and beer in the evening, I was filled with so much joy and love throughout that day. While I was filled with many complex emotions, I felt so grateful and happy to be able to have an amazing birthday. And now, I am wondering if I will be able to buy a dulce de leche birthday cake next year in the United States.
An American in Argentina 
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