The Kilbot Factory

BsAs Traveller Tips: Learn a little Spanish

I didn’t know any Spanish before I got to Buenos Aires – nada. It was a little rude really, but I booked my ticket less than a week before I arrived so it didn’t leave me much time for classes. Luckily most people speak a little English and I didn’t starve; I managed to do my shopping, wash my clothes and rent an apartment with perhaps five Spanish words, a lot of hand gestures, Google Translate and the kindness of the porteños.

The first week would have been a lot more enjoyable – and a lot less embarrassing – if I’d learn at least some basics. I had many cringe-worthy moments, many blank stares, even a few shakes of the head (but don’t worry, I was always sure to wear my Obama shirts so’s that they would think I was American). And so, in the great tradition of don’t do what I did advisitorials, here is some basics to get you started.

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First Impressions: Buenos Aires

Argentinians are Italians who speak Spanish, dress French and think they are British. At least, that’s what they say… I’ve never been to Italy, Spain, France or England, but it sounds pretty good so I’ll run with it. Not being able to compare Buenos Aires to any European city is a good thing of course, you’ll not hear “the bars are just like Barcelona” or “the pizza was worthy of Naples” or “the sidewalk is reminiscent of Rue Truffaut” with phoney French accents in my first impressions, no Sir … this is Buenos Aires: unadulterated. But first I should give a little disclaimer: it won’t be Buenos Aires the province; that’s a big place about the size of Arizona. I’ll be talking about the Federal Capital, one area to be exact, the barrio of Palermo – I haven’t really seen much of anything else. As far as travellers go, I’m a bit strange like that, I find a place I like and stay there. Kinda reminds me of San Francisco actually …

I’d been in San Francisco for over a year before I learned that there were trams that could take you under the hill to a strange new world where bars served non-Mexican beer and there were university students who played drinking games involving ping pong balls and it rained fog and sure you might meet some new people … but really, what’s the point? I lived in the Mission. I chose to live in the Mission so I wouldn’t have to go to other places like that. Likewise, when I got to Buenos Aires I walked through Recoleta, Centro and San Telmo, back through Villa Crespo, Palermo and the lower side of Belgrano … by the time I finished I knew I would live in Palermo, somewhere between Plaza Serrano and Plaza Italia to be exact, and I haven’t left.

OK, enough with the disclaimers, on with the first impressions of Buenos Aires:

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Eating my own dog food

At a party in San Francisco last year, I got talking to a nice young lady who informed me that her uncle was quite wealthy from selling dog food. “Ah!”, I said, “Does he eat his own dog food?”, quite pleased with my little joke.

She said “No” and we talked no more. Obviously she wasn’t familiar with the expression.

In any case, I bring this up because moments ago I posted an article on kilbot.com.au about the revival of personal blogging in 2010. And so, here I am, eating my own dog food so-to-speak. The article contains a link to this site, so you’ll see it all quite nicely circular … and I guess if you are reading this article you are – in a sense – eating my dog food too.
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