Buenos Aires, Argentina: A Trip I Almost Didn’t Take
In the 75 days between the presidential election and inauguration, Tammi and I had already visited two countries in hopes of making a quick decision: Guatemala City, Guatemala (nope) and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (maybe). Neither was perfect, which meant more research. By the time I needed to make reservations, I had decision fatigue from all the travel planning and downsizing. I told Tammi I wanted the next spot to just be a vacation.
I stumbled onto a yoga retreat in Buenos Aires. But when I looked closer, I saw the organization, Mente Argentina, offered all kinds of programs: cooking, tango, TEFL, photography, Spanish and more. What?! It sounded too good to be true so I reached out to my former sabbatical coach, Holly Bull at Center for Interim Programs. Not only did she know the organization, but she also had a contact there. Instead of yoga, I signed up for two weeks of photography and two weeks of Spanish.
Why Argentina Was on My List—But Not a Serious Contender
When I fed my relocation criteria into ChatGPT, Argentina made the cut (here’s how you can do it yourself). Buenos Aires was #13 on the list, so I figured I could vacation and do a little scouting. I continued to research Argentina and I uncovered some information that made me very nervous, namely, racism. When I dug a little deeper, I learned about the near-erasure of Afro-Argentine culture. Now, I’ve traveled enough to know that racism exists everywhere to varying degrees, but I am not trying to go from the frying pan of American racism into the fire of some other country. If I hadn’t already paid for my flight and classes, I might never have visited Argentina—and that would have been my loss.
My Experience of Buenos Aires
First Impressions
Buenos Aires is uber cosmopolitan. It’s easy to see why it earned the nickname, “Paris of South America”—it definitely has a European feel compared to other South American cities I’ve visited.
I stayed in Palermo, a lovely, walkable neighborhood filled with restaurants, grocery stores, patisseries and boulangeries and—one of my favorite things—parks and gardens everywhere. Just on the street where I stayed, there was a flower stall, a restaurant, two cafes, a grocery store, a fruit and vegetable store, a gourmet tea store, and a tiny frame shop. I never felt unsafe, even at night. Oh, and bidets in every apartment? Big win.
The Expense
Once again, I was a day late to the party. A few years ago, tourists and digital nomads (not locals) were “taking advantage of a high-quality of life for a low price tag.” Even though the cost of living is still supposedly less than in the Washington, D.C. area, this too felt very European to me, and not in a good way.
The Climate — Literal and Racial
When I read that the average temps would in the low to mid-80s F (about 28 °C), I thought “I can handle that”. Nope. I don’t care what the thermometer says, the heat and humidity were brutal. I felt like I perpetually had a drop of sweat about to drip from the end of my nose.
And the racial climate? I’m not negating anyone else’s experience, but I didn’t experience anything that I’d call overt racism (thank goodness). Yes, some people stared longer than is polite (one old man with his mouth agape), but I get that almost everywhere.
One welcome difference was that Argentina owns its history. I appreciated that my tour guide didn’t gloss over the country’s dark and tragic racial history—it made me want to cry. She also gave credit for Tango where it was due: to Afro-Argentinians. You heard me right. That’s more than I can say for the U.S., where erasing and rewriting history is practically an Olympic sport. And don’t get me started about appropriating Black dances and “forgetting” their roots. But I digress. Still, acknowledging history doesn’t change the fact that I saw very few people who look like me. I think I can count the number I saw on two hands—and two of them were there taking classes like me.
Food & Culture Highlights
Best Eats
Argentina really, really loves cheese, which is a struggle when you’re very lactose intolerant. Yet somehow I managed.
Vegetariano was a life saver. It was the first place I went that had more than one option on the menu that I could eat. And talk about flavorful! Mmm mmm mmm. Barra Chalaca (delicious Peruvian), Juajua Ramen (not just ramen, despite the name ),and Bao Kitchen (Taiwanese comfort food …with a side of spiritual literature to go)
After finding them though, it was like the universe realized what I wanted and options started popping up everywhere: BFresh, Esquina Cortés, Café Mishiguene, and Rímon (all solid finds—Rímon isn’t even on Google Maps yet!)
And while it didn’t make my list for the food, I have to give a shout-out to Pride Café because it was good a hang with fam.
Standout Cultural Experiences
I tend to explore on my own, but I did take a few tours I enjoyed:
San Telmo: Our guide led us through the oldest neighborhood in Buenos Aires, stopping in shaded spots to share pivotal moments in Argentine history. The iconic Mafalda statue was a highlight, and I came away with an appreciation for why she is so beloved by the community. And if you’re lucky, you get to watch some tango dancers along the way.
Graffiti tour: This was a fascinating dive into street art that included a thought-provoking exploration of art as a form of protest. Our animated guide also included a scavenger hunt. No spoilers here, you’ll have to go on the tour to find out about it (that’s assuming all the guides do it).
Maté Tasting: This Airbnb Experience walked us through the history and ritual of yerba maté. Our knowledgeable and passionate guide, tried to eased us into the tradition, but let’s be real—maté is intense. Some in our group embraced its bold bitterness, but I quickly realized I needed the beginner-friendly version they give kids. Thankfully, I found my sweet spot with Tereré—cold-brewed version. And let’s not forget the true VIP of the event—the resident cat, who was hilariously determined to be part of the action.
Biggest Regret
Outside La Perla, where I’d just eaten, I asked a tango couple if they’d be dancing again. I imagined that maneuvering in heels on those tiny cobblestones must be challenging, and I wanted to capture it. When I complimented the woman’s gracefulness, she shared a less glamorous truth—it was painful. Sometimes, her heels even got stuck in the cracks.
I tipped her well, but had lingering guilt. Had I encouraged someone’s struggle for an Instagram moment? I’m not some National Geographic photojournalist documenting hardship in the name of awareness. I told myself, Next time, stay in your lane—just shoot food and landscapes. But I also promised to share both the glamorous and not-so-glamorous parts of travel. So where’s the line?
If I could do it over, would I still take the video? Maybe—but only after asking about her experience first. Maybe I’d have offered to buy her the freezable gel packs that saved my feet after too many hours of swing dancing. It was a hard lesson, but a good reminder that behind the beautiful performances that tourists enjoy, there can be real sacrifice.
Capturing Buenos Aires Through the Lens
Photography was the real reason I came, and David, the Mente Argentina’s instructor, didn’t disappoint.
Food is my happy place. When all the joy was draining from my life a few years ago, it was the last bastion of pleasure. So naturally, the focus of a lot of my photography is there.
But my favorite days? The ones when I lost myself in trying to capture black bees in a tiny garden or turning my cherry photography assignment into “La escena del crimen“with a half-eaten cherry bleeding juice onto the plate.
Biggest Challenge
Everyone warns you about pickpockets in when traveling. Even my photography instructor cautioned me about leaving my phone on the table for a few seconds during our outdoor cafe shoot. Relaxing into street photography when you’re constantly on guard? Not the easiest.
Final Thoughts: Worth Visiting, Even If It’s Not Your Future Home
Before arriving, I was nervous about all the negative stories I’d heard. But in Palermo and the other areas I visited, I didn’t experience any of that (whew!). It was a good reminder that online reviews don’t tell the whole story—sometimes, you just have to see a place for yourself.
I’ll miss the people I met. I love sitting at a table with people from all over the world, each trying to talk to each other in a goulash of languages. But I won’t miss the sweltering weather and soaring prices.
Would I visit Buenos Aires again? Probably. Would I move there? Probably not. But I got what I came for: an amazing photography class and some time to rest. More importantly, I got something I needed—a reminder that local culture isn’t just there for tourists to consume. Moving through the world with empathy first means appreciating the beauty of a place without overlooking the sacrifices behind it…and sometimes putting away your camera.
