When I travel to another country whether for business, to study, or on vacation I make an effort to prepare. I buy a guidebook (and read it!), I study up on the history, current events and language of the place, and I try to make myself familiar with local traditions. The goal is to feel more confident upon arrival, as well as to dispel the myth of the ignorant American. As I get settled into life in Mar del Plata after a month of being here, I realize that although I can manage the language and I understand the general aspects of the culture, nothing could've prepared me for the little things.

Sure, I´d learned in school that Argentineans drink mate and pass it around with friends, but no one explained that you're supposed to drink the whole 'cup' and return it to the 'kettle-master' before the mate was passed on. I knew that Semana Santa was a big deal, but no guidebook mentions the fact that Argentineas don't eat real eggs for Easter. Imagine my surprise when I saw the kids at Easter dinner breaking their chocolate eggs against the table! I'd read that Argentina has the highest number of psychologists per capita, but I had no clue that Mar del Plata was the (unofficial) capital of real estate agencies! Does anyone know how many there really are? It seems like my apartment search could've taken a year if I'd wanted to see what each inmobiliaria had to offer.

Every day here is full of new lessons and some unexpected surprises. When I went to the store to buy milk, I came home with a 'milk plus juice' combo in a bag. I'd never seen anything like it! Apparently it's a fairly new dairy option here. It tastes a little weird, but I guess it makes sense, since fruit yogurt is a widely accepted food choice. I'm impressed by the cleanliness of the buildings in Argentina and surprised that people wash the sidewalk! I love the fact that there is an encargado at my apartment building, who is kind and helpful and comes over to teach me how to work the outside curtain or the buzzer system.

All these nuances (and many more I still have to learn) are the reason that living in another country is an experience irreplaceable by any amount of formal study.

I look forward to immersing myself in the complex cultural fabric of my new home for the next several months. And I hope that you will help me figure out all of the little things.