Oftentimes when we were in Buenos Aires we felt very conflicted about seeing dancers we knew from Toronto. Let us rephrase that: We weren’t really conflicted, but we didn’t want to offend anyone.
Let me, the lady, preface by saying that I have lived abroad. I originally went to teach children English in Europe for a year, but then met Jorge and moved back there for another 3.5 years. During my first year, I was invited by a foreign student to befriend all the other foreign students, as had my predecessor. Although very thankful, I had no interest in this. Had I really traveled all that way to hang out with other foreigners? No. Instead, I befriended Jorge and spent all my free time with him and his family, and I immersed myself in their culture.
That said, we hoped that anyone we saw from the homeland would be of the same mindset as us. Which was: We went to Buenos Aires to experience the culture. Let us say hello, possibly go for coffee, and then be on our separate ways. We certainly didn’t spend all that hard-earned money to see and spend time with the same people we see back home.
In all honesty though, we did meet some lovely Asians who were wonderful people and who danced the “same kind of Tango” we danced (perfectly said by one of these new friends). Although we did spend a lot of time with these gringos, the positive was that they were gringos of a different culture than ours.
“Those who visit foreign nations, but associate only with their own country-men, change their climate, but not their customs. They see new meridians, but the same men; and with heads as empty as their pockets, return home with traveled bodies, but untravelled minds.”
- Caleb Colton
