Mendocinamericana

No matter how long I live in Mendoza, my foreignness always sticks out. Sometimes I'm mistaken for a European, but most of the time when people question where I'm from, they are genuinely curious what I am doing in Mendoza all the way from America.  I dress like a foreigner (t-shirts and gym clothes), talk like a foreigner (still working on that accent), and eat like a foreigner (eating and walking at the same time is the biggest clue you are foreign). These are the top five reasons I will never be a true Mendocinian no matter how hard I try:

1. No matter how lazy I am, I couldn't live my whole life based on the Argentinian work ethic of never wanting to work.

2. Even after walking down the sidewalks here for years, I probably still wouldn't be used to the piropos enough to be able to ignore them. They piss me off every time!

3. I prefer to drink a lot more water than the Argentinians.  I just can't drink that Tang like they can.

4. I'd rather spend my afternoons doing something productive than taking a siesta from 2 to 5 everyday. I'm still confused when the stores are closed at 4 when I wanted to go shopping. You have to plan your whole day around the siesta.

5. I've enjoyed being able to live on my own during college, and don't think I would want to live at home until I'm married, like the Argentinians usually do (I doubt my parents would want me at home that long either!)

However....
Top 3 reasons I could live here forever:

1.  EMPENADAS!! I'm planning on eating these every day for the rest of my life.

2. The genie pants; I may never have to wear real pants again. I need to buy about 10 more pairs before leaving here.

3. The variety of beauty I've seen in Argentina's nature: I didn't realize before coming here how big the country really was. I've been all the way north to see amazing waterfalls, mountains of 14 colors, salt flats, jungles, and the desert of Mendoza, and the ocean in Buenos Aires. I haven't even been south yet to see the glaciers and lakes. This country holds some of the most varied, and beautiful sights I'll ever see.