On the eve of my departure...

...from the former colony to the former empire, I compose a list for the reader (myself) and myself.

Things I will miss about Buenos Aires: My hosts - Leo, Dani, and Piolín; todas las chicas lindas (all the pretty girls); mate; fernet and coca cola; the 15 peso lunch around the corner that includes steak or chicken, side, bread, drink, and coffee; the pizza at Pizzería Güerrin; Fernando and all the nice, helpful people at the Librería Norte; the national libray; nights out in Palermo; the accent; Leo and Dani's artwork and watching them create it; walking up and down Avenida Callao (aka Babe Avenue) on the way to and from the library; the buses; the obelisk; various conversations w/ taxi drivers late at night about cell phones, grammar, girls, fishing, Miami, megapixels, etc.; afternoons spent watching the Mexican telenovela, Tormenta en el paraíso, with Leo and Dani from 2-3pm local time; having a supermarket directly in front of my house; being in Latin America...

Things I will not miss about Buenos Aires: the cats; the dinners alone; the dog shit - EVERYWHERE; the humidity; the national library; my bed; waking up with big bug bites; the accent; my cell phone - I never figured out how to 1) access my voice messages, 2) have, let alone turn up, the ringer volume, 3) include periods in my text messages...