Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save."

In most places you can distinguish a tourist from a resident by the cameras in their hand, peace sign pictures, sky gazing, and fanny packs (unless u r SJP I really hope not), but here in Buenos Aires, you can tell if somebody is a tourist if they go to a cafe and ask for cafe con leche para llevar (to go).

Yup thats right, nowhere in BA will you see a resident holding a coffee in his hand. In the US we are constantly on the go, we are always running to get to something else and sometimes we forget to enjoy the present moment. Here, no matter what they are doing, people will stop at a cafe and sit for at least half an hour to enjoy their espresso or late. I can't even remember the last time I drank my starbucks drink at starbucks...can you?

One of my favorite things about this city is the fact that despite its 14 million population, big businesses, and amazing shopping, there hardly seems to be a sense of urgency. People wake up at a decent hour, enjoy their coffee, casually walk to work, wait patiently for the next bus, and stroll into work around 11 am. When you go out to eat, the waiter never says ' can I get you folks anything else' or ' ready for your check?' Each meal literally takes hours and there is no grabbing a quick bite, because really whats the use? Sometimes I get impatient waiting for my bill and then I realize, what am I rushing for?

Being here, feels like being on a constant vacation (granted I have not really started my internship yet) but I can bet that there are fewer heart attacks, anxiety attacks, and lower stress levels. We are constantly trying to get somewhere in life back home, but here people are just as successful and waste less paper by using mugs instead of to-go cups. Now, that is paradise.