I’m sorry to say that you seem just a step away from being an ugly American. You don’t know how to travel in a strange land. You don’t know how to dine, shop, or make a friend in a strange land. You seem young enough to adapt to a life without Reese’s Pieces, yet you deliberately don’t. It doesn’t require courage. It requires curiosity and determination. And a belief in the basic goodness of humankind even when it speaks another language and eats different foods. Similarly, I’ve seen tourists from other countries searching through American grocery stores for their customary foods from home, and coming away chagrined and disappointed because those foods do not exist here, at least not in grocery chain stores. They go away thinking that McDonald’s is the best dining experience we have to offer. It’s their loss.
Portable scale is essential. getting 5 bags to almost exactly, but just under 50lb is an art, not a science.
Dyson Vacuum, Ikea shelf organizers, TJ Organic Mayo, Birkis, MomoFuko Spicy Noodles in 8 packs, GoofOff, Murphys Oil Soap, lots of euro candies, Dayquil, Bosch cordless hammer drill, visegrips, wall anchors, T pins, Organic soy sauce, Garlic Chili Sauce, Costco Tumeric pills, Ricola, Organic tuna from the fisherman, canned. small bamboo cutting boards. Palo Santo shaving cream. (you would think they would have this in Argentina, but NOOO.) Custom printed shower curtain, clothes from Muji, all black.
What a beautiful post, Allie. I thought I was going to read about the food you brought to Buenos Aires from the US, and now I'm kind of teary and also laughing at your Dad's comforting words 😂
Except I don't bring my absolute favorite / sentimental things back from my mom's house in the US to BA, like you do with your spoons, because it feels so precarious to me.
I know that anything I haul down there that I'm not willing to get rid of when/if I move back, I'll have to haul right back up in my suitcases. Which is possible of course, but gives me anxiety seeing those sentimental things so far away from their home, distanced by a dysfunctional customs system.
But then that means I'm living indefinitely without my favorite things.
In terms of buying new things, have you ever gotten anything from the US using the Bring it BA whatsapp group? I haven't tried it yet, but just knowing it's there if I ever need it makes me feel better 😆
one of the top things on my list when my santiagueño partner comes to the US next month is to show him Whole Foods 🤣 and have him try real buffalo wings, as we got some in BA and it was truly a sad affair.
Honestly, I didn’t even realize the forks were sentimental. I just needed forks, my mom had way too many, so I stole some. But now every time I eat, it subconsciously reminds me of home, and that feeling makes the schlep worth it.
Also wait, I had NO idea about this WhatsApp group?? What is it, it sounds dangerous.
when I lived in Spain with other American roommates, whenever we’d go home, we followed a strict unspoken rule: you’d HAVE to bring back the everything but the bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
Living in another country can make American grocery stores feel novel hahahaha. I loved your pics of them. But being back in the US now, I can say that the endless rows of hot sauce have def lost their sparkle 😖😖😭😭😭
I want to add that, like you, we have been living here 20 years, although not full time. Still we live here, eat here, cook here, shop here, and virtually all our friends are experiences are argentine. I drink mate every day, even in the USA. which is sold on Amazon by Argentine expats in Miami.
I actually bring a lot of industria argentina back with me when I go to the states.
When we bring things, its often things that you just cannot get, or that are insanely expensive. I am a lifelong tool user, and my made in Germany Bosch drill was cheaper than the made in china ones available here...
I also want to add- we are always bringing things for argentines, as well. I am a mula, and the things Argentines want are as varied and weird as the ones I want.
I remember once bringing a sous-vide for a chef friend, long before you could get them here.
Pedro Pena imported toto toilet seats from japan for nino gordo- in somebody's checked luggage.
I’m sorry to say that you seem just a step away from being an ugly American. You don’t know how to travel in a strange land. You don’t know how to dine, shop, or make a friend in a strange land. You seem young enough to adapt to a life without Reese’s Pieces, yet you deliberately don’t. It doesn’t require courage. It requires curiosity and determination. And a belief in the basic goodness of humankind even when it speaks another language and eats different foods. Similarly, I’ve seen tourists from other countries searching through American grocery stores for their customary foods from home, and coming away chagrined and disappointed because those foods do not exist here, at least not in grocery chain stores. They go away thinking that McDonald’s is the best dining experience we have to offer. It’s their loss.
The last trip to BA. 4 duffles and a suitcase.
Portable scale is essential. getting 5 bags to almost exactly, but just under 50lb is an art, not a science.
Dyson Vacuum, Ikea shelf organizers, TJ Organic Mayo, Birkis, MomoFuko Spicy Noodles in 8 packs, GoofOff, Murphys Oil Soap, lots of euro candies, Dayquil, Bosch cordless hammer drill, visegrips, wall anchors, T pins, Organic soy sauce, Garlic Chili Sauce, Costco Tumeric pills, Ricola, Organic tuna from the fisherman, canned. small bamboo cutting boards. Palo Santo shaving cream. (you would think they would have this in Argentina, but NOOO.) Custom printed shower curtain, clothes from Muji, all black.
Looks like you have it all figured out 👌
What a beautiful post, Allie. I thought I was going to read about the food you brought to Buenos Aires from the US, and now I'm kind of teary and also laughing at your Dad's comforting words 😂
Thank you!! 🥰
I resonate with this so much 🥲
Except I don't bring my absolute favorite / sentimental things back from my mom's house in the US to BA, like you do with your spoons, because it feels so precarious to me.
I know that anything I haul down there that I'm not willing to get rid of when/if I move back, I'll have to haul right back up in my suitcases. Which is possible of course, but gives me anxiety seeing those sentimental things so far away from their home, distanced by a dysfunctional customs system.
But then that means I'm living indefinitely without my favorite things.
In terms of buying new things, have you ever gotten anything from the US using the Bring it BA whatsapp group? I haven't tried it yet, but just knowing it's there if I ever need it makes me feel better 😆
one of the top things on my list when my santiagueño partner comes to the US next month is to show him Whole Foods 🤣 and have him try real buffalo wings, as we got some in BA and it was truly a sad affair.
Honestly, I didn’t even realize the forks were sentimental. I just needed forks, my mom had way too many, so I stole some. But now every time I eat, it subconsciously reminds me of home, and that feeling makes the schlep worth it.
Also wait, I had NO idea about this WhatsApp group?? What is it, it sounds dangerous.
It's a network of expats who bring things for each other from different countries, sometimes for a fee sometimes free !
https://chat.whatsapp.com/LPE8HCXQtHIGhmi8193UvR?mode=ems_copy_t
This was such a cute read :) I enjoyed it!!
when I lived in Spain with other American roommates, whenever we’d go home, we followed a strict unspoken rule: you’d HAVE to bring back the everything but the bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
Living in another country can make American grocery stores feel novel hahahaha. I loved your pics of them. But being back in the US now, I can say that the endless rows of hot sauce have def lost their sparkle 😖😖😭😭😭
Yeah, I definitely get anxiety in the cereal aisle... WAY TOO MANY OPTIONS.
I want to add that, like you, we have been living here 20 years, although not full time. Still we live here, eat here, cook here, shop here, and virtually all our friends are experiences are argentine. I drink mate every day, even in the USA. which is sold on Amazon by Argentine expats in Miami.
I actually bring a lot of industria argentina back with me when I go to the states.
When we bring things, its often things that you just cannot get, or that are insanely expensive. I am a lifelong tool user, and my made in Germany Bosch drill was cheaper than the made in china ones available here...
I also want to add- we are always bringing things for argentines, as well. I am a mula, and the things Argentines want are as varied and weird as the ones I want.
I remember once bringing a sous-vide for a chef friend, long before you could get them here.
Pedro Pena imported toto toilet seats from japan for nino gordo- in somebody's checked luggage.