Why say goodbye, if I am always coming back?

I have said goodbye so many times that I have lost count of how many there have been. However, there are less and less tears shed every time I leave, because I always end up coming back.

Two year ago, I said goodbye to Spain, a couple of months back, farewell to Argentina, and now, I say good-bye to Houston and “hello” again to Buenos Aires, the city that always awaits me with open arms, this time for longer (I hope).

I still have a couple of pending stories from the US: the trip to NASA, the adventures through the streets of New Orleans, my experience at the ice hockey game…

But I will intermingle these remaining articles with other stories in Argentina and stories from my collaborators, since that is the way our memory works: it continuously mixes the present with past experiences.

This way, with a letter that says “good-bye” and “hello” at the same time, I open a new chapter to this Surrealistic Life, this time, from Argentina.

Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Best wishes,

Laura

Sharing love in Venezuela, Argentina and the US for Valentine´s Day

Love, sometimes means caring. Sometimes means patience. Sometimes tolerance. Other times undestanding or even passion. It can also mean containment, tenderness, company or compassion...

In different parts of the world, people tend to express their love towards others is similar way. However, when it is time to choose their mates, the rituals vary from country to country.

When I lived in Venezuela, men invested many hours until they conquered the heart of the girl they liked. They visited her house on a daily basis through weeks, they bought them presents and flattered them until they received her approval. In given occasions, the girl would receive the boy in the garden or the front of the house for various weeks, until she decided he was a suitable candidate and allowed him to enter the house.

On the other hand, in Argentina, couples usually meet randomly at a bar, a disco, on top of a public bus, at a party, at a park... While other times they get introduced by friends or family members. Whichever way, in this country men don’t have to court women as long as Venezuelans to gain their love.

In the US, when a man likes a woman, he usually invites her out on a date so they can get to know each other better and hopefully conquer her that way.

Nevertheless, these are generalizations of what generally happens in each of these countries, and things don’t always happen this way. There are always exceptions, and today, more and more women choose to take the first step to conquer the man.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all. Although every day is a good day to share the love.