Teatime in Buenos Aires

Living in Buenos Aires has been a culture shock in a number of ways but one thing that has particularly captured my attention, AND my frustration, is the difference in cafe culture here versus the United States. For example, the term "to go" or in Spanish "para alla" has little or no significance to the baristas here in Buenos Aires. For Portenos, coffee is something that is meant to enjoyed sitting down, in the company of one's friends and preferably over an abundance of sparkling conversation. While on our better days we Americans will enjoy our coffee in a similar, more social manner, overall we tend to treat our coffee the way we treat our prozac, as a necessity that ought to be ingested at all costs, in any way possible.

I find that this reflects much more than an inability on my part to obtain a much needed iced coffee "for the road," but rather a difference in our cultures altogether. To put it simply, Portenos know how to "chill" a lot better than we Americans do and it is not uncommon for a Porteno to spend hours drinking mate, eating lunch, or simply chatting it up with a friend at the grocery store. To them, it is not time that is of the essence but rather one's relations with the world around them. This can often be frustrating when, say, you are at the back of the line at the bank with an urgent issue and the person at the front of the line is giving the teller a highly animated play-by-play description of their niece's last soccer game. However, it is definitely something to consider. In accordance with the Buddhists teachings, one might even might even call it a more mindful way of living. For, rather than focusing solely on the future and all of its various mundane tasks, Portenos are able to wholly submerse themselves in the ephemeral beauty of the present, whether it be over mate, coffee or simply a chance meeting of a friend.