In a city as big, busy and bustling as Buenos Aires, it is sometimes difficult to remember to breathe. And sometimes, even when I remember to breathe, it is impossible. It is a city whose name "good air" seems like a cruel sarcastic joke; a city where I take deep gasping breaths only to have my lungs filled with the exhaust of the passing bus.
But it is also a city with Internet; my connection to the world where I can breathe easy: home. And home is filled with people who remind me that breathing is a natural action not one I should be struggling with daily.
With my new found skill of breathing easy, I am giving up whatever quest I had to be a porteno, any ridiculous desire I had to be able to breath the buenos aires as if it was clean and natural and not filled with foreign smog. Yes David, I am tourist, una extranjera, and I will continue to be for the next 5 months. It is better to accept this and just breathe rather than struggling with each breath wondering if I am breathing right.
3 comments:
I never said tourist, Niki. I think I recall distinctly that I used the words visitor and foreigner, and the little phrase "for the time being." But yes you're right: breathing is important. To quote a small but invaluable piece of advice that my friend Nmachi left me on my facebook wall a couple of weeks ago:
"Take deep breaths. Really, really deep breaths. Because the last thing we want is a casualty from not breathing...that's not cool...that's, fortunately or unfortunately, one of the things that comes naturally to man. Don't screw it up. BREATHE."
breathing is good, hang in there...xoxoxo
Uncle chris
glad you are starting to feel a little better love you--rob
Post a Comment