Experiences of an Expat: I am the champion of all things!
Being an expat in Argentina is full of new and exciting things, but it’s also full of confusing and frustrating things. It’s a tough balance, one that that can offset by a bad attitude or failure to find the joy in small things. When I first moved here, I used to mark all of my “small victories.” Every time I found a good fruit stand, figured out a new bus or bought an especially delicious ice cream cone I would declare it a glorious “small victory.”
Now that I have lived here for almost a year, I’m a little past the daily small victory point. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy conquering the struggles of being an expat and dealing with a new country. I recently had one of these glorious conquests and would like to share it with the world.
Champion!
The Back Story
Receiving an international package in this country is quite a task. It almost always involves going to the central office downtown in an area called Retiro. Retiro is a super sketchy part of the city and the office is only open from 10-5 Monday-Thursday. A trip there involves 2 waiting rooms and usually takes 2-4 hours. You then have to make it out of the sketchy part of town while carrying a package that marks you as a foreigner and a target for thieves. It is not my favorite place.
The Note Under the Door
It was 4:00pm on a Friday afternoon. I had finished a freelance job early and had been running errands at a leisurely pace for the past few hours. I had just come back from picking up my laundry when I saw the note that must have been slipped under my door in the last 5 minutes. It was a package slip. This should have been exciting. A package? For me? How delightful! Who could it be from? Whatever could it be?”. Instead, I went into panic mode. I looked at the package slip, noting that the original delivery attempt occurred yesterday, meaning my door man had had this slip all day and had only just now given it to me. I looked at the clock- 4:01pm.
Here’s the issue- On Monday I will begin a new job that will involve being in the office from 10-8. The post office is only open from 10-5. If I do not pick up this package it will be sent back to the United States. Starting to understand the panic?
I looked at my bag of wet clothes that I was meant to hang up, then at the package slip and then at the clock. I tried to do the math- could I make it to the office in time? Will they let me in at 4:45 even though they are supposed to shut down at 5?. I decided it was worth the risk. I threw down the clothes, grabbed my passport and literally ran out the door and to the subway.
The Journey
To get from my apartment to Retiro I have to take 1 subway train for several stops, switch to another train for a few more stops and then walk a few blocks to the post office. The entire time I was on the train I was willing it to move faster, glaring at people who boarded slowly and mentally screaming in my head PLEASE MAKE IT PLEASE MAKE IT PLEEEEASSE MAKE IT!
When I got off the second train I sprinted to the station. I still had time before 5 but I was not fully convinced they’d let me enter with only a few minutes to go. I arrived at 4:40, out of breath and sweaty.
I am the champion of all things!
The office was nearly empty the the employees were in full on get-me-out-of-here mode. A process that usually takes several hours lasted only 30 minutes. Just a little after 5 I was walking out of the office hugging a giant package to my chest. I couldn’t help it, I smiled and said “I am the champion of all things!”
No one was around to hear my declaration, but it was still a great moment. Maybe “champion of all things” is a little hyperbolic, but hey, the international postage system provides some tough battles and this is one I was proud to have won.
