It’s ironic. Everywhere I travelled in Latin America, locals told me how “lucky” I was to live in Canada. And I know Chiruza Canadiense would trade her passport for mine without a second thought.
Yet, coming back was hard. I’m happier when I travel, and it goes beyond the “but it is because you’re on holiday!” feeling. Correr es mi destino…
So, before stepping into the Air Canada aircraft that would take me back inside the fridge, I made a list of the things I missed during this trip, as a silly incentive to board the damn plane.
Endless supply of (relatively) cheap coffee
I need coffee at some point during the day. Sometimes in the morning, if I’m still sleepy and if it is one of these mornings, sometime in the afternoon as a pick-me-up energy boost. Plus, coffee is a delicious beverage.
I always associate coffee with Latin America, but in fact, in Argentina and Uruguay, java was surprisingly expensive. For instance, at Starbucks, a cup of coffee is more than $3 (I paid CA$2.50 in Ottawa). And it’s not because Starbucks is a foreign or fancy brand, even cheap Nescafé at the convenience store, delivered in a styrofoam cup, is a couple of bucks (15-20 pesos in Argentina).
Worse, coffee is served French-style, in tiny cups, so you can’t really sip it slowly the way I like it—after three sips, you’re done. In Chile and in Brazil, coffee was more widely available, and a bit cheaper too. I guess in Argentina and Uruguay, locals favour mate de coca, wine or cold drinks.
Coming back to Canada means getting huge cups of hot beverage pretty much anywhere, anytime and for a couple of dollars—Tim Horton’s, Starbucks, Second Cup, here I come!
Vegetables
Chile, Argentina and Uruguay are a carnivore’s heaven. Meat is cheap by world standards and generally excellent. You can have a giant parrilla with chicken, sausage, ribs and steak for less than $20, and any food where meat is an ingredient has a lot of it—a salad topped with ham will have three leaves of lettuce and three cups of ham, salami or ham sandwiches have almost more meat than bread, pasta dishes with parisienne or bolognese sauce contain generous amounts of meat, etc.
But do you know what I missed? Vegetables. Typical sides include French fries, mashed potatoes, rice or bread. You can find tomatoes or mushrooms in sandwiches or pasta sauces and spinach in some empanadas, but that’s about it. I was so desperate for fresh veggies at one point that I ordered salads (palm hearts! Carrots! Beets!) or portions of ravioli with just tomato sauce (hoping that the cook will make up for the lack of meat by adding whatever veggie they could find).
I’m not saying locals don’t eat well or never eat veggies, I guess if you can cook you do whatever you want. But in restaurants, let’s just say you are unlikely to see a lot of green on your plate.
I crave vegetables. I can’t wait to steam broccoli and add carrots to my soups. Celery… oh, celery!
Showering, peeing and sleeping alone
As much as I hate this line, you won’t understand the issue unless you are a parent. When you have young kids, peeing alone is a rare luxury (unless you have a fetish, but then it’s your problem). With Mark, bathroom breaks become pit stops much like during a Formula 1 race. Sometimes, I pee and blow my nose at the same time, just to be more efficient.
When we travel, Mark usually tags along with me when we take a bathroom break. I often have to wash his hands, clean the pacifier or whatever mess he made, or change him, so it makes sense for him to come with me.
I don’t mind company, except I would really like to pee in peace. Now that he is older, I taught him to wait for me in front of the stall. He doesn’t like it. “Mommy! Mommy!” he screams. “Mark, I’m right HERE. You can see my feet, can’t you?” And that’s usually when he crawls under the stall. “Mommy pee-pee.” Yes, honey, I was. I was.
The same goes for the hotel. With three people sharing a small room, you have to forget about privacy. We often all slept in the same bed, and I took many showers with Mark because it was easier. I don’t mind being naked around the two guys, except the little brat likes the water colder than I do and he pushes me away from the showerhead to get all the water.
So… coffee, veggies and privacy. Will that make it up for the fact it’s bloody freezing in Ottawa?
Share this article!
Just let me know when it’s convenient for you, and I’ll send you my passport via Correo Argentino, and you can send me yours via Canada Post….hahaha
Yes, you’re in fact right: I’d trade with you any time….and I know I’m one of the many people who told you how lucky you’re to live in Canada !
I know you are… and I know you would 🙂
I remember last time I was visiting my family in Argentina, after I spent the day sightseeing Buenos-Aires on my own, I met my cousin at the end of her working day. She asked me what I had eaten for lunch, to which I replied that with much difficulty I had found a place that served me a pretty descent salad. She was surprised and said that with the “vegetarian fashion”, it was indeed easier to find salads to eat in Argentina, but it always felt “a bit meatless”, like eating air to her!!! LOL
I think there are more options in Buenos Aires, I noticed many small places in the microcentro catering to the business crowd, where you could grab a salad or a sandwich or whatever. And I did find very good salads in some restaurants… but it was a bit like eating Mexican food in France or an Australian BBQ in Costa Rica–out of place!
I never win at Tim Hortons 🙁 I end up craving vegetables after a while too!
I usually win a coffee or two every “game season”. Starbucks is the worst, I played all winter, entered every single code and never even got a free cup of coffee. I’m almost convinced the game was rigged!