The Córdoba Experience: Real Talk

At the end of January our group traveled to Córdoba riding a Buenos Aires high. We had a bunch of new friends and newfound knowledge of pesos, asados, empanadas, very basic Spanish (dos cervezas por favor), and "Argentina time" (everything is so. so. slow. and late.).

We felt confident, even cocky, equipped with our Remote Year posse and Argentinian cultural insights. We were simply moving to another Argentinian city, NBD. Buenos Aires was outstanding, now we knew a lot of Argentina things we didn't know before, which meant Córdoba was going to be even more awesome. I even gushed in my "Saying Goodbye to Buenos Aires" blog post that I felt like I was going to love Córdoba.

Wrong Donald Trump GIF by Election 2016

Remote Year Month 2 challenged many of us in a variety of ways. From the moment we arrived in Córdoba, we dealt with broken elevators, broken refrigerators, daily temps of 100ºF plus (and some group members have no air conditioning), and all the ATMs in the city running out of cash (and most places don't accept credit cards). The locals speak Spanish with a strange, harder-to-understand accent than what we encountered in Buenos Aires, so communication became near impossible and knocked us down a few pegs.

We had heard Córdoba was a university town, but what we didn't realize was that it's their summer, and that meant that many places that would normally be open were closed for the season, or had limited hours which could not be found listed anywhere. We just learned the hours (or lack thereof) by trial and error by trying to go somewhere (i.e. to a workout class, to do laundry, to get coffee, etc.) only to find our destination was randomly closed. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but when you're adjusting to a new city and trying to navigate basic life tasks, each failed attempt to get something done adds to the frustration and an unsettling feeling of helplessness festers. Each time one of us encountered an annoying issue, which was very often, we would naturally vent to each other, roll our eyes, and blame the city we were living in. #córdobaproblemz

How shady does that Ferris wheel look? #córdoba

On a brighter note, since I had zero qualms with not being in Córdoba (versus Buenos Aires where I never wanted to leave), I took the opportunity to travel to Mendoza early in the month, and Patagonia later in the month - two absolutely phenomenal trips that were accessible via quick, easy flights. When else would I be able to do that?!

Upon returning from a surreal 5 days in Patagonia, I went for a jog around the park near my Córdoba apartment and gave some more thought to the overall negativity that sprang up and then established itself like a wet blanket over the group this month. What were we all so angry about? Aren't we supposed to be having the experience of a lifetime together?

I had 20 Valentine's Day dates! How could I complain??

So here's what I think happened, and I can only speak for myself here: I found a Buenos Aires comfort zone, and then got frustrated when I was forced back out of it by Córdoba. I then took solace in knowing others in the group were having similar struggles, and we would commiserate about our problems, further stoking the frustration rather than looking for the positive side.

After my Patagonia trip, temperatures had cooled off a bit in Córdoba, our refrigerator was in working order, I mostly knew what places would be open and closed, I had taken out heaps of pesos at the airport so I could actually pay for things, and I was totally psyched to reunite with all my fellow remotes who I missed while I was traveling. Life was good! Córdoba's not so bad! I mean, don't get me wrong, it shouldn't be on your list of dream travel destinations, but maybe it didn't deserve all the shade we've been throwing at it.

The view from our Córdoba coworking space, definitely can't hate it

It's been a humbling lesson: every city will have its challenges along with its perks, regardless of what I think I already know. I started the year in Buenos Aires excitedly terrified of all the new experiences, people and cultures ahead of me in 2018. My initial attitude starting out the year drove me to dismiss my anxieties, meet the new people, get lost in the new neighborhoods, stumble through the embarrassingly broken Spanish, try the new foods, dismiss or overcomes setbacks as they came my way - whatever it took to figure it out and enjoy all the positives of where I was and what I was doing.

We will be in a new city every single month, and while some of our monthly homes will be easier to click with than others, every place will have plusses and minuses. To maximize this experience, I need to go into each city with the same mindset that I came into Remote Year with: minimum expectations and maximum adaptability. While I'll probably never come to Córdoba again, I'll #neverforget the major lesson I learned here.

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