Leaving Buenos Aires: Five Reasons a Part of My Heart Stayed Behind
What Buenos Aires Will Teach You About Life, Family, and Belonging
The fundamental problem with visiting Buenos Aires is simple: you might never want to leave.
I didn’t understand this feeling until it happened to me. I’d heard travelers talking about falling so deeply for a place that they felt tethered to it, even long after leaving. For me, that place was Buenos Aires.
Argentina’s capital is that mix of distinct culture, stunning architecture, and…good vibes. While there are countless reasons to visit, here are the ones that stood out to me.
The People Are Incredibly Friendly
Argentinians make you feel like you belong.
Despite the challenges Argentina faces—such as rising inflation and poverty affecting many residents—people remain remarkably kind and welcoming.
It’s not politeness of someone trying to get you to do something for them or the superficial courtesies we often exchange in passing. Strangers are happy to chat with you in public spaces. As soon as they hear broken Spanish, they’ll ask about your story with genuine curiosity.
During my time in Buenos Aires, I was continually struck by how locals extended warmth and friendliness. Other parents regularly initiated conversation while our kids played in the park. When I couldn’t follow the rapid Spanish, many would switch to English. Another time, a fellow tenant in our building heard us speaking English and immediately gave us her unit number. She insisted that we call on her if ever needed anything.
When it was time for my baby to take her passport photo, the entire office—and even a few clients waiting in line—jumped in to help. The result was multiple people calling out “¡Hola, bebé!” to get her to look at the camera. And it worked.
Months after I arrived in Buenos Aires, I reflected on the assumptions I’d carried with me about traveling to Argentina. What would it be like to navigate life in a predominantly white country? Would I face prejudice because of my South African passport?
My brain had constructed so many scenarios of bias and discrimination. It's difficult not to expect the worst after growing up in South Africa, with its legacy of exclusion and racism. None came to pass. My family and I experienced only generosity and openness.
Even the other expats we met were genuine and eager to connect. We saw a desire to build relationships from other South Africans and expats. Buenos Aires, it seems, has a way of fostering connection. Not just among locals but also among the foreigners drawn to its unique energy.
Even now, a year after leaving Buenos Aires, my husband and I often find ourselves having late-night conversations about the incredible people who welcomed us so warmly.
The Casually Beautiful Architecture
Buenos Aires is the kind of place that seduces you without any effort. You won’t even know it’s happening.
Walk along most avenues, and you’ll be taken in by an elegance that doesn’t beg for your attention. It simply exists. You, the viewer, are compelled to notice.
What this looks like are plazas framed by facades that reflect the city’s European influence. Multiple buildings have ornate balconies and wrought-iron railings are fixed to buildings. Stroll down a street and you’ll find massive Jacaranda trees casting their shade.
San Telmo, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, feels like it’s pulsing. Here, restored buildings and architecture all the way from the 1800s attract tourists. Artists, street performers, and vendors line cobblestone streets for the famous weekly street fair.
Living in Buenos Aires is like being surrounded by a museum without walls. Everywhere you go, there’s a reminder of the city’s layered history and its refusal to stand still.
Pregnant Women and Babies Are Royalty
If you’re traveling with kids—or even thinking of having them—Argentina might just be your utopia. Pregnant women and babies are treated like royalty. Everyone from waiters to strangers on the street eager to help.
On more than one occasion, I (pregnant) felt blood rushing to my face as I was ordered to skip the line at the store, bureau of exchange, or pharmacy. I remember one instance where a fellow customer seemed annoyed at the employee for failing to call me to front earlier.
Strangers would often pause to coo at our baby as we passed by. Even motorists showed remarkable patience. It wasn’t uncommon to see a car carefully avoiding footballs rolling into the street from children’s games.
It’s Family-Friendly After Dark
One of the first things I noticed about Buenos Aires is how late everything starts. In South Africa, by nightfall, most families are home. But in Buenos Aires, the rhythm of life is entirely different. The night is perennially young, and evenings are just the beginning of the action. Dinner at 10 p.m. is completely normal. I was always surprised to find public spaces thrumming with activity long after the sun had set.
I remember sitting in a park one evening. All around us children played and friends shared hot drinks under the streetlights. It was lively and vibrant in a way that felt unfamiliar and even a little disorienting at first.
For someone from Cape Town, where parks are a no-go for families at night, this was a cultural shift that left a lasting impression
Everything Feels Bigger in Buenos Aires
There’s a sense of scale in Buenos Aires that mirrors its personality: bold and unapologetic. And an aliveness that’s difficult to explain and impossible to forget.
It’s why many foreigners, just like us, are pulled towards the place. People searching for something more, whether it's new business opportunities, a better life for their families, or simply the chance to chase something in a city where so much feels possible.
But more than anything, Buenos Aires made me feel free. Free to explore, free to try new things, and free to fall for a place I’ll always miss.
If you haven’t been, go. And if you’ve been, you know exactly what I mean.