Following the route of Porteños Coffee in (im)perfect Buenos Aires

Yesterday it was a great day. As great as the place we visited.
We were 8 global nomads at the entrance of the emblematic Café Tortoni, the 150-year-old cathedral of Tango on Avenida de Mayo, to hold our 1st Expat Coffee Meeting of the Year.
Leading to Casa Rosada (the Government house), Avenida de Mayo tends to be extremely crowded at any time of the year. Luckily, Porteños usually escape from the heat of BA in January, looking for the (cool but crowded) beaches of Mar del Plata. Or Brazilian beaches, if they are lucky. This leaves BA subways empty, the traffic a (little) bit less hectic, and Cafe Tortoni....equally crowded!





1 minute after we got in, people from all walks of life began to form a long line at the entrance, as if they were hoping for a miracle to happen. It was not easy to get into the most traditional Coffee Place of BA. The Doorman was the Magician. Once the door opened up.... Magia!

You are inside of a tunnel of time. Cafe Tortoni reflects the soul and history of Porteño Life. Crowded and noisy, as Porteños. But the smell of coffee in the air, the antique decoration and the flavor of art and literature on the walls make it the perfect scenario of imperfect Buenos Aires.
Who would want Buenos Aires to be perfect? And last but not least, what makes you think that Porteños would be perfect?

Insightful moments happen when you are not expecting them. And perfection doesn´t leave space for magic.
Our Coffee Meeting was perfectly (im)perfect, thus magic. Some of us arrived late. A few couldn´t stand the noise of coffee machines and 1000 languages bein spoken in tables around us.
I had to interrupt my presentation on “How to communicate effectively with Argentine locals?”. Why? Because of the waiter, or the noise or something totally expectable? Not at all.
Simply because a funny tourist suddenly came to our table to record us with his camera. We became part of his story, whether we wanted it or not. Wherever this gentleman came from, his fellow co-nationals far way from Buenos Aires will witness – through this recording - the graceful imperfection of a bunch of smiles, coffee cups and diverse languages sitting around our table. We were 8 global souls sharing stories. Figuring out how to be a foreigner in BA. Representing 100 cultures but exploring one: Argentina´s.

And most importantly, embracing it.

Thanks Michal, Kendra, Violeta, Kaley, Phillipe, Melissa and Alejandra!

Café Tortoni was the beginning of our route of Coffee.
Our next stop is Café Manhattan.

Are you joining us?


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Do you have an expat story to tell? Do you wonder how to overcome the shock of surviving Buenos Aires?
Monday January 18th 6pm - Intercultural Coffee Meeting for Expats
Where? Grand Café Manhattan - Avda Cabildo y La Pampa - Belgrano
Presentation and discussion on "Culture Shock of Newcomers in BA".
Last seats available.

40 pesos/person
If you book 3 meetings in advance: 100 pesos/ person

To book your place, please send us an email to: nomadasglobales@gmail.com