Kelsey Tsai on Starting JYAN in Argentina

“The United States has no culture.” Lengthy dinner table discussions with my host family in Buenos Aires have been quickly established as a daily routine. Each day presents ample opportunity to practice my Spanish and to gain perspective on some blunt opinions about the world. However, my initial reaction to my host mom’s proclamation was one of protest. I wanted to word vomit in defense and spouted off cultural examples in DC and New York City. My host mom, a well-traveled psychiatrist, agreed with my comment but continued to explain that she thought the small towns of America lacked true culture. I rapidly thought of the annual chowder fest and family-owned creameries in my small New England town, Thanksgiving and fresh lobster from Maine. But then we discussed about what culture meant to her. Culture, to my host mom, is the classical music drifting from the park on Sundays, the spontaneous tango among strangers, and the mate drink that is shared among friends.