About

For the record, let’s call it fiction.

Cyclone by Amelia McGoldrick Portrait of Vivi Rathbon

“My family has been in Argentina for seven generations.”  The portly, white-haired taxi driver told me as we turned left on Avenida Libertador.

“My ancestors settled in Moron.  They came here in a boat from Europe hundreds of years ago and built a home in the area where my family still lives today.”

I didn’t quite know how to respond, so I let him continue.

“Vos?  How long have you been en Buenos Aires? How many years do you have?”

I live, work and write in Buenos Aires.  I have been here since January, 2010.  On my twenty third birthday, I hopped a plane to Buenos Aires.  I never went back.

“Que?!”  The taxi driver shook his raised right hand in disbelief.  ”You came here when you were twenty-three?  Sos una nena!  If you were my daughter, I’d hit you on the head, and I wouldn’t let you go!”

I started to feel uncomfortable in the backseat.  I remained quiet and grateful for my parents.

“My daughter is thirty-five and she lives at home because she isn’t ready yet to live independently.  She is too young.  I could buy her an apartment, but she wants to live with us.  It isn’t normal to leave the home when you are so young.”

I just shrugged my shoulders.  The heard the voice of my psychoanalyst saying, “Vivi, there are no solutions in arguing.”

We arrived at the destination and I paid the eighteen peso cab fare with a crumpled up twenty peso note.  The driver handed me a moneda and I thanked him.

“Ey,”  He stopped me as I was about to step out of the cab and pointed to his eye, a gesture of caution.  ”You should think seriously about settling down.  You’re getting old and soon it will be too late.”

….

This magazine is a collection of stories, observations, interviews, photos, recipes, reviews and taxi rides in Buenos Aires, from an expat who is indulgently engulfed in dichotomy.

  • Vivi’s View – Short stories from the streets and backseats of BA.
  • Visit Buenos Aires – Insider Tips for the best trip to the city.
  • Expat – Interviews with real life expats about their projects and passions.
  • Restaurants – Where I would take you out to eat in BA.
  • Recipes – My Argentine-inspired recipe collection. Who wants pie?
  • Videos and Music – For when one tires of reading.
  • Travel – There are more places in the world than Buenos Aires.

contact me at vivi@mybeautifulair.com