The Mobile TeamSnapper, Part 6: Buenos Aires

After an exciting month in Cordoba, I entered this month of my remote year with low expectations. That’s because I was just in Buenos Aires last July and thought there was nothing else to see. Boy was I wrong!

I want/need/would love another couple of weeks here. This is the first month where I have felt truly at home and where I wasn’t just another tourist. It is sad as this concludes my six months in Latin America. I’ll be making the move to Europe for the rest of the summer!

Crossfit: My experience at SYG (Stand Your Ground) Crossfit in Buenos Aires was one reason why I wasn’t ready to leave Argentina. They welcomed me as family and went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable. It was a great feeling to walk in the door and be greeted by ten new friends who knew my name.

Many laughs were had as they tried to help me in English and more jokes were made about my terrible Spanish. I’d like to say that I got in better shape but they were also the ones who taught me about delivery ice cream and encouraged me to try the homemade beer in the neighborhood. SYG will always be my home away from home.

Favorite Food: I always thought Peruvian food would hold the number one spot on my list of favorite foods. However, Argentina just blew it out of the water. I can’t even count the number of empanadas I ate during the month. I would probably be too embarrassed to share! It’s a good thing that I was working out a few times a week or I’d be outgrowing my clothes. I also tried a three-day juice cleanse to balance it out but then proceeded to eat more right after. So it was probably pointless, anyway.

I was also introduced to mate, the traditional drink for all times of day. It is similar to tea. My favorite experience was going to the park on a Saturday morning to enjoy the beautiful sunshine while sipping on mate with friends. The volume of mate that is consumed is unbelievable; One of my crossfit friends even drank it while working out.

Running: As I have mentioned before, running is one of the only consistent activities in my life that helps me keep sane. This month was no joke as a few friends convinced me to sign up for a half marathon–ten days prior to the race. This was my second ever half marathon and it was so encouraging to do it with three of my closest friends on the trip. Two of them PRed this race and I wasn’t too far behind. They bribed me with McDonalds, which always makes me run faster!

Behind the Scenes: As I look back on the last six months, I realize how much I have grown as an individual and how lucky I am to have such a wonderful support system. I have learned to let things go and not worry about the little things. With so much change in your life, you have to roll with the punches and stop controlling every detail. I’m learning to fly by the seat of my pants!

I also could not do this trip without the support of my family, friends and TeamSnap. Every person believes in me and is just a phone call away when I’m having a bad day or I need to share a ridiculous story. I feel closer to my people now then I ever did living down the street.

I am also encouraged by those in my extended network. They follow my trip and ask for updates from my family. Some customers who know I am abroad even take the time to ask where I am living. Who would have guessed that people such as my brother’s girlfriend’s mom would be interested in learning more about my experiences? 😉 (P.S. Zane, when are you going to pop the question? C’MON!)

Cheers to a beautiful last month in wine country. This isn’t a goodbye to Latin America–it is simply a see you soon!

Next Stop: Prague, Czech Republic (with short trips to Lisbon and Munich along the way).

Kelly Lanter is a technical account manager at TeamSnap. When she’s not globetrotting, she enjoys soccer, hiking, CrossFit, coaching kids at the YMCA and playing in adult sports leagues.

If you’d like the freedom to travel the world while you work, check out our careers page. We’re hiring!