closer to the sun

things I miss about South America

• pisco sours
• ceviche
• humitas
• empanadas
• tablas
• endless flavors of ice cream
• completo hot dogs
• mate
• steaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkk
• ALL THE FOOD
• the constant validation from men off the street (you always feel like you’re looking good, even if the attention is sometimes uncomfortable)
• the way conversations with strangers were so easily started (you perk up when you hear English—if you have nothing else in common, that one fact makes you instant friends)
• wine wine wine wine wine
• endless activities (skydiving! canyoning! things!)
• public displays of affection (kids are horny and they aren’t afraid to show it)
• walking everywhere—somehow walking the same distances in minneapolis just seems weird
• weird fruits
• the people, their openness and pride
• speaking Spanish like a boss
• taking a fresh medialuna (the Argentinean croissant) and smothering it in half a jar of dulce de leche for breakfast, tearing it apart piece by piece and licking my fingers clean