Why I Like Latin America

A number of my classmates at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) have asked me why I would want to come study in Argentina. Is anything that I am learning here relevant to the work that I will do as an attorney in the United States? Of course I have made a point to choose classes that are international in scope (International Private Law, International Arbitration, Maritime Law). There are potential indirect benefits - not many U.S. law students study abroad, so maybe my exposure to Civil Law could make me slightly more marketable in certain areas of U.S. law such as maritime and admiralty law, international contracts and disputes, and even some M&A. In the current job market, maybe an Argentine perspective on international law could help to distinguish me from the thousands of U.S. law students who will have an "international law" class on their transcripts. There is also the benefit of developing a Spanish legal vocabulary. There is an increasingly large Spanish-speaking population in the U.S., and they are all potential clients. On the other hand, much of the substance of what I am learning at the UBA may not be DIRECTLY beneficial to a legal career in the U.S.

The truth is that I just really enjoy spending time in Latin America. Here are a few reasons why:

Excitement & Challenges. Vacations are fun, but when you spend some time living abroad you find that what would ordinarily be mundane tasks become a lot more interesting and challenging. I'm talking about the little things - grocery shopping, making a photocopy of a document, or buying an random item such as a stapler. These things would be simple in your own country, because you'd know exactly where to go and you'd be able to anticipate approximately how much it will cost you. In the U.S., you would also feel confident that what you are looking for is in-stock and that whoever you need to talk with will be available during regular business hours. Well, here in Latin America you have none of those assumptions. If the notary office in Panama is open between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., that just means that the notary might (possibly) be in the office during those hours and definitely will not be in the office outside of those hours. Maybe you need a three-pronged folder for your law school class, but in Argentina you find that all of the folders are two-pronged. When you need to get to work or to an appointment, the street might be flooded resulting in a traffic back-up - or maybe a group of protesters has blocked the avenue. Your weed-wacker is broken and needs a replacement part, but the stores only sell replacement parts for obscure Chinese brands. There is a guy who sells the part you are looking for, but he is on vacation for the next 3 weeks. This is especially unfortunate, because he is also the town's notary public. You are probably better off just buying a new weed-wacker. It is a pain, but it can be really satisfying when you start learning to navigate through the inefficiency. Maybe we should move on to a better example of why I like Latin America...

Less Expensive. I do not come from a particularly wealthy family, but in Latin America I have some money. I can afford

With a Little Help from Florencia

Yesterday I had coffee with this girl named Florencia from my International Private Law class. She is from La Pampa province of Argentina, she is about 24 years old, and she is extremely good looking. I sat next to her on the first day of our class, precisely because she is so attractive. I do my best not to hit on her, though, because she has helped me out a good bit in the class we have together. I'll explain my reasoning - if I were to hit on a her and it were to go badly, then she might feel less comfortable helping me out with the class material, helping me find where to find the reading assignments, navigate the UBA infrastructure, etc. This actually isn't so much of a problem here in Latin America as it is in the United States, as there is an assumption among many Latin women that guys may hit on them and, you know, generally act like guys. Of course, there is always the possibility that I hit on a classmate and it goes really well - but then the whole thing could go sour a week or a month later. Either way, I'd end up without an ally... So I try to be smart and not blatantly hit on Florencia. Anyway, she is a cool chick and seems smart and interesting, so I'd like to have her as my friend (see?? I am not a complete ass!).

As an exchange student, I think it can be a good idea to try to sit next to the best looking girl on the first day of every class. As a counter example, in my Arbitration class I just walked in on the first day and sat down without much thought as to whether I was sitting next to an Argentine hot-body. As it has turned out, I have a very difficult time understanding the professor. She talks extremely fast and does not really stop to ask questions or initiate discussion with the students. The worst part is that there is a horrible echo in the classroom. As I do not have a hot girl interested in making sure I understand the material and do well in the class, I have resorted to making audio recordings of each class and then trying to listen to them later in my apartment. The problem has not been quite so severe in my Maritime Law class; however that professor also speaks very quickly. I may end up needing help from a nice girl to survive in that class as well :-)

The point is, if you don't sit next to a great looking girl on the first day, you will be on your own. The path will still be walkable, but you risk stumbling as you will be alone when you encounter obstacles along the way. Furthermore, there are indirect benefits. When a gringo sits next to an attractive girl, he does his best to exude confidence. That cockiness can be a virtue if it helps the gringo to confront the inevitable challenges to be encountered in a law school class taught in a foreign country and in a foreign language. Just to be safe, sit next to a beautiful girl like Florencia and do your best not to hit on her...

UPDATE: As the semester has progressed, I have met good looking girls in both my Arbitration class as well as my Maritime Law class. That makes me feel a little better about things - it looks like they'll be willing to help me survive these classes. The lesson here is that sometimes you can go back and fix past mistakes and omissions. A 2nd lesson is that there are an abundance of great looking women in Argentina who have good handwriting.