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Ever been stuck in an airport on a trip, raging against the travel gods? We’ve all been there; helpless and frustrated. But after traveling for a while, you start to realize that these types of delays are just a cost of getting to travel, and you come to accept them. There’s no point to fuming over it, it won’t change the situation and will only give you an ulcer.
I’ve been living in Buenos Aires for 5 months now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that punctuality is relative here. Cable repairman tells you 3pm, he shows up at 5pm. Business meeting scheduled for 4pm, you’ll still be sipping coffee at 6pm.
Relax.
Initially this drove me bonkers. But over time I’ve come to let these inconveniences slide off my shoulders and become more relaxed. Raging about it rarely changes the situation. Now if I get stuck in an airport or a bus station I just hunker down with a good book, and watch the guy about to blow a vein in his forehead from yelling at the desk agent in awe.
This patience also ties into my self-sufficiency post. Not only will long-term travel equip you to deal with problems, but it helps you realize how insignificant some problems really are. One of my favorite sayings in Spanish is “tranquilo,” which means “peace” or “relax.” Life here in Argentina is much better when you let the little things go.
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