Be sure to use your siesta time wisely when studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, because there is no partying before midnight in this town! If you are invited to a party at someone’s house, do not plan to go before 1:00am and plan to stay until around sunrise (unless the cops are called first). Generally, people will get together with close friends in their own homes before heading to a party or a bar. If you’re lucky, they’ll grill some meat for you on a parilla for dinner.

It’s very typical to have a DJ and dance floor, but drinks are generally BYOF (bring your own Fernet). Fernet is technically an Italian liquor, but the Argentines LOVE IT. They drink it with Coke and a popular nickname for the drink is “Fernando.” The taste is similar to that of black licorice, so watch out!

In the summer of 2009, I was studying Spanish and  lived in a great house near the Abasto shopping mall. There were 6 huge bedrooms, a huge open terrace, kitchen and a great living room. Above all though, was the asado (grill) that occupied a corner of the terrace. Within two weeks of living in Buenos Aires, my roommates and I decided to have a party and take advantage of the parilla. Off we went to buy meat, drinks and other assorted party things.

Once we returned and sorted everything out, we realized just how early it was and how long we’d have to wait until the party actually began. Many people don’t go to nightclubs or boliches until 2am or later. We lit the charcoal and started cooking the little easy things first, with the intention of saving the big cuts of meat for later. Our landlord actually took the helm at the grill and made some delicious choripan for everyone (sausage and bread sandwich).

The people started rolling in, and all the newcomers made it a point to greet the people already at the party with a kiss. A very personal touch that I greatly admire of the porteños that has been lost in many outside countries. Everyone came bearing ‘gifts’ for the party, many of which were consumed rather quickly. As the night went on, an endless supply of lomo, tira de asado, chinchulin, bife de chorizo continued to come off the grill and make the party-goers and myself very happy. Everyone was having a great time talking, eating, drinking, paying guitar, singing, etc.

As the party started to wind down (around 4am), we all congregated in the living room. The lone guitar was being passed around as everyone else sung or beat on any sort of surface that would resonate sound. People sung songs from every genre and many different decades, but there was always at least one person who knew the song and brought it to life. It was quite a spectacle and truly an experience.

Closer to six though, I was getting tired and luckily the party began to disband. What a night to remember though! And on Monday…. Back to Spanish classes!