PicoBlog

A “Cucurucho” (at least in Argentina) is an ice cream cone.

Last night was my last in Buenos Aires until August 15th. It was also the third day in a row that I would eat a cucurucho at some point. I shared a Rapanui (local chocolate & ice cream shop) cone with Luciana of Eastern Bolivia, Jacob of Northern England, Serena of Southern Buenos Aires, and myself of Eastern Kentucky. They are some of the usual suspects of sharing a cone, but I also have had the regular pleasure of ice-creammin’ in Buenos Aires with my William (brother), Ian (longtime friend and visitor), Brandon (friend and local musician), and Rian (friend, medical student and chess bro).

Describing what it is like to have an ice cream cone would be a waste of the reader’s valuable time. I think what stood out to me more about my regular trips to the various heladerias around Buenos Aires was how this activity is more representative of my social life than any other at this point in my life.

When I left home for university at age 18, I, like many young Americans, took to drinking alcohol and partying as my primary source of socializing, dating, and building friendships. I had finally been able to attend great, big parties with a vastness of girls and alcohol. This seemed like the most important thing in the world to me at that age having been somewhat underexposed to it in high school. Although I had been to some parties in high school, I think that the new freedom of living on your own in a new city, surrounded by totally new faces encourages a frequency and intensity of partying that swallowed up all the other interests I had.

Not until my latter years of university did I start working out regularly, playing tennis, going hiking, playing cards, or going to concerts to socialize. Even then, drinking would still be the main way for us to convene at night especially on weekend nights. In the years following, I still often would convene with friends over a bottle of whiskey or a few beers. However, as the years have progressed, the hangovers have intensified and the exciting mystery of alcohol becomes less a mystery and more a brick wall.

I am five years removed from school now and now I rarely have any alcohol at all. I’ll be honest, this wasn’t really my choice. My four closest friends in BA including Luciana all rarely drink or have given it up completely. I have often complained about the fact that my weekly beer was to be had alone. At first, I thought that I must not be having any fun. Not “going out” on Friday or Saturday night seemed at odds with my idea of fun. It took a few months before I realized that I was filling my life with the fun that I was having as a kid, that I had largely forgotten about at university.

In high school, we played “mini” (basketball with a lowered rim) almost daily and eventually also went to the gym several times a week to lift weights together and/or play racquetball. We would get dinner together at the O’Charley’s, Applebee’s, Moe’s or some other chain restaurant before a movie or playing pool in my basement all while sober. Near the end, we started trying to fill Ian’s basement with some semblance of a party. We rarely succeeded and definitely could not rely on these little gatherings to be our only source of a social life.

I have already written about the weekly soccer games that I was playing. At other times in the last year, I have regularly played tennis, rugby, backgammon, chess, went for runs with Jacob and have now played a couple games of spikeball. All of this as well as regular dinner/lunch dates with Luciana, Rian, Jacob, or Brandon and the now ubiquitous ice cream cone make up a healthy social life.

I don’t want to knock drinking too much as I definitely still enjoy a beer or several on occasion. However, I am glad to realize that I am able to and probably having more fun by playing competitive games and sports and that I should not have ever allowed myself to lose sight of these while in university. The change of leaving home and your friends/family is a good one in a lot of ways but it saw me lose sight of some of the things that I loved to do. I fear that many of my friends in the US around my same age are still working their way back to finding what it is that they really enjoy doing. I would encourage them to rediscover what it was from high school or childhood that they loved to do but left behind once alcohol was allowed to dominate our social lives.

Some things to consider when making the switch from alcohol to ice cream. An ice cream cone shouldn’t make you lose the entire next day. Generally, you will only need to buy one ice cream cone for yourself or maybe two (one for your Bolivian girlfriend). You aren’t likely to buy a round of ice cream cones for everybody at Rapanui. Ice cream is not likely to hinder your ability to get an erection (oh man). You are far better at operating a motor vehicle after a couple scoops of chocolate than a couple shots of tequila. Sharing an ice cream cone is far more inclusive. Jacob is a sober vegan who is able to have some sort of sorbet or whatever whereas at a bar he would have to opt for a non-alcoholic drink which can feel awkward or out of place. And, although neither is healthy, ice cream generally does not lead to crippling addictions.

I say all this before leaving Argentina for a month and a half. My social landscape will change while in North America. I expect to drink and smoke cigars more regularly. I am not unhappy about that. I know that I will spend time with friends and family that want to do a lot more in addition to mild vices. I just wanted to capture this moment of time where I am eating cucuruchos and enjoying great conversations. I will miss you BA and my ice cream eating friends. I will see you in August at Rapanui, Cremolatti, Lucciano’s, Victoria Cream, or Cadore. I have already started a spreadsheet of my favorite flavors at each place so that I don’t forget. 

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