Fire Drills and Safety Tips

Classes in Buenos Aires are a lot more chill than in the States. For example, I arrive five minutes late and the class hasn't even started. On top of that, I'm the second out of five to arrive. Even beat the teacher. Not to mention, we get two breaks in a four hour class and 15 minutes always turns into 20. Like I said, things are lax here.

Today's class was a bit different than most. I had just cleaned out my coffee mug and finished using the restroom when I noticed Nick, my program coordinator saying something to people in the lounging area and then they were getting up and walking out. Very unlike anything I have witnessed for a break to be cut short around here. All of a sudden I heard what he was saying. "Fire drill, go outside." Baffled by the idea that a fire drill can be held just by words and not a siren I had to ask, "¿En serio?" "Yes, go." Upon closer inspection I confirmed that people were in fact exiting the building.

As I joined them about 15 of us congregated a few meters away at the street corner. Praising God that I had my jacket with me and I hadn't left it in the classroom, I over hear a conversation between Michel, the frenchman in my class and Lola, the R2A secretary. Apparently there is no need to sound an alarm unless there is a real fire. The building does in fact have one, it just wasn't set off for the drill. Elated as I was that there were some safety precautions taken by R2A in the building, it was time to go back inside and move forward with life. Nick had just arrived with the handful of Roadies in the upstairs student housing so they could also participate in the drill. Once they arrived we stared at each other for 2.6 seconds and declared the drill complete.

I found all of this rather curious because I find BA to be a rather safe city. Not in the sense of crime rates. I really have not idea about that. More in the sense that there are plenty of other cities that are naturally more hazardous for klutzes like myself.

All day, everyday, I compare BA with Cusco. I cannot help it, and this is just another one of those instances. Cusco is beyond dangerous from the American POV. The cobble stone sidewalks were very slick there. If I just wore the wrong shoes I would slip and bust my ass on a perfectly dry day. Very few stair cases on the streets had handrails there and as in the case of Macchu Pichu, one side of the staircase was a wall and the other was a fall down a cliff. Not exactly comforting if you were afraid of heights. Construction areas were open of pedestrians to walk through if need be and if the construction zone consisted of an open ditch along the road, they would put a pair of rickety 2x4s down so that you could cross the street if need be. To top it off the taxis were a freightful experience. Every time I rode in one my ass was either in the air or I was convinced I was going to die as my driver pulled out into oncoming traffic. It wasn't until the end of my trip when I started to cross the 2x4s without a second thought and was not shocked by the risks the taxi drivers were taking that I began to fear for my sanity.

None of this happens in Buenos Aires. I have yet to take a taxi here besides the one from the airport to my apartment, but my ass never left the seat so I take that as a good sign. The few construction zones I have come across have been blocked off and since the city lacks mountains, I really can't judge their use of hand rails. However, I would be surprised if there weren't one on a public street.

All in all I find BA to be a lot more developed with safety than Peru was. Peru is my heart, but at least in BA they don't need speed humps next to all the stop signs to try and force people to actually stop like they do in Lima. I have to say that although I am convince the world just caved underneath me slightly and it was not that I stepped on an uneven piece of terrain, BA is a comforting place to be. Granted, I do fear face planting at some point on every walk I take around here, but that is normal for a klutz like myself. Fearing the road I have to cross is actually a ditch with a 2x4 is not normal for anyone. Beware.

So, to all my dear friends, please note, appreciate the safety regulations that the States enforces. They are annoying at times, but when you find yourself in a place that lacks them, your life begins to feel like it is constantly in danger. Sometimes, life is more comfortable with rules.

¡Besos!
La porteña Emilia