I´m now a month in and about to leave my first country, so it´s time for some sweeping generalisations and cliche insights. Where better to do this than in Latin America; where everyone is so warm, open, expressive, sexual, assertive, revolutionary and proud, compared to us cold, closed, repressed, apologetic, stoic and guilt ridden Brits. Right? Clearly, national stereotypes are bullshit if taken too far; but equally clearly, different cultures encourage different ways of being, so they hold some truth. The national election meant that the whole city was shut down and hostel parties were the way forward. The hostel chefs started talking about "Inglesas" and how horribly cold, closed and generally evil they are (I quickly unfolded my arms and sat up straight). Some American girls enjoyed this, but just quietly smirked for my benefit.
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