Experiences of an Ex-pat: Rowing

Buenos Aires is not really known for any sport other than football, or soccer. However, there are lots of interesting athletic activities happening in and around this big city, such as Rowing. A series of rivers run through Buenos Aires, some of the most beautiful riverbanks weave through the Tigre province, making it an ideal location for the Buenos Aires Rowing Club.

As I am from a city whose only body of water happens to be an incredibly polluted river, I had never attempted any sort of water sport. Before moving here, I had only seeing rowing boats on television. So, when a family I work with took me to the rowing club and invited me to take a boat out onto the river, I was intrigued, to say the least. I did not hesitate to climb inside the skinny, wooden boat and get situated on a small seat that was placed on a rolling track. Once I had figured out the seat and foot straps I attempted to position the oars; I hid my embarrassment after being told my oars were backwards and would not help me at all in that position.

I was told to sit still while someone who knew what they were doing rowed us away from the dock. I took this time to absorb my surroundings; a beautiful river busy with tour boats and highly dedicated rowing enthusiasts. Once I started rowing, I immediately fell in love with this new, strange sport. I worked with my instructor chanting “forward, back, forward, back” sliding my body forward and feeling my abs crunch and then pulling back, feeling the burn in my legs and arms. The faster we moved, the better I felt. It was like a self-propelled river tour that would leave me with slightly more appealing legs.

Rowing is something I never would have thought to attempt in the United States. Even if I lived in a more rowing-friendly location, I doubt I ever would have shown much interest in something I originally viewed as quite odd. However, here in Buenos Aires, I am all about the local flow, which in this case is simply “forward, back, forward, back”