She left the country twice, shares the great lesson and why she chooses Argentina: 'May no one feel that the exit is through Ezeiza'

Silvia Márquez, now a retired flamenco teacher in Buenos Aires, reflects on her two emigrations to Europe and her profound realization that Argentina is her true home. Her story underscores the deep impact of displacement and the lessons learned from seeking belonging abroad.

Her first departure from Argentina in 2002, following the "corralito" crisis, was not by choice but a difficult necessity. Settling initially in Madrid and Galicia before moving to Barcelona, she found herself isolated from her support system and grappling with uncertainty about work and living conditions. Despite holding Spanish citizenship, she encountered cultural and linguistic barriers in Catalonia, where the use of Catalan often highlighted her status as an outsider.

"Cataluña tiene su propio idioma e, incluso con castellano y DNI español, muchos utilizan su lengua para remarcar que no pertenecés a ese lugar," Márquez recalls. She describes feeling looked down upon and struggled to find suitable employment, often being overqualified for some jobs and lacking Catalan language skills for others. The demanding work she eventually found, requiring her to wake at 4 a.m. and finish at 7 p.m., intensified her longing for Argentinian customs, food, and family.

After enduring this exhausting rhythm and personal disagreements, Márquez's second emigration, though by choice, ultimately reinforced her desire to return. Her journey has led her to advocate for finding fulfillment and home within Argentina, expressing a heartfelt wish: "Pido a la vida que nuestro país sea nuestro hogar, y que nadie piense y sienta que la única salida está en Ezeiza" (I ask life that our country be our home, and that no one think and feel that the only way out is through Ezeiza).