Why Uruguay
Originally Posted on 31 Augusto 2025
Once we tell people we’re moving out of the United States (and yes, Uruguay is still in the Americas!), the questions usually follow: Where is Uruguay? Why are you moving out of the country? Have you traveled to Uruguay? What are you doing about 12 Oaks and Tyson?
To keep things simple, I’ll answer each of these in separate posts. Today’s question: Have we traveled to Uruguay?
The answer is yes—we went in early June. Getting there was an adventure in itself. It took 27 hours, three flights, and two layovers before we finally touched down in Montevideo. We left Hartford, connected in Atlanta, then flew to Lima, Peru, before boarding our last leg into Uruguay. By the time we arrived at 6:00 a.m. on June 3, we were exhausted but excited.
We stayed six days in the capital, and instead of doing the typical tourist checklist, we wanted to experience the city as if we already lived there. Here are a few of the things that stood out to us:
Hats off—literally. Wearing a hat indoors is considered rude. I learned this on day one when we walked around a shopping mall with my cap on. No one said a word, but the looks I got said plenty.
Phones away. You can’t use your phone inside banks or anywhere that involves large money transactions. Thankfully, our immigration specialist gave us a heads-up so we didn’t get caught off guard.
Salt, yes. Pepper, no. Every restaurant table had salt, but pepper was nowhere to be found.
BYD cars everywhere. These electric cars are as common in Montevideo as Teslas are in the U.S. Many of our Uber drivers owned them, and they were surprisingly comfortable. I don’t know what BYD actually stands for, but I’ve decided it means “Bring Your Daddy.” I hope one day we will own one..
Parks and the Rambla. The city is filled with green spaces, and along the Atlantic there’s the Rambla—a long path stretching across the city’s coastline. People walk, run, and bike along it every day, and the views are incredible.
Food, glorious food. If you like beef, you’ll be in heaven. Beef is everywhere traditionally it is BBQ over a special pit. My goal is to master this style of smoking.. But even vegetarians and vegans told us they had plenty of options. The portions were smaller than in the U.S.—think 1980s restaurant drink sizes—which actually felt refreshing.
Street markets. Any day of the week you can find a market somewhere in the city, usually two or three scattered across different neighborhoods.
Culture at every corner. Uruguay has a deep history and vibrant culture. We only scratched the surface but can’t wait to dive into the many (free!) museums when we’re back.
And the people. Friendly, welcoming, and always willing to help—especially when we looked lost or struggled with a question.
Next on our bucket list:
We need to learn the bus system. We were told it is simple to use and is a major source of transportation in the city.
Explore the other parts of the country. We will need to begin to identify where we are going to settle down.
Of course, no place is perfect, so here are a few things we noticed on the downside:
Some people did not pick up their dog poop.
Some sidewalks are cracked and uneven—not unusual for a big city.
Graffiti is common throughout Montevideo, again much like other large cities we’ve visited.
Overall, though, our trip confirmed that Uruguay feels like a place we can call home.
Countdown: 46 more days.
