Méndez creates a rich backdrop for Camila’s story by setting the narrative in modern-day Rosario. As an Argentine American who was raised in Argentina, Méndez offers an insider’s perspective of the culture and community yet is able to mark the contrasts between Argentinian culture and American culture to show her readers the qualities that make the Argentinian people unique.

The setting comes alive through Méndez’s use of specific street names, park names, and landmarks. Méndez grew up in barrio 7 de Septiembre, the same in which Camila lives in the novel. Within Camila’s barrio, Méndez characterizes the neighbors as nosy yet also conveys a sense of closeness in the neighborhood. Camila and Diego know the neighborhood kids by name, and although gossip runs rampant, the community gathers at the end of the novel to see Camila off to the United States. Descriptions of Camila’s neighborhood and the surrounding city of Rosario provide a rich sense of place for the events of the novel and give the reader a taste of the communal atmosphere in Argentina.

Méndez also peppers the narrative with subtle references to aspects of the culture such as food, physical touch, and language.