A Week Completed: My First Week in Buenos Aires

I have officially been in Buenos Aires for a week now and am loving the warm summer weather and busy streets of the city! Here’s a recap of my arrival and orientation week in Buenos Aires.

On Monday morning I arrived at the airport after a long day of flying and was greeted by a majority of the participants in the program. We gathered our luggage and caught a few taxis to take us to our homestays. Once I arrived at my homestay, I was greeted with a warm hug and meal by my host mom. After a much needed shower and some unpacking, my host showed me around the neighborhood, pointing out her favorite spots in the area and some useful information on the nearest grocery stores, pharmacies and laundromats. That night I learned how to make empanadas, a staple in the Argentine diet, with my host and her grandchildren!

Tuesday we began our orientation, a day I had been anxiously awaiting. My host mom was kind enough to ride the bus with me to make sure I knew how Buenos Aires’ bus system worked. After a day of presentations and introducing myself to other students, IES Abroad brought in professional tango dancers to show us their moves and teach us their ways!

Wednesday started off with our first day of classes; through this program I have one foundation class that is the whole duration of the program, and two others that are location-based. This means that I will be taking electives when in Argentina, and two other electives when in Chile. I am excited for this structural change to my schedule, as I am used to having all my classes last the duration of a semester. Between classes, some friends and I explored the area surrounding our center. After exchanging currency and attempting to get an activated cellular plan, I was happy to find that Argentina has a strong Italian influence, so there is an ample number of pizzerias and gelato shops, so my ice cream cravings will always be satisfied while abroad!

Thursday brought a tour of a local museum for my contemporary history class, Museo Fernández Blanco, where our class observed art pieces and preserved Latin American artifacts. We also explored the Retiro district while on our way to the museum. This district had a few coffee shops that caught my eye and a serene feel that definitely makes me want to come back more to this area during my stay to study, explore and relax.

Friday our program participated in a cooking class taught by Argentinian chefs. We made typical Argentine foods, including empanadas, alfajores de maicena and milanesa! There were plenty of leftovers to last us the weekend so everyone was pretty pleased.

Saturday and Sunday consisted of lots of walking and touring! Tour guides took us around Buenos Aires to explore La Boca, a breathtaking flower garden called Bosques de Palermo, the Floralis Generica sculpture, the infamous Recoleta Cemetery, la Casa Rosada, Puerto Madero, and a few other landmarks. It was a busy weekend filled with lots of sightseeing and learning about the history of Buenos Aires!

That sums up my first week of the program, a week filled with learning Argentine culture and the beauty of Buenos Aires. With only 5 more weeks until the program switches locations, there is so much more I need to explore and learn about Buenos Aires and I am so excited for these adventures that await me!