Juliet in Buenos Aires – Page 5

It’s been just over a week since I arrived in Buenos Aires, and it’s been a whirlwind of activity. Upon landing at Ezeiza Airport, I passed through customs, anxiously clutching my passport; the process turned out to be much easier than I had expected. I was greeted by IFSA (Institute For Study Abroad) staff and shuttled to my homestay, along with my new housemate. Outside a ten-story apartment building, we met our new host mom, an older single woman with a bright smile and a Porteño accent. She showed us around our new home; my room faced the street and was simple but very cozy. That night we ate dinner, managed to chat despite the language barrier, and soon after I crawled into bed and slept like a baby.

The next few days were filled with orientation activities at the IFSA office downtown where we were briefed on academics, safety, and other general information. I changed out my SIM card and established a new (extremely long) Argentine phone number. I picked up my cash from Western Union without incident. By now I think I’ve finally checked off the basic start-up tasks, except for clothes shopping; I underestimated how cold it would be here. I knew it would be winter when I arrived, but for some ridiculous reason I didn’t bring a coat.

Despite the chill, already I’ve visited the Plaza del Mayo, experienced the joy of Argentine cafés, and eaten several empanadas. Just this weekend IFSA took all 70 of its American students (sorry, estadounidenses – Argentines would argue South America is America too) on an excursion to Entre Ríos, a beautiful area in the campo about four hours north of the city. A highlight of the trip was a walk through El Parque Nacional El Palmar, where we saw capybaras – or carpinchos, as they’re called in Argentina – and ñandú birds, a kind of emu-like creature.

Mostly I’ve been walking through my neighborhood and exploring the bustle of Buenos Aires. I’ve never lived in a city this metropolitan, and I wonder whether I will miss the tranquility of smaller towns. So far, I’m grateful to be busy with all there is to see and do here.

I’ve been enjoying myself thoroughly, but I’ve also been overwhelmed since arriving. While I understand most of what people say in Spanish, I sometimes miss details, and my conversational vocabulary isn’t great. The city is enormous and very busy, so I’m still learning how to navigate safely and efficiently. And I already miss my home in Denver, my friends and family, the privilege of belonging that I experienced in the U.S.

But I am reminding myself that I have four months to settle in, and of course these first few weeks will be the most difficult. I’m not worried yet – I’ve already seen enough good in Buenos Aires to know that I can and will adapt to Argentine life. I feel more comfortable, more confident, with each passing day. I think I’m beginning to see how studying abroad can really be life-changing.

Ciao for now!

Hi! I’m Juliet, and I am studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina this fall.

Many DU students I know are studying abroad, but I was one of the first of my friends to leave since the Southern Hemisphere operates on a different school schedule. I flew to Argentina on July 29, leaving everything I knew behind. To my surprise, during the weeks leading up to my departure, I wasn’t feeling the nerves. I completed everything on my to-do list: acquire a visa, purchase a universal adapter, and wire money to myself to pick up in Argentina. I gradually said goodbye to each of my friends and assured my family I’d write often. But otherwise, I continued on as normal until the day I left. Somehow the idea that I was completely upending my life for four months never fully kicked in; I felt suspended in a state of limbo, not yet fully understanding what I was about to throw myself into.

I think my lack of fear can be attributed to my lack of research beforehand. I knew a little about Argentina’s cultural, political, and economic landscape. I could speak Spanish fairly well. I knew my flight number and how to get to my host family’s home from the airport. But I chose not to scour Argentine travel books or blogs because I knew this would only make me more anxious than necessary. What would happen, would happen, and there was no way I could completely prepare myself for life in Buenos Aires.

When it came time to leave, I had breakfast with my boyfriend, said a very sad goodbye at the airport, and was on my way. It wasn’t until I had checked my bag that I truly realized I was about to embark on a journey across the world. You could say the nerves set in then.

Suddenly, I was rushed by a million what-ifs: what if I didn’t like Buenos Aires? What if my Spanish wasn’t good enough? What if people weren’t friendly? What if I’d left the stove on at home?

On and on the worries went. I wondered if I’d made the right decision. But as the plane sped down the runway, hurtling toward a world utterly unknown, I began to think: what if I did like Buenos Aires? What if I loved it more than I could ever have imagined? What if I made friends for life? What if I grew as a student, a citizen, as an individual?

I’ll just have to find out.

Category: Juliet in Buenos Aires

Bienvenidos

Preparing for Buenos Aires