South America – Page 5

After-School Snacks

Published on August 18, 2023October 25, 2023 by Juliet ELeave a comment

I’m proud to say I am quickly adapting to life in Buenos Aires. I’m getting to know my host mom, learning to navigate without Google Maps, and settling into another semester of school. I am taking four courses at three different universities: one at Universidad del Salvador, another at Universidad de Buenos Aires, and two taught by my study abroad program’s affiliated professors. Because these courses only meet once a week, I only have class two days a week. As one of my friends observed, I’ve inverted the regular week because my weekends are now five days long! I don’t know what I’m going to do with all this time on my hands; I guess I’ll have to truly take advantage of city life.

And I feel there’s no better way to experience a new place than through its food. I’ve been spending much of my time off in Buenos Aires’ many cafés. You can’t walk a block here without coming across a cozy little spot serving delicious $1 coffees and pastries. Most are open late, and you’ll often find older couples or families enjoying an evening cafecito together. I’ve realized that it’s absolutely imperative to eat something between lunch and dinner here, since Argentine lunch is small and their dinners often don’t start until 10 pm. So I looked to the locals and have been hitting a new cafe most evenings to make sure I don’t starve.

A Buenos Aires staple: helado! Possibly the best ice cream I’ve ever had.

The other melas I’ve had here have been pretty… okay. I’m used to well-seasoned spicy food, which is not Argentina’s jam. The pasta is incredible, the meat is amazing, but other dishes I’ve tasted have just missed the mark. Quitting hot sauce cold-turkey has been difficult. But Argentina’s dishes make up for their lack of seasoning with their quality. For example, I picked up a head of lettuce at the grocery store and have been munching on it like candy. America, listen up: lettuce doesn’t have to taste like tap water!

The other night after class – evening courses are extremely common here – I went out to eat with some classmates. We met up at a burger place with some Argentine friends of one of my classmates. (Note: America does burgers better, but Argentina definitely does beef better, so no complaints.) I have to admit I was nervous to meet locals; what if my Spanish wasn’t good enough? But I’d made a pact with myself to play “yes man” while studying abroad, because the last thing I want is to leave with regrets. So along I went, and when I realized no one was judging my language skills, I slipped comfortably into Spanish mode. Afterwards, we played pool and I went home late, very full and very happy.

There are a million and one things to do in this beautiful city, but one thing every porteño can agree on is: first, we eat. With every meal I try here, I’m learning more about Argentina’s cultural customs and values. If I’m lucky, I’ll leave the table with new friends, new stories, and a richer understanding of Argentine life.

Bienvenidos

Published on August 10, 2023October 25, 2023 by Juliet ELeave a comment

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!