Chau, Hasta Luego

Spanish word of the day: Chau, hasta luego

Translation: Goodbye, see you later

With finals done and my departure coming up, I’ve been crossing final things off my bucket list and reflecting on my time here. So, for my last blog post, I leave you with this: 10 reasons I recommend Buenos Aires and Argentina for studying abroad, in no particular order.

• The accent: A common Buenos Aires accent sounds like Italians speaking in Spanish. It took me a minute to get used to, but it’s super fun.
• Nightlife: People stay up late. And when I say late, I don’t mean until 2 or 3 am. I mean that they leave for bars and clubs around then, party until sunrise, eat breakfast, and then sleep the whole next day. Oof, but lots of fun.
• Public transportation: It’s…easier than it seems. The metro (known as the subte), buses, bikes and train give plenty of cheap options for getting around the city. When in doubt, use Google Maps and it will tell you exactly how to get where you need to go.

• Culture of community: People are very curious. Instead of the classic “hey, how are you,” “good, how’s it going?” exchange, Argentinians will ask how you are, follow up, and then ask to hear your whole life story, if there’s time, especially outside of the city. It’s common courtesy to greet every person in the room instead of just walking past them.
• The speed: Everything is at a much slower pace. Enjoy the view or your company as you walk instead of zooming to your destination. Be ready to wait a while for food and be ready for lots of good conversation.
• Helado (ICE CREAM): It could be the Italian influence or the process of making it, but the ice cream and gelato here is incredible. There are many amazing flavors (with the classic of dulce de leche), but everything is super thick and creamy.

• Soccer: It’s…EVERYTHING. Or fútbol, rather. There are a few club teams in Buenos Aires, but be sure to choose wisely which team you root for. People care and if you say something wrong, they will throw a punch.
• The food: whether it’s carne asado, empanadas or CHORIPAN. I’m going to miss choripan so much.

• The Nature: Although Buenos Aires isn’t the most “natural” spot (there are a lot of gorgeous parks, though!), there are amazing adventures to be had outside of the city. Tornquist, Iguazu Falls, Esquel, Bariloche, and Mendoza are some of the few incredible places you can visit.

• The learning: It may be no different than other abroad programs in this regard, but I learned so much about the world, another culture, and myself. It’s difficult to put into words exactly how important this experience has meant to me, but I am so glad that I was able to come here.