Sunday, October 17, 2010

Before, during and after

Studying abroad can be a wonderful experience if you are prepared and know what to expect. These are some of the things I have done during my study abroad semester which benefitted me in the long run.

Make and keep a budget before and during the trip. It is important to keep track of your spending and funds while you are abroad. Often, you will be only studying when abroad and not making any income. Keep all of your receipts and your checkbook active.

Do research on the country before you go and continue to stay connected while in the country. For Argentina, national pride sweeps the nation and people are very proud of their culture and history. It shows initiative if you read up on the history and the culture of the country before you go. Also, while you are abroad stay active with the news and be aware of the politics and events going on.

Keep everything organized! Between school papers, important documents, receipts, letters, and more! It is priceless. It is easy to be swept up into the lifestyle of living abroad in a big city, but if you are organized it will make life much easier!

Wake up everyday with courage to try something new. Schedules and routines are great, but stepping out of your comfort zone allows for self discovery.

Follow the customs and rituals of the host country. Try to avoid the comforts of home and do new things that the locals do!

Keep connections with people you meet. Not only the other study abroad students at the university but the locals as well. It can be helpful to have someone to rely on who knows the city. Also, networking has its advantages!

Just by doing some of these simple things my study abroad experience was wonderful. I have three more weeks in Buenos Aires until I return home, but I will keep exploring and enjoying the city until then!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

It's not about how much you know, it's about how you work with what you do know.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Exploring


One of the greatest aspects of study abroad is having the chance to challenge yourself with new opportunities everyday. I make a point to try something new, or go somewhere different everyday. This way, I meet new people, learn more things and experience a part of the culture beyond the monuments and buildings. Most days, I pick a point on my map and explore. It is fascinating to see the city operate behind the scenes.

The city is filled with so many different neighborhoods and barrios filled with different types of people. As I walk from one neighborhood to the next I pass under the detailed architecture of the city and admire the Italian influence on the city. I see the colored buses driving by, stirring up the pigeons in the street. The blocks are separated by little parks where people sit and have mate while their dogs run free. I take a moment to sit and enjoy the landscape before me. Under the coconut trees of Palermo I hear the parakeets chirping loudly. The rollerbladers skate by fast racing with the taxis. As I get into Belgrano I am awed at the massiveness of the embassies that line the streets.

Recently, there have been political demonstrations in the city by public school kids who are protesting the government spending on private institutions. Large crowds of students gather in the streets with their banners waving against the sun. They come in hundreds and are loud with drums and horns. Away from the crowd I can enjoy some of the hidden gems of the city, the art. Most prominently in Palermo Soho as well as Belgrano, the buildings are marked with big colorful paintings.

During the early 1950’s, Argentina went through a depression losing about 70% of its peso value. Juan Peron, who was president at this time was overthrown by a military coup. The state of the country was in a depression as well. In an effort to restore hope to the people, artists were commissioned to paint grand murals all over the city to illuminate the dark situation. Now, the city is covered with these massive masterpieces which still bring a smile to people’s faces when they pass by buildings.

The amazing thing about exploring is that you come across hidden secrets of the city that are beyond wikipedia and travel guides. I love taking the road less traveled to see what I can come across; in this case, Buenos Aires in total is the road less traveled.


Friday, October 1, 2010

Buenos Aires, Beyond the City



Taking day trips out of the city has been an experience to refresh, recharge and learn of the people of Buenos Aires beyond the buildings and buses.

We have taken a few day trips to leave the city and see grass again.

First, we went for the day to an estancia an hour past the city. An estancia is similar to a ranch, full of horses, cows and plenty of roaming room. We took a long dirt road to the house and when we arrived we were greeted by puppies and hot breakfast. We had coffee and medialunas around a big wooden table overlooking the flat plains of the estancia. The weather was perfect for a day on the ranch. The sun was set high as we lounged around the lawn with puppies and listening to the horses in the pasture neighing. We saddled the horses and rode around the estancia like real gauchos. After exploring the ranch we found sheep and cows and even a snake in the fields! Some of the boys took turns trying their luck with a boleadora, a type of Argentine lasso. For lunch, we were treated with a traditional style asado, like a coal fired barbecue. The family’s teenage boys entertained us with horse racing around hay barrels. They ran their horses in and out of the barrels. We gathered on the porch to dance tango and folk dancing provided by the enthusiastic singer of the family, grandpa. We laughed and sang along to the gaucho songs and were happy to see coffee and tea put out after a long day. We watched the day end around the pool with happy little puppies on our laps.

The trip to the estancia left us tired and dirty, but had us longing for city life again. We saw no other neighbors or heard the family sounds of the city at the estancia. Although it was well needed to get out and breathe the fresh air of the country, we all still had our busy city in our hearts.

A few weeks following this excursion we left in the morning for a trip up the Rio de la Plata to Tigre. We took the train to Tigre and from there we took a ferry up the river to a remote island. The train serves as a taxi to the river residents because there are no roads connecting the neighbors back to the center of town. As we were traveling the river we passed by small river houses equipped with elaborate docks to harbor their boats. The lawns were lush green and colored with brilliant flowers and palm trees along the river’s edge. We passed an amusement park and heard the kids laughing from the Ferris wheel overlooking the small town. Dogs chased our boat as we passed by the homes and small motorboats competed for room against our long ferry. Once we got to the house we had breakfast of dulce de leche torta and orange juice. We took the opportunity to dip our toes in the river and lay out on the lush lawn.

The boys of the home took out their long rowing boats to teach us to navigate the river. As a team we rowed and laughed when we messed up the pattern of the paddles. We sang rowing songs and some American pop too! The sun felt good on our backs as we were rowing back to shore for lunch. We made milenesa sandwiches and had fresh tomatoes and eggs. After lunch some jumped off the dock into the river! It looked too cold for my liking. We took a “nature walk” through the swamp of the backyard and got our shoes stuck in the deep mud. We were waist deep in nature and were laughing the entire way! When we got back to our house we washed our clothes in the river and listened to our host mother for the day tell us about the geography of Argentina and its history. We were a tired group and ready to go home to shower! Our ferry boat picked us up and took us back to port where we took the train back home to the city.

Even more dirty than our trip to estancia, we were excited to see river life and glad to experience a part of Buenos Aires that lies beyond the sidewalks. Each of these excursions leaves a mark in our mind of how vast and different each part of this amazing country is. We have seen the enormous tropical waterfalls of Iguazu, the dry flat plains of the estancia as well as the life on the Rio de la Plata. Buenos Aires is much more than the city. It is a fascinating learning experience to be a part of these trips beyond our city neighborhood.