Playing in Puddles

Yesterday was a rainy and dreary day here in Buenos Aires. I did not have a lot of motivation to go to class, especially since I only have one class on Monday and Wednesday, but I had to give a presentation so I went anyway. I walked down the same street I always walk down to get to school but this time I saw a little boy I had never seen before. The boy was playing outside of his apartment building with a small toy boat. This scene brought a smile to my face because the boy was splashing in a very small puddle while pushing his toy boat through the minimal amount of water.

When I was young and playing in puddles I knew so little about the world. The thought of whether children in other countries also played in puddles would have never and has since, never crossed my mind. Many things about the Argentine culture are very different than what I am used to but it was a pleasant realization that playing in puddles is an international occurrence.

Adventures in Argentina

Since I only have a month left here in Argentina I have been thinking a lot about my return to the states. I keep coming back to the feeling I remember having when I woke up from my over-night flight and it really hit me that I was about to land in Argentina and live there for the next four months.

As a was waking up at about 6 a.m. I opened the shade of the airplane window to see this sight and I realized how truly happy I was to be beginning this journey.

I could not be more grateful for this adventure as I have seen so many beautiful and interesting things and have managed to keep my excitement alive through my time here in Argentina. Even though I might be getting a little anxious to return to the states and see my friends (and of course my family, even though my parents were just here visiting) I plan to make the most of this last month.

La comida de Buenos Aires

Last night I ate the best steak I have ever had and this blog post was inspired solely by that dinner.

I went to a restaurant called Parilla Pena. Parilla is the word used here for a grill and parilla restaurants can be found on just about every block in Buenos Aires but this restaurant was definitely the best I have found so far. A close second is a much more touristy retaurant called La Cabrera. The steak at both places was delicious but Parilla Pena was definitely better and it gets extra points for not being as expensive and as much of a draw for tourists.

Meat is at the heart of the Argentine diet which is why parillas are so popular. A typical menu at a parilla consists of different kinds of bife, pollo, and chorizo or steak, chicken and sausage.

Parilla Pena is tucked away on a side street in a neighborhood of Buenos Aires called Recoleta. (As a side note, this is also the neighborhood that is home to the famous Recoleta cemetery.) Like other authentic parilla restaurants, the first thing I saw when I walked in the door was the huge grill with all the different types of meat on it being prepared to perfection.

When we sat down at the table the meal began with more bread than the four of us could eat in a week and we were also given free empanadas. Empanadas are a very traditional food in Argentina but they are not the sweet empanadas they serve at Taco Bell. Here empanadas are commonly stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables. These very also certainly some of the best empanadas I have had while here.

Finally, we got to the steak. We ordered a cut called Bife de Lomo which basically translates to filet mignon. It was cooked about medium-rare and tasted like heaven on earth. Meat here is also usually served with a delicious sauce called chimichurri and its probably getting redundant but this restaurant also had amazing chimichurri.

So there was just a quick background of Argentine food based on the best dinner I have eaten here. My goal is to learn how to make traditional empanadas and chimichurri so that I can share their wonderful taste back in the states.

Two months down...two to go!

I can hardly believe that I am already at the half-way point of my semester abroad! It has already been such a great experience but I am also definitely looking forward to going home and getting to see all the people I am missing. Chris and Kate were here last week which was really great but it almost made me miss home more than I was before they got here.

I know there is still so much in store for me in these next two months so I am definitely heading into them with a smile on my face.

This weekend we have a long weekend for Easter so I am going to the region of Mendoza, Argentina which is Argentine wine country. I am going with two good friends I have made here so it should be a really good time! We plan on going whitewater rafting and doing a bike tour of the vineyards in the area, both of which are things I have never done before! I should have some great pictures to add when I get back.

Iquazu!

Two weekends ago I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I traveled to the province of Misiones in Argentina to see the Cataratas de Iguazu or Iguazu Waterfalls. This blog is going to be a picture blog because it is really the only way to describe what I saw there.

Back in the swing of things...

School has finally started! My much anticipated semester at the Universidad de Belgrano is finally underway and I am very excited for all of my classes. I am taking 4 classes, three in Spanish and one in English. I tested into the Advanced Spanish class which will probably be my most challenging course. I am also taking three elective courses which include two classes taught in Spanish and one taught in English.

The two classes in Spanish are Contemporary Argentine Art and a class called "Argentina: An Open Society." Although we have been in class for two weeks I have not actually been to this class yet. At the university they have a period of two weeks where students can basically try out different classes they think they will be interested in before making their final schedule. I tried two other classes that just weren't what I was looking for. I switched to this class after Tuesday of last week but then Thursday was a holiday so we did not have class, therefore I did not have the chance to go the new one. I am really hoping I will like this one but the class description seems more promising than the others. I am enjoying my art class thus far but it difficult to contribute to class discussion at times because I have never taken an art class before and have little knowledge in the subject area. There is so much beautiful art and architecture to explore in this city though so I hope this class will help me to be able to appreciate it even more.

Although my one class in English will be easier for the pure fact that I am can understand everything that is being discussed, it will still be challenging because it is a 400 level literature class about a famous Argentine author, Jorge Luis Borges. I had never read any Borges before choosing this class but I quickly bought a book of his short stories. He is a very imaginative writer and I think I am really going to enjoy learning about him and analyzing his work.

The city has been buzzing this weekend as it was a four day weekend and many people were out and about. Thursday and Friday were national holidays called "Día de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia." From 1976 to 1983 a military dictatorship took over the Argentine government and it is estimated that up to 30,000 people fell victim to their power. These people are now called the "desaparecidos" or the disappeared people. These people came from groups whose views were thought to have differed from the military government such as political activists, students and journalists. As a student studying journalism, especially since I would like to work internationally, events like this can really put things into perspective.

Of course even though school has started I have still been having a lot of fun. This is such an amazing city, everyday there are new things to see and do. I am going to add a post with a bunch of pictures to give a general idea of all the things I've been doing!

Buenas Ondas (good vibes) from Argentina,
Alexa

My First Week!

I am finally in Buenos Aires, Argentina!!! After a very long winter break I arrived in BA last Friday morning. Besides the length, my trip here went very smoothly and now I am feeling pretty settled in.

I am living with a host family in the neighborhood of Belgrano and I will be attending La Universidad de Belgrano. Buenos Aires is a rather large city and it is divided into 48 "barrios" or neighborhoods. Belgrano is north of the city center but my house is very close to different forms of transportation like the bus and the "subte" or subway. My host family is a woman and her son. Her son is not around very often but she and I get along very well. At first there was a little difficulty with communication but it gets better everyday, and so does my Spanish. Here in Argentina the Spanish is very different from what is taught in the United States and they call it Castellano.

I have had a few things to do since I got here but I have also had a lot of free time to get to know the city. Although I am not used to life in a big city I am getting the hang of it and I am loving it. During my free time I have visited some of the more well known, popular barrios with friends I have met here. So far Palermo and Recoleta are my favorite. Palermo is divided into to two sections, Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood. There are great stores and restaurants in this area. Two other great area that I just visited yesterday are called Boca and Puerto Madero. Boca is known for it's soccer team. The Tango is also especially popular in Boca but in Buenos Aires, Tango is really everywhere. I have already begun to love the music and when combined with dancing it is an extremely passionate art form.

Yesterday I also had orientation at school. It was the first time I had been inside the school but it is very easy to navigate because it is only one high-rise building. Orientation was exciting because I got to learn about all the possible classes I can take. Class registration and classes start on Monday. At Universidad de Belgrano students have two weeks to basically try out different classes before they finalize their schedule so needless to say, the first two weeks of classes are very light and do not contain much in-depth information or work. It sounds like an interesting process and I am looking forward to finally being back in class!

This weekend I am taking my first trip out of BA. I am going with another girl to Punta del Este, Uruguay. This city is pretty well known for its beautiful beaches. We have some friends that are already there and we are meeting them for a long weekend. I should have many beautiful pictures to share when I get back however I am new to blogging and can't seem to add them yet. I hope to figure it out soon!

Tranquilo,
Alexa