Bienvenidos, otoño!

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

Since I am living in the southern hemisphere, instead of getting excited for the arrival of summer like my friends and family up north, we are instead welcoming fall’s slow arrival in Córdoba. We have had a few sporadic days of cold here and there but for the most part fall is taking its time and I’m not complaining! I don’t pay attention to the temperature ever, so I measure the weather by the clothes I wear, and today is a capris, tank top, and light sweater kind of day. The sun is shining, there are crunchy leaves on the ground, and there is rarely more than a gentle breeze. It also has rained only about 3 times in the whole 3 months I’ve lived here. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced such consistently nice weather before.

It’s interesting, though, to compare the outfits worn by Argentines versus foreigners during this season. My American friends and I could all be wearing shorts and t-shirts while literally every single Argentine we pass is wearing pants and long sleeves. I think once it hits a certain day, everyone decides it’s fall and it doesn’t matter the temperature, it’s pants weather. My host mom often is appalled when I leave the house without a sweater, but I think she’s getting used to my crazy habits because she doesn’t bug me as much about it anymore. I generally choose comfort over fitting in, so I probably stick out as a foreigner even more these days!

Big news unrelated to Argentina: Minnesota has approved gay marriage!! I am so proud to be a Minnesotan right now and I make a point to tell all of my Argentine friends the good news! Of course, gay marriage is already legal here, but still. I don’t want to go home yet but I am a little bummed to be missing the big celebration! My friends and I hope to get a cake and celebrate here :)

But the MOST exciting thing in my life right now happens on Thursday: I’m heading south on vacation! We have no classes next week so I am going with 5 friends to a few towns in the lakes region of Argentina. I have looked at pictures and my heart races just from the photos because the views are so incredible, so I am anxiously awaiting the chance to see these places in real life! We have some tentative plans but most of the trip we’ll be winging it, so I’m excited to experience the adventures the next week will bring.

I won’t be blogging while I’m gone so expect another post in a couple weeks! Chau!

Categories: Culture | 1 Comment

Vulnerable

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

Studying abroad in another country has been a really humbling experience, in so many ways. And the fact that I have to communicate for the most part in my second language, I think, makes the experience that much more profound and challenging.

I am a pretty independent person and I like relying on myself to do things. I loved apartment living last semester because it meant I got to cook for myself, do my own laundry, and clean when I felt like it (or had time). I lived on my own schedule, made my own plans, did what I wanted, when I wanted.

Living in Argentina, with my host mom, I don’t decide what I eat or oftentimes when I eat. I don’t control when my laundry gets done. My plans are oftentimes affected by whatever schedule Viviana decides to live by that day. I don’t mean to imply that I don’t appreciate all she does for me or that I don’t like what she feeds me. I mean, I can’t complain when I wake up and breakfast is already prepared and sitting out! But it has been quite the adjustment and has taught me a lot about patience and gratitude.

I am also forced to rely on other people, outside of my house. When I don’t understand something, I have to hope the person I’m speaking with will be kind enough to repeat what they said or rephrase it. Since I am new to the city (not so new anymore, but especially when I first arrived) I rely on others to help me figure out where things are or how things work in various places. I am the outsider in this culture. I am the foreigner, I am the minority, I am the one that doesn’t always fit in. As a blonde, Scandinavian girl from a predominantely-white region of the U.S., it has been eye-opening to be a part of the minority and makes me think differently about a lot of things.

And I am the outsider in this language. I am used to being smart, to knowing what’s going on, to getting good grades, to being the person that others go to for help. Here, I am the one with questions, I’m the one that doesn’t understand everything, I’m the one that struggles in class. It can be uncomfortable and frustrating at times, but it has given me such an appreciation for anyone learning a second language or trying to live in a new culture. I will never again take for granted the simple gift of communication. And hey, without these experiences my Spanish wouldn’t be at the level it is today!

This is the hostel where español y cerveza generally takes place. See the people on the terrace on the roof?? This is a great community for practicing Spanish!

I am a firm believer that it is impossible to grow as a person without stepping outside of your comfort zone. Here I have been embarrassed, uncomfortable, confused, and frustrated on numerous occasions. But I have come out of those situations stronger, smarter, more aware, and more patient because of it. I came here to have a life-changing experience and surprise! It’s happening. I wish everyone could have the experience of living in a different country.

Categories: Culture, Language | 1 Comment

A chill week

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

I don’t have any big events to report, but as usual I had a fun week and there are always stories to share!

Monday: I went to my 8th tango class. I can’t believe I’ve already been learning that long! I still love the class as if it were my first one, and it’s fun knowing I’ve improved (at least a little) and can somewhat execute various moves. And this class was especially special because when I arrived, Viviana and her mom were waiting for me with tea and a delicious snack. How cute is that?! After tango I helped Viviana make some gnocchi for supper and we ate it with pesos underneath our plates. I guess it’s good luck to eat gnocchi on the 29th of a month with money under your plate! Who knew!

Tuesday: Since we had a day off on Wednesday, some friends and I decided to celebrate by going out to eat and hanging out Tuesday night. The original plan was to go to a Chinese restaurant, but the directions we were given were wrong because there definitely does not exist a Chinese restaurant on the Cañada and Dean Funes. Soooo instead we walked a few blocks and stopped at this little hole-in-the-wall place that advertised Mexican food. And I can say with certainty that eating there was the best decision I’ve made all week. Huevos rancheros for 25 pesos, is there anything better?? We were all positively gleeful throughout dinner, feasting on cheap yet delicious Mexican food. When I got home at 12:30 that night, Viviana was awake, studying, and asked me why I was home so early. HA! Argentine time, I tell ya.

YUM.

My friends and me, contentedly full.

Wednesday: Feliz día del trabajador! Wednesday was Worker’s Day (like Labor Day except they actually celebrate) so we didn’t have classes, which was awesome because usually Wednesdays are my worst day. It’s traditional to eat locro (a delicious Argentine stew) on certain feriados, including this one, so Viviana worked tirelessly in the kitchen all morning and we went to her parents’ house for some locro and empanadas! I was so sleepy all afternoon from all the food. Nothing beats my mama’s locro, man. Good stuff.

My family, ready to enjoy some typical Argentine food. From left to right: My mom, Viviana; my grandma; my grandpa; and my uncle, Jorge.

Thursday: On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have a yoga class and for some reason, this class was especially great. I feel so relaxed after yoga and any aches I had before magically disappear. Between tango and yoga I am learning new words for parts of the body, so that’s always exciting as well.

Just another relaxing week here in Córdoba :)

Categories: Culture, Food, Sports/Dance | 1 Comment

Hiking Trip

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

This weekend I experienced a lesser known but GORGEOUS and AMAZING part of Argentina: Parque Provincial Ischigualasto and Parque Nacional Talampaya in the provinces of San Juan and La Rioja. It was the perfect weekend getaway; I was in need of some nature time and this place was just amazing. It was another trip with my exchange program, so I didn’t have to plan anything and I got to spend the weekend hiking with my friends. I mean, what more could a person ask for??

We left at 12:30 a.m. Friday night on the bus and arrived around 8:30 Saturday morning. We ate breakfast on the bus and then started out the day with a bus tour of the first park. The itinerary said it would be about 4 hours and I was nervous about spending 4 more hours touring on a bus, but in reality, we spent more time off the bus than on. We stopped at 5 different locations around the park to learn and sightsee, and all had unique characteristics. I never realized how beautiful the desert could be! The landscapes and the colors were incredible.

Valle Pintado (painted valley) – does this remind anyone else of the Painted Canyon in ND??

There was a lot of jumping picture action going on, but this one I am especially proud of.

I could not get over the colors! This place is spectacular!

After eating lunch in the park café and taking a short break, we started the trek up Cerro Morado, a lone mountain in the park. It was actually pretty intense hiking – steep going up and slippery walking down (due to the quantity of little rocks on the trail). It was a good workout with beautiful views, and the hike was in every way worth it. The view from the top was amazing!

We conquered the mountain!

We spent the night at a hotel in a neighboring city, and ate supper and breakfast there. We got up bright and early the next morning to start the day’s festivities. We hiked some more, this time in Talampaya Park. We had to drive in vans through a river bed to get to the two locations and it was a little too much van time for my liking, but both places were completely worth it. The first place was called Ciudad Perdida (lost city) and looked kind of like a mini Grand Canyon. The hike lasted about an hour and a half, and we hiked down into the canyon and back up. That was unlike any hike I’ve ever been on, very cool. The second place was called Cañón Arco Iris (Rainbow Canyon) and is so named because of all the different colors of the rock. It was a pretty short walk but I didn’t mind because I was HUNGRY. Next stop: lunch. We were all ravenous, since in typical Argentine style we had one piece of bread at 7:30 a.m. to last us until 2:30 p.m. I felt no shame eating 2 choripan sandwiches and an apple for lunch! Delicious.

La Ciudad Perdida…Grand Canyon-esque? I think the mountain in the background is supposed to be “the lost city.”

Cañón Arco Iris – THE COLORS!!

Thank goodness for this weekend. I now feel refreshed and ready to tackle a few more weeks of classes and activities before my next trip!

Categories: Excursions | 1 Comment

Culinary adventures

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

As much as I am starting to miss “normal” food from home, I have been enjoying some great Argentine food lately. On Saturday I went to my first REAL asado! Paula and I were invited by some friends after hearing the appalling news that I had still never actually been to an asado, I’ve only eaten one in a restaurant.

We started out the night with some morcilla (blood sausage) and bread. At around 1:00 a.m. (we arrived at 10:30) the salad and meats came out in quick succession. To the best of my knowledge, I ate chorizo (sausage) and steak, which were actually delicious. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it – meat cooked on a parrilla really is better! Another interesting item grilled with the meat was peppers and eggs. They cut the peppers in half, cracked an egg in the middle, and then grilled it. Delicious!

The meat and peppers grilling on the parrilla.

Our wonderful asado master, hard at work!

Paula’s excited for some asado! This house actually had a completely separate building with the parrilla and this room to eat in. They take asados very seriously here ;)

Chowing down! Que rico!

After eating we sat around, happily miserable, playing YouTube videos and foosball. Of the 9 of us at the asado, we represented 4 different countries and 3 languages, so we had fun finding silly songs and videos in our native languages to share with the group. Overall, I’d say my first asado was a success :)

The other culinary excitement I’ve had this week was last night. I went to an empanada-making workshop! There was a small group of us there to learn – the class was geared towards foreigners, so there were representatives from the U.S., Germany, and Holland (maybe France too?). We all stood around 2 big tables and worked together, learning how to make the masa (the dough/crust that envelopes the filling) and chopping up vegetables to fry for the relleno (filling). After about an hour and a half of “hard” work, we feasted on empanadas al horno (baked in the oven) and fritas (fried). We used store-bought masas as well as our homemade ones, to taste the difference, and definitely the homemade ones were better. At the end of the class we received certificates to say we are empanada-making experts and we got to take home the recipe so we will be able to re-create these delicacies. The cool thing about the class was that since it was geared towards foreigners, they really wanted to make sure we’d be able to cook these again when we go home home, so the information and recipe were detailed enough that I actually do feel confident I could make them again.

Los estadounidenses con sus certificados! The Americans with their certificates!

This weekend my group is going on another excursion outside of Córdoba to do some hiking, so I am really looking forward to that! Be on the lookout for a post early next week. Chau for now!

Categories: Culture, Food | 3 Comments

A part of me

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

When I was talking with my host mom’s brother a while back about missing my violin here, he says, “Why didn’t you bring it with? It’s a part of you!” While I was initially peeved that he didn’t understand why logistically I couldn’t bring my expensive violin to Argentina, he was right. Maybe it takes the separation to really get it, but for the past two months I have been missing a big part of me here. I didn’t realize how crucial my violin was to my being until I had to figure out how to live without it.

And I decided I couldn’t live without it. So after talking with numerous people, sending emails, and waiting, I am finally the proud borrower of a violin! It is not anything special and is actually of pretty low quality, but it’s MINE (for a few months, at least) and I can have it at my house and practice whenever I want! We are still getting used to each other, but I know my new friend will be an important part of my life here. I realized a while back that the reason I liked my tango class so much is partly because it is a way to really focus and express myself, and while I know it will still be important, my new violin can be the creative outlet I was missing.

I also had the pleasure of attending another concert on Wednesday, with a new friend (who LOVES the sound of stringed instruments, so obviously we immediately hit it off). The concert consisted of a quartet and a pianist. The repertoire was quite interesting and diverse, and I enjoyed it a lot. Even without great music, just going to the Teatro del Libertador is an experience in itself. It is a huge, old theater right next to Patio Olmos. The chairs are wooden and the floors creak, so if anyone decides to get up and move during a piece, the whole theater will suffer from the noise. But it is BEAUTIFUL place with many levels – we bought the cheapest tickets so our seats were on the 5thand highest floor. I would have needed binoculars to really see the musicians, but it was still a good vantage point.

I actually stole this image off Google…but this is the theater!

What would the world be without music? Really, though. Think about it.

There is just one thing I’m missing now – belting out “Take me or leave me” in the car with my sister…but I guess that one can wait a few months ;)

Categories: Music | 3 Comments

¿Cómo se dice…?

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

It is absolutely amazing to me how much my Spanish has improved since I got here. I look back on the initial few days I was here and think how I have NO desire to repeat those days. When I first arrived, I could hardly understand anything my host mom said to me. I was afraid to go places alone because it meant I would probably have to try and speak with someone, not understand them, and feel embarrassed. I relished my intensive Spanish class because I knew my professor would talk slowly and about things I was familiar with, so it wouldn’t be stressful. I enjoyed meeting Argentines who also knew English because it meant we could use both languages and if I couldn’t explain myself in Spanish, I could explain in English and hope they understood.

Now, I understand almost everything Viviana says to me and if I don’t, I have no qualms about asking. I like going to restaurants and stores and asking questions beyond what is necessary, just for fun. I don’t think twice about getting into a taxi and having a conversation with the driver about where I’m from and why I’m here. While I used to feel a huge sense of accomplishment every time I successfully had a conversation, however short, it is now just part of everyday life. My listening has improved immensely, I have become more confident in my speaking, and now I have different standards and different goals for myself. I am proud of where I am at so far.

Someone asked me the other day – what are you going to do with your Spanish when you get home? I had to think about that for a bit. Why am I learning Spanish? To get a good job? To make travel easier? These are both things that are important for me, but now I think there’s more to it than that. Being able to speak Spanish with a native speaker living in the States would be not only fun for me, but a great way to make them feel more comfortable. My first few weeks here, meeting people that spoke English was a godsend. I think it is so much easier for anyone to express themselves in their primary language. There are things I just can’t say in Spanish, because there is no vocabulary for it or my vocabulary or grammar is not expansive enough to know. The same goes for someone learning English. Knowing a second language opens up a completely new mode of communication, allowing two people to connect on a deeper level.

Now that I have been that person trying to make her way around a city in a language that is not her own, I have so much more respect and understanding for international students at Concordia and immigrants in the States. Constantly being immersed in a second language is hard, it’s a lot of work, it can be frustrating, and it can be stressful. When I go back I know I will have a lot more patience for those learning English, because I know what it feels like to have someone give up when I don’t understand something. I know what it feels like to be the awkward foreigner in a group of Argentines that doesn’t understand a joke that was just made in Spanish. But I also know how good it feels when someone is willing to repeat themselves or explain something a different way so I’ll understand. I know how nice it is when people talk slower for me and have patience when I am struggling to express myself. It takes patience and understanding to build connections despite the language barrier but some truly amazing relationships can be formed.

Some friends and me, intentionally trying to fulfill the American tourist stereotype, to be silly.

Categories: Culture, Language | 6 Comments

Te extraño…

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

Today marks the two month anniversary of my arrival in Córdoba. Hard to believe – it feels like I’ve been here forever and also like I just arrived. I have had so many amazing experiences since coming here and I am looking forward to a little under 4 more months of this! Thinking about returning makes me panic a little, so I suppose that’s a good thing, it means I’m meant to stay here a bit longer… :)

I thought about trying to write something really profound to commemorate this momentous day, but instead I’m going to make a list of things I miss and things I don’t miss about the U.S. Some things might be surprising and others not so much…but here we go.

Things I miss about the United States:

  • My family
  • My friends
  • Relaxing at the lake
  • Homemade nachos
  • A big, hearty breakfast – like brunch at Grandma’s or a big Village Inn skillet and pancakes
  • Black beans
  • Cigarette smoke-free air
  • Being able to run wherever I want
  • Recycling
  • Information availability, especially in regards to events and classes at school

    Some members of my beautiful family on Easter. It was hard to be away from them then!

Things I don’t miss about the United States:

  • My car
  • The weather
  • Moorhead (sorry, the people are really the only reason for someone to go there…)
  • The inability to walk everywhere
  • Classes
  • Being a blonde Scandinavian amongst other blonde Scandinavians
  • Doing my own laundry
  • Insincerity (not to say that everyone in the states is insincere but honesty runs rampant in Argentina and it is quite refreshing)
  • The lack of opportunities to practice my Spanish
  • Eating supper at 6:30

I am curious about reactions to this list – feel free to post with thoughts or comments! Happy Thursday!

Categories: Culture | 7 Comments

Becoming Argentine

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

Now that the semester has gotten underway and I’m getting my life organized, I’ve been having fun getting involved with more things and going to various events. The more new things I try and the more I interact with the culture here, the more Argentine I feel, even though it will always be obvious that I’m a foreigner.

The night before I left for Easter break, Viviana decided to teach me how to make alfajores. OMG. If I haven’t mentioned this in a blog post before, eating an alfajor is quite possibly the most exquisite culinary experience I’ve ever had. Not really, but I have such a sweet tooth and these delicious cookies with dulce de leche never cease to satisfy me! Anyway, Viviana realized how much I loved these cookies and decided to show me how to make them. She took delight in my obvious excitement so we were both giddy while baking these glorious sweets. Even though I was stressed that night about various school things, making these cookies with my host mom was extremely calming and a great bonding experience for both of us.

Perfectly cut cookie batter, ready to be baked.

Cookies post-baking.

Fresh dulce de leche-ed cookies, drying so as to be more sticky. Notice the HUGE tub of dulce de leche in the background and the bags of coconut :)

Final step: put cookies together and roll edges in coconut. Que rico!

Last Wednesday I started taking a tango class! It was very last minute – I got home from school, Viviana asked if I wanted to learn tango, I said yes, changed clothes, and she drove me over. As far as I know, it is a series of free tango lessons offered through Viviana’s neighborhood organization. The class I attended was actually the 5th class in the series and I obviously didn’t know what I was doing in comparison to the other students, but the professors were so nice and helpful and the class is small, so I had a lot of individual attention. So far I’m still trying to get the basic step down (it looks just like walking but it’s oh so much more than that), but it was so much fun! I’ll have classes twice a week now, so hopefully when they’re over I’ll at least be able to hold my own.

Yesterday I went to some cool events at the university with my friend Cherokee. It is UNC’s 400th year of existence (take a moment to think about this in perspective – the school is older than the USA. Wowzers.) so right now the campus center has basically been transformed into a type of science museum and various artsy acts perform on the weekends. It’s called Cuatrociencias – I think it’s like a play on words because “cuatrocientos” means 400 and “ciencias” means science. Anyway, Cherokee and I first had the pleasure of watching a circus act. The clowns were hilarious and when they talked I actually understood most of it! Next we stumbled across these 3 dancers who were dancing to music only they could hear. After a minute we realized there were 3 boxes with headphones attached sitting on the floor and people were taking turns listening and watching the dancers. When I had the opportunity to try the headphones I was pleased to hear a passionate orchestral work playing. Watching the dancers with and without music gave it so much more meaning and for whatever reason I was just fascinated by the art form. THEN a reporter and cameraman came over to interview us about our reactions to the dance. IN SPANISH. Imagine that, I might have made Argentine news!

Another exciting thing for me right now is my new mate! I purchased a mate (special cup for drinking the traditional Argentine tea, yerba mate) in Buenos Aires at a street fair, came “home” and cured it, and have now been using it the past couple of days. I have had mate numerous times with friends but knowing that I have my own and can control when I use it is just fabulous. Sitting in the park and drinking mate with friends is one of my favorite things to do here. It is a time to relax, enjoy the weather, enjoy good company, and just be. Sharing mate with friends is an undeniably Argentine experience and quite possibly my favorite part of the culture here.

Me with my beautiful new mate! The straw is called a “bombilla.”

Categories: Classes/University, Culture, Food, Sports/Dance | 11 Comments

Pascuas en Buenos Aires

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Kirsten Hoaby

WOW what a vacation! So many things happened this weekend but I’ll try and keep it brief. I traveled with two friends, Paula and Lila, to Buenos Aires for Easter weekend. We had last Thursday through today (Tuesday) off, so we spent a full 5 days in Bs As (that’s how the locals abbreviate Buenos Aires)! We left Wednesday night on an overnight bus and arrived bright and early Thursday morning. Even though we all could have used naps, after settling in at Lila’s friend Tano’s house, we left to explore the city’s parks. Bs As has BEAUTIFUL parks and gardens so we spent all day walking around and basking in the natural beauty. And naturally we took a break to nap in the grass in a less populated park.

Here is the Jardín Japones (Japanese garden) with the city in the background. It is a symbol of good relations between Japan and Argentina. Que hermoso!

Some friends from our program were also staying in Bs As for Easter weekend, so we were able to spend a couple of days exploring with them. There are street fairs in almost every touristy neighborhood of the city, so we spent time wandering the streets, listening to live bands, buying things for friends and family, touring museums, meeting interesting people, and eating delicious food. One night our friends cooked supper in their hostel and we ate family-style, sitting on the ground outside. I think there were 9 of us sharing the meal! I also had the pleasure of meeting up with my second cousin, Kjerstin, who is living in Bs As currently, and sharing some advice and laughs with her.

Lila, Paula, Ag, and me. Sadly, we never got a picture with everyone together!

I think Paula and Lila would agree that our culinary adventures were certainly a highlight of the trip. After almost 2 months in Argentina (and longer for Lila) we were all craving ethnic foods, so we ate at Mexican and Indian restaurants (SO GOOD). We also ate one lunch at a French (or maybe it was Swiss?) restaurant where I was able to order milk and a parfait. It felt like home ;) We consumed a lot of choripan (sausage on bread with all kinds of toppings that sort of tastes like a brat – these are super cheap and generally sold on the streets) and crackers with dulce de leche. I also had my very first asado! This is basically a meal made with all kinds of meat on a grill called a parrilla. I am proud to say I tried intestine, blood sausage, and kidney – although not more than one bite of each. There were also “normal” meats, like steak and chicken. For a former vegetarian, it wasn’t too bad of a meal. The best meal award, however, goes to Tano’s homemade pizzas. He started cooking at 9:00 Sunday night and the pizzas weren’t ready until 1 a.m.! There was so much love and care put into the dough and sauces made from scratch, and thought put into the perfect toppings. It was obvious Tano was having the time of his life cooking for us. We were all ravenous by the time we ate but no matter what it still would have easily topped the charts as best meal of the week.

The classiest choripan I have ever eaten – also the most expensive. Worth every peso!

A top view of the asado – literally just a pile of meat with bread and sauces on the side.

Throughout the weekend I was constantly humbled by the very Argentine hospitality shown to us by Tano and his girlfriend, Flor. From the moment we met we were welcomed like family and Tano repeatedly said “The house is small but the heart is big.” We basically overtook the living room and bathroom and we had free reign to their food. Our sleeping habits were different than theirs and we didn’t have anything to give them in return, but they were happy to have us in their home. As we were saying our goodbyes Tano thanked US for staying with them, even though we had so much more to be thankful for. I am very lucky to have met these two people and I have learned so much about what it means to be accepting, welcoming, and loving.

This was my favorite of Tano’s homemade pizzas. It had to cool on the floor because there wasn’t enough counter space!

On Saturday the three of us traveled to Uruguay on a ferry boat. The boat was HUGE and it felt AMAZING to be traveling on the water. I closed my eyes and relished the gentle breeze, sun on my face. We traveled to a small town called Colonia. It was much quieter and simpler than Bs As and it was very nice to escape the commotion for a while. I worked my tan on the beach and we got some good ice cream, so I’d say it was a pretty successful excursion.

Chao Buenos Aires!

Hola Colonia! This is my favorite ocean photo.

Other notable sights: La Plaza de Mayo, La Casa Rosada (the White House of Argentina), El Cabildo, La Boca neighborhood, Teatro Colón, Recoleta Cemetery, the giant metal flower statue, and el Puente de la Mujer (woman’s bridge). For all the amazing things we saw and did, there is still so much more to be explored in the city! Now I realize why everyone says I must go to Buenos Aires and I would gladly return one day to see more of what the city has to offer.

La Casa Rosada at night!

Graffiti in La Boca. “Why are there so many people in the street and so many vacant houses?” This neighborhood is known for the pizza and the vibrant colors of houses but also for its crime and poverty.

Many important people are buried in Recoleta Cemetery, including presidents and the famous Eva Peron. The above-ground gravestones form what feels to me like a miniature city.

El Puente de la Mujer – across the bridge is a cool ecological reserve that we walked through.

Categories: Excursions, Food | 7 Comments