Superclasico futbol match
December 6, 2010 § 2 Comments
Superclasico — the soccer match between the two most storied teams in Buenos Aires. It’s listed as one of the 50 sporting things you must do before you die. It happens only twice a year and we were fortunate enough to be in Buenos Aires at the right time.
I don’t think anyone in the US can quite understand the atmosphere this game generates. In the US, crazy fans might yell and scream, maybe take off their shirts. In South American futbol, fans bring giant drums, bed-sheet sized flags, and flares, and the entire stadium chants their team’s songs in unison. That´s all expected for a typical game.
But for Superclasico, everything is raised a level. « Read the rest of this entry »
If only they had fireflies…
December 4, 2010 § 1 Comment
We first heard about Cabo Polonio just a few days prior to going, while researching beach towns in Uruguay from Montevideo. At the end of the first evening, as we stared out at the stars, Joe commented that the only thing missing from this remote village setting were fireflies to light up the the pitch-black, electricity-free village. « Read the rest of this entry »
Spanish school
November 22, 2010 § Leave a comment
Language is not my strong point. After 4 years of high school spanish, I placed into the third week of spanish classes in Buenos Aires. (ok, high school was over ten years ago but still) I felt up to speed on grammar and vocabulary, but behind on speaking and listening — probably a relic of the fact that my high school classes involved little to no speaking and were instead mostly fill-in-the-blanks and memorization.
Teacher presenting certificate at Joe's "graduation"
Italian, helado, meat, helado, empanadas. Repeat.
November 3, 2010 § Leave a comment
One particular memory I have from my time studying abroad was a meal out during a visit to Argentina. We were in Mendoza, and had a full pasta dinner with salads/appetizers, bottles of wine, dessert, and coffee for under $10USD each. As a college student on a budget, I was excited to enjoy such an elaborate meal with friends. With the inflation that has occurred over the past 7 years, I don´t think the value for the money is quite as good as it was then, but a good meal is still easy to find for a reasonable price.
On the hunt in BsAs
October 28, 2010 § Leave a comment
The “furnished apartment for rent” sector is pretty well developed here and far cheaper and more comfortable than a hotel or hostel for a several week stay. Craigslist is alive and well here, check it out if you will be staying for at least a week! We skipped touristing and plunged right into apartment searching our first day, which was actually a great way to get to know the city.
Experiencing Argentine Hospital-ity
October 28, 2010 § Leave a comment
The title of this post could refer to me getting sick on our very first night. Or it could be the hospitality Katie showed us by hosting us in her apartment. In reality, it was neither of those plausible explanations that led us to the inside of a hospital and showed us the generosity of our host country the second day of our trip.
Our first decision: Where to start?
October 26, 2010 § Leave a comment
In selecting a starting point, we wanted somewhere where Joe could arm himself with Spanish instruction before we traveled for 5-6 months through South America. We also wanted somewhere that could hold our interest for a few weeks, which lead us to the great cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Kasey traveled to Buenos Aires during study abroad in Chile, and not only loved it but felt comfortable coming back to navigate the city and for more exploration.
82 Liters 