Living in Buenos Aires for the past month has been an incredible experience so far. Trying new foods has certainly been one of my favorite parts. I’d say my favorite foods are empanadas de carne and alfajores, but there are so many good foods and desserts here that I want to take back to the United States with me. And dulce de leche is of course delicious and a staple here. Breakfast and dinner are provided each day by my host mom, but I have to eat out for each lunch, and merienda (or teatime), which is a midday snack between lunch and dinner since dinner is so late. I honestly like eating out though because I get to explore different restaurants and cafes. I love getting a medialuna – like a croissant but sweeter and denser – with ham and cheese and a coffee to go with.
A typical day mostly includes going to class. I have class Monday through Thursday, but the times I am on campus vary. I take the subway halfway to campus and the other half I take the campus shuttle. For the first month, the shuttle was not running as the school year had not started here yet, so I had to take the bus or walk. I am so thankful it is running now because it is so much easier. Navigating the buses here can be rather difficult to understand when you have not lived here your whole life. And it has been quite hot lately to be walking a lot. After class I usually always go somewhere to eat with my friends before I go home, and then I always return home for dinner. I have had a wonderful experience with my host family, so I love eating with my host mom and my host sister, and my host mom always cooks the most delicious things. During the weekends I like to explore the city, spend time with friends, and have lots of late nights. The night life in Argentina is so lively and there are so many things to do at night! Sometimes I also use the weekends to travel to other places in Argentina, but Buenos Aires is full of things to do so I don’t feel I need to travel much.
The hardest part about living in a foreign country, for me at least, is connecting with locals, and not just because of the language barrier. As someone who is not very good with striking up conversation with people I do not know, it can be hard to get to know people. However, I have found ways to do so with the help of my friends that came on this trip with me, and I now have made amazing friends here. I have shared mate, a traditional drink of Argentina; gotten coffee; explored the city; and done so much more with them. Spending time with my friends is by far the best part of being here.