Falling in love with Buenos Aires and Argentina through my study abroad experience

By Claudia Villalona, CASA Argentina Fall 2017 (Brown '19)

I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for my semester abroad on a chilly and wet winter’s day in the middle of July, having no idea what the next six months would bring. Looking back almost a year later, it is still hard for me to precisely pinpoint what captured my heart and compelled me to stay for another semester. Nonetheless, my time abroad was an experience that truly changed my life: I immersed myself in a culture that was unfamiliar to me and I learned so much about myself in the process. It was an experience of a lifetime I cannot recommend enough.

For those considering studying abroad, Buenos Aires is an incredibly vibrant, cosmopolitan city, rich in art, history, and culture, that offers an endless array of activities and events. Argentines and Porteños (natives of the capital) are very friendly, engaging, and open to foreigners who are curious about their way of life. Outside of the capital, Argentina is one of the largest countries in the world, boasting a scenic and cultural variety that is perfect for traveling and exploring on your long weekends. It is difficult to put into words all the city’s charms and quirks -- it is something that has to be experienced firsthand! Finally, the CASA program in Buenos Aires is there for you every step of the way, balancing independence to explore and guidance when you need it. The program is perfectly tailored to give you an introduction to Buenos Aires and Argentina, while also providing you with incredible resources to take advantage of while abroad.

Buenos Aires is hard to characterize considering its sprawling size and variety. The diversity of the neighborhoods is clear from the hectic hustle and bustle of the city center, the elegant and regal French architecture of Recoleta and Belgrano, the cobblestoned, historic streets of San Telmo, and the bohemian feel and green atmosphere of Palermo. The city sprawls into the suburbs, where millions of people live and commute daily into the city. Buenos Aires truly comes alive in the spring (August to December) when the purple jacarandas bloom in front of the stately steps of the Universidad de Buenos Aires’ Faculty of Law.

Although people may compare Buenos Aires to the Paris of South America, do not be fooled! The city is unique and incomparable in that it mixes European influences with a Latin American way of life. This apparent European influence brought by one of the most significant waves of European immigration in the early 20th century -- seen in the architecture, food, music, and even the rioplatense dialect-- blends with the vibrancy of the Latin American culture. Though not without its conflict, this cultivates cultural phenomena and endless quirks unique only to the region. An example being the music and dance of Tango: a product of African Candome, the European Waltz and Polka, and the Argentine Milonga. Other examples include lunfardo (porteño slang with a heavy Italian influence), its strange take on pizza (comparable to Chicago’s deep dish), its own version of folklore, cumbia, and national rock music, and a good-humored temperament in the face of difficulties and inconvenience.

Buenos Aires is not only beautiful and unique, but the locals also place a high value on the accessibility of art, culture, leisure, and time spent with family and friends. This accessibility lends to a lively and cosmopolitan student-friendly environment. The city breathes life in every corner, and it is impossible to run out of things to do. I have stumbled upon open-air street milongas (establishments where locals dance tango), street fairs, and festivals celebrating cultures from around the world. All around the city you can find cultural centers (centro culturales) with theatre shows, live music events, workshops/classes, and exhibits that are -- for the most part -- free and open to the public. Buenos Aires is also home to a thriving theatre and live music scene offering all types of genres that feature local and international talent. There are so many events, concerts, exhibits, and open spaces available to the public every single day of the week. Porteños are passionate hard-workers, but they value a work/life balance and make time for cultural consumption and time spent with loved ones. Contrasting with the US’s work-obsessed culture, this balance is something I have learned to appreciate as a valuable approach towards life.

Moreover, Argentines also place great value on the accessibility of quality education and first-rate academics. All public universities are tuition-free and open to all. As such, fellow students are motivated and engaged, promising a stimulating academic environment. The CASA program also has the advantage of choice in that you can elect to take classes at a variety of different public and private universities ranging in size and academic specialization. This extensive choice in course offerings ensures that the program can accommodate nearly any course of study.

Like most of Latin America, Argentina shares a tumultuous and oftentimes painful history that continues to influence the culture, society, and politics. Because of this, Buenos Aires has a very active civil society, and people are eager to discuss the issues they are passionate about. With this in mind, Buenos Aires provides a great environment to analyze certain social themes and issues, with access to locals’ diverse perspectives. The strong sense of solidarity and a propensity for social activism make Buenos Aires and Argentina an especially fascinating destination to study history and social sciences.

Another advantage of studying abroad in Buenos Aires is that Porteños and Argentines are very open, friendly people that are very proud of their culture and heritage. More often than not, people are curious towards foreigners and will engage you in conversation, asking you questions about your home and what you think about Argentina. The traditional herbal beverage, Mate, epitomizes this open attitude as it is shared and passed around between friends, family, and newly-met strangers-- it is a great way to get to know people. I was lucky enough to make many Argentine friends that gave me a local perspective and immersion that I believe many other study abroad programs lack. One my fondest memories of my time abroad was attending a classic asado (the Argentine take on BBQ) at one of my friend’s house in the suburbs outside of the city. Taking part in this sacred and delicious tradition was a memory I will hold dear and an authentic experience not too many visitors get to enjoy.

Beyond the friendly people, Argentina is immense and made for adventure. Even though more than a third of the country’s population lives in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina is much more than just its capital. Travelling through the rest of the country is not only a breathtaking adventure, but venturing outside the capital also offers distinct perspectives on how Argentines perceive themselves depending on where they live-- which varies greatly. From expansive wilderness of Patagonia, the indigenous influence and peña culture of Salta and Jujuy, to the jungles surrounding the waterfalls of Iguazú, the diversity in scenery and culture is made for exploring.

With all these advantageous qualities, the experience of going abroad is not without its challenges. Some lifestyle differences may or may not come as a shock. In comparison to the US, some things-- like public transport, banks, and bureaucracies-- do not run as smoothly. If you go to Buenos Aires, you will undoubtedly run into paros or strikes that may leave you stranded in the city center or airport shutdowns that leave you stuck in Mendoza. You may have trouble finding certain items you can get easily in the US-- from medication to toiletries to computer chargers. You may not fully understand your professor’s thick porteño accent or feel chilly in the non-heated, aging classrooms of the public universities. You might run into difficulties navigating the Universidad de Buenos Aires’ enormous and intimidating bureaucracy. The unstable currency might climb rapidly from one day to the next. You might take the subte (subway) during rush hour and get pushed trying to exit the subway train causing your leg to fall into the gap between the train and the edge of the platform (it happens). Although going abroad for an entire semester and leaving the comforts of Brown might seem daunting at first, the experiences you gain and the people you meet make it worthwhile. Not only is it important to challenge yourself to experience new things, but you will also never have the same opportunity to live abroad while having available the extensive support system provided by the CASA program and the host parents.

The host families, in particular, work tirelessly to ensure the transition into Argentine life is as seamless as possible. I was placed in a lovely family of two parents and ten children, in which the youngest were my age. Though not all my host siblings lived in the house, they visited often and brought along their children, which made for a festive and homey atmosphere. My family, albeit big, did everything in their power to make me feel at home. Host families are an integral part of the program as they are an incredible resource in getting acclimated, learning about Argentine society, and, of course, practicing the language.

Finally, my Spanish abilities to grew exponentially, something that only comes with a constant immersion in the language. Coming back to the US after being surrounded by Spanish for ten months has been one of the strangest things I have had to readjust to. But I noticed that since being back that in addition to feeling more confident in my Spanish, I also feel more secure in conversing with others in my native tongue! Forcing myself out of my comfort zone by expressing myself in my second language actually gave me more confidence in my communication abilities. As an introverted person, I am grateful for this.

All in all, I experienced new things every single day while abroad and I will cherish the memories I have made and the people I have met along the way. I will return to Brown this Fall for my senior year with new perspectives and a fresh outlook on my academic career.