First Week Out

Hello. I'm starting this blog to both share by trip with those that care to learn about it and also as a way for me to remember all of the little details that I can look back on with this blog. I am spending a semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina and will be taking classes and living in the city at the University of Belgrano.

One week in I can say that I am completely overwhelmed and exhausted by the size and culture of this city, but in a good way if that makes sense. My group (Sol Abroad) has kept up very busy, and all of us 10 "Sol mates" (get it?) look forward to any opportunity that we can get to sleep. I live with a host mother, Sofia, and my roommate is also an American studying through my program, Johnny.

This week we have gone on a city tour, tried mate for the first time, gone to a mate club, tried tango classes, toured recoleta cemetery, seen La Rural festival, gone to a dance club, and countless other random activities. Navigating the city so far to meet up has been particularly challenging, especially considering that none of us have a GPS and we cant really use our phones to help each other out due to a lack of minutes. However, we are all getting more confident, and I am beginning to clutch my map a little less tightly with every ride on the colectivo (bus system) and the subte (subway).

One of the most striking things about this city is the crowds that are absolutely everywhere. Personal space is very tiny if any at all when walking the streets of the city, and all transit is completely full, with little to know breathing room as you can see below.

Despite the crowds, people are surprisingly nice on the bus and subway. Numerous people have helped up find the correct stop, and everyone immediately offers their city whenever an elderly person or child walks in. I have also seen several people walk up to and offer to help blind people cross the street.

I find myself slowly acclimating to living here, although I still have quite a ways to go before I feel comfortable navigating the city. Thanks for reading and I hope to be posting again soon!

Scott