Studying Spanish in Buenos Aires?  Need to make some of those basic decisions and not finding them so basic?  We are here to help!

Traveling Abroad

Backpack vs Suitcase

This is one of the most talked about items on a travel abroad experience. There are some travelers who swear by the ‘traveling backpack’ and others who still stick to the ‘trusty suitcase’. Let’s see the pros and cons of both:

Backpack

• Very typically suitable to traveling for its ‘take-me-anywhere” attitude (pro)
• If it’s too big for you or two full, this thing can turn you body into a question mark (con)

Suitcase

• The trusty suitcase, just grab it by its handle, pop it on its wheels, and get going. Lightweight! (pro)
• If you have to go up and downstairs or walk along cracked (or non-existent) sidewalks or pavement, life gets tricky. (con)

Living Abroad

Independent  or Organized

Whether or not you plan to organize your trip, studies, etc, before you go is entirely up to you. Some traveler’s prefer to have a plan and other’s not! Pro’s and Con’s:

Independent

• Live life by the seat of your pants! Wake up when you want, study Spanish went you want, hop on a plane when you want, the world is your oyster! (pro)
• You may be too late to sign up for Spanish classes, there may be no more seats on the plane, and the oyster may have closed its shell. (con)

Organized

• Planning your flight, accommodation, Spanish classes, etc, is a good way to have your life organized when you go abroad, leaving out any headaches and giving you ample to just enjoy your travels. (pro)
• Too much organization can leave you with no room for change, meaning once you are abroad and settle in, you may want to change your accommodation, time of stay, etc…If everything is booked you will have to work around this.  (con)

Check out Decisions, decisions…Part 2 for more decision-making help!

Interested in taking Spanish courses in Buenos Aires, find out more here!

So you have traveled abroad to Argentina to study Spanish in Buenos Aires and you happen to be here on October 31st, the date of the North American holiday Halloween.  What to do…

Although traditionally Halloween was not a holiday celebrated in Argentina, the local youth have picked up this disturbingly fun holiday and are now celebrating it with house parties, pub crawls, and club nights.

Check out the places below to get an idea of what is going on this Halloween in Buenos Aires!

Faena Hotel + Universe    www.faenahotelanduniverse.com

If you want to attend a luxurious yet very odd party, the very posh Faena Hotel is offering up a Halloween party in their Library Lounge and outside terrace, themed Glam Rock & Roll.  Cost: $$$$

Jet Nightclub    www.jet-lounge.com.ar

This ultra trendy nightclub offers up Halloween parties on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the Halloween week. Looks like costumes are only mandatory on Saturday but call for more information. Cost$$

Niceto Club    http://www.nicetoclub.com

One of the city’s wildest club, Niceto is featuring a “Tropical Halloween Party” on Friday night, that will feature a fashion show of clothing made only out of colourful cardboard. No matter what your scene, Niceto is worth a visit!  Cost$$

The Buenos Aires PubCrawl    http://www.pubcrawlba.com

This popular group will be hosting a pubcrawl on Halloween night, heading out to various bars and pubs that celebrate Halloween. They expect everyone in costume and there are prizes for the best costume! Cost$

Happy Halloween!

Check out our Spanish school in Buenos Aires!

There are two ways to travel abroad:

1) Travel abroad “vacation style”, check out the sites, eat the food, buy some stuff, and return refreshed and ready to continue with life back home.

2) Travel abroad, study a language, speak the language, learn about a culture, live in one place, eat the food, cook the food, buy some stuff, use the stuff, volunteer abroad, learn new skills, meet new people, make friends for life, and return (some day) with a myriad of experiences that have enhanced the traveler both personally and professionally, continue life with a new direction.  

If number 2 interests you, you are headed for one of the most exciting experiences of your life and setting yourself up for success both personally and professionally in the future. Read on to find out a few tips and tricks to traveling and studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, adding more to your experience, and how to enhance your portfolio both personally and professionally, improving your odds of finding a career abroad or back at home.

Prepare before you leave 

This is one of the most important aspects to any travel or study abroad experience. Get your job, life, and money in order. How long will you go for? What will you do? Do you have a job when you come home? How can you gain experience abroad?  Think of all the ways you can prepare yourself for your travels and your return.

Don’t be lazy

If you are coming abroad to study Spanish in Argentina, think about working fulltime or more than fulltime a few months before you leave. It is easy to work hard when you know that the end is in sight, when there is a goal to reach. These extra dollars will allow you a little more freedom during your travels and by the time you are on the plane, you will have already forgotten about those long hours worked.

Plan A, B, C, D…

Make sure you have various ‘game’ plans in case something changes along the way. Research your options: Spanish classes in Buenos Aires; volunteer programs; skill workshops; internships; excursions, etc…  You never know what is going to happen and it is good to have a few pre-organized game plans. 

Go somewhere affordable

Who doesn’t want to go to Dubai, Toyko, Paris or New York? The point is, these are some of the most expensive destinations to visit and if you are wanting to have the complete travel/study/live abroad experience, there are other preferred destinations that will allow you to do more with less.  Check out Buenos Aires on 100 pesos a day.

Do as much as you can in the time you have

This is not time to be lazy. Although the party till dawn, lie on a beach all day lifestyle can seem tempting at times, you may feel some disappointment in your travels once it is all over. Sign up for everything you can, meet as many people, as possible, network, try new things, learn new things, find a way to fill your schedule from top to bottom. 

Note down all of your accomplishments

Make sure to collect as many certificates, references, or documents possible that can be used later as reference materials when looking for a job.  If you have done something exciting, get credit for it. Ask people for their contacts so that you may contact them later about experiences, etc, if need be.  Everything you do abroad is valuable, make sure you document it all.

Enjoy your time

Have fun no matter what you do. Be yourself. Open any doors you can. Be social. Be smart.

Learn more about studying Spanish in Buenos Aires here!

Learn more about beating out the economic recession!

After the 2001 economic crisis in Argentina, the value of the peso dropped significantly and the country became one of the cheapest places to live, study, or travel in Latin America. Since then, Argentina has managed to ‘pull its socks back up’ and the economy continues to gain strength, as does the confidence of the people. Prices have seen significant increases since the days when 100 pesos could buy you a week of traveling, however, are still very affordable to foreign currencies, a factor that keeps foreigners returning year after year.

If you are studying Spanish in Buenos Aires and looking to live the good life but on only a few pesos, here is how to do it:

How to live and study in Buenos Aires on less than $100 pesos a day!

• Forget that starbucks, head to one of the corner side cafes and grab a coffee with milk, plus three medialunas (buttery croissants) for a total of $7.50.
• Leave the taxi behind and grab a comfortable seat on the subway or bus for only $1.10 to get to your Spanish classes at Expanish.
• Hungry again? Snack on a miga sandwich, 2 for $4.50 at one of the many bakeries right around the corner from Expanish.
• Take a trip to the Recoleta Cemetery (free of charge) or walk downtown to do some sight seeing.
• Lunch: Make a special trip to the very Argentine Bar Federal (Perú, corner of Carlos Calvo), located in San Telmo. Order a choripan sandwich ( a delicious steak sandwich) with a cold one litre beer (best to be shared) for only 15-20 pesos.
• Head down to the Malba Museum after San Telmo to take in some very contemporary art. Entrance fee: 15 pesos
• You have had a long day, so go home and take a siesta for a few hours…
• Tonight, head out to dine at the delicious Club Eros (Uriarte 1609), located in Palermo. A bife de chorizo (beef steak), papas fritas (french fries), ensalada completa (salad with 4-5 toppings), and a bottle of wine, shared between two people as the portions are enormous, will cost you only 40 pesos each. 
• Ok, so with all this, you have about 10-15 pesos left… what to do? Could be a taxi home? Could be the entrance to a music show, like at Thelonious Jazz Bar in Palermo. Or perhaps, a coffee and desert? A world famous Argentine-Italian icecream?

A fantastic day of sights, travels, and food, can cost you less than 100 pesos a day in Argentina… Where else in the world will you find such a cosmopolitan city with such affordable prices!

Sign up to Study Spanish in Buenos Aires today!

Anyone can tell you that a travel abroad experience is one that changes you. No matter whether you have done it once, twice, or ten times, every single time you go abroad, experience a new culture or language, you are changed. And at the end of it all, you will see a myriad of experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today.  

There are some truths about traveling that can be applied to anyone; whether you are an Expanish student studying Spanish in Buenos Aires or a solo travelers backpacking through South America.  Even if you are not already aware of these truths, if you are a traveler, you will be able to identify with them.

You will always be you

Every single person who has every worked, studied, or traveled abroad has had a reason to do so. Perhaps that want a new experience, they need a break from life, they want to learn a new language, or they want to discover something new about themselves. No matter what the reason, where ever you go, you will always be  you, meaning you will take with you your strengths, your flaws, your bad hair, your pretty face. Embrace it.

Your experience is made by you

It is easy to think that ‘outside influences’ have had something to do with our experience but when it comes down to it, experiences are made and shaped by us.  There are many times on the road when you can choose to be negative or stressed out, and the majority of us choose it, however, we do not have to. In fact, the best of traveler’s have learned to change, to adapt, and to indulge in their experiences.  We go abroad to experience something new and different, so why is it that we complain about that new and different when we get there.

You have the golden ticket

If you are traveling abroad or have the opportunity to be traveling abroad, consider yourself lucky.  I believe that it is safe to see that the large majority of the population does not have the luxury of travel, especially not the type of gallivanting us western’s do.  We pack our bags and head to countries around the world, often forgetting that it is a privilege to be doing so; when you are on road, do not forget that, do not think you live like the rest of the world, and take each experience as a total privilege.

 Your grass is actually greener

When we travel, we often start to realize how good we have it back home. This can come in various ways; a bus ride, a meal, a hotel stay, and suddenly we start to appreciate our lifestyle back home. No matter how much you can appreciate, even love, another country and culture, there will also be certain things (like peanut butter) that will make you miss home.

Wait, maybe the grass is greener on the other side…

Last but not least, the grass may in fact still seem greener on the other side, even after you spent three months complaining about the fact that you couldn’t find soya milk abroad. Once home, traveler’s will start to remember all of the incredible experiences they had, the people they met, the food they ate, the time they ate with complete stranger’s in a pizza restaurant or danced tango in the streets at one am.  Suddenly, those experiences do not appear back home, and you miss them.  Why do you think its called the travel bug? Once it’s there, you will never lose it. 

Traveling will be one of the best experiences of your life! Study Spanish in Buenos Aires to Get Started!

So you have traveled all the way to South America to Study Spanish in Buenos Aires and you are doing your best to take notes in class, Speak Spanish to anyone and everyone, and make as many Argentine friends as possible.  These are all great ways to get the Spanish blood in you flowing, and along with your Spanish classes, are definitely going to get your Spanish knowledge going in the right direction.

However, there are a few more things, besides Spanish classes, cultural activities, skilled workshops, and excursions, that you can do in order to get your Spanish skills to an A+. 

1.  Phrase Books and Dictionaries

Even if you have no Spanish knowledge, a phrase book or dictionary is a good way to get started. Check out common words you use, helpful phrases for on the road, or look up words as you are learning them.

2. Movies and Television

Watching movies or the television in Spanish, or in English with Spanish subtitles, can help you fine-tune your Spanish skills, plus learn numerous translations between languages.  You can practice your listening skills if you are watching programs directly in Spanish and note down, then look up, and words you do not understand. If you watch in English with Spanish subtitles, make sure you are always reading the subtitles and make sure to note down any expressions or phrases that are translated between the two, often the way something is said in English is different than in Spanish, but keeps the same meaning.

3.  Music

Listen to Spanish music in Buenos Aires; whether you buy C.D’s, go to live shows or concerts, or simply admire the singer’s in the street.  For some real practice, listen to a song(s) you like, but have the lyrics also handy. Try to write down what you hear in the song and after compare it to the actual lyrics to see how much you have understood.

4.  Magazines and Newspapers

This is a great way to keep up to date on current issues, daily events, or just your interests, and study Spanish at the same time.  Try to keep a dictionary near in case you do not recognize a word. Often you can figure the theme of the article out by using the pictures and then find the details later by reading. 

5.  Language Exchange

Many foreigners do this when studying Spanish in Buenos Aires as it is a great supplement to your regular classes. You meet with a native Spanish speaker who is interested in learning English; the two of you spend half the time studying Spanish and half the time studying English. That way, both benefit, and there is not cost for either.  Plus, oftentimes the people you meet are in the same age bracket and you just might make a friend at the same time!

Interested in Studying Spanish in Argentina? Looking for Cheap Flights to Buenos Aires? Click here!

This weekend, Buenos Aires will feature the annual Autoclásica 2009, South America’s biggest and best festival featuring both classic and antique cars and motorcycles. Ok, not quite the fast & the furious, but something like that..

Taking Spanish Courses in Buenos Aires? Round up a group of friends or fellow students and head down to this exciting car show!

This year, Autoclásica will be showing off more than 400 automobiles, of all shapes and size, and 200 motorcycles, from all over the world, each still in their original state and perfect working order. This event will feature some very special automobiles including 20 original Rolls Royce’s (from between the year’s of 1908 and 1970), 24 Argentine “Monopostos” (small racing car), and a few original Morgan cars, mostly from the post-war years.

Bentley will be making a special appearance by placing 7 cars in the show that will be making a tour of Route 40 to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of the brand. As will the Berliet 1913, the winner of the Best of Show Autoclásica 2008 award.

There will also be more than 100 stands on the grounds that will be featuring antique pieces and accessories, clothing, car models, books, and representatives of the car brands themselves. For automobile lovers who are looking to take home a souvenir, this is where you will find it.

One the last day of the car show, October 12^th, a selected committee will award the most outstanding automobiles in every category of the Fédération Internationale de Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) and the “Best of Show” between both cars and motorcycles of 2009.

This is one of the those great Buenos Aires events that truly shows us how international the city is, and a great place to mingle with locals, practice your Spanish, or just people watch and discover another side of Buenos Aires and Argentina.

This event will take place at the Hipodrome de San Isidro, Ave Sante Fe and Ave Marquez, San Isidro.  Tickets are 12 pesos at the entrance.  10am – 6:30pm.

Interested in Studying Spanish in Buenos Aires? Find out more here!

Facebook, one of the leading social network sites on the web is your golden ticket to meeting people when studying Spanish in Buenos Aires.

Add yourself to the Expanish Facebook page now!

One of the best ways to experience a new country, new city, and new life, is with other people and I cannot stress enough the importance of putting yourself out there, getting to know new people from around the world, practising Spanish, and making the most out of a Spanish and travel abroad experience.

Facebook has paved the way for social network sites, creating one sight where millions of people can connect, chat, share, play games, and do much more. Our Facebook site is meant to give our students, volunteers, interns, teachers, or just those interested in Buenos Aires or Argentina a place to connect with one another, share ideas and stories, find ways to meet in Buenos Aires or Argentina, document their experiences, and everything in between.

Expanish invites you to join our page, post questions or comments, connect with others, upload photos or stories, or any thing else that will help you in your travels. We love to hear from our Facebook friends!

Learn More About Buenos Aires!

Learn More About Spanish Courses in Buenos Ai

res!

Last time we featured Wine in Argentina we looked at Salta & Wine where delicious wine grapes are cultivated at various altitudes and terrains to make Salta’s famous wine flavours, now we will go east to the province of La Rioja, where more than 8 million litres of wine are produced per year.

La Rioja is characterized by breathtaking valleys, mountains, and rivers, visited for its adventure tourism and vineyards. Taking a Spanish Course in Buenos Aires? Take a trip to visit La Rioja!

The Famatina Valley in La Rioja is the province’s most popular area for local vineyards due to its altitude and fertile soil. In fact, there are many areas that are not suitable for any sort of agriculture activity, thanks to the very dry and mountainous terrain found in the province, so areas that are close to rivers and that allow for proper irrigation are where you will find the province’s agriculture including vineyards.

La Rioja main crop is the grape, as mentioned before, allowing the province to produce more than 8 million litres of wine every year for Argentine residents and to ship to other countries around the world.

One of the best activities to enjoy in La Rioja is the wine tasting tours, where guides take visitors throughout the small region of vineyards tasting some of La Rioja’s best wines including Malbec, Syrah, and the most cultivated wine variety, Torrontes.

Find out more about Wine in Argentina! Check out our past Wine Guide in Argentina posts:

Salta & Wine

Neuquén & Wine

Mendoza & Wine

Look to Fly to Argentina to take Spanish Courses in Buenos Aires?

As we all know, finding an affordable flight can be challenging, if not a little obnoxious, and it usually take a great deal of time to find one that is just perfect for us. Is there a better way?

There are a few tips and tricks for finding cheap flights and avoiding hours spent looking up countless sites on the web or phoning every travel agent in the city, plus learning when to stop looking and just purchase the ticket and knowing when paying a few more dollars is worth the cost!

Tips and Tricks to Finding Cheap Flights to Argentina

• Consider everything but eliminate quickly

When searching for a flight you have the option to look online, searching airline sites or flight search sites. You can head into a local travel agent, or call them directly. Or, you can call directly to the airlines office.  It is almost guaranteed that you will get a different price from each, so usually this is a process that is worth the time. However, keep organized, note down dates and prices (with taxes), and remember to eliminate as you go. Often an extra charge is made when booking over the phone compared to the internet, so keep that in mind with final costs.

• Be flexible

One of the best ways to find an affordable flight is to have flexible dates. This depends on your schedule but if you can, give yourself a week extra both ways, you would be surprised that sometimes a day or two before or after is a lot less money!  If you are searching online, always look for the “I am flexible with my dates’ option.

• Get points

Almost every big airline today has a points system and while it may seem like you will never reap the benefits, you would be surprised how quickly these points add up. So stick to one point system if you can and also look for new ways to gain points and what those points can get you. Before you know it, your points will buy you a flight across the country.

• Pay a little more…

Sometimes it is not worth it to save the extra $10 or even $100 dollars on a flight. Make sure you weigh out both of your options well and seriously consider if it is worth it to save $100 dollars when adding another 5 hours to your flight schedule.  Often times making more stops or flying on a no frills airline does not outweigh the money you saved, so think about it before you start saving!

Find that Flight, Save your Money, and Study Spanish in Buenos Aires today!