First Impression

I am now a little over one week into this adventure in Argentina. At first, it was quite overwhelming. The city is huge, and it took me a few days to get used to navigating through the city using the "subte" (subway) system here and coordinating bus routes as well. The language barrier was also a shock to me, but I have been learning so much every single day and have improved in my language skills already in the short amount of time that I have been here!

Some of my favorite things about living in Buenos Aires so far is the closeness of everything. Everywhere I need or want to go is either a short walk or subway ride away. And with subway trips costing less than 30 cents, exploring is so easy to do here! I live in a neighborhood called Recoleta, home of the famous Recoleta cemetery. This has been one of my favorite tourist destinations so far. The massive cemetery is filled with elegant monuments to celebrate the lives of deceased loved ones. The atmosphere is one of respect and reverence within its walls, and I love strolling through here whenever I have free time. Also, the coffee here is top notch. There are different cafes and pastelerias on every corner, selling fresh medialunas and cafe con leche or cappuccinos everyday.

I love that despite the fact that I am studying here, I still have so much time to explore the city and do my own thing too. My host mom has been a great resource for advice on where to go in the city and how to get there, too. It is so nice to have such a kind, caring woman to take care of me at this home away from home! It can get hard to be in a foreign country without family, but having a host mom at a homestay makes it much easier.

My schedule is perfect for what I came here to do: learn Spanish and gain medical experience. In the morning, I arrive at the Hospital Britannico at 9am and schedule a doctor until noon. The great thing about this program is that I am in a rotation; so I am only with a doctor for one week until I switch to a new department with a different type of doctor. Last week, I was in the orthopedic ward and this week I am in the emergency room. This type of doctor observation, especially in another country, has taught me so much more than I could ever have learned in a classroom alone! Then, I have a 2 hour break to grab lunch with friends before heading to class at the University of Belgrano, where I take a medical-Spanish class that teaches me medical terminology, patient care, and differences between the healthcare systems of Latin America and the United States. After class ends at 5pm, I am free to do whatever I want for the day (until dinner cooked by my host mom, of course). I follow this schedule Monday through Thursday, and then am given an entire three-day weekend to explore! I love that this is an intense program where I will be learning lots and gaining valuable experience, but I am also given plenty of time to see all that this city has to offer.

Along with Buenos Aires, I also got the pleasure of traveling to Colonia, Uruguay through the AIFS program. This historical city on the coast is extremely charming, with its antique Spanish and Portuguese houses and architecture. I loved wandering the cobblestone streets and browsing items made by vendors along the way. It was a great escape from the businesses of the city and a very tranquil, beautiful place for a day trip. The boat ride there and back was quick and smooth, and overall this was one of my favorite experiences so far!

I am headed to Iguazu this coming weekend to see the famous waterfalls, and I am looking forward to that greatly. Can't wait!