El fin

The beginning of the end is upon us.  On Monday we went to an estancia outside the city.  It is similar to a ranch.  At this estancia we started the day by getting a tour.  We then moved on to riding horses. For most of us, myself included, riding these horses was better than the time we rode horses in Cordoba. The reason for this was because we got to gallop and make the horses somewhat run.  After this ride we had lunch, a variety of meat, and vanilla ice cream, followed by a round of soccer before ending our day with with another horse ride.

This goodbye will not be an easy one. We have made a lot of connections and saying goodbye to them is not fun. Especially since everyone has been so open to us. The people that we have met along with dulce de leche, empanadas, kiosco at every block, chorros and el mate will all be missed.  Lastly I want to say thank you to Eugenia, the Colegio del Salvador program coordinator; Fefo, a counselor from Colegio del Salvador; Esteban, our tour guide from Cordoba; the cafeteria staff; Mr. Rakovec and Ms. Basin; and all those who made this experience so great. Good bye Argentina.

-Igor

Madero Tango

     It amazes me that as I sit down to write this post that we have just completed our last weekend in Buenos Aires.  It seems like yesterday that we were reunited with our host brothers and introduced to the rest of our families for the time being. This trip has flown by fast which brings us to our most recent days in city

     On Thursday, our group traveled to The Bicentennial Museum of Argentina.  This museum was very interesting and did a great job explaining the history of the country.  This museum took us through all the major events in Argentine history, such as la guerra sucia and the country's monetary crisis. This museum also featured a very interesting mural.  We then returned to school where our host brothers had just finished their exams and all parted our separate ways.

     The next day was even more eventful than Thursday.  On Friday our group walked to the Recoleta cemetery.  This cemetery is a big tourist attraction and is nothing like we have back in Boston.  This cemetery takes up a whole block and has gravestones that are 20 feet high.  This cemetery is home to some of the most famous citizens in Argentine history such as presidents and their families and the writer of the Argentine national anthem.  After the cemetery we all went to the Recoleta Mall to shop and to have lunch.  That afternoon Colegio del Salvador was in the best out of three championship for basketball.  Some of us whose brothers went, such as Luke, Brendan, Mike, and Igor experienced one of the most intense sporting events I've ever attended. The crowd was filled with Salvador fans who threw balloons, sang and jumped up and down the whole entire game.  With the support of the crowd Salvador won by 20 points. This action packed day had yet to complete because after the game all of us attended a tango show at Madero Tango with  Mr. Rakovec and Sra. Basin.  This was many of our first experiences with a real tango show and we were awestruck with the dancers' talent. Along with the show we were treated to a 3 course meal. This was an action filled day and one of the best I have had in Argentina.

     This weekend has been a normal Argentine weekend for me.  Saturday, Luke and I went to our brothers' fútbol match. Then later that evening my host father, Mr. Rakovec and I went to Palermo, a nearby neighborhood of Buenos Aires.  Sunday has been relaxing as well and my family has had nothing planned so Nacho and I went to the mall.

      I hope this post finds everyone well.  We are all sad to leave Argentina but at the same time are looking forward to coming back home. See you all Thursday!  

- Steve

    

La última semana completa

As our motley crew heads into its last week here in Argentina, we are beginning to feel the bittersweet moments of our stay. Some want to return home to their families and return to regular sleep schedules, while others prefer the fast-paced life in the city and are going to miss Argentina dearly. Therefore, we all must  enjoy our last week here.

On Monday, July 1, we celebrated the Eucharist with our fellow brethren of Argentina. Even though we only filled two pews of the hulking establishment, the spirit of God could be felt by all. The day concluded with our beloved teacher, Mr. Rakovec, joining us in a game of 5 v. 5 fútbol (soccer). Toward the end of our time in the gym, Mr. Rakovec delivered a blistering pass to the foot of striker Luke Ayers who volleyed the ball into the 6 x 8 frame. We have really enjoyed playing fútbol in Buenos Aires, both amongst ourselves and with the fellow Argentines.

On Tuesday, the group went on a tour of the Colón Theatre. The theatre is considered one of the best concert venues in the world, along with New York's Carnegie Hall and Metropolitan Opera and Australia's Sydney Opera House. We toured various areas once inside, ranging from marble-walled waiting rooms to the balcony facing the stage. We even had the pleasure of listening to a performer practice a piece of work for an upcoming opera! Upon leaving, we ate a pre-lunch snack at the famous Café Tortoni. The cuisine most common among the group were a combination of "submarinos" and "churros."A "submarino" is a warm glass of milk along with a bar of chocolate that can be dunked in and stirred to make a chocolate delight. A "churro is a hardened pastry, similar to a doughnut that has been straightened into a roll, that is lightly coated in sugar. We ate them plain, but they can be filled with dulce de leche or cloaked in chocolate.

On Wednesday, the group traveled to La Boca, a barrio, or neighborhood, of Argentina. The main attraction was the stadium of the local Boca Juniors fútbol squad, called "La Bombonera." While hooligans Luke Ayers and Steve O'Sullivan were quite disgruntled at the fact that we chose not to visit the River Plate stadium (River is the rival of Boca), they made due with the time spent. After touring the stadium, we walked through various shops, and  we arrived at our restaurant for lunch, "La Vieja Rotisería." It was a mainly outdoor restaurant that featured live dancing of both tango and zamba.

 The students at Colegio del Salvador have final exams this week. They are exhausted and ready for their three-week vacation that will follow. While this may be our last week, the spirits are high. Happy Fourth of July to all! We hope it will be as fun for you as Argentina has been for us. 

-Andrew

One of the halls in the Colon Theatre

In the Boca Juniors stadium

In the visitors' locker room at the Boca Juniors stadium

El fin de semana

As we continued our journey on the bus back from Cordoba, the majority of us sleeping, we were suddenly awakened.  All of us sleepily opened our eyes and were startled to find policemen requesting our passports.  Mr. Rakovec and Mrs. Basin had to retrieve all passports from their backpacks and the police slowly examined our passports for what seemed like hours.  Finally, the police handed our passports back to Mr. Rakovec and Mrs. Basin and left the bus.  We are still perplexed as to how the police found out that we were tourists.

Once we got off the bus about an hour later, we walked to another bus, which then transported us to the school.  There, we waited a short time until our host families picked us up and brought us back home.  Meanwhile, our host brothers were still at a spiritual retreat until 6:00 pm.  I am sure that many others did the same thing as I did and took a nap while waiting for their brothers to return.  Upon returning, Santiago (my host brother)  and I continued our normal routine for the remainder of the night which was to play on the PS3 and eat dinner then go to the house of Andrew's host, Manuel, where we hung out with a few others, just talking and playing video games.

On Saturday, Santiago went to the house of the host brother of Brendan Bennett; Danny. At Danny's house, Santiago and Danny prepared studying for their equivalent of midterms which began on Saturday.  While they studied, Brendan Bennett and I were taken by Danny's parents to San Telmo, a neighborhood filled with many antiques and charm.  We stopped to get dulce de leche ice cream then went back to Danny's house to play on his Wii.  Later that night, Brendan and I went with our host brothers to Manuel's house and had an enjoyable time there.

Lastly, on Sunday, Brendan, Andrew and I went with our host brothers to an asado hosted by Danny.  We played card games, ping pong, and soccer while waiting for the food to cook then enjoyed a delicious lunch followed by more soccer.  All in all, it was a great weekend.

-Brennan M.

Las aventuras cordobesas

      Ascending the serpentine mountain roads overlooking the immense features of the landscape, I couldn't help but take a few pictures. Cobalt blue lakes and jagged boulders dotted the landscape, surrounded by endless pine trees and quaint hamlets. But after our hour ride in the Mercedes van we arrived at our destination: Peñón del aguila. What we did next literally cannot be named in English, but the best I can say is "treeing, in which we were all doned in impressive rock climbing gear and traversed large gaps between impressive features of the sylvan scenery. The consenus was that I looked extremely experienced in this activity, rocking my puffy winter jacket and sleek aviators, while Brendan Bennett was most congrous to Bob the Builder. The "levels" became progressively more challenging, but nevertheless we all made it out unharmed, lest we were unprepared for a what was next.
       After a scenic and oddly German themed lunch we tackled our next objective of the day: zip-lining. Harnessing up once more we zipped along longer and longer lines through more and more formidable ravines. Next was rock climbing, in which Wall Number Four humiliated every soul who attempted to conquer it including, unfortunately, myself. After a short stop in the very peculiar town of Germany IN Argentina, I indulged in mint chocolate chip, tiramisu, waffle cone ice cream. Said desert was so indulgent I had trouble remaining conscious, the only encouragement being that I could eat more.
        The next day, the last day in which we were able to enjoy the extensive breakfast selection of Hotel Felipe II of croissants and yogurts, we set off for somewhere a bit more authentic. Do you know how to ride a horse? How about in salmon colored dress shorts? The riding itself was adventurous and daring, in which breathtaking views from the summits of ridges were combined with the thrill of riding horseback and the disobedience of a few stubborn horses. Personally I have a lot of riding experience, so my skills were yet to be truly tested. When the other half of the group went out to horseback ride I and the few others were introduced to a game without a name. Nail is nailed into wooden pole, small metal circle hanging by string from a top, you stand back and try to swing the circle onto the nail. With four successful attempts of circle-on-nail I am the undisputed champion of this game out of all the other Americans. My reward? A modest yet symbolic horseshoe.
        But now, we depart. After the farm we went back to the hotel, then to the mall again for dinner at the food court, then gone again to catch our bus at the bus terminal. Our sojourn to Córdoba, which provided everything from historic tours of churches to overpriced German beer mug souvenirs to raw tests of brute strength along unforgiving rock walls, was phenomenal. Now though, cruising across the Argentine countryside, cutting through the night, we must return to the bustling South American metropolis so known for its cafeterías and political Peronist past. I look around now, trying to see if anyone is still awake on this double decker bus. Even trustworthy Mr. Rakovec, who just moments ago was infuriated at how the reading light above his seat did not actually permit him to read, is now utterly lost in slumber. I wipe the condensation off the glass, peer at the stellar moon. I yawn. 1:08 AM is not a time for blogging, but sleeping.  Buenas noches.

-Ross

Córdoba

I cannot wrap my head around the fact that our trip to Argentina is nearing its half way point. The experience thus far has been nothing short of astonishing. 

On Monday, we traveled back to the elderly home in Buenos Aires to teach the elders a set of popular American anthems. We attempted to teach them the YMCA dance and sang to them both the Star Spangled Banner and Sweet Caroline. Despite looking like fools, they were entertained, which is all that matters. 

Later that night we headed to the Retiro bus station in Buenos Aires to catch our bus to Córdoba. Córdoba is a smaller city north of Buenos Aires and is about a 9 hour drive. The bus we took had the most comfortable seats and it was easy to sleep the ride away. Upon arriving in Córdoba, we checked in to our luxurious hotel, The Felipe II. Soon after checking in, we departed on a walking city tour directed by Esteban, the most friendly, energetic, and knowledgeable tour guide of Córdoba. We visited many sites throughout the city such as the first Jesuit church in Argentina and a Carmelite church. After the city tour, we went to grab a bite in the Mall of Córdoba. I ordered a small calzone at a restaurant and it ended up being the biggest calzone I had ever eaten! We jumped on the bus again and drove out to the country side to see the peaceful and beautiful countryside of Argentina. Brendan and I went up via chairlift to the top of a small mountain to witness the incredible views of Córdoba and its outskirts. The views were incredible. This was a perfect way to end a perfect day. 

Mike M.

El acto de la bandera

     On Wednesday morning we celebrated Flag Day, the Argentine holiday commemorating the creation of the Argentine flag by Manuel Belgrano. Manuel Belgrano was a hero during the war of independence and remains one of the most respected men in Argentina. Flag Day is also the anniversary of his death on June 20th. Several host brothers were flag bearers during the ceremony. It was the first time that we heard the Argentine National Anthem, which was a very beautiful and interesting experience. After the flag ceremony we went to debate class with our host brothers. We helped them prepare a debate in English.  The question was whether or not medicines should be patented. We had to help the students translate their arguments into English and make sure their grammar was correct. 

            Thursday and Friday were school holidays.  My host family and I traveled outside the city to the town of Fatima where they own a vacation house. Another pair of exchange program students were also in Fatima and we hung out with them and had an "asado." An "asado" is a large barbecue, with all different kinds of meat and sausage prepared over a special grill. On Friday we went to a soccer game between Racing and Union. The game and atmosphere were amazing.  The fans were crazy, rowdy, and very passionate. It was interesting to see the difference between the sport/game atmospheres in the United States and Argentina. 

-Mike S.

Getting ready for the flag day ceremony to begin at school.

The ceremony begins.

BC High, Loyola Los Angeles, and Georgetown Prep @ La Casa Rosada