If you’re deciding where to study Spanish, don’t overlook Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here are five reasons why Buenos Aires is a great place to study abroad.
Take Classes with Argentine Students
Buenos Aires has many universities, so you can take courses from many different departments including literature, history, economics, politics, and culture of Latin America and the Caribbean. Studying abroad in Buenos Aires will not only hone your Spanish language skills, but it will enable you to combine studying relevant issues in Argentina with real world experience. You won’t just learn about the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo—you’ll meet the women who worked tirelessly to find information about their missing children. You won’t just study the economic issues in Buenos Aires—you’ll understand the first time that you receive hard candies instead of real change.
Learn a Different Kind of Spanish
If you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires and you travel to other Spanish-speaking countries, don’t be surprised if people can guess right away where your accent comes from. Argentines speak differently based on the region that they are from, much like the United States. In Buenos Aires, the pronunciation is a little different (“ll” or “y” makes the “sh” sound, for example), and they use the “voseo” form (which means they use “vos” instead of “tu”). You’ll still be able to understand and be understood regardless of how you learned Spanish. Why is this a reason to study abroad in Buenos Aires? You’ll be a more flexible Spanish speaker. Voseo is used in Central America, parts of Mexico, and the Philippines.
Develop a Sense of Cultural Sensitivity
You’ll learn that not every Argentine dances tango, that public transportation will sometimes come to a standstill because there’s another demonstration in the street, that the people who offer to clean the mustard off your shirt are the same ones who squirted it and intend to rob you, and that stoplights are merely a suggestion. Everyone’s study abroad experience in Buenos Aires is different, but you’ll learn more about the world outside your own country, and hopefully more about yourself.
The Food
If the words empanada, choripan, lomito, bife de chorizo, or dulce de leche don’t mean much to you, they certainly will! Buenos Aires is not known for its spicy food, but they have cuts of meat that will make you salivate just thinking about them. You can go to a traditional restaurant and get juicy steak, sausage, intestines, and more cooked to perfection. Don’t forget to add some chimchurri, which is a garlic and oil sauce. There is also gourmet ice cream on just about every street, with tropical fruit flavors and rich chocolate flavors alike.
The Price Tag
Buenos Aires is a very industrialized city, but you’ll still pay about a quarter for the subway, a few dollars for lunch, and tuition at Argentine universities is much cheaper than in the United States. If finances are a concern but you still want to learn Spanish, for example, Buenos Aires has the feel of a European city with the living cost of a South American city. You won’t just watch Argentine tango on the streets for free—you’ll have to opportunity to see a show and take lessons at an affordable price.
If you are committed to academic success but also have a keen sense of cultural curiosity, don’t confine your learning to textbooks. Buenos Aires is an interactive city with a rich culture and history. Studying in Buenos Aires is an experience you’ll never forget.
Author: H.K. Nunzio
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