Last Updated on June 9, 2023 by Madeleine Wright
As an English major, I could never have expected how much I would fall in love with Argentina and South America.
Here are 5 reasons you should study abroad in Buenos Aires yourself!
1. It’s the literary and arts capital of South America.
Buenos Aires has one of the coolest artistic scenes I’ve ever witnessed. There’s an incredible amount of live music, street art, and theatre. The art museums are also plentiful and astounding.
Jorge Luis Borges, who is one of the most culturally significant South American writers ever, was actually born in Buenos Aires, as well. At my university, or universidad, there was an entire course on Borges.
Buenos Aires is also home to the El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a famous old opera house that has been turned into a bookstore.
2. The tango!
Tango dance is traditionally Argentine, and is much harder than it looks! The late night milongas, which feature traditional tango shows and a dance class, are so much fun.
We also learned about tango through our coursework, especially in my gender history course! My university actually offered a tango course every week, but we also did one through AIFS. AIFS even took us to Cafe Tortoni, which is home to one of the most famous tango shows in the world!
3. The people and food!
The Argentine people are some of the warmest, kindest people I’ve ever met. They are always ready to help out or start a friendly conversation with a stranger! They’re also incredible chefs! Argentine beef is legendary, and I’ve never had such delicious steak or gelato before.
4. The history.
There is so much about Latin American history that I had not previously learned in class before studying abroad. For instance, in Buenos Aires I was able to take a course all about the genocides in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. It was incredibly eye-opening.
Of course, Argentina was also the home of Eva and Juan Perón, so there is no better place to study Peronism than in Buenos Aires!
5. Ease of domestic travel.
There is so much to do within Argentina that I never even made it to Chile or another nearby country. I went to see a traditional gaucho farm and traveled to one of the natural wonders of the world, Iguazú Falls, through AIFS.
With my friends, I also travelled to Rosario and Mendoza. When my family came, we went even further and explored Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego — and I didn’t even cover it all! There is enough to do within Argentina to last a lifetime.
