Arriving in Argentina

Posted on: 14 June 2024 by Cameron Henderson in 2024 posts

Hispanic Studies Student, Cameron Henderson, arrived at Buenos Aires, Argentina last February. In his blog he discusses food, studies, siestas and fiestas!

I arrived in Buenos Aires at 4:45am on the 28^th February, after having had an unexpected layover of 24 hours in New York City due to air traffic strikes in Argentina. Exhausted, I immediately made my way to my Airbnb, had a siesta (in classic Latin American style), and then went out to meet my friend.

University life and the 'New York of South America' 

My University here, UNSAM, had partnered me with a local buddy who would show me around. I was incredibly fortunate to be partnered with my friend Luna, who was an incredibly enthusiastic porteña with a passion for languages. We spent the evening walking around the city, including the part she described as the “Times Square of Buenos Aires”: Avenida Corrientes. I became immediately enamoured with the climate (although admittedly it was incredibly humid for the first few weeks), and the friendliness of the locals. Buenos Aires is a lively, vibrant city. It is often described as the Paris of South America, but I think the New York of South America is perhaps more accurate, as it seems to never sleep.

On my second night here, I was introduced to Luna’s friends at a party, who immediately adopted me into their group. My Spanish accent quickly began to change (partly because of the encouragement of my new friends to pickup a Buenos Aires accent). I tried my first Empanadas, local savoury pastries with various fillings, which was the beginning of my lifelong addiction. Within 3 weeks, I had begun renting my apartment and attending my classes. My university is small and very personable – all my fellow students were eager to make friends with me as there was not many internationals (good for me to practise).

Peaceful protest against the reduction in funds for public universities by the current Argentine president, Javier Milei. Stood outside the Congress of Argentina! 

Travelling Argentina

I was soon invited to spend the weekend in Tigre, a rural village north of the city on the river, where we did a river tour and met some locals. I also visited Colonia del Sacramento over the river in neighbouring Uruguay, a country that shares a lot in common with Argentina but somehow feels different at the same time. My friendship group quickly became very Latin American (Argentinians, Brazilians, Colombians and Venezuelans, mostly), and my experience of learning not just the local culture but also different cultures really nourished my passion for the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures.

Street in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. A former Portuguese colony before it was taken over by Spain, the old town is characterised by its colourful Portuguese colonial buildings. You can see the Rio de la Plata at the end of the street! (Colonia del Sacramento, 20/04/24)

I soon found myself embracing the culture – often having an Italian espresso and empanadas, an afternoon siesta and then going out very late. And I mean, late. Everything here is knocked back by several hours, but after a long siesta, you get used to it. The warmness of the people has made me feel so comfortable, and I am dreading having to leave. Argentina, ¡Te amo!