CIS took a group of grade 12 IB Spanish students to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a week, where we not only took Spanish classes for five days but also emerged ourselves within the Argentinian culture.
Day 1: Walking tour of the city and visiting various local markets
Day 2: Watching and learning how to play polo and participating in a traditional Argentinian "Asado"
Day 3: Visited "Café Tortoni," and the coastal town of Tigre
Day 4: "Teatro Colón" tour and tango lesson
Day 5: Took a tour of the Racing Club de Avellaneda stadium, visited a local high school, and explored the town of Puerto Madero
Day 6: Went to the "Recoleta Cemetery," the "El Ateneo Grand Splendid," and ended with a traditional Argentinian dinner as a whole group
For the group's first day in Buenos Aires, we took a long walking tour around the city, observing the historical architecture, visiting tourist attractions, and familiarizing ourselves with the city. Along the way, we also stopped at multiple local markets that sold hand-crafted jewelry, accessories, crafts, and food and entertainment, such as tango dancers. Walking through Buenos Aires for the first time was a very exciting experience for me, as the city was different from all I was used to. What captivated me was the detailing and structures of the buildings and the balconies- it almost looked like a European city. Additionally, I became introduced to the Argentinian culture when communicating with market vendors, using public transportation, and learning about traditional buildings, foods, and traditions.