Category: Quilmes, Argentina

On the last day, we spent our final precious moments with our exchange partners before the inevitable goodbye. I felt sad that I would be leaving because I had so much fun with everyone at Quilmes and I did not want to leave yet. In the morning, I went to watch Benja’s rugby game with his whole family. The match was intense and there were many crazy plays, but Benja’s team emerged victorious. He finished his game around noon and then we drove for an hour back to Quilmes.

Back at his house, we had some sandwiches for lunch and rested for a bit before loading my luggage onto their car and driving to the school. In the car, I reflected on our time together and the memories that we created, and I was very sad. Our time together had passed so quickly and soon we would have to say goodbye. At the school, everyone hung out together for the last time and said final goodbyes. Lots of pictures were taken together. Everyone was very emotional since we had all forged deep connections with each other. I did not want to let go of Benja but eventually the time had come, and we had to head to the airport. Everyone waved at each other through the bus windows until the bus pulled away and Quilmes went out of sight. Everyone on the bus was very sad. I sat reflecting to myself, my stomach tangled in a knot. I knew I would have that feeling for a while. I just could not let go of the fun we had together. We tipped Marisa and Javier and then entered the airport and headed to our gate, our adventure officially over. -Zian

In the early hours of Sunday morning, my friends and I stayed up late talking about our favorite moments from the trip, even sharing a few tears from missing our partners. I got home early this morning and finished some packing before heading to bed for a much-needed rest. My family helped me squeeze everything into my suitcase, and I was only 2 pounds over the limit! After getting dressed, we went to a lovely brunch spot, where I had a huge croissant with dulce de leche and one with jamón, cheese, and arugula. The walk there was filled with gorgeous orange and lemon trees.

After breakfast, we stopped by the Quilmes Outlet Mall for some last-minute shopping. I was excited to find cute jeans, a green top, and a Messi jersey—all for under $60! I was so happy and a bit shocked that I got those items for such a low price. Before leaving the house for QHS, I said goodbye to the dogs and wrote a little message for my family telling them how much I love and will miss them.

At QHS, saying final goodbyes was emotional and I ended up tearing up too, especially after giving my family my letter. I didn’t want to get on the bus, but I kept waving and looking back for reassuring smiles. On the bus ride to the airport, I reflected on all the special moments I’d cherish. Flying back to Atlanta, I felt so grateful for the unforgettable memories from this exchange. -Malyn

In the morning, I woke up nice and late, enjoying the extra rest after a long week of staying up late and getting up early. After showering and having a small breakfast of toast with dulce de leche, Avril and I went for a walk around the center of Quilmes, where I got a coffee and a medialuna. We strolled around and hung out in a park for a little while.

At one point, Avril made a bet: if we saw someone with blonde hair, she would buy me a pastry. She made the bet because she said I stood out for having blonde hair. After just two blocks, we saw a young boy with blonde hair and then three more in the next block, so we stopped at a pastry shop, and she got me another medialuna. I love the medialunas here because of their sugary coating and dense, moist dough. They’re easily 100 times better than anything I’ve had in the U.S.

After some more walking, we went home for lunch, which was potatoes and a kind of shredded chicken pie. I then took a nap before we left for Buenos Aires around 2:30.

In Buenos Aires, we went on a scenic walk along one of the smaller docking bays, where we saw a sunken ship lying on its side an unusual sight. We walked past a 19th-century ship that had been turned into a museum and then crossed the Puente de la Mujer bridge.

Next, we made our way to Palacio Libertad, a large museum with unique exhibits. One standout feature was a massive round ball of blue glass suspended beneath a stunning stained-glass mosaic, which reflected beautiful colors across the room. We then entered what was called an immersive exhibit. It had a painting projected onto the wall with moving elements that really brought the entire room to life.

After that, we visited a historical exhibit with symbols and photos hanging from the ceiling and old images of Buenos Aires on the walls. One photo that caught my attention was of the triangular building where Messi now appears holding the World Cup, it showed the area before it became popular, depicting a poor, run-down neighborhood where the now lively and bustling Boca is located.

On the way to the next exhibit, we saw a large, colorful cube hanging from the ceiling, shifting constantly in color and pattern. It looked really cool! The next room featured a pile of letters written to the women who fought for the right to vote, which was fascinating. We also visited a room showcasing historical Argentine films, another with abstract and interesting paintings, and finally, a room displaying clothing from various time periods and regions, which was very interesting to see.

As we left, we grabbed a bag of roasted sugar-coated peanuts. They had a flavor and texture I’d never experienced before, and I really liked them. After getting back to the car, we headed to a small festival with lots of food options and got ice cream. I had pistachio and dulce de leche, and the dulce de leche was easily the best I’ve ever had. I finished it in no time!

After that, we went to a house party at Tati’s, where we ate pizza and hung out before leaving at 2:30 a.m. to get some rest. -Ivan

Our last full day kicked off with sleeping in a little bit and starting to pack up luggage. It was bittersweet – I can’t believe that tomorrow we will have to say goodbye after becoming such a big part of each other’s lives.

I got ready for the day and had breakfast with Emi and her family before we went to Emi’s field hockey club — Club de Regatas de Avellaneda. I watched the Regata teams win a few games and then got to see Emi play in her match. It was a very intense game, but her team won 5-0! It was so fun to see Emi as she played defense. Field hockey is played very differently in Argentina compared to how we play in the United States, so it was amazing to see another style of play in action. I met all of Emi’s teammates and they are so sweet. Yesterday was also one of Emi’s teammate’s 16th birthday, so we all celebrated after the win with pizza and cake. I also met a group of younger girls who play for the club and are friends with Emi’s younger sister. They asked me a lot of questions, and I got a chance to practice my Spanish while they practiced their English, which was very rewarding for all of us.

Following the game, a large group of us in the program met at a mall in downtown Buenos Aires. We ate lunch together and spent the afternoon shopping and walking around. We got ice cream from a shop called Lucciano’s and most of us had the dulce de leche flavor. The Dubai chocolate flavor was also a favorite.

After the mall, Emi and I went home and had dinner with her mom and sister, and I finished packing up my luggage. Afterwards we went to a friend’s house to hangout as a group, and we had a sleepover to finish out our trip. I can’t believe we’re leaving tomorrow – it feels like the time here passed by too quickly! -Simran

I woke up barely awake, my eyes heavy and surrounded by my friends who were still sleeping. It was 6am, but we went to sleep at 2am since we got home from a dinner gathering late that evening. Cata and I stayed the night at Justi’s house along with Lula and Saron. Long story short, I was very tired. It took a while for me to get up, but when I did, Saron and I headed to the bathroom and got ready for our day. While I was packing up since Cata and I would not come back to Justi’s house to get our bags, I looked out the window and saw the most beautiful sunrise. I was in awe. I didn’t have much time to admire it though, as we were in a rush. We left at 7:30; however, we were supposed to leave at 7:20, so we were running a bit late. The car ride to school was silent. Everyone was exhausted from the night before.

Our first activity of the day after the daily morning assembly was to present to another class of 9^th graders (level 3 in their secondary school). It was my group’s turn to present, and it went very smoothly. They asked many questions and were very attentive. Although I was very tired, as were many of my peers during the presentation, I managed to pull through. Not to name any names, but one classmate in particular fell asleep during our presentation, but I can’t even blame them because I definitely would too. Anyways, after that, the head of the school, Silvina, gave us a presentation about the geography of Argentina. Since Ms. Toreson specifically charged us with not falling asleep and being engaged, I obeyed her and didn’t fall asleep, even though it was very challenging for me. Next on the agenda was learning how to tango, which thankfully woke me up. I had a lot of fun learning and watching other pairs struggle while Deven and I glided through it with ease.

Then… it was time for lunch! Right when the bell rang, Cata and I and a group of people headed to Tati’s house to have lunch. When we arrived, I was amazed to see such a pretty house. I was greeted with a warm hug from her mother and shortly after, we ordered McDonald’s delivery. Unfortunately, Tati ordered from the wrong McDonald’s, which caused our order to take a tremendously long time to arrive. Everyone was gathered at the table. Which table you ask? The table full of hangry people. The food arrived very late, so we inhaled our food and headed back to school. We were a bit late, but oh well.

Our next activity was writing thank you cards to our host families. Right after I was handed my paper, I began planning out what I was going to write on the card. My mind flooded with appreciation and sadness as I explained my gratitude to my host family but also thought about how sad I’ll be on Sunday when we have to leave. It was a great moment of silence throughout the room. I could tell everyone was pouring their hearts into their cards, which made the moment even more heartwarming.

After that I changed into another shirt for people to sign and the T-shirt signing began. Everyone wanted everyone’s signatures – it was quite chaotic, but I loved it. After a while of signing, we went to the ping pong room to do our handprints on the tree. Cata and I made our handprints pink, of course. Shortly after, my closest friends from the exchange put their handprints on my shirt, and I did the same. It got very messy within seconds. In no time at all, our last day of school at QHS was over. It didn’t hit me that it was our last day of school. I was still so happy because of the t shirt signing and handprints that I didn’t think much about it.

When we were leaving school, a few younger students asked for my picture. I felt like a celebrity again! After that, Cata and I walked to the car where her mom greeted us. I didn’t know where we were going, but when we arrived, Cata told me we were at stores for me to shop at. I wasn’t complaining. We went into two different stores. The second store was where I found things I liked; a leather jacket and a top. I tried it on, but after looking at the price for the leather jacket, I started contemplating. As I stared at myself with the jacket on in the mirror, I thought, ‘why not buy it since it’s Argentinean leather’. We walked back to the car where I gave her mom a quick hug and then we headed to Starbucks.

When we walked in, I quickly noticed the many different food options compared to the Starbucks near my house. Everything looked so good! I decided on a hot vanilla latte with almond milk and a chocolate pretzel croissant. It was very yummy. We then headed home where we took a nap in my room. I was exhausted, so the nap was very much needed. Cata and I woke up to my alarm, which meant we had to get ready for the party that Melu’s family was hosting (MeluFest). We got ready and headed to the country club. When we arrived, I gave lots of hugs and the fun began. Everyone was talking, listening to music, and eating. We had vacio, which was delicious. To top it off, we had ice cream. We then stayed until 1am, just hanging out and enjoying everyone’s company. I was exhausted. We then went home and quickly went to sleep. It was a very long day, but super fun as always. Cata and I always have the best time together. Love her lots!!! -Mindy

Today was field day!! We started our day bright and early at 8am at el campo, or the field. Our first game was quemado, or dodgeball, and it took place in the gym with the Cary Academy students playing against their Quilmes partners. The game was heated, and there was no clear winner, even though there were a few Quilmes students who seemed to have infinite lives.

Next, we played a game called delgado, a twist on dodgeball that involves additional attackers around the outside of the court. The Cary Academy students dominated this game, with Sean taking out Emi for the final kill. After this crushing loss, the Quilmes students decided to shift over to their strong suit: fútbol. We headed out to the field, where we partook in grass volleyball, American football, rugby, and most importantly, soccer. Shockingly, the Argentinian boys crushed the Americans, winning most games by mercy rule. But the Americans did not lose hope; we then took our confidence to the hockey field, where we were again dominated by the Quilmes players. Once we realized that we were never going to be better than the Argentinians at their own sports, we gave up. It was time for lunch!

We ate inside the cafe next to the field, listening to music and belting our hearts out by the warm fire. Then, full of bbq sandwiches, we went back to the gym for handball. Again, we Americans were unsure regarding the rules but competitive, nonetheless. We played a few rounds, got sweaty and tired, and then were released to the fields to relax (or play more fútbol). My partner and I sat on the grass with a group of friends for snacks and chit-chat. I had many pastries and tried mate for the first time, which was delicious when I added five sugar packets. After relaxing and talking for a good while, Fer called us back to the bus, and it was time to go home. At home, my partner and I took some much-needed rest time before going to see Lilo & Stitch in Quilmes’ local theater, Showcase. After the movie we had a lovely dinner of empanadas, my favorite, at home with the whole family. Then, we immediately went to bed- I was asleep by 9:30! After a week of early mornings and late nights, this evening of rest was much appreciated. -Sophie

Waking up that morning was tough. Each ring of my alarm felt like a loud siren, pulling me from the comfort of sleep. My partner and I had recently moved into her dad’s house, where we stayed in a Jack and Jill room. That setup meant we got ready together talking, laughing, and listening to music. It reminded me so much of getting ready with my sister for school and events. Building that bond with my partner made it feel like we were sisters too.

We joined her family for breakfast, enjoying fresh squeezed orange juice and warm medialunas, the Nutella we spread inside melting perfectly. On the drive to the field, the prettiest sunrise helped me finally open my eyes. As we stepped out of the car, a cool breeze brushed my face. Thankfully, I brought my jacket.

We greeted each other in my new favorite way: a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Together, we walked into the gym and started the day with a game of dodgeball. It was hilarious because both teams (Quilmes and CA) kept cheating, staying in the game even after getting hit. We followed that up with a game called delgado, which I had never heard of before but ended up really enjoying.

Next, we had some free time with options like football, rugby, volleyball, or just relaxing. I chose to lie down, soak in the sun, and listen to music with my partner and our friends. Later, we played some field hockey before sitting down to a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and drinks. As a sweet surprise, we were given ice cream. Bon Bons have quickly become one of my favorite treats.

After lunch, we headed back to the hockey field for more free time, joined by other students from Quilmes High School. We had the option to play handball or field hockey again. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but my partner wanted to go inside for handball, so I followed her. We ended up not playing, as most people chose handball, but I didn’t mind. I got to relax and chat with friends.

When the field day ended, we took the bus back to Quilmes High School, where we were picked up by Justi’s dad. As soon as we got home, I took a long, much-needed nap. Everyone teased me for it, but it was worth it! Later, we started getting ready for dinner with a larger group. Lula and I drove with Fecho, Savion, and Tati, while Mindy and Cata drove separately to join us at Justi’s house to get ready.

I had high expectations for the burgers everyone raved about, and they were right. They were delicious! After dinner, we walked to an ice cream shop. I always love sweet treats, and this one didn’t disappoint. We kept walking around the city, which looked stunning at night. Of course, that meant taking lots of pictures.

That night, Lula, Elina, Justi, Cata, Mindy, and I had a sleepover, and we all fell asleep quickly. It had been such a full, joyful day! A day that could have been just a regular one but instead became unforgettable. -Saron

Yet another night of lots of fun but little sleep! At school, we gave our presentations again for the fifth time to our partners before getting on a bus and driving an hour to el Teatro Colón. We were early for our tour, so we sat down at Blue Cafe and ordered lattes, hot chocolates, and medialunas. I had a delicious cheese croissant and white chocolate macrons. We then started the tour and learned about the creation of the Teatro, such as its different architects, the different types of marbles used to make the building, and the purpose of each room. We were able to see the inside of the entire Teatro, including the stage where rehearsals for the play Por Vos Muero were taking place.

After the tour we walked for ten minutes to get lunch at Los Immortales, a pizza place. At lunch we had a lot of pizza, a ginormous calzone, a huge steak, and salads.

After lunch, we drove to El Caminito in BOCA. We were able to see the colorful houses and buy a lot of art which was a really great experience. I bought six pieces of art that I loved in Caminito and I even got to meet and talk to the painter. While we were doing our final headcount before leaving, Chris appeared on a second-floor balcony next to a statue of Messi and the top of the building and gave us a triumphant wave. Afterwards we drove back to school and went home with our partners. -Kiran

___________________________________________________________________________

We started off the day giving our presentations again, but to the older kids. We had to wait for the bus to pick us up at 9, and we needed something to do. After our presentations, we loaded on to the bus and drove for about an hour to reach Buenos Aires. Our first stop was at the Teatro Colón, where we toured the inside of the theater. While we waited for our ticketed tour time, we grabbed drinks at the cafe under the theater. I enjoyed spending time with friends and relaxing after having to wake up early in the morning.

After we enjoyed our drinks, we lined up to enter the main hall. We entered and started the tour. The inside of the building was incredible to look at, and the intricate architecture was stunning. We finally made it to the theater itself where we got to admire the design and watch a dance rehearsal taking place. After the tour, we walked to Los Immortales, a pizza place where we had lunch. After lunch, we took a bus to La Boca and saw the caminito, a collection of colorful buildings. We got to see the street art and visit the Boca Juniors store. I thought it was a very fun day and a change of pace from the previous days where we spent most of the time with our exchange students. So far, it has been an incredible experience exploring Buenos Aires and all of its unique districts! -Walker

Today was a busy day from start to finish. I woke up at 6:45, got ready, ate breakfast, and arrived at school at 7:45. To start, my group gave a presentation about North Carolina to a younger class. It was fun being able to answer their questions and to talk about where I am from.

After, we made alfajores in the school kitchen for a trip later in the day. We took two small cookies, put dulce de leche in the middle of them, like an Oreo, and finally, we rolled them in coconut. Then we had a Spanish class where we learned about short stories. My group wrote one about Godzilla using his fire breath to cook marshmallows. The class challenged us to use our Spanish in a creative and abstract way.

For lunch, around 40 of the exchange students went to a restaurant called La Bodega. I had risotto, and many other people had milanesa. We had ice cream and celebrated Abe and Candela’s birthday too.

In the afternoon, we visited a school in a less fortunate and underserved area, where the kids were between 3 and 6 years old. The kids were incredibly friendly, excited, and full of energy. They performed dances for us, and then we spent time with them while they ate the alfajores we made earlier in the day. I met a little boy named Felipe, and while we could not understand each other much, we had a ton of fun playing games and arm wrestling each other. That part of the day was my favorite, and it reminded me how important simple moments are.

After we returned, Agustin and I had a snack at home and then we went to a friend’s house. We hopped in the pool and quickly got out because it was freezing cold even with the pool being heated.

To wrap the day up, about 20 of us went out to get sushi for dinner. It was a perfect way to end a fun-filled day. -Vinay

First, we woke up bright and early and went to school, excited for another day immersed in the life of an Argentinian student. We started the day with a presentation to the class of our exchange students. My group talked about sports in the United States and at Cary Academy. After a short presentation and some Q&A, we went over to the kitchen to make alfajores for the students of Cristo Obrero. We spread dulce de leche between the two cookies and then rolled them in grated coconut on the outside. After we used up all of the cookies, we cleaned up and went back to the school for a literature class. We talked about short stories (microrrelatos), and we used randomly chosen prompts to come up with impactful and short pieces to share out with the class. After the literature class, it was time for our midday break. During our two-hour lunch break, we all went to a restaurant together and we all bonded even more. We also got to celebrate Abe and Cande’s birthdays at the restaurant.

We returned and had another presentation and Q&A time with the younger students. It was fun to bond with the other kids that we didn’t know that well. After that it was time for the big event of the day. We took a bus over to Cristo Obrero, a school for children that live very humble lives. It was an amazing experience that made me more grateful for the opportunities I have. I met a young student named Renata and instantly connected with her. She had a heartwarming smile and so much energy that it would drive anyone else insane, but I loved her. I spent the afternoon sharing the alfajores with her and lifting her up in my arms, listening to laughter fill the room. She felt like my little kid, and I was heartbroken to leave her. When we left all of the kids were hugging us, sad to let us go. Our trip to Cristo Obrero was my favorite part of the trip so far and is an experience I will never forget.

After school ended, I went with a group of friends to Vicente’s house, a friend of my partner and myself. He told us that his pool would be warm, but it was like an ice bath. Still, all of us got in and played through the bone chilling cold of the pool. Here I grew closer to all of the classmates of my partner that were not members of the exchange like Garnacho, Dante and Pola. After the pool, we enjoyed a mind-blowing magic trick performed by Noha’s host father and then we left for sushi with the whole group. Since my partner and I don’t particularly like sushi, we decided to go to Mostasa, a fast-food restaurant similar to McDonalds. After we ate, we returned to the group and people grew even closer. It made me realize how close and social Argentinians are in comparison to what I am used to. There is still a lot of time on the trip, but I am dreading the day that we have to leave. -Kash

The morning began with a great success: I got up on time at around 6:20am! The night before, I played in a soccer match with my partner and his friends against another group of friends from a different part of the city. Before arriving to the field, my partner told me to not talk to anyone that he doesn’t know. In addition, he also told me to sag my shorts in order to “look less American”. Despite my efforts I think my lack of Spanish and soccer abilities gave it away. The match went late, and we didn’t get home until around 10:30 for us to have dinner. Therefore, it is safe to say my biggest accomplishment of the day was waking up on time for my first day of school. We had a 25-minute commute to school and I’d say my main takeaway is how unorganized and aggressive the driving is.

School starts at 7:30 and during the school day we toured the school and met all the classes and different grades. The school is much smaller than Cary Academy with each grade having roughly 25 students. We went and visited the Quilmes day care and kindergarten. It was so adorable, and it truly put into perspective how our exchange students have all grown up together by going to the same daycare all the way to the same sophomore year class. At 12:10 we walked to a restaurant for lunch where I had my 4th milanesa (a thin piece of fried chicken or steak) this trip. Class started again at 2:00 where we visited the elementary school. In small groups we gave various presentations with ours on American sports. The students were fascinated and as we were leaving, they swarmed us and asked for our signatures as if we were celebrities. We then returned to the high school where we finished the school day with a presentation on comparative history of the United States and Argentina. It was nearly impossible to pay attention as I was exhausted and half awake. The school day finally wrapped up at 5:00. We then spent the evening at a friend’s house where we watched a movie and ate dinner. This evening, I realized the amazing hospitality these various families have for each other. The friend’s mom made steak and made absolutely sure we stuffed ourselves. We then headed home, and I quickly fell asleep around 11pm. -Deven

This was our first day at Quilmes High School. I woke up at 6:45, got ready, had breakfast, and arrived at QHS at 7:45. We stood in lines in the school courtyard and watched them play the national anthem and raise the flag. Then, the head of school made an announcement about all of us Cary students being there and we stood at the front and introduced ourselves. Next, we walked to a classroom with our partners where there were some really good cookies and cake for us to have as a welcome breakfast! We then hung out with our partners there for a second before they had to go to class.

Then we heard a presentation about QHS and had a tour of the school. When we returned to the classroom, they gave us really cute QHS hats! Throughout the day, QHS students have ten-minute breaks. I liked that because that meant I got to hang out with my partner in between her classes and my activities. The next thing we did was visit the day care and kindergarten. The kids were SO cute! A lot of them were shy and didn’t want to play, but some of them were really, really excited and happy. In one class, we sat in a circle and played music and sang songs. It was so fun, and the kids were so cute.

Next was lunch, for lunch we went out to a pizza restaurant. The pizza was really good, more similar to Italian pizza and way better then pizza in the US. We ordered a couple of different types, but the Margherita pizza was my favorite. We then went for gelato at Luchiano’s. It was amazing, the gelato here is so much better. I got pistachio cheesecake and dulce de leche, but they also had Dubai chocolate which I tried, and it was amazing.

After this, we started doing our presentations about the US in the elementary school. We presented to a group of 11-year-olds, and they were so funny. This was my favorite part of the day because they asked thoughtful and entertaining questions. They also asked us for our autographs and treated us like we were famous, which was so funny. Then once the school day was over, we went to Gaia’s house and had snacks and played games. It was a lot of fun! Then my partner’s family took me into Buenos Aires to go to the River Plate Stadium where there is a restaurant that has a view of the field. I had milanesa de pollo and it was really good. I also really liked seeing the stadium. Then we drove back to her house and went to sleep! – Elina

In the morning, we went to breakfast at the hotel then we went to meet our partners today. It was a very good morning! We got to meet the head of Quilmes High School (QHS) and the parents of our partners. Then most of us went back to our partner’s houses, but some of us went to a rugby game that some of our partners had. After we had food, we met some people from the team who go to QHS.

After, I went back to Fecho’s house with Abe and Vinay, and I met his older brother. Then we went to a restaurant with the entire exchange so we could see each other. And while we were eating there was a soccer match going on and all the people in the restaurant were watching the game. Then one of the players scored and most of the restaurant went crazy but some had sad faces. At the end of game, I realized that the game was actually a championship game, and it was the first time in the team’s history that they had won a championship (Kinda like OKC-IND will be), so all the players and coaches were crying a lot.

Then, after the dinner, Fecho and I along with some others from the exchange went to play soccer against a team they said was really hard. Sadly, I couldn’t play because I wasn’t feeling too good, but it was so much fun watching and cheering on everyone who was playing. But I did get to practice my Spanish because Fecho’s parents don’t speak much English, so I was able to speak a bunch of Spanish. Overall, it was a very fun day, and I can’t wait for tomorrow! -Savion

Today we all woke up in our hotel rooms in Buenos Aires and finished up the process of cleaning our rooms and packing up. After the usual room checks by Mr. Bell and Mr. Lazarski, our class brought our bags down to the lobby and headed to the NH City hotel breakfast buffet. In the buffet, there was an assortment of fruits, pastries and drinks. I started my morning with a couple croissants, oranges and watermelon, eggs, and a Dulce de Leche coffee cake. After we finished eating, anyone who had not checked out did so and we loaded the buses for the last time. Before we went to meet our partners, we stopped to take photos in front of a large “BA” made of bushes, in the middle of downtown Buenos Aires. After taking a couple photos, both serious and not, the CA group set off once again to reunite with our Quilmes partners.

After an anxious bus ride, our CA group arrived at Quilmes High School and was greeted by a very large group of excited families gathered outside the school. All around, you could see people running to greet their friends and families with big hugs. Following the big meet and greet, everyone went their separate ways for the most part with their families. A group of CA and Quilmes students went to show their support for some members of the Quilmes exchange who had a rugby game to play, at that time. I went with my family to my home for the week and began to unpack my stuff. Shortly after unpacking, uncles, aunts, and cousins began to show up for a pizza lunch. Luckily most of them spoke pretty good English, so conversation wasn’t too much of a struggle. Following my lunch, I went to the gathering with the entirety of the exchange for “Merienda” (an afternoon snack usually eaten between 4pm and 6pm meant to tide you over until the typical late dinner time of ~10pm) at a popular restaurant called Pertutti’s. This gathering was just full of excitement and chatter among the group and made for an amazing way to start off the final week. After Pertutti’s, everyone went their separate ways again, for the most part. I ended the night having dinner at Gaia and Jasmine’s house, where we had pizza and made empanadas. After eating, the 4 of us (Gai, Jasmine, Trini, and I) started a movie, but could not finish it as Trini and I had to leave. We arrived home and that concluded day 1 of the exchange. -Miles

This morning, we woke up early at the Raíces Esturión Hotel in Iguazú and enjoyed another pastry-filled breakfast. I had some watermelon, pineapple, and oranges, along with a medialuna filled with dulce de leche. Sadly, it was our last morning in Iguazú, so right after breakfast we took about a 40-minute bus ride to the Iguazú airport and later boarded a plane back to Aeroparque, the national airport (Kind of like Reagan National Airport in the US).

At this point, we were all exhausted, so many of us enjoyed a much-needed nap on the two-hour flight. At one point during the flight, I looked up and saw that everyone around me was knocked out. After our flight, we took a bus tour through Palermo and Recoleta, where Marisa explained brief details along the way. After the tour, we went to the hotel and quickly dropped off our luggage before getting lunch at Pertutti’s. Many of us tried chicken and veal milanesa, while others had pasta and salads. Then Marisa took us on a walking tour where we saw the opera house, the Pink House, the National Bank, and many other buildings. We also toured the inside of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral and saw the mausoleum of General José de San Martín. We learned that every Thursday, mothers and grandmothers dressed in white walk around the Plaza de Mayo to commemorate and demand answers about “Los Desaparecidos”, the 30,000+, largely college aged Argentinians who were “disappeared” by the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. (Here disappeared means abducted by military police before being sent to secret prisons and/or murdered extrajudicially for opposing the military junta politically. People were shipped on planes to foreign gulags, bodies were dumped in rivers, families were separated – it was pretty brutal. And this is in living memory! -Ed.)

After the tour, we returned to the hotel for a siesta. Some stayed in their rooms, while a small group of us went back to Pertutti and another store for snacks and currency exchange. Later, we dressed up in nice outfits and got ready to go to the tango show and dinner at Mansion Tango. At the show, we were seated in a beautiful room and started the experience with appetizers and entrees. After we finished our main course, the show began. We were amazed by the beautiful music, singing, and dancing as we were immersed in tango. We were served dessert, and throughout the show, rounds of applause erupted as we admired the incredible art of tango. Finally, once the show ended, we took group photos in front of the stage. To close the night, we rode the bus back to the hotel and settled into our rooms. -Jasmine
___________________________________________________________________________

We woke up in Iguazú for the last time today at 7:00 and went to breakfast at 7:30. We went on the quietest bus ride back to the airport and flew back to Buenos Aires. After landing, we got to go tour the north side of the city, and saw sights like the Galileo Galeli Observatory, multiple statues, and the ginormous opera house.

Afterwards, we dropped by the hotel and headed over to lunch. There, we all got Milanesas and French fries. Then, we got to do a tour of the city! We went to see a couple of important buildings near the hotel and then headed over to the Plaza de Mayo. At the Plaza de Mayo, we got to see the Priámede de Mayo, the Casa Rosada, and we got to go inside and see the Cathedral of Buenos Airies. After the cathedral, we headed back to the hotel to rest for a few hours before going to dinner, although some people went out and got sweets!

We arrived at the Mansion Tango after a few hours of resting and sat two tables in the front. Instead of choosing your appetizers, entrée, and dessert separately, you chose them all together. The show started after the entrée, and it was amazing. The music from the band was great to listen to, the dancing was so elite (especially Juan Pablo’s), and the singing was gloriously beautiful. They all came together and created an amazing performance. It was definitely one of the best experiences of Argentina so far.

Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel at 11 and slept for a while in preparation for our partners the next day. -Chris