Category: Quilmes, Argentina

Day 5: First day with host families in Quilmes by Jonathan and Jaishree

 

Many of the exchange students including myself started the day off by sleeping in. We were tired from a late dinner the night before. Many of us went our separate ways today. Some people went back to Buenos Aries to tour and others went to watch a field hockey game that some of our exchange students were playing in. Everyone had an excellent lunch. Some of the girls met at Paloma’s house to hang out.

 

At the same time a bunch of the guys in the exchange met to watch the Champions League soccer finals. The game was  the championship between Juventus and Real Madrid. Real Madrid scored the first goal at 19 minutes and 45 seconds of the game. 26 minutes and 27 seconds into the game and Juventus scored off a very impressive shot, which in turn caused a series of cheers through the room. The mood change an hour and 28 seconds into the game when Real Madrid scored their second goal, and then their third goal less than 3 minutes later. Real Madrid put the final nail in the coffin scoring once again in the final minutes of the game, making the final score 4-1 and Real Madrid champions of Campeòn UEFA league. After the game we had some down time before the Parade/Fashion Show at Quilmes high school.

 

We arrived and joined many Quilmes students and their families. Even though the Spanish word translated to parade it was much more like a block party or festival. At the festival there was food and a fashion show. The students of Cary academy walked across the runway. The food was very good. They served hamburgers and empanadas. The parade ended around 12. After that we will go home and prepare for the series of activities they have planned for us all tomorrow including a show called Fuerza Bruta in Buenos Aires.

 

 

 

Day 4: First Day at Quilmes High School by Jay and Katrine

 

Today was a very exciting day filled with exploring a new culture. The first thing we did was wake up very early and arrive at the school. We stood outside for the morning assembly. It was especially cold, as many of us were not dressed for the occasion and only had on light jackets. We stood in lines with our exchange students that were organized by grade level and then further by gender. The headmaster welcomed the exchange students (us) and started the day. When the headmaster finished, he called up Tommy, Viraj, Lyndon, and Katrine. Tommy and Viraj proceeded to talk about the new experiences that we were going to make, all in Spanish. Lyndon and Katrine talked very briefly about how we were looking forward to making new friends. After this, The Argentinian students went to their classrooms for the day and we hung out in the courtyard for a little bit. While the other students were in the classrooms doing their work we had to go into a room that was reserved for us. The room was their video production room. The student captains of the senior class introduced themselves. They talked about the different rules, orders, and what their job as captains entailed. In addition, they mentioned that the exchange was a time for leaning and speaking Spanish, which we were all a little apprehensive about. After they said that we tried to speak in Spanish and were quickly met with laughter, but that’s okay we tried and it’s a common occurrence. After the speech was done, we went to a welcome Breakfast where all the Argentinian students met up with us. we had croissants filled with dulce de leche and everyone had either orange juice, apple juice, or hot tea. However, most people opted for the hot tea as it was still very nippy outside.

 

After the breakfast, the headmaster showed us around the city of downtown Quilmes. He told us at the beginning that there was going to be a general knowledge quiz at the end of the tour, so that made us all pay a lot of attention to what he was saying. However, there was no quiz at the end. During the tour he showed us a statue of San Martin and we saw a statue of his favorite president. This president believed that the only people that were allowed to be in Argentina where those that were school teachers students had officials or had some part in a community and he thought that all other residents such as barbarians should be evacuated. He believed in civilization and not barbarianism. Then as we were walking to the church we happened to run into the prime minister of defense. We took pictures with her and there were many security guards around and everyone was really excited. She talked to us about her new plan for making cell phone security more secure. She tried to explain it to us in Spanish at first, but we did not understand, so she had to further explain it in English. Inside the church we saw pottery and paintings from an artist that was from Argentina. After, the headmaster told us about how the Argentinians thought that they invented public transportation in terms of buses.

 

 

 

Afterwards, we went to a Catholic church and learned about all the different Christian saints. It was quite cold while we were doing all of this so we were very excited when they headmaster told us that we were going back to the school to meet with our students for lunch. Some of the students went with exchange students to local restaurants and cafés. However, most of the exchange students and their partners went to the exchange students homes and had lunch there with their family and either rested or hung out with her/his student.

 

I went back to my host family’s house for lunch. Afterwards we went back to the school and we split into groups to meet the kindergartners that went to the Quilmes High School kindergarten. We did some activities with them including but not limited to: introductions, talking about the weather, and snack time. They were really shy at first, but warmed right up to us after a while. We played games with them and we help them draw pictures made out of her hands and in each finger they had to draw a pig. Then afterwards they gave us each a drawing that we can keep. After we were done doing the activities we went outside into the hallway where Kaitlyn and Lindsey sang and played Moana on the piano and we all sang along. After this the little kids sang us a goodbye song and we sadly had to leave them.

 

After we left the kindergartners, we went to a sociology class where we discussed a book called “Entonces el Libro”. The book was talking about the meaning of identity and how it is affected by the people around you and the culture you are living in. We split up into small groups to discuss the book and our views on the subject and got paper to show what we thought about this concept of identity. In my group, we decided that you decide your own identity, not the people around you. Because of this, we decided to go with making a paper plane with the phrases “You choose your own identity” and “Identity makes you fly higher”. Everyone had a different project and every group had a different opinion.

Afterwards, we had to go our separate way, but It was an amazing end to a perfect day.

Day 3: Teatro Colon, Palermo, Recoleta y Quilmes by Kaitlyn and Alisha

 Wednesday morning brought many exciting prospects and although the weather outside was gloomy our sprirts were high. We trooped onto the bus luggage in hand, and headed to El Teatro Colon, a famous opera house and theater in Buenos Aires. I expected this to be like any other theater, but it was extrodinary. Our guide led us through double doors into the front foyer. In the theater they had costumes that were used for previous performances on display. They were beautifully decorated with gems, and gold needle work. Walking into foyer was as if one was walking into a European palace. Marble columns framed the the room, and large marble statues adorned a grand staircase. The entire building seemed to be made of marble, the walls were covered in gold plaster of Paris. To top it off the entire ceiling was covered in intricately crafted stained glass. We were then guided into the main theater. We were taken into the box with the best seats in the house. Seats In this box sell for a crazy $300 each. We also learned that the theater was built in 1908, and the stage is twice the size of a Broadway stage. It was crazy to think that we were sitting in the same theater as famous presidents, mayors, foreign politicians and other celebrities. We leaned that presidents and important people were given basically the worst seats in the house. They were seated in the box closest to the stage which had the worst view, but it was the most visible to the rest of the theater. The theater was even more ornate than the front foyer, absolutely gorgeous.
While driving to our next destination we were able to view the Pink House- the Argentine White House- from our bus windows. We learned that the president doesn’t actually live there, it is just serves as a very large office building. However the Pink House or “La Casa Rosada” is much more than that. It also has a museum in the bottom floors that people can tour during the weekends.
As we continued our bus journey, we also encountered a giant, solar powered flower. During the day time when the sun is shining, the flower stays open for everyone to see. During the night, however, it’s petals fold upwards, and it stays closed throughout the darkness.
After that we were driven off to a cemetery, but it was nothing like we were expected. The cemetery was huge, and beautifully designed. Instead of tombstones, families had a mausoleum, which is much like a tiny building. The mausoleums were pushed together, creating alleyways with cobblestone for us to walk through. Each mausoleum was decorated differently. Some has glass walls so we could see everything inside them, while others had sturdy, non-transparent walls. Most had columns and statues around the outside, and it was apparent that many of the family’s were Christian because many of the statues were of angels. The insides of the mausoleums contained either the body’s of the family members or their ashes. Many also had flowers and other plants inside. Some even had photos of the family members or other personal things inside. Overall the cemetery was a very cool experience, and our group can only imagine how eery the place would be at night.
After the cemetery we walked to a mall that was close by. Some of us chose to shop and most of us got lunch quickly. It gave us the opportunity to order in Spanish at the restaurant without any help. Not as easy as I thought, when I ended up with coke, when I thought, I ordered water. After lunch we all got back onto the bus to go to Quilmes.
The bus ride was about 45 minutes, and the whole bus was buzzing with excitement and nervousness. When we pulled up to the school we were met by our exchange students at the front. It felt so good to be welcomed by them, for we had all be waiting to see them again. Most of us went back home with our exchange student after that and spent the rest of the evening with them!!

Day 2: El Tigre and San Isidro by Hern and Kaylah

Today was an amazing adventure! We ate breakfast at the hotel which had a large assortment of foods, ranging from meats to breads to dairy. We had somewhat of a later start than we wished because many of us were tired but nonetheless we were able to have a good time. After we had breakfast, we got on a bus to the Naval Museum and took a tour. Although the tour guide spoke a little fast, we were able to ask questions while learning many new Spanish words! One of the ships in the museum was the only vessel to survived during Pearl Harbor. The United States then sold that ship to Argentina. There were multiple handcrafted ship models including, one in particular that a man in prison made from bones, wood, and hair!
After the museum tour, we traveled to the docks where we boarded a boat on El Rio Tigre. When we got in the boat, we ate a quick snack of Alfajores. The water was a murky brown which we thought meant the water was polluted; however, in actuality, the color was natural due to mud and dirt.
Many of us played soccer on the playground or rocked on swings following the boat ride. We had time to relax and enjoy the great weather we were having. The temperatures were slightly chilly but still comfortable. The best part about the weather was definitely that there was no humidity!!! We ate lunch at a restaurant that served many dishes including a variety of meat, salad, empanadas, and ice cream! Instead of ordering from a menu, the waiter gave us the dishes one at a time. We definitely ate well!
After a filling lunch we gathered to take a group photo and hopped back onto the boat. As we headed back to the bus by boat we passed a really exciting looking amusement park. Unfortunately, it is closed for the winter but we were still able to happily observe.
Later around 8:00 pm we all got dressed up and head over to Esquina Carlos Gardel. At this restaurant we had the wide selection of chicken, pork, steak, and pasta with red sauce. The food was delicious (DELICIOSO) and to top it off we had the luxury of watching very talented Tango dancers. Their wardrobe was dazzling and their movements were seamless. We also got the chance to to listen amazing background orchestral music. After all this excitement we were all ready to get a good nights rest and arrived back at the hotel around 11:30.



Trip from RDU to Buenos Aires and Day 1 in BA by Salma

These two days have been tiring but fun!! We started Monday off by walking into the airport to be shocked by a huge line (which was 99% Cary Academy students). After check in and long goodbyes, we rushed through security, only to realize we had nothing but time. We passed the extra two hours by walking around, shopping, and saying hello to our classmates going to France and Germany, before heading back to our gate. When we got to the gate, we learned that the flight had been delayed 30 minutes- we continued talking and playing card games while we waited for the flight to board.

When we boarded the plane, Chiara and I passed the time by playing the games in the magazine. And believe me, there was lots of time to pass- we were waiting on the tarmac for quite awhile. After Chiara finished her soduku puzzles (and I gave up on mine), we moved onto the crossword, which was quite a struggle. While we spent a majority of the flight playing magazine games, our classmates were either doing the same thing, sleeping, or watching Netflix on their phones.

While we initially expected lots of layover time in Atlanta, we were shocked to realize that we were bordering on late for our connection flight to Buenos Aires. Yes, there was that much delay. Obviously, we made the flight, but we also learned something: running around the terminal and riding the tram together is quite the bonding experience.

We hopped onto the plane, mentally preparing ourselves for over 9 hours of flying. This flight was spent doing a variety of things, but from what I could tell, people were watching Netflix, sleeping, reading books, sleeping, watching movies on the plane console, or sleeping. Yeah, lots of people slept- that’s because we knew that when the plane landed, we wouldn’t have time to even go to the hotel. And after lots of sleeping and lots more coffee, we were ready.

We left the airport exhausted but excited, and set out for our long and eventful day. We first met Laura, our tour guide for Buenos Aires, who had to remind us many times to speak Spanish. While we rode the bus, she talked to us about the history of Argentina and different monuments and buildings. Finally, we arrived! After less than half an hour at the hotel, we got going again.

The rest of the day was filled with enough walking to even out our 11 hours of flying. We first went to an old cathedral, which was busy, yet gorgeous. In the cathedral, we looked at the Mausoleum of San Martin. Laura shared with us that this was Pope Francis’ cathedral, which was very cool. Then, we walked to lunch at an Italian restaurant called Il Gatto, where we learned how to order in Spanish. Then, we headed to La Boca (on the bus, finally).

La Boca was definitely my favorite part of the two days- it was so pretty!! After doing some shopping, we walked through the plaza, where all the walls were colorful and there were people everywhere. On the bus ride back, we talked about the river, the Rio de La Plata, and the importance of La Boca. We learned that since it was so close to the lake, it was home to lots of immigrants. We also learned that although they weren’t the richest area, residents of la Boca are proud of their culture. La Boca was clearly a huge tourist attraction, mostly because they’re known for inventing tango and it’s just so pretty.

After a couple hours in the hotel room, we got ready to go for dinner. We went to Puerto Madero and ate at a very diverse buffet, where you could choose between sushi and blood sausage. After stuffing ourselves with pounds of chocolate (DELICIOSO) covered fruits (after dinner, obviously), we went for a walk on the Puerto Madero bridge, El Puente de la Mujer, which I thought looked like a toothpick (but nobody else did). Right now, we’re heading to the hotel room ready to do one thing: sleep.

Day 7 (5.29.16): Our First Sunday

I woke up to the sound of laughter, Michelle’s that is! We had just finished a sleepover at Vicky’s house (which looks like it jumped out of an HGTV magazine with its modern, tropical aesthetic). Kate was also at the sleepover and we would be spending the rest of the day together, doing something we were both looking forward to: shopping. We headed down for breakfast, and I made the selection of a cereal which had a surprising similarity to fruit loops. Later, for lunch we went to a restaurant called Chocolatta Green. I ordered Milanesa Caballo, which despite the name is not horse meat. It was breaded chicken with two fried eggs and cheese on top. My host family wanted me to try Dulce de Leche ice cream, so we headed to a gelato shop. The ice cream was different from ours in America, but it was just as enjoyable.

Afterwords we headed to the mall, and shopped for gifts for my family. The mall was gorgeous and had beautiful paintings on the ceiling and walls. Next we went to a show called Fuerza Bruta. It was similar to Cirque de Soleil, but with more dancing and lights. There were lots of performers flying through the air, wind effects, and colorful projections that made it a great show! There was even a water sequence and most of us got soaking wet.

-Adrienne

Visiting Quilmes, Argentina

The Quilmes were a native tribe who lived in the surroundings of Tucumán. In the 17th century, after repeated attempts by the Spanish invaders to control their lands, the Quilmes were defeated and were forced to settle in a restricted colony (reducción) near Buenos Aires, where the authorities could control them. The settlement was thus established in 1666 as Exaltación de la Santa Cruz de los Kilme. The 1,000 km (621 mi) journey from Tucumán was made on foot, causing hundreds of Quilmes to die in the process. The colony had been abandoned by 1810 and had become a ghost town. The land was divided in parcels and the town of Quilmes was established in 1818. During the first British invasion, the British arrived from Montevideo through Quilmes and went to Buenos Aires from there.

The town’s development accelerated during the wave of immigration in Argentina during the late 19th century, and Quilmes was considered as the location for a new provincial capital during the Federalization of Buenos Aires of 1880 (ultimately established in La Plata). The Argentine Air Force established a 220 ha (540 acre) base in East Quilmes in 1943.

Quilmes proper consists of two main parts, east and west, which are divided by the tracks of the Metropolitano passenger train line. East Quilmes has several relatively wealthy areas and a large shopping district. As one travels east toward the Río de la Plata, neighborhoods become increasingly poor, and two large villas miseria (slums) are found close to the river. These areas often experience severe flooding.

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