My Experience in Buenos Aires!

Why did you choose to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina?

I have always wanted to come to Argentina: on the one hand because I have family here, and on the other because they have always told me that the people here are very nice and open. And that they have been - whatever problem I have had, there have always been people willing to help me, to guide me or to clear up any doubts I have. You can have friends all over the place, go out alone and be able to talk to whoever you want; people are very open and this creates a world of possibilities for you. At the end of the day, my main objective coming to an Erasmus exchange was to meet new people, and that has been done. I have met lots of new people from different countries and I am excited to meet more - I am very happy.

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How long is the grant for? How much money do you receive as support?

Until this year, they didn't give any grants to exchange students from the Latin America program. This year they have only given us 500€.

What is the student atmosphere like in Buenos Aires?

It's very good. You meet loads of people from different countries. After arriving, we signed up to the foreign exchange student association called BAIS. They organise trips, parties (minimum of two a week), excursions, and classes in cooking, dance and languages. You can even spend a day in the association's building, where they have table football, a television, games, etc. For our first trip, we went with BAIS to Iguazu. We met lots of people there, and these are the people we have stayed friends with for the rest of the Erasmus exchange. I really recommend this association.

What is the food like in Argentina?

I love eating, haha, but I certainly miss the food from the Basque Country. Even so, I have to admit that the pizzas, empanadas and meat that I have tried here are very good.

Was it difficult for you to find accommodation in Buenos Aires?

It was extremely difficult for us to find something cheap. In the end, we found a quite cheap flat compared to others, but next term (I am staying in Buenos Aires until August) we are moving to a student house. I recommend that you look for student houses (if you want parties and activity) as they are enormous, with big terraces and some have swimming pools. In these houses, you live with another 15 to 20 students, and they organise parties in the same house.

How much does it cost to live in Buenos Aires?

Life in Buenos Aires is very, very, very expensive. The topic of money is what is limiting the duration of my Erasmus exchange; it's the only problem I have. We are paying 300€ a month for the flat, with a room share, which was the cheapest that we could find. We have friends that are paying more than 450€ a month. Food is very expensive - the supermarkets are ridiculously expensive. Going out partying is also expensive: you have to pay at the majority of the 'boliches' (this is what nightclubs are called), and the drinks are very expensive. In the end, transport is the least expensive; urban buses cost around 36 cents.

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What is the language like? Did you go to any language classes at the university?

Day to day I speak Castellano and I have had no problems with the language. It's true that there are Argentinians that have a very strong accent and it's a little bit difficult to understand them, at least it is for me haha.

What is the cheapest way of getting to Buenos Aires from your city?

We came by plane from Madrid and it was very expensive for us. I recommend that you look at flights far in advance.

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Which places do you recommend for nightlife in Buenos Aires?

There are lots of different places and different atmospheres depending on everyone's tastes. I recommend looking at photos of places based on your personal tastes because I am sure you will find lots of places to go to. The association I mentioned before (BAIS) organises parties and I also recommend that you go to them. We basically only go out in the Palermo neighbourhood where we live. In this neighbourhood, there is the Plaza Serrano, where there are loads of bars and terraces where you have a drink (although, truthfully, they are quite expensive) and nightclubs with different genres of music.

And eating in Buenos Aires? Can you name your favourite places?

One of my favourite pizzerias is Squzi. I also recommend Kentucky (which is open 24 hours a day) and El Club de la Milanesa, and, for a cheaper restaurant alternative, Bellagamba Bodegon.

Any advice you want to give to future students in Buenos Aires?

My advice is to not miss out on the opportunity of going on an Erasmus exchange. No matter how much you wanted a destination that you weren't assigned, don't stop yourself from going away. You are going to really enjoy yourself wherever you are (I have been here since July, I will staying here until August, and I would stay for another two years if I could). I have friends that weren't assigned the destination that they wanted and they went unexcited, and now they don't want to leave and have extended their stays. In the end, you are going to meet amazing people regardless of the place and you will really enjoy yourself. On the other hand, as I have mentioned earlier, my only problem in Buenos Aires has been the cost, so if you really want to come here, I recommend that you save a lot of money because it can really limit how much you travel, amongst other things... I have friends in Peru, Mexico and Chile that are very lucky and pay less than 100€ a month for an enormous house and can eat for 2€ a day. That way, they can use their money to travel every weekend to different places. So, if you do struggle financially, I recommend looking at those destinations, as I am sure that you will equally really enjoy them. Still, I will be in Buenos Aires until August, so if you have any problems or doubts (regarding accommodation, for example, as we are looking for a flatmate for the student house), don't hesistate in asking me. I hope that I have been of some help to you!

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