My Experience in Buenos Aires, Argentina - by Adrian

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

I ended up going there totally by chance - my first option was rejected so I was reassigned to Buenos Aires, which I´m quite happy about!

How long did your scholarship last? How much were you paid?

There´s currently no financial support from Spain or the EU for Beca Munde scholarships.

What´s the student life like in Buenos Aires?

It´s quite similar to the student life in European cities. There are lots of students about, but lots of them are international exchange students too, meaning that at times it´s difficult to really get to know and mix with the local Argentinians, who have a different rhythm of life. There´s none of the stress with jobs or exams here though, things always seem to be quite straightforward here.

Would you recommend the city and University of Buenos Aires to other students?

Definitely. The city is alive twenty-four hours a day. There are plenty of places to travel to and visit around here, plenty of young people and the native ´porteños´, and in general the Argentinians are incredibly open and friendly since for them everyday problems have less significance than they do at home. Additionally, in comparison with European cities it´s quite cheap to live here, depending on the level of inflation affecting the country at the time. During the five months I spent in Buenos Aires, the prices of everything dropped quite rapidly.

What´s the food like in Buenos Aires?

The food isn´t any different from what´s available in Europe, apart from the meat. For every enthusiastic carnivore - myself included - this is the country for you. All meat is cheap and very good quality.

Delivery is also very common here, and surprisingly cheap. Pastries and pizzas, though a different kind to the Italian ones, are the usual order.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Buenos Aires?

It´s relatively easy. I sorted out the first month whilst still in Spain and once I had moved in, I started looking for somewhere more permanent. There are organisations dedicated to helping exchange students (for example: Bais, Argentina for All) which make your life easier in a lot of senses, including finding accommodation. The IR office also helps you with necessary questions.

How expensive is everyday life in Buenos Aires?

If you´re going to any city in Argentina, I recommend bringing as many euros or dollars as you can. You can exchange your money officially or illegally - if you do it at the bank, they of course take a commission, and you only receive half the amount of pesos you would get for the same amount of dollars or euros on the street.

The other option, and what I would say is the most common, is to take your euros or dollars to a particular place (for example: Calle Florida) where there are hundreds of semi-clandestine offices which will give you pesos for a much better exchange rate.

The official exchange rate at the moment is 1 euro = 16. 26 pesos. Using these shops, you´re likely to get about 20 pesos for every euro.

Aside from that, life isn´t expensive. You´ll notice that some products in the supermarkets are slightly more expensive than they would be in Spain, for example, but restaurants on the other hand are much cheaper.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language course at the university?

For those whose native language is Spanish, the accent is a bit hard to understand at first, but you end up getting accustomed to it. They often use the same words as in Spain - others, however, can be totally different - but to refer to completely different things, including when talking about studies, which definitely threw me a bit at the beginning. For those whose native language isn´t Spanish, the universities often offer Spanish courses and in general everyone eventually adapts to talking in Spanish.

What´s the cheapest way of getting to Buenos Aires from your home city?

By plane, and make sure you book the flights as far in advance as possible.

What are the best places for partying in Buenos Aires?

Most of the ´racket´ in the city centre is concentrated in three neighbourhoods: Palermo, Recoleta and San Telmo. Palermo Soho (for example, Plaza Serrano) harbours many bars, restaurants and clubs (called boliches in Argentina). In Puerto Madero there´s also some clubs, but they lack the student atmosphere.

What about eating out in Buenos Aires? What are your favourite places?

There are some restaurants which offer typical Argentinian dishes with the best Argentinian meat (roasted). The best ones in my opinion are Don Julio, La Cabrera, Las Cabras and Siga la Vaca (all in Puerto Madero). Dinners usually cost round about 150 pesos, which is approximately 15 euros.

What does Buenos Aires have to offer in terms of culture?

There are hundreds of places to visit, from the Japanese garden to the Columbus Theatre. There´s also the Barrio de la Boca, el Cementerio de Chacarita, el Microcentro, and Bosques de Palermo. These are normally the ones mentioned in the guidebooks, although once you get settled, you´ll find places which are less popular but also very interesting. Don´t forget about the football fields, the more you visit the merrier, as every one is different!

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Buenos Aires?

At the start you´ll worry about keeping safe, and it´s true that you have to be careful and not walk about with important or expensive things on you if at all possible: like watches, your mobile, important documents. It´s typical to get robbed without noticing it, even in clubs, so the best things to do are:

• Don´t carry valuables around, if you can help it.
• Always be on the alert for pickpockets.
• Avoid certain areas at night.