After almost 48 hours in the airport, we finally arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina! Unfortunately, there was a 12 hours delay from our flight from Georgia to Argentina. The entire group made a collective decision to stay at the airport overnight, which became a good bonding moment for us all. After landing in Argentina, we were kindly greeted by IES Coordinators and they gave us all a sweet Argentinian treat known as Alfajores. Shortly after arriving, we were invited to a BBQ dinner at the IES offices and ate all sorts of delicious Argentinian food. Despite the rough start, the trip was beginning to look more exciting.
The following day we went to the IES offices and were given a brief safety orientation. After eating a quick lunch, we made our way to the University of Austral which was about a 10 min walk from IES. Our first lecture was given by Dr. Gabriel Novick who gave an in depth overview of the Argentine Health Care Systems. Turns out that the public sector guarantees free healthcare for minor and major inconveniences, even for foreigners. Argentinian healthcare is way cheaper and more reliable, as it ensures access for all people regardless of socioeconomic status. The second lecture was given by the former National Minister of Health, Dr. Luis Gimenez. He discussed the financing of the different sectors and his previous involvement in the public sector.
The most memorable part of the day was when we learned how to Tango! Our dance instructors, Pablo and his partner, showed us different moves commonly used in tangos. The Ocho involved the follower dancing in a way that resembled an eight. I also learned that the Milonga is a club specifically designed for only dancing tango. After dancing for a while, the instructors showed us how they would have danced at an actual show, which involved cool tricks and flips in the choreography.
To end off the day, me and a couple of my friends decided to tour around retiro, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires. We went to a nearby shopping area and several people tried to exchange our money. We ended up eating dinner at Santos Manjares where we had delicious steak and friendly service. The food was relatively cheap with a filet mignon cut for 15,000 pesos which is about 15 US Dollars. The clothes, however, were not as cheap as we expected. I am so excited to explore the rest of Argentina. It was a good start to our trip!
