Before we even arrived in Buenos Aires, the group was presented with a very unique bonding opportunity. Our flight from Atlanta to Buenos Aires was delayed from 10pm to 8am the next morning. We had the choice to either go to a complementary hotel or stay in the airport overnight. We all chose the airport, because we did not want to go through security in the busiest airport on the planet. That night, we all stayed up the entire night so that we could sleep on the plane, and it ended up making this trip way better for everyone, because are all much more comfortable around each other than we were before. In my first full day in Buenos Aires, I have multiple first impressions on their architecture, culture, and other aspects of the city that differ from the United States. First, I noticed that city still has roots of its colonial Spanish past in its architecture, but a lot of areas are moving to neoclassical style as the city and the world are evolving. The city is also in the process of transitioning to the use of credit cards, but a lot of places still take only cash. Cultural differences are very clear to see. First, we have been told multiple times by numerous people to be very careful with our stuff, such as wearing backpacks on the front and not leaving things sitting out. Gladly we all have made it for 24 hours without losing anything or getting it stolen. Also, we have been told that people stare here, not in a bad way, but in a way of trying to figure out where we are from. Another difference is that there are far more homeless people here than I have ever seen in any city that I have been to. They are usually out at night and like to leer at people and try to scam you, but if you ignore them, they just keep walking. Lastly, we were informed that Ubers are illegal here and they use traditional taxis. I do not understand why but it is what it is. The people in Buenos Aires are mostly very welcoming, and most can speak some English. The host group IES have a very nice establishment on the 12th floor of an office building, and the employees there are very nice and very good cooks. We had our first meal there right after getting back from the airport, and then we had orientation today and did a Tengo class. I have also noticed that there are so many drug stores in the streets, that are open 24/7, and they are very convenient for when I need a snack or a drink. Today, academically, we learned from the Director of Swiss Medical Group, Gabriel Novick about the different sectors of the healthcare system, such as the private, social security, public, and the ministry. Then we were lectured by the Former National Minister of Health on the ins and outs of the ministry. We were hosted by Universidad de Austral, which is one of the top 10 schools in the country.
Day 2: Never flying through Atlanta again
