It is officially day 2 in Buenos Aires! It was a rough start to get here as our flight unfortunately got delayed until the next morning, but we are back and better than ever.
When we first came to Buenos Aires, it was very late and dark outside. Although, leaving the airport was easy and the city was absolutely beautiful regardless. We were greeted by IES hosts at the airport and shuttled to our hotel about 45 minutes away in the neighborhood Retiro. While driving into Retiro, we passed the Obelisco and many local shops and restaurants along the street. Besides everything being in Spanish, the neighborhood was extremely similar to other cities in the United States. Super busy, stores right next to each other, and cars flying by. The hotel in Buenos Aires is well kept and clean, similar to most in the United States. After dropping off our bags, we enjoyed a late dinner with our group and IES. Dinner consisted of cooked vegetables, chorizo, and steak with a variety of sauces and of course, dessert. The meat was amazing and is comparable to meat I have eaten in the United States. IES was extremely welcoming and made sure we were comfortable with our stay and dinner. Mannerisms of our IES friends as well as local Argentines include being very nice, accepting, and personable.
The next morning, we started our day off with a nice hotel breakfast and some went to exchange USD for pesos. The hotel breakfast was amazing, but different from the United States. They had a ton of different pastries I have never seen and unique fruit salads. We stopped back at IES for a quick, informative orientation and then walked to the U. Austral. First, we had a lecture by Dr. Gabriel Novick briefing us on the Argentine healthcare system and structure within the different sectors. Shortly after, Dr. Luis Gimenez gave us a more detailed lecture on the Ministry of Health in Argentina and we were allowed to ask questions to expand our perspective. Dr. Gimenez dove in on the goals and outcomes of the Ministry of Health. I was piecing together how their federal organization is different from the United States in terms of financial coverage and policies. Afterwards, we went back to IES to learn how to tango! This was a super cool cultural experience for me as I have never tangoed before and I look forward to learning more about the culture of Argentines.
Even though we have only been here for two days, I feel like I have already learned so much about Buenos Aires regarding healthcare and culture. Our group has already bonded so much and I can only see us getting closer from here. I am excited to broaden my perspective in the next few days when we meet some more important Argentine figures and tour hospitals. See you on Day 3!
