After a long journey, from Pittsburgh to Atlanta to Argentina we finally landed in Buenos Aires to hit the ground running for our first day at 9:30am. Shortly after we checked into our hotel we headed to a welcome session hosted by IES Abroad. Walking over I got to take in the stunning architecture that they have here as it’s a blend of both old and modern architecture. Argentina’s architecture reflects a variety of highly independent styles where you can truly see their attempts to conserve their historical architecture despite urban growth. For lunch with IES, we got treated to grilled steak, chicken, salad and so much more which made for an amazing start to getting familiar with local dishes. 

After our welcome session, we had some free time to explore, so a few of us decided to explore the stores and shops around the area. The streets were lined with lots of shops and places like cozy cafes, beautiful restaurants, convenience stores and even charming boutiques. Some of us decided to try out a traditional Argentine Dessert from the shops, Alfajores, also known as Dulce de leche cookies, which was such a nice, sweet treat. It was the perfect place to get a good evening walk in and simply enjoy the local vibe. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for us!

Fact of the day: We soon learned at the beginning of the welcome session that the Ave we were looking at from the patio is Avenida 9 de Julio, which holds an impressive title of being the world’s widest avenue. You can even spot the Obelisco in the avenue marking a national historic monument and icon of Buenos Aires.