Today was all about culture and history. We started the morning with a bus tour around Buenos Aires, stopping first in La Boca which was a colorful, lively neighborhood known for its soccer stadium and artsy streets. After picking up some souvenirs, we drove past major landmarks like the Pink House (Argentina’s version of the White House) and the church where Pope Francis once preached.

It was interesting to see how both Argentina and the U.S. have powerful national symbols, but their histories are pretty different. The U.S. fought for independence from Britain, while Argentina broke away from Spain as part of a larger Latin American movement. Religion also plays a bigger role in Argentina’s story, especially with figures like Pope Francis.

In the afternoon, we went on a graffiti tour, which showed how street art here reflects Argentina’s past and present struggles which was kind of like murals in U.S. cities, but with a deeper political edge. I even found a vintage Coca-Cola sign in Spanish at a flea market, which felt like the perfect souvenir from a day full of history and culture.