After a full day of traveling, our group finally arrived in Buenos Aires to begin our Plus3 experience. Even driving from the airport, I could already tell the city had a completely different atmosphere from anywhere I’ve been before. The architecture throughout the city immediately stood out to me, many of the buildings look historic and elegant, while the palm trees and warmish weather give the city a much more relaxed feel. Buenos Aires feels both fast-paced and laid back at the same time, which was something I wasn’t expecting.

After settling into the hotel, we headed to the IES Abroad Center, where we met the staff and had our first meal in Argentina. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, and it made arriving in a new country much easier. Later that evening, some of us decided to try McDonald’s, which ended up being way more different from home than I expected. Even though it’s a familiar restaurant, the menu had completely different sandwich names, ingredients, and flavors compared to the United States. It was interesting seeing how even global brands adapt to local culture and preferences. Trying foods and experiencing small cultural differences like that has already been one of the coolest parts of the trip so far.

Today also happened to be Mother’s Day, which made being away from home feel a little strange. My mom has always been one of my biggest supporters and has encouraged me to take advantage of opportunities like studying abroad and experiencing new cultures. I’m incredibly grateful for everything she does for my family and for always pushing me to work hard and try new things. Although I wish I could celebrate with her in person, I’m thankful to be having an experience that she helped make possible. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!