Need Advice for a Semester Abroad in Argentina!!!

Outdoor enthusiast, adrenaline junkie, nightclub person needing suggestions for Buenos Aires and all of Argentina and to get more into the local culture.

17 years ago, November 30th 2006 No: 1 Msg: #8857 Delete Edit

Smitty_28
Julie Smith

B Posts: 6

Hey all! I'm new here, but I decided to start a travel journal because I plan on doing a lot of traveling. I'm headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina in February for a Semester Abroad!!! I'm so excited, I will be spending February to July there!

I've never been there before, or anywhere in South America and I was wondering what everyone thought of Buenos Aires and what sights I should check out and what things I should do, eat, and drink. Nightclubs? Bars? Drinking Age?????

I'm a HUGE outdoor enthusiast, wilderness lover, and adrenaline junkie so what's out there for trekking, hiking, climbing, sightseeing of the wilderness style. I saw some pictures of ice and mountains... where abouts are they?!?!? Anything with outdoors, being active, and adrenaline definitely mention!

Also, I want to get as emmersed in the culture as I can, and not the upper crust, I mean the real local stuff, of course I'll do the touristy stuff too, but I really want to get to be able to blend into the local culture of south america even though I suspect it's going to be rather European.

So, any suggestions please welcome!!! Anything out of the ordinary, or ordinary, anything at all helps, I want to live this semester up as much as humanly possible.

What travel books did you use? Which do you think were the best? and Why? How about traveling on a budget? And what map of the city and country was the most helpful?

Thankkkkkk youuuuuuu!!! this would be such a great help. Reply to this

17 years ago, December 1st 2006 No: 2 Msg: #8878 Delete Edit

sarita_sarita
Sarah F

N Posts: 2

Hey Julie. First off prepare yourself for HOT weather when you get here, especially if you´re coming from the frozen east coast. February is killer here in Buenos Aries. Hot and humid!

If you´re looking for outdoorsey stuff, Buenos Aires is not the place to go. It´s a great city filled with lots of culture and lots of nightlife, but the ice and mountains are at least a 24 hour bus away, in the south of the country, Patagonia. Also there are mountains to the west...check out Mendoza, about 14 hours by bus. This country is absolutely beautiful and very diverse but you do have to do some traveling to get out there.

In terms of eat, drink, nightclubs, bars and drinking age (what drinking age?)...the sky is the limit in this city. There is absolutely everything. I have been here for more than a year and still haven´t been to half the clubs. Also, there are expositions, performances, concerts, museums and more. And best of all, a lot of it is free. It´s really incredible.

My advice: LEARN SPANISH! START TODAY! It will be your best bet to blend with the locals, and the best way to avoid getting ripped off. And although the people here look very European, remember that you are indeed traveling to South America and they have their very own culture and customs.

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17 years ago, December 1st 2006 No: 3 Msg: #8886 Delete Edit

Smitty_28
Julie Smith

B Posts: 6

Thanks!! I kinda figured BA wasn't the greatest for the outdoors stuff, but I wasn't sure how far away Patagonia was, man!!!

I plan on learning Spanish ASAP, well, as soon as my finals for school are done. Any good books/tapes for learning South American spanish, I'm not sure how different it is from Spain Spanish.

I'm stoked for the hot weather, I heard that July is the coldest month ... how cold is cold? I doubt if I will even bring my winter jacket from what I've heard. Reply to this

17 years ago, December 1st 2006 No: 4 Msg: #8887 Delete Edit

sarita_sarita
Sarah F

N Posts: 2

Yeah, Patagonia is far. I went in plane, and returned from Bariloche in bus, a 20 hour trip. This country is relatively very big. Google some facts about the size and read up on the geography, it´s really incredible.

The accent here is really different than Spanish Spanish. In fact, it is not Spanish at all, but Castelllano. Castellano is gramatically different, in their use of vos instead of tú, but nothing that you counldn´t pick up easily, or understand with a quick explication. I am now used to the accent and speak with it myself, but you´ll get the hang of it before too long.

I don´t really know any good Argentine books or tapes, whatever you have will be fine, the basics are all the same.

I´m glad you´re stoked for the hot weather. Hot is really hot. When I came, I didn´t bring my winter jacket either, but then I ended up having a friend bring my wool overcoat with him when he came to visit, which I used all winter. Cold gets down to around 35° F, but it doesn´t freeze really and it doesn´t snow. I would recommend a medium weight winter jacket.

Oh, and be prepared to eat A LOT of meat.

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17 years ago, December 1st 2006 No: 5 Msg: #8889 Delete Edit

www paralelo54 com
Pato Rapaport

N Posts: 4

hi July, nice to heard that you are coming to Argentina. I love my city and country, i trasvelled a lot here.
Buenos AIres is the city that never sleeps. You have here very good pubs, bars, and clubs between wednesday to saturday, and some after hours too, on sundays.

you now, if your going to the very south part of the country, i mean, Calafate, Ushuaia, glaciers, mountains, i recommend to go after march., where low season starts and prices are cheaper. You know 2 months ago, flight fares have increase a lot.
to some destinations taking sleeping buses is a good deal, much chepaer thant flights and also very confortable. try to custom of disntaces, the country is very big!!! a distnaces long, as Sara said.
i work in tourist industry, so i can help you out and recommend for tourit information a having good deals for your trips.

Also about night life i know the best places, pubs and clubs. Also places where most locals go.

regards!!

pato
www. paralelo54.com

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17 years ago, December 2nd 2006 No: 6 Msg: #8900 Delete Edit

Smitty_28
Julie Smith

B Posts: 6

thanks!!! i'll definitely be in touch, especially once i find out more of what i want to do and see. i don't even know where to start hahahaha.

a heads up on the clubs would be amazing!!

take care Reply to this

17 years ago, December 4th 2006 No: 7 Msg: #8922 Delete Edit

Poz
J

B Posts: 44

If it's adventure you want...go to the Lake District or Patagonia. I enjoyed trekking through Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (Argentina), along the Torres del Paine Circuit (Chile), and The Argentine Lake District!. You can find some relatively cheap airfares down to patagonia.

The Bradt travel guides are good if you like lots of adventure! ...So are the Lonely Planet Trekking Guides.

Patagonia offers an unrivaled wilderness experience! Have fun!

poz

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17 years ago, December 4th 2006 No: 8 Msg: #8938 Delete Edit

Smitty_28
Julie Smith

B Posts: 6

Beautiful! I've definitely decided I'm going to check out the Lake District, Patagonia, and Ushuaia, and the Parqu Nacional Los Glaciares looks stunning! What kind of weather should I be expecting down in these areas around april - july? Thanks so much, amazing pictures by the way I can't wait! Reply to this

17 years ago, December 10th 2006 No: 9 Msg: #9070 Delete Edit

Sofia29
Sofia O

N Posts: 3

About the food, apart from steaks, you should try empanadas and ice cream (this is a good ice cream store: http://www.persicco.com/). Drinking age is 18.

Do you like tango? There are lots of tango shows, but you could also take lessons or just go to a ballroom and see the real thing.

I agree that if you're looking for adventure, Patagonia is the place to go. You should keep in mind that it gets REALLY cold in July.

Whenever you're ready to start learning Spanish, you should check out some podcasts. They're free and you can download them and listen to them on your mp3 player (or computer, of course). Here are only a few of them:

http://spanisharriba.libsyn.com/
http://www.spanishwithruben.com/SpanishwithRuben/Podcast/Podcast.html
http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podcasts/6975

I actually have my own podcast about Argentine Spanish (http://desdeelbano.blogspot.com) but it's a little advanced.

Good luck! Reply to this

17 years ago, December 11th 2006 No: 10 Msg: #9104 Delete Edit

Smitty_28
Julie Smith

B Posts: 6

excellent!! we get to learn how to tango as a group i think, hahaha a perk of "studying" abroad.

I've decided Patagonia is a MUST. how cold should i expect it to get???? below 0degrees F? I go to school in Vermont, so I'm well trained in below 0 weather, but i dont know what to expect. Reply to this

17 years ago, December 12th 2006 No: 11 Msg: #9113 Delete Edit

Poz
J

B Posts: 44

During March/April/May, I found that Patagonia wasn't especially cold in temperature (don't get me wrong, it's chilly), but the weather can be very, VERY nasty (for example, constant freezing horizontal rain for days at a time). They experience micro-climates that are based on how close you are to the major icefields. Also, Chilean Patagonia is often much more rainy/snowy than the Argentine side due to a rain shadow of the Andes. More than anything, make sure you have clothes suitable for wet weather (high-quality rain gear and synthetic insulation (not cotton or down)).

On the plus side, all of that rain produces some beautiful vegetation, especially along the Carretera Austral. If you are willing to get away from the usual trekker's circuit, there are numerous totally untracked wilderness areas that have had very little exploration. Do some research at the Buenos Aires South American Explorers Club! Where ever you go in Patagonia, you will have an unforgettable time!

poz

PS--here is a website you might like... myoutdoors.net, I entered many of my trekking routes on their satellite photos (including walking all over the central and Patagonian Andes). My username there is poz, again.

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17 years ago, December 19th 2006 No: 12 Msg: #9291 Delete Edit

www paralelo54 com
Pato Rapaport

N Posts: 4

i would also recommend the Iguazu waterfalls, the biggest waterfalls in the world, inmerged inside a huge subtropical rain forest!!
it is posible to go all year round.
it is posible to do sport activities in the rain forest, like trek, canpy, rappeling, etc.

in front of the lake disctrict, on the atlantic coast, you have Peninsula Valdez, an amazing natural reserve and one of the unique places where you can do whales watching (from july to December).
i agree with Jeff, weather in Patagonia , you never know how is it. During winter is very cold, but very sunny and less rainy than in summer.

any other doubt let me know!!

patricioo "from ARgentina"

regards Reply to this

17 years ago, February 8th 2007 No: 13 Msg: #10572 Delete Edit

raquelita
Rachael

N Posts: 1

I studied abroad in Rosario last fall. I got to travel around the country on the weekends and after the program, my two favorite places were:
1. Jujuy/Salta -- the scenery is beautiful. Take a bus from Salta to Humahuaca and then take a day trip from Humahuaca to Iruya. It was by far the most stunning scenery I've ever seen.
2. Iguazu Falls -- The jungle and tons of waterfalls!

Anywhere you go in Argentina will be amazing, it's all gorgeous. The busses are super nice, safe, and inexpensive-- often with meals provided. Reply to this

16 years ago, June 6th 2007 No: 14 Msg: #14953 Delete Edit

NicoSalta
Nico

N Posts: 16

don´t know if you have or not been already in the north.
if you are coming and you want some real adrenaline, get in touch with me.
I currently live in Salta, developing a small tourism agency doing all sorts of adventure sports.

Cheers, Nico. Reply to this

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Need Advice for a Semester Abroad in Argentina!!!