The third dance in the history of dance done with the man and woman facing each other is the Tango. It consists of the man holding the woman’s right hand in his left, while his right arm is around her. The first dance done in this position was the Viennese Waltz, a craze which spread across Europe throughout the 1830s; the second dance was known as the Polka and was the next craze throughout the 1840s. Finally the Tango evolved into the third dance of its kind which greatly varied from anything before its existence because it introduced the great concept of improvisation for the first time.

The Tango soon after had a great influence on all of the “couples dancing” in the twentieth century. Its evolution was due to the great amounts of immigrants coming into Argentina which brought an array of new dancing with shocking new holds. It is, however, unknown as to how and when exactly the Tango evolved from the Viennese Waltz and the Polka into what it is today. This is due to the fact that it was everyday normal people who helped with the evolution of the Tango. They were the poor and the underprivileged that helped shape this phenomenon.

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It is an inevitable fact that while studying a new language – what about Spanish in Buenos Aires -  you will have days when it feels as though your head is going explode from all of the new vocabulary, verb conjugations, and expressions.  Fortunately, there is a great new way to blow off a bit of steam during your time at AMAUTA SPANISH SCHOOL in Buenos Aires, that will also give you some great insight into why many people consider Buenos Aires one of the world’s top nightlife destinations.  The Buenos Aires Pub Crawl, or BA Pub Crawl, is taking the city’s nightlife scene by storm.  Operated by a fun and truly international staff, the BA Pub Crawl is a great option for those with little experience in this large city to meet other travelers as well as locals, in a night that will lead them to four or five different city hot spots.  What´s more, the BA Pub Crawl operates its nightlife tour in three different and distinct city locations, each offering an entirely unique experience.

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Bariloche – the portal to Patagonia- is a wonderful place to learn Spanish. This small town in the South of Argentina, surrounded by mountains and lakes, is absolutely safe and you can combine your Spanish study with lots of activities such as rafting, kayaking, paragliding, scuba diving, skiing, fly fishing and horseback riding. Bariloche is also the main hub for traveling around the Lake District, the gateway to Patagonia, and the “chocolate capital” of Argentina.  Only an 18 hour bus drive from Buenos Aires (or a hour and a half flight) and you enter in a different world.

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I hade been for a few weeks in Buenos Aires, studying at AMAUTA SPANISH SCHOOL and I enjoyed this so much that I extended my stay. That gave me the opportunity to do some more weekend trips, so one of those weekends my friends and I hit the road for Mar del Plata. One motorcycle tap, ten U-turns, a flat tire, and forty-eight hour later we returned to good old Buenos Aires, happy to be home. In the States we would say “this trip is one is for the books” Nevertheless, even with our many mishaps along the way, Mar del Plata was worth our while.

An easy drive from Buenos Aires–just stay straight on Autopista La Plata for 400 Klms– Mar del Plata offers the perfect weekend getaway. Quaint and welcoming, this massive beach town claims a special place in the hearts of many Porteños. Whether you visit in chilly mid July or in the extreme heat of December, the deep blue tone of the delta and white sands are always there to greet you…. By the way, the cost of visiting Mar del Plata also varies greatly depending on the season. In the off season, everything is very inexpensive, roughly half the cost of things in Buenos Aires.

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A winter wonderland without the winter

The weeks leading up to Christmas in Buenos Aires bring a set of cultural traditions which many people from the northern hemisphere will find reassuringly (or depressingly, depending on your view) familiar. On the one hand, similarities with the ways in which the Christmas festival is celebrated elsewhere should not be surprising given the particularly strong European influence in Buenos Aires (the origins of which lie in the unprecedented waves of immigration which occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century), as well as the ever-increasing global comercialisation of La Navidad. However, while the decor in the temporary Christmas shops which pop up across the city speak of colder climes, with snowdrops, Christmas trees, icicles, fairy lights and the like, the weather gives the spectacle a wholly different ambience. The start of December brings much warmer and humid weather to the city, encouraging porteños to spend more time outdoors in the plazas, the gardens and terrazas of its countless bars and restaurants. Whilst in colder parts of the world the people tend to hibernate for the harsher winter months, the arrival of Christmas in Buenos Aires brings a summery spirit and positivity. Moreover, this is when the city really comes alive in a cultural sense, hosting numerous national and international music, food/drink, theatre and film festivals. There’s certainly no shortage of things to do in Argentina at this time of year, which can be especially comforting for extranjeros (or foreigners) spending Christmas away from friends and families back home. (www.couchsurfing.org is also a great resource for meeting Argentines and foreigners who are looking to spend Christmas with other people in Buenos Aires; a kind of adopted family Christmas experience!)

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The extensive parks in Palermo, also known as the Bosques de Palermo, are a perfect place to sleep off the exploits of the night before but they also offer much more to the visitor during the weekends. Porteños flock to the gardens with their family and friends to stroll around the lakes, people watch, drink mate or to get involved in the myriad other activities taking place there.

The wealthy northern barrios of Buenos Aires incorporating Belgrano – where AMAUTA Spanish School is located - , Palermo and Recoleta are well endowed with green spaces, large plazas and recreational areas. Delving into the history of the city provides clues as to why the barrios in the north host these large parks, which today cover some 62 acres. The city has been marked by a clear geographical divide in terms of distribution of wealth (and as a consequence, quality of environment) from the mid-1800s, between the barrios in the north and those in the south (namely La Boca, San Telmo and Constitución). (más…)

¿Panic griping the nation?

Arriving in Buenos Aires in the midst of a global epidemic was an unsettling experience, especially in July when Argentina was reported to have the second highest number of deaths attributed to Gripe A (H1N1 or Swine Flu) among countries of the world. Of course, it’s important not to be insensitive about, or underplay the effect that the Gripe has had on many people in Argentina and throughout the world. Although statistics are extremely unreliable, it is clear that this outbreak has caused hundreds of deaths in Argentina alone (totalling 407 by mid-August according to the Ministry of Health of Argentina). Equally, this is a pandemic which predominantly targets the vulnerable within societies, in other words those with inadequate access to healthcare and underlying health problems. Having acknowledged this and the rather cushioned, middle-class position from which I write, there are some more comical observations to be made about life in downtown Buenos Aires in the face of the Gripe.

Firstly, the international media reports about the ensuing disaster affecting the nation and Buenos Aires seem to dramatically differ with the reality of living in the city itself. The medical staff in the arrivals lounge at Buenos Aires complete with masks and suits which look like they could stave off a radioactive disaster, do little to fill you with confidence when entering the country. However, the behaviour of porteños (people of the port of Buenos Aires) and the ‘business as usual’ approach to life soon make you feel much more at ease. The people of this huge city either have collective amnesia, have decided to take a chance or have become bored with the news story of the hour. How quickly the masks appeared and disappeared on the streets of Buenos Aires, as rumours spread about the effectiveness or otherwise of wearing protective headgear. Sales of alcoholic gels must have the pharmaceutical companies quite literally rubbing their hands with glee and small bottles with pump action sprays are the essential must-have accessory of Buenos Aires, winter 2009! Whilst this trend continues, giving the air an alcoholic scent reminiscent to that of an English city-centre on a Friday night, so do the enduring customs of the people of this city. (más…)

SPANISH FOR EXPATS

If you are planning to relocate to Argentina – either temporarily or for good - , learning Spanish is a must in order to get the most out of your experience. The real world – full of Porteños -  is right outside your door and by speaking just a bit more of Spanish you will quickly find life is so much more exciting! If you are buying something in a shop, ordering in a restaurant, or if you need to get something done, or if you are moving to a new home, or when setting up a business… speaking Spanish to local trades people, builders, utility companies, bar tenders, means you will get superior, faster service and you will be in a better position to negotiate if things go wrong.

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Be sure to use your siesta time wisely when studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, because there is no partying before midnight in this town! If you are invited to a party at someone’s house, do not plan to go before 1:00am and plan to stay until around sunrise (unless the cops are called first). Generally, people will get together with close friends in their own homes before heading to a party or a bar. If you’re lucky, they’ll grill some meat for you on a parilla for dinner.

It’s very typical to have a DJ and dance floor, but drinks are generally BYOF (bring your own Fernet). Fernet is technically an Italian liquor, but the Argentines LOVE IT. They drink it with Coke and a popular nickname for the drink is “Fernando.” The taste is similar to that of black licorice, so watch out!

In the summer of 2009, I was studying Spanish and  lived in a great house near the Abasto shopping mall. There were 6 huge bedrooms, a huge open terrace, kitchen and a great living room. Above all though, was the asado (grill) that occupied a corner of the terrace. Within two weeks of living in Buenos Aires, my roommates and I decided to have a party and take advantage of the parilla. Off we went to buy meat, drinks and other assorted party things.
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Studying Spanish in Buenos Aires was one of the best decisions I made in my entire life. Here is my list of The 10 best things about BsAs. And just to be sure to be objective, I also made my list of “10 worst things” about “the city of the cities”:

1. Food – The beef here is amazing! Never pay more than 30 pesos for a bife de lomo, which is the best cut of meat they serve. Chicken is never disappointing either. Anything that’s cooked on the parrilla is always a good idea. Try the ice cream too. Freddo and Persico are the two most popular ice cream shops. My personal favorite: frutos del bosque.
2. Public transportation – Buy a Guia-T from a street vendor, and you’re worry free. The tiny little book contains a map of the entire city on 30 little pages and gives you the routs of every bus and train. Prices are very cheap, and even a taxi won’t burn a hole in your pocket.


3. Cost of living – Anything made in Argentina is guaranteed to be cheap. Expect everything to be about a third of the US price. Fruits and veggies are practically free!.
4. Ferias – Every weekend, every neighborhood has a big open air market. The ones in Recoleta and San Telmo are the largest and most popular. There are always tons of street performers and good live music. The food is good and cheap too. Try the fresh-squeezed juices. (más…)