If you learn Spanish at AMAUTA Buenos Aires you will not only learn Spanish; most likely, you will also learn some “lunfardo”. Lunfardo is an argot or slang of the Spanish language, which developed at the beginning of the 20th century in and around Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lunfardo developed with the arrival of many immigrants from Italy, Spain and France. Most immigrants spoke their own dialect instead of standard Spanish and Italian.

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Latin American literature particularly gained global attention during the second half of the 20th century, mostly because of the international success of the style known as Magical Realism. This genre of fiction blends magical elements with real atmospheres, therefore it gets a surrealistic character. Some of its most important exponents are Gabriel Garcia Márquez from Colombia (who received the Nobel prize for literature in 1982), he wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude; Jorge Luis Borges from Argentina, who wrote Ficciones; and Isabel Allende from Chile, who wrote The House of the Spirits.

The Amazon Rainforest in South America represents more than half of the planet’s remaining rainforests, and it holds the largest and most species-rich flora and fauna of tropical rainforest in the world. For example more than 2,000 different kinds of butterflies are found in the forest. The rich flora and fauna is fed by the immense Amazon River basin, whit a yearly rainfall of 150 inches. That’s a lot, knowing that this amount of rain would get most cities up to their ears in the water after a week. The jungle includes territory belonging to nine countries: Brazil (60%), Peru (13%), Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana and Ecuador.

AMAUTA Spanish School in Buenos Aires offers the exceptional opportunity to study Spanish while immersed in Argentine culture, in stunning and exciting Buenos Aires.

Other activities, such as Tango classes, workshops on Latin American Culture and extra daily Student Activities, make our Spanish school a distinctive educational destination in this incredible, filled with excitement and culture. Buenos Aires is said to be the "Paris of South America" with a European influence and charm combined with a Latino flare!

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Some interesting facts about the history of dinosaurs in Latin America. In South America many of the most important findings of dinosaur fossils were made. Fossils have been found from the north to the south of the continent, in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile. The fossils are mainly found in the desserts and high grasslands of Brazil and Argentina. Some of the first types, like the Herrerasaurus, and later versions, like the Saltasaurus lived in Argentina. One of the mayor findings were the remains of about ten big Patagosaurus Sauropods, found in the fossil-rich region of Chubut, Argentina, in 1977. In the Dinosaur Museums in Neuquén, Argentina, you can see the remains of these.

There are various Argentinean Christmas plates. On December the 24th, Christmas evening is celebrated with a large meal. Normally Argentineans enjoy a late meal consisting of cold meat and vegetable and fruit salads. They take their time to eat and also their time to prepare. It’s a tradition to eat outside because of the heat during summertime. A few Argentinean Christmas plates are ‘Ensalada Rusa’, ‘Pollo a la Provenzal’, ‘Empanadas’ and ‘Pan Dulce’.

“Pollo a la Provenzal” is a chicken marinated with onions, parsley, garlic, rosemary, sage pepper, salt and finally wrapped in bacon. It is a typical dish that comes from the north of the country, often accompanied by a cold salad, like Salada Rusa. This cold salad consists of carrot, potatoes, peas and mayonnaise.
After the Christmas dinner, Pan Dulce is the preferred Christmas dessert in Argentina; Pan Dulce is similar to fruitcake or muffin with raisins and candied fruit .

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The project AMAUTA placed me in, involves working with teenage girls between the ages of 13-17. Generally there are anywhere between twelve and eighteen girls. The girls are Extremely enthusiastic to have volunteers around. men. Only a handful of them attend school and have the privilege to leave their home, so all visitors are happily embraced. You do need an intermediate level of Spanish for this project or else you will end up feeling fairly lost. Most of the girls are fairly patient and love helping you look up words in your dictionary if you are struggling with your Spanish. There is little structure to your volunteer actual time in the project, so you need to be comfortable with a more low key environment and building relationships. Otherwise it is great to come up with your own project to do with the girls. Half-way through this project I decided to start an art studio for the girls with money donated from friends and family. They have a large room for making paper which is now a perfect spot to create an art studio. The girls are very excited about this studio project and it was the first time I was able to actively engage all of them at one time for a two-hour stretch period and see them both animated and happy. It would be great to find someone to continue this project after I am gone. While these girls were prostitutes in the past, overall they are normal, hyper, and sometimes moody teenage girls. They love to hug, chat about your love life, giggle, and play volleyball. I you have some time available, I’d recommend you stay at least 6 weeks, as it takes a while for the girls to trust and embrace you. Thanks for organizing this, AMAUTA, this is an experience I will never forget!

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Participants of our Spanish TEFL course, learn or improve their Spanish while obtaining their TEFL certificate in Peru or Argentina, with which they will be able to get a job as a certified English teacher everywhere in the world. This course is thé passport to living your dreams abroad, teaching English in exotic locations in Latin America and all over the world.

During the first two weeks, you will be studying Spanish. Our Spanish group lessons offer customized instruction at the level and pace that best suits you. AMAUTA is well known for its interactive, clear and personal teaching methods. The second part of the program (starts on Monday or Wednesday of week 3) consists of your TEFL course. This International TEFL Certificate course is a practical and thorough course designed for candidates that have no or little previous experience in English teaching.  During the 4 week TEFL course you will become familiar with the principles of successful EFL teaching and start developing the practical skills that you will need to teach effectively.

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6. Get involved in Argentinean culture

Showing interest in Argentinean culture will win you a lot of respect; taking part in it is even better! There are a few things in Argentina which play a very important role in daily life. Fútbol is one of these. If you get the chance to visit a football match in Argentina, don’t hesitate. It will be one of your best experiences in Argentina. There are nearly ten football clubs playing in Buenos Aires, so lots of options. The biggest clash is River Plate versus Boca Juniors. It’s considered one of the biggest rivalry sport events in the world. Besides football, the tango is intertwined with living in Argentina. Lots of Spanish schools offer tango classes. Too lazy to take classes? Free tango shows are given in the weekends on the San Telmo market and in La Boca.

7. Read the newspaper

In order to understand more about the culture and to keep track of what is going on in the country, do read the newspaper. The Argentina Independent is a free newspaper in English and covers Argentinean as well as other Latin American and world news. The Argentina Independent puts lots of attention on Argentinean culture too. This newspaper gives you a good insight in daily life. And after a while, with your newly obtained Spanish skills, you might be able to understand and read Argentinean newspapers, like El Argentino o La Nacion.

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1. Learn Spanish

Even though English is commonly spoken by many (young) Argentineans, practicing your Spanish before traveling to Argentina or whilst being there is a big surplus. Understanding the basics of Castellano is not only convenient in getting around; it is also greatly appreciated by the locals. Learning a language doesn’t come easy for many of us, especially the Porteño (Buenos Aires) accent mixed with Lunfardo slang acquires some adaptations. Practice your Spanish skills when bargaining on the market, or in a bar when meeting new people. It’s fun! And probably before even realizing you end up saying things like: "Che, qué haces boludo?"

2. Talk to locals and travelers

If, at some point, you think that your Spanish is getting somewhere, make use of it! Local people are fun and friendly and can provide you with inside information about hidden boutiques, good restaurant, nicest sunset spots and upcoming festivals. Talk to travelers too. Don’t try to do it all yourself. Their suggestions might end up being the most memorable experiences of your trip.

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