Expanish Blog

Traveling to Argentina and taking Spanish courses in Buenos Aires is an unforgettable life experience that will undoubtedly create memories that will remain with you forever! While you will be quite busy with your Spanish immersion courses in Buenos Aires,  sometimes the heart pangs for the comforts of home, and there are some cravings that not even alfajors, steak, and red wine can help you to to ignore, regardless of how much you try! Luckily for students studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, there is a company, founded by fellow Expats, that felt a void when it came to finding their favorite goodies from back home.

Send Love BA is a company that helps friends and family to send care packages to loved ones living in Buenos Aires, without the exorbitant costs of shipping from outside of the country! Send Love BA offers an assortment of packages for various budgets, including everything from cupcakes to bagels to chocolate chip cookies! They even offer themed packages, such as the “Happy Birthday” package, including balloons and a birthday cake and card, and the “Get Well Soon” package, which comes with chicken noodle soup, Gatorade, cookies, tea, and tissues!

Whether you’re looking for a pick me up, or a simple way to say thinking of you, Send Love BA offers the perfect package for students living far from home studying Spanish in Buenos Aires! There are many ways for students taking Spanish immersion courses at Expanish’s Spanish School  to feel right at home in Buenos Aires…to read more, check out Parts One and Two of the Expat’s Survival Guide in the Expanish Blog!

Learn more about Spanish classes at Expanish!

Studying Spanish in Argentina can keep you quite busy during the week! If you want to take a break from the bustling Buenos Aires streets, but don’t have much time and don’t want to break the bank, take a weekend day to visit the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, or Ecological Reserve, in Puerto Madero! The Ecological Reserve is the perfect place for busy students taking Spanish courses in Buenos Aires to relax, take a nature walk, or simply enjoy the quiet and scenery of the surrounding wildlife.

Just beyond the trendy Puerto Madero boardwalk, you will find the city opens up to an expansive nature reserve—the only one of its kind in Buenos Aires! Walking along the street leading to the two entrance are food vendors, artisans, games of pick up futbol, and street entertainment. You can enter the reserve on foot or on bike (6 pesos per hour), and it is free to enter!

The reserve itself is the product of construction debris that was discarded in the Rio de la Plata during the mid 1900s. Over time, this waste picked up sand and rock, and eventually became home to great deal of wildlife, both plants and animals! Despite a not so appealing beginning, the reserve today is an incredible place to spend an afternoon exercising, relaxing, or taking in the sweeping city or water views from one of the wooden decks built throughout the reserve.

Buenos Aires is filled with green spaces, however, the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve is unlike the others located in the heart of the city. There is simply no other place within the city of Buenos Aires for a student studying Spanish in Argentina to truly escape the fast pace of the city for an afternoon.

Check out one of the many other activities for Expanish students studying Spanish in Buenos Aires!

For students studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, the cost of living is relatively inexpensive, but getting here is not! Flights to South America can be quite pricey, especially for students studying Spanish in Argentina who must travel long distances to arrive here. Whether you are looking into Spanish immersion courses in Buenos Aires, or are already here and helping to plan a visit for family or friends, check out the following tips on finding the most budget friendly flight to Argentina!

- Utilize an airline search engine site, such as Kayak.Com or Momondo.com. These sites do a large search for you, by scanning dozens of sites (American Airlines, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc.), and even send you e-mail alerts when a fare you may be interested in is posted!

- Try to book your flight to Buenos Aires from an airline’s hub or a large city. Sometimes it is a less expensive option to purchase two flights- the first to a hub city, and the second to Buenos Aires. Leaving from a hub city may also cut out some of those annoying layovers!

- Always book a roundtrip ticket, even if you have yet to plan your home return. A one way ticket is generally as expensive as a round trip ticket. Many airlines have flexible change policies, so you can always change your return date once you have it planned.

- Study Spanish in Buenos Aires during the “off season” to take advantage of less expensive flights. Flight prices to Argentina drop during the months of October and November, and again in March and April. Despite being off season, these time periods not only offer less expensive flights, but more comfortable Buenos Aires weather!

- Be as flexible as possible in your search, trying out different dates and different days of the week. Performing a broad search will produce the most affordable flights.  And remember, Expanish Spanish School’s classes start again each and every Monday, so don’t worry about sticking to a hard schedule—we’re ready when you are!

Check out the Spanish immersion courses offered at Expanish!

As a student taking Spanish courses in Buenos Aires, there is no denying how wonderful the café culture throughout the city is. On any given street block, at any time, night or day, you will find cafés filled with locals and tourists enjoying a cup of coffee, conversation, and the company of friends and co-workers. For many learning Spanish in Argentina, this relaxed and casual environment is a welcome change from the fast paced, ‘please get up from your table because someone else is waiting for it’ mentality that overwhelms many restaurants and cafés in other parts of the world.

While we would all love to soak up this lax café culture, the reality of life as an Expanish student is that we do not always have the time to do so! With group and private classes scheduled throughout the day, cultural activities around the city, weekly school dinners, and weekend excursions, there is little time to take advantage of that lifestyle! As busy as we are, however, we still need to find the time to get our caffeine fix! While small in number, there are a few cafés scattered about Buenos Aires with coffee to go in sizes that are sure to feed the need of students studying Spanish in Buenos Aires. Stop into these cafés for a quick cup of coffee!

Starbucks: A beloved coffee chain for many, Starbucks has only made its way to Buenos Aires within the past few years. Now there are quite a few locations scattered about the city, and the quality, variety and consistency of its products are bound to be better than the more local chains that are just beginning to serve ‘to-go’ coffee. Starbucks Argentina products are similar to those you will find worldwide, with the exception of their dulce de leche flavored syrup! Soy milk, iced, venti, no whip? No problem at Starbucks—they’ve got it all!

Café Martínez: With plenty of locations throughout Buenos Aires, you will not have to venture far from home or school to find a Café Martínez. Here you will find a more standard offering of coffee and espresso products for take out, including lattes, café frappes, and cappuccinos. Their sizes are a bit smaller than Starbucks, and after a recent trip, I got the impression that they rarely make coffee to go, as it took three employees working together to concoct my mocha frappuccino! Nonetheless, these options are available, and the variety of locations makes Café Martínez a convenient stop for many Expanish students!

Take a look around your neighborhood for even more coffee take-out options! If you are wondering if a café serves coffee to-go, simply ask, “tienes café para llevar?”  Learn more about life as a student studying Spanish in Buenos Aires!

Leaving your home country to study Spanish in Argentina is a significant decision for anyone, and one that brings along many changes in living arrangements and styles, sometimes taking away the comforts of home. As much as we grow to adore Buenos Aires, there are always going to be those things from home-  food, clothes, or movies, that the heart will always pang for. Here are a few food items you may long for while taking Spanish courses in Argentina- don’t fret, we’ve found them for you here in Buenos Aires!

1. Peanut Butter- Luckily, there are a few places peanut butter has been spotted in Buenos Aires. Brand name peanut butter (crunchy and creamy!), like Peter Pan and Planter’s, can be find in some of the larger chain supermarkets, such as Disco and Jumbo, but you’ll definitely have to check out more than one before you’re able to find it. If it is available, it will be located in the imported foods section, and in turn, is fairly expensive! For natural, non-brand name peanut butter, head to Barrio Chino in Belgrano. Many of the smaller supermarkets sell peanut butter and other hard to find imported foods that are generally cheaper than the big chain stores!

2. Ranch Dressing- Ranch dressing is a food staple for many; some people put it on just about anything! Like peanut butter, you’re going to have to search the large supermarket chains for your beloved ranch.  ‘Newman’s Own’ brand is most common in the imported food aisles.  For a real treat, head to Casabar in Recoleta and enjoy authentic ranch dressing on their spicy wings—it doesn’t get much better than that!

3. Spicy…Anything!- If you’ve been taking Spanish courses in Buenos Aires, you may have noticed by now that Argentines definitely do not have an affinity for spicy foods. The spicy food of choice varies depending on where you call home, but there are quite a few restaurants around the city that will cater to most every palate! If you’re looking for Mexican, head to California Burrito Company- an essential knockoff of the US’s beloved chain, Chipotle, where customers can create their own burritos. La Fabrica del Taco in Palermo also serves up tasty Mexican, with an assortment of hot sauces to compliment your meal! If Indian is more your thing, try Tandoor at Laprida 1293, with authentic, delicious, and spicy sauces!

4. Bagels- Search high and low in Buenos Aires, and you will still not be able to find an authentic bagel. Your answer for this frustrating predicament is a delivery company called El Bagelazo! Choose from poppy seed, cinnamon raisin, and everything bagels, amongst others, and have a dozen delivered to your door for $40 pesos! They also sell a variety of homemade cream cheeses. Check out their website for links to similar Expat friendly food vendors (chocolate chip cookies, anyone?)!

Be sure to check back with the Expanish blog for additional posts in "’The Expat’s Buenos Aires Survival Guide!”

Learn more about the Expanish Spanish school in Buenos Aires!

Let’s face it- learning a new language is not easy! You will undoubtedly get plenty of practice in your Expanish Spanish courses in Argentina and out and about on the streets of Buenos Aires, but sometimes you’ll need a little extra help.  Most of us head online in search of the unknown. Websites such as Google, Wikipedia, and Yahoo often provide us with answers to almost any questions we may have, whether we’re searching for driving directions, new recipes, or sports game schedules…With the answers to all of these questions online, why not head to the internet to help practice and improve your Spanish too?

Expanish Spanish school in Buenos Aires offers a few free resources for our Spanish students. Take a look at the ‘Useful Resources’ section on our Expanish website! There you will find:

- Top 10 Tips for Learning Spanish

- Spanish Lesson Videos

- Downloadable Spanish Worksheets

Each day, Expanish also provides an online Spanish word or phrase of the day! This page is updated daily, so be sure to check back each week to learn a few new words or phrases! In addition to the many free resources provided by Expanish, you’re bound to have a few  of your own favorite sites with helpful translations or basic tips and tricks to learning the language, so be sure to share them with you Expanish classmates!

If you’re looking to reinforce what you learn in your Spanish courses in Buenos Aires,  head to the Expanish website for some free extra help!

If you are a vegetarian or vegan studying Spanish in Argentina, a country whose inhabitants consume more beef each year than any other in the world, figuring out how exactly you are going to eat can at first seem puzzling. After all, Argentina doesn’t exactly pride itself on catering to the vegetarian community. Luckily, vegetarian friendly restaurants and cafes have been sprouting up all across the city over the past decade, and there are now plenty of options for those looking to avoid Argentine beef!

The New York Times recently published an article titled, “Buenos Aires for Those Who Shun Steaks,” outlining some of the ways the author managed to survive a visit to Argentina as a vegetarian. In the article, she outlines how she made her stay in Buenos Aires a successful one, suggesting various restaurants that cater to both vegetarians and vegans.  In addition to the restaurants sampled in the Times article, check out the tasty options below!

Pura Vida- Uriburu 1489 (Recoleta)

Bio- Humboldt 2199 (Palermo)

Natural Deli- Laprida 1672 (Barrio Norte), Gorostiaga 1776 (Las Cañitas)

Trying to explain your eating preferences in another language is no easy feat! If you are a vegetarian or vegan learning Spanish in Buenos Aires, don’t forget these common phrases when shopping for food or dining in a restaurant.

Taking in the other sights of Argentina while you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires is an absolute must! While there is never a lack of activities to take advantage of in Buenos Aires, there is no better way to immerse yourself in Argentine language and culture than seeing what life is like outside of the comforts of the capital city.

If you were to fall asleep on the three hour bus ride to Gualeguaychú, you would probably think you were waking up in another country once you arrived. The majority of this sleepy, riverside town looks antique, with dirt roads and small colonial style homes. You will quickly notice that the people of Gualeguaychú take their siestas seriously, with most restaurants and shops closing midday, only to re-open again in the early evening, when the city comes alive….well, at least during Carnaval season!

Carnaval is undoubtedly Gualeguaychú’s main attraction, bringing thousands of locals and tourists to the area each weekend  throughout January and March. The Carnaval was full of energy, and the three comparsas taking part in the grand finale, O’Bahia, Ará Yeví and Papelitos, kept the crowd on their feet until five o’clock in the morning! Each taking center stage for over an hour, the comparsas came alive with catchy samba anthems, creative themes, and incredibly extravagant costumes and floats.

The winning comparsa, announced just today, was Ará Yeví. Sending a strong and beautiful message that expressed the importance of preserving our natural surroundings while limiting pollution for the benefit of future generations, the Ará Yeví performance was truly spectacular, closing down the show for thousands of spectators on an unforgettable note.

Did you read “Part One: Gualeguaychú – el Carnaval del País!” of this Expanish Blog entry?

Take a break from your Spanish courses in Buenos Aires and see the sights! Expanish offers various excursions outside of the city for students to take advantage of!

If you are studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, be sure to take a break from your Expanish courses to catch Argentina’s Oscar winning film, “El Secreto de Sus Ojos” (The Secret in Their Eyes). Directed by Juan José Campanella, this film is one of only six Argentine films in 50 years to be nominated for an Academy Award, and the first win for Argentina since 1985. Argentina has submitted foreign language films to the Academy for review since 1961, and is the only Latin American country to have ever won an Academy Award!

Starring Ricardo Darin, one of Argentina’s most celebrated actors, ‘El Secreto de Sus Ojos,”  presents it’s audience with a dark and complex combination of complicated love story and dramatic police thriller, set in Buenos Aires in the late 90s. Darin’s character , a retired federal agent, investigates the past murder of a young woman in Buenos Aires. Throughout the film, flashbacks of the incident provide a snapshot of Argentina in the 1970s, a time period full of judicial corruption, eventually leading to the military junta of the 70s and 80s.

This film currently stands are Argentina’s second most popular movie in cinematic history, and was the most watched movie in theaters of 2009, making it the highest grossing film ever in Argentina. ‘El Secreto de Sus Ojos’ also took home the award for best Hispano-American film at this year’s Goya Awards, the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards.

Don’t miss Argentina’s award winning film ‘El Secreto de Sus Ojos!” If you’re looking to take advantage of other cultural activities while you’re taking Spanish immersion courses in Buenos Aires, check out the student workshops offered through Expanish!

Take a night off and head to the movies! Check out our ‘Cinemas in Buenos Aires” blog entry to find a theater near you!

If you are taking some time to learn Spanish in Buenos Aires, you cannot miss the 2010 Buenos Aires Tango Festival, taking place throughout the city from February 27th until March 7th! Organized by the Buenos Aires Ministry of Culture, the Tango Festival celebrates and promotes Buenos Aires’ most notorious style of artistic expression.

Over 150 professional tango dances take to the streets and local milongas to showcase their talent, classes are held for those working on their moves, and exhibitions take place throughout the city. There are endless opportunities across Buenos Aires to learn, watch, and take part in this passionate dance— and most of them are free!

For more information on specific performance times and schedules contact:

Corrientes 1530
8th Floor
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tel +54 (0)11 4374 2829

Email info@festivaldetango.com.ar

Did you know that Expanish offers Tango lessons through their Spanish School in Buenos Aires? Find out about other activities to take part in while you are studying Spanish in Argentina through Expanish!