Sam and Vivian: How We Became Lifelong Friends While Studying In Buenos Aires (Part II)
Sam and Vivian, two college students from California, met during their study abroad program with Expanish in Buenos Aires. They soon became great friends while learning about Argentina's cultural history and discovering the delights of Buenos Aires. In this two-part article they talk to each other about the shared memories and insights they took from the experience. In part II: Vivian interviews Sam!
Hi! I am Vivian, a student from UC Santa Cruz (California) who studied abroad in Buenos Aires through Expanish. Sam was one of the first people I met after arriving for the program, and we became wonderful friends throughout the period. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his responses to my questions below, which were beautifully written and encapsulated so many emotions I had about our time in Argentina. I also loved answering the questions he asked me and felt like our answers shared insightful similarities of our experiences.
Read part I, where Sam interviews Vivian, here.
How did it feel to study human rights and the history of the Argentinian dictatorship at UBA?
The academic content of our program was the primary reason I wanted to come to South America, and my experience as an UBA student was as enlightening and important to my time in Buenos Aires as I expected. Our classes were formatted collaboratively, with multiple professors and/or TA’s teaching each course. This approach and the amount of guest speakers we had gave us a wide array of experts in various fields. The material was heavy and tragic, and we spent every day learning about genocide studies and its application to Argentina in the 1970s and 1980s. Our studies fundamentally changed how I interacted with the spaces and people around me, and it illuminated Buenos Aires as a place of great sorrow and injustice, but more importantly of resilience, solidarity, and memory. Every street and neighborhood took on new historical and cultural significance in knowing who and what the people of the city had lost, survived, and fought for and against. The city is dotted with memory sites and commemorations, the biggest of which is Ex-Esma, the former clandestine detention and murder center. Our day together at Ex-Esma was one of the most formative, emotional, and important days of our program and it synthesized so much of what we had seen and learned in one site. It is my belief that any long-time visitor to Buenos Aires would greatly benefit from attending these sites, and has a duty to explore the sociopolitical history of the city and how it remains prevalent today. The things that I learned in Buenos Aires have forever changed my understanding of memory, political struggle, international politics, and human rights.
Was it easy to make connections and friends on your program and in Buenos Aires in general?
Thankfully, yes! One of the main appeals to the program was the fact that it was themed, because I hoped to be a part of a cohort of people who were passionate about and interested in many of the same things that I was. That wish certainly came true, and the organization by Expanish made getting to know my new peers easy and fun with all of our activities. It was the experience of my life to spend our program with such unique and special people who were like-minded but different in so many ways, and our friends have taught me and inspired me so much even now. Our time together in South America will always hold an important place in my heart as we take these friendships back home.
What neighborhood did you live in in Buenos Aires and what was your favorite thing about it?
I lived in the Retiro neighborhood, down by the coast of the Rio de la Plata and Puerto Madero. The architecture was gorgeous, with impressive apartment buildings and lots of restaurants close by. It wasn’t the most centrally located, but I found I could walk to a lot of places like the museums and bars around Recoleta and school at UBA in around half an hour. In retrospect, what I loved most about Retiro were all the small things that contribute to the kind of routine that only forms after a while living in one place. There was the laundromat down the street, the vintage store on the next corner (which I bought something from on my very last day), the $1 empanadas I ate from Mr. Cook or Central de Pizzas on almost all of my walks home, the 24-hour florist, and most of all getting to walk by the beautiful Teatro Colon and Obelisco at night.
What was your favorite activity that Expanish organized for our program?
While honorable mentions absolutely go to Estancia Day (visiting a traditional local ranch) and seeing Werther at Teatro Colon, I honestly feel I have to go with our after class day at the park.The staff provided us with prompts for sketches comparing aspects of Argentina and the US, and we split into groups to create and perform them. My group performed scenes depicting shared meals in each place, but I really just loved getting to see what everyone else came up with; it was such a fun, creative, and comedic way to demonstrate the differences we had picked up on in our weeks up to that point. Afterwards, we had snacks and some of us played some casual fútbol, which I just loved. It was not the most elaborate day, but I felt connected to everybody in creating and playing together.
How did it feel to live with a host family in Argentina, and did it add to the immersion of your study abroad experience?
Living with my host mom Claudia and her son Tomas was one of the parts of study abroad that I’ll always cherish most. My roommate Tristan and I truly felt like a part of their family, and we became close over the course of many family dinners and wide-ranging conversations. Having such a welcoming home with a mother and son pair taught us so much about the city and its culture from perspectives of different generations. As a history teacher, Tomas greatly supplemented our understanding of both class subjects and the current national political atmosphere, while Claudia relayed her perspective on the years following the dictatorship and the present day election cycle. Delicious homemade meals ranged from Argentinian staples such as milanesa, lentils, and empanadas all the way to curries and fried rice. Our nights consisted of sharing our favorite musical artists from our respective countries, discussing the news of the day, playing with our cats Pillo and Ponyo, and even watching Argentine film classics. Additionally, Tomas took us to a football match between his favorite club San Lorenzo and rival Huracan. It was without question the most impressive sporting environment I’ve seen, with chants and songs shaking the stands for the entirety of the game. It was a hard goodbye, but I’m still in touch with them today and expect to be with them for the rest of my life!
How did the staff at Expanish contribute to your experience in Buenos Aires?
The Expanish staff played such a significant role in making the first half of our study abroad as great as it was. Jio packed our calendar with engaging, educational, and fun activities every week and even opened the Expanish building to us for things like watching our class documentaries together. Julia and Belu were great tour guides and a blast to tango and walk around the city with, and Laura and Gabriel were very kind administrators too. We laughed every Friday with my Spanish instructor Pablo, who taught us so much about both Argentine language and culture. He gave us recommendations to some of my favorite places in Buenos Aires, including Sarkis Armenian restaurant and the one of a kind Ecoparque. He and the rest of the staff heavily contributed to the atmosphere of home that Expanish quickly became for me all the way up to our farewell asado. It was the perfect night to celebrate our Expanish and UBA families with asado, karaoke, limbo and wobbling. I’ll miss walking in and making a tea every Friday morning for a very long time.
Looking back, what is the one thing that you miss most about Buenos Aires?
What I miss the most is how much of an adventure and opportunity every day in Buenos Aires became. Whether we had class or not, every day was a day to learn, spend time with wonderful people, and see something that I never had before. Some days it was finding a new restaurant or cafe, others going to some of my favorite art museums in the world, seeing a theater production, sitting down in a park or plaza to read and write, or simply walking around, but every day in Buenos Aires was unique and exciting. Our two months were exhausting, exhilarating, and days that I will reminisce fondly on for the rest of my life.
Find out about all of our study abroad programs in Buenos Aires as well as our other destinations in Spain and Latin America.
How did the staff at Expanish contribute to your experience in Buenos Aires?
The Expanish staff played such a significant role in making the first half of our study abroad as great as it was. Jio packed our calendar with engaging, educational, and fun activities every week and even opened the Expanish building to us for things like watching our class documentaries together. Julia and Belu were great tour guides and a blast to tango and walk around the city with, and Laura and Gabriel were very kind administrators too. We laughed every Friday with my Spanish instructor Pablo, who taught us so much about both Argentine language and culture. He gave us recommendations to some of my favorite places in Buenos Aires, including Sarkis Armenian restaurant and the one of a kind Ecoparque. He and the rest of the staff heavily contributed to the atmosphere of home that Expanish quickly became for me all the way up to our farewell asado. It was the perfect night to celebrate our Expanish and UBA families with asado, karaoke, limbo and wobbling. I’ll miss walking in and making a tea every Friday morning for a very long time.
Looking back, what is the one thing that you miss most about Buenos Aires?
What I miss the most is how much of an adventure and opportunity every day in Buenos Aires became. Whether we had class or not, every day was a day to learn, spend time with wonderful people, and see something that I never had before. Some days it was finding a new restaurant or cafe, others going to some of my favorite art museums in the world, seeing a theater production, sitting down in a park or plaza to read and write, or simply walking around, but every day in Buenos Aires was unique and exciting. Our two months were exhausting, exhilarating, and days that I will reminisce fondly on for the rest of my life.
