Museo de Bellas Artes and Last Friday

Museo de Bellas Artes

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!  Well, at least in Buenos Aires...today is our last Friday in Buenos Aires while we spend our last week in the city of Bariloche.  Here's a recap of yesterday and today:

Me and my Profesora Magu

Yesterday after classes, our group went to visit Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum).  The museum consists of over 12,000 works, but only 700 can be displayed at one time.  Artists range from Latin American artists such as Goya and Picasso to artists around the world such as Van Gogh.  Currently, they have a room dedicated to Colombian artist Botero.  But the best part about the museum: it was free!  Erin Leverence, one of the students in our group, loved it so much that she ended up going twice!

Last day of classes!

Today was our last day of classes in Buenos Aires :(  Once classes were over, the school surprised us with champagne and treats for graduation (I think that might have been Professor Bases trying to bribe us to come back with him next trip....).  Graduation diplomas were handed out, and our last good-byes were said.

Tomorrow, we travel to Bariloche in a bus for 20 HOURS!!  ahhh!

-Nate Solofra

More from Buenos Aires

Hola!

The past few days here in Buenos Aires have been pretty typical and low-key for us--we're continuing with our classes (our group had fun with some Argentine comics!) and in the afternoons we do excursions with our tourist groups.  Most of the groups have completed all of their required excursions and are using this week to visit places that weren't on our list.  Yesterday our group (and I believe a few others) went to a memorial that commemorates the victims of the Dirty War of the 1970s.  During this time Argentina was in a state of terrorism as thousands of people who were considered political opponents--from reporters to politicians to students--mysteriously disappeared, and later it was discovered that they were tortured and killed.  The memorial was formerly a military camp that was used essentially as a concentration camp during the Dirty War.


Today we decided on a lighter-hearted excursion to the movie theater!  Several other groups who already went highly recommended Monsters University, so we saw it as well.  It was fun watching a kids' movie in Spanish because it's very easy to understand and we get the jokes!
Until next time, everyone! Chao!
-Erin

Adios Uruguay, Hola Buenos Aires

"La Mano"

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the late blog, but we've been busy traveling and getting situated again.  On Saturday, June 22, our group left Montevideo and took a city tour of the city Punta del Este in Uruguay.  This city is known for being a get away for Argentinians and the higher class.  On the coast, Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal sculpted what is known in English as "The Hand", which was originally made to warn swimmers that the waves were rougher in this area.  On the right, Bryan Gruenewald, Peter Buschkopf, and Sarah Helwig pose in front of "La Mano".

Spanish is serious business

Sunday was a free day, so everyone took the opportunity to catch up on sleep or homework.  Today, we went back to school at Amauta.  As you can see from the picture, we're serious about our Spanish studies.

Jardín Japonés

After classes, our group decided to head to "Jardín Japonés" or "Japanese Garden".  Located in the Barrio of Palermo, this garden is one of the largest of its kind in the World (outside of Japan) and contains a variety of sculptures and gardens.

-Nate Solofra

More from Montevideo!

Trying some wine at the Bodega

Hello, all!

Look! We have a new friend!

It is a chilly Friday evening here in Montevideo, Uruguay, and we're nearing the end of our adventures here.  Yesterday after classes we had a whole group activity (which doesn't happen too often because of how big our group is!): we left the city and went to the Bodega Bouza, a classy little vineyard and winery!  It was great to get some fresh air, and cool to see the process of how wine is made.  Uruguay doesn't produce as much wine as Chile and Argentina, but it still has a climate that is very conducive to growing grapes.  Since today is the first day of winter here (I hope you're all enjoying the first day of summer; we're a little jealous right now) the vineyard is currently harvested and the plants just look like sticks, but the countryside was still beautiful.  Following the tour we went into the restaurant to sample four different kinds of wine, and of course enjoyed some bread, cheese, and meat with it!  Yum!  We also made friends with the winery's pet--a capybara!  Seriously, this huge rainforest rodent acted exactly like a dog... Pretty crazy.

After-school fiesta!

Today was our last day of classes at La Herradura, our school here in Montevideo.  The teachers gave us a send-off party on the school's terrace after our morning classes, which was delightful.  After school today, we all went on a walking tour of Montevideo's Barrio Sur, a neighborhood that is home to the city's African population.  We saw several important buildings and murals that were painted to commemorate the history of African Uruguayans, then we went to a small parrilla, where we enjoyed some much-anticipated bread and meat with a special salsa, and learned about candombe, and type of music and dance that has its roots in Africa.  Following this presentation, they brought out the drums (the only instruments of candombe) and began to play--the music was excellent and woke us up wonderfully!  We also got to learn some of the dances, which are very upbeat and fun.

Candombe

Tomorrow morning we leave Montevideo bright and early, and after stopping in Punta del Este we'll be heading back to Buenos Aires!  More news to come!

-Erin

Chao, Montevideo!

Museo de Artes Decorativas and Cooking Classes

"Mmmmm..."

Days two and three in the city of Montevideo = success! Although the city is about the 10th of the size of Buenos Aires, we are definitely enjoying ourselves.  Like in Argentina, we have classes everyday from 9 am to 1 pm.  After classes on Tuesday, we were free to roam the city and find something our group was interested.  So of course the first idea that came to mind was food!

Uruguay is know for its various types of meats.  In fact, according to our tour guide, for every person in Uruguay there are three cows (random fact for the day).  One of the most popular meats is Chivito, which is a thin slice of filet mignon on a sandwich.  Yet despite the fact that chivito means goat in Spanish and the sandwich is really from a cow, the Uruguayans still call the meat chivito (random fact #2 for the day).  As seen in the picture on the right, Caleb seemed like he enjoyed it!

Following the restaurant, we toured one of the free museums called, "Museo de Artes Decorativas."  Inside were various paintings and works of art that was in the process of renovation.  An example of one of the room can be seen in the picture on the left.

On Wednesday, the school wanted to make sure we were culturally aware of who the Uruguayans are....so why not more food?!  After classes, each individual group met together in the school for a cooking class to make a special kind of desert.  In the picture on the right, Scott Henrich and Ben Olson are hard at work!

Wine tour tomorrow!

-Nate Solofra

Bienvenidos a Montevideo!

Sunrise over Buenos Aires as we say goodbye!

Hello everyone!

Montevideo's Ciudad Vieja

We are officially in a different country-- Uruguay!  We left early in the morning on Sunday (as in we watched the sun rise as we left), first in a large boat for about an hour and a half across the Rio de la Plata, then we transferred to a bus, which took us the rest of the way to Uruguay's capital of Montevideo.  Although many would say that Montevideo and Buenos Aires are very similar, we are think differently as of now!  Half of Uruguay's population lives in the capital city, but it still is only a city of about 1.5 million--still big for many of us, but significantly smaller than Buenos Aires with its 12 million inhabitants!  Since Montevideo is so much smaller, we have found it to be much more tranquil and less overwhelming than Buenos Aires.  The people have also been very kind to us!  We're enjoying the atmosphere!

School began this morning at 9:00.  It has a similar setup as the Buenos Aires school, but it also is smaller and is run by one family (from Spain and Ireland--how cultural!).  Our classes are a mix of cultural lessons about Uruguay and improving our Spanish, and so far we like them a lot!  We already have some new ideas for our future classrooms from our classes today!  After school we took a bus tour of the entire city of Montevideo, seeing everything from the Old Town (Ciudad Vieja) to the mansions in the wealthy neighborhoods to the beaches!  We especially liked seeing the sunset over the city at the end of the tour.

Sunset over Montevideo

Thanks for reading, everyone!  Until tomorrow!

-Erin

La Boca, Mercado, and Ateneo Bookstore

La Boca

Today was more or less a free day for the group.  The only requirements was to visit the region of "La Boca" and tour the street of, "el caminito."

Building at El Caminito

La Boca is a neighborhood which literally means "The mouth".  The barrio was given this name because it sits at the mouth of the Riachulo river.  This region is most famous for its buildings with vibrant colors and its soccer stadium that presides a couple of blocks away from the main street "el caminito".  A typical building in the touristy section would like similar to the building in the picture on the left.

Market just outside of La Boca

After La Boca, our group had some free time and decided to see two other places.  Our first stop was at a market place we saw while walking to La Boca.  Much like the market at San Telmo, vendors lined up to sell various items; however, this market was more for the people rather than tourists, selling a variety of clothing and shoes.

After our group ventured off to Ateneo Bookstore.  Originally a theater, the Ateneo chain of bookstores bought the once prized building and turned it into a type of Barnes and Noble (only way more classier!).  Inside, there are three levels with a cafe/restaurant in the main stage area.

Ateneo Bookstore

Tomorrow our group heads to the city of Montevideo in the country Uruguay!  As of right now, Erin and I aren't sure about our internet situation, but we'll try to update our blog as soon as possible.

-Nate Solofra

Keepin' it Classy

The tango dinner

Scott and Joe with Omar

Yesterday we said goodbye to one of our teachers, Omar.  Omar taught two different groups at school and we have enjoyed having him as a teacher!  He is from Colombia, and is leaving soon to spend time there, so we won't get to work with him our third week in Buenos Aires.  Thanks, Omar!

Ready for dinner!

Last night, the immersion group had our classiest experience yet-- a tango dinner in the center of the city!  The boys put on their shirts and ties and the girls wore their best dresses for the occasion.  When we arrived, we were seated all together at two long tables, and were given many options for entrees, main course, and dessert!  We got to practice some fine dining etiquette (which fork do I use first?) and we loved it!  The food was excellent!

The grand finale of the show

As we ate our dessert, the show began with tango music played on piano, bass, accordion, and violin.  Soon some dancers joined, and later soloists.  The music was beautiful, and we even recognized some of the songs because of our dance lessons this week!  The musicians and dancers walked us through the history of tango in Buenos Aires from its beginnings in the 1800s to today.  All in all, it was an excellent evening!

-Erin

Your bloggers dressed up for a night out :)

Concert in Teatro Colón

Teatro Colón

Wednesday, June 12 was a more relaxed day, so Erin and I decided to save the blog until tonight's festivities.  As always, our class is working vigorously on improving our Spanish.  Right now, the majority of the classes are learning something called 'Lunfardo', which is a type of Spanish slang mixed with Italian words.  Lunfardo has a strong connection with the heritage of Buenos Aires and is commonly used as street slang.  After classes, tango lesson continued for the majority of our group.

Orchestra getting ready to perform

The Immersion group had two options tonight.  1) Visit Milonga, a place where people are free to dance.  2)  Watch the concert performance at Teatro Colón.  My small group, along with Peter Buschkopf and Jared Natsis decided option number 2.

"Wow, what a show!"

Tonight's performance was entitled, "Colón Contemporáneo," meaning a contemporary style of music.  There were two main parts to the show.  The first half consisted pianist Ermis Theodrakis, followed by the Buenos Aires' Philharmonic Orchestra.  Overall, the show was definitely worth seeing because of its unparalleled sense of modern-day composition (there's my fancy critique for the day....)  As seen on the right, Caleb and I were impressed!

Tomorrow is the Tango Spectacular!

-Nate Solofra

Tango Lessons!

Edili and Scott showing off :)

Our tango hall

This week the majority of the immersion group is taking tango lessons!  After classes (which end at 1:00) we eat lunch in small groups, but then we walk about 20 minutes from the school to a building that has a large floor for dancing.  Our wonderful instructor, Rafa, is doing a great job of teaching us the basics of tango--we're learning a lot, but it's not overwhelming.  We have already learned a lot of different steps, as you can hopefully see in the pictures!
Tango lessons have also been a great way to get to know the whole group.  Up to this point, we haven't spent a ton of time all together, and since we go to different colleges or at least are in different classes, we don't all know each too well.  However, during the tango lessons we switch partners at least every five minutes, so now we all have gotten to know each other a little better.  Plus, it's so much fun!!
Hopefully we'll all return to the U.S. awesome tango dancers!
Hasta luego!
-Erin

Ruth and Alex are experts already!

San Telmo

San Telmo Mercado

Sorry for the late blog everyone!  For some reason, the internet doesn't always like to cooperate with me in Latin America....

Garrapiñadas and Other Sweets

Every Sunday, a section of the city in San Telmo closes down its streets to host many vendors selling anything from clothing and jewelry to art and music. The flea market starts near the building of La Casa Rosada and stretches for about 10 or so blocks. Yesterday, our group toured the streets and bought gifts for friends and family.  One of my favorite items to buy is the garrapiñadas, peanuts glazed in sugar and vanilla.  Besides smelling them from a mile away, they only cost 5 pesos a bag! (about a U.S. $1).  In addition to vendors, musicians and impersonators can be found at almost every street corner.

Working hard, as always...

After having a free day to tour San Telmo, our Immersion group went back to work at Amauta Spanish school.  As seen on the right, our group is very hard working! (minus Pedro just trying to look good for the camera!)  Once classes ended, Pastor Seth Haakenson led worship in one of the classrooms.

Pastor Seth Haakenson leads worship

Later tonight and the rest of this week, the majority of our group will be learning how to Tango.
Pictures and stories to come!

-Nate Solofra

A La Estancia!

La Estancia

Ready for lunch!

For a change of pace, we left Buenos Aires and went into the country to visit a estancia, which is a Argentine ranch.  We loved getting some fresh air and seeing the open sky!  Right away when we arrived we were greeted with empanadas and wine, which were both delicious.  Later we got to ride horses and explore the ranch on our own.  Our lunch was a feast!  After having soup and salad, we were given all different kinds of meat to try--Argentine beef is famous for a reason!

Riding horses!

During the "lunch" we got to see several dances, like some tradition and some tango.  The musicians sang songs from each country represented by the people who were visiting, from Colombia to Russia to England!  For the U.S. song, they invited our group to come to the stage to sing a song we all knew, so we sang the Doxology in harmony!  It was a wonderful experience!
After spending more time relaxing in the fresh air, we left to return to Buenos Aires.  Tomorrow many of us are visiting some markets and fairs here in the city.
Thanks for keeping up with us!  We hope all are enjoying the summer in the U.S.!
Chao!
-Erin

Loving the open air :)

Teatro Colón

Inside Teatro Colón

Me and Beethoven!

Today was a pretty typical morning in which everyone attended their regular classes.  Following lunch, our group met together to take a tour of the famous Teatro Colón, which is considered among the top five concert venues in the world (number one according to our tour guide).  The famous opera theater comprises seven levels, one main area below, and side rooms for the president and family (as seen above).  During our tour, we were lucky enough to see the finale of an opera that is currently performing in Buenos Aires.  Hopefully tickets are still available before we return to the U.S.  As you can see from the picture on the left, Beethoven and I both approve of the theater!

Churro and Iced Coffee

After an hour tour, my group decided to get a 'pre-supper desert' at the famous Cafe Tortoni.  This cafe is known for its churros, chocolate, and tango.  The cafe is also famous for being a meeting place for writers around the world, with a research library for tango scholars next to the restaurant.  To spoil my supper with my host family, Ruth Nottling and I ordered churros and an iced coffee.

As much as I like the food here, I'm pretty sure I'm going to return to the U.S. wider than I am tall......hasta mañana!

-Nate Solofra

Mate, Mayo y Mas

El Puente de la Mujer

Many of the groups learned today (or earlier this week) about mate, a very popular drink in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.  Mate is not just any herbal tea... It is a cultural tradition that is much more about socializing than it is about drinking tea!  I learned very quickly today about all of the rituals that go along with drinking mate, all of which I did incorrectly.  However, with much instruction from our wonderful teacher Cesar, we learned how one person "serves" the mate, how each person drinks the entire cup before passing it back to the server to refill with hot water, and how there are different meanings associated with with the position of the straw!  We had no idea there was so much involved in drinking mate!

Las Abuelas marching in the Plaza de Mayo

After class, we separated into our small groups to visit different places of the city.  Some groups headed to the museum, others to parks, but our group decided to venture into the center of Buenos Aires.  We first went to Puerto Madero, the newest district of the city, and walked across the Puente de la Mujer, designed by the famous Santiago Calatrava.  We also visited the Plaza de Mayo (the historical and cultural center of the city) just in time to see the Abuelas de los Desaparecidos march around the plaza, which they do every Thursday to commemorate and ask for justice for the disappearance of their sons and grandsons in the Dirty War of Argentina.  

Each group gets to tour these and many other important places in Buenos Aires on their own--look for news about places other groups have visited soon!

Hasta manana!

-Erin

Italian Classes

Buenos Aires is not only a city filled with Latin American culture, but also a town with its heritage originating from Europe.  Evidence of this can be seen in the food, the way people dress, and buildings modeled after French architecture.  But one country’s heritage that stands out over the rest is Italy.  For this reason, why not learn Italian?

We are always this
behaved in class...

A small group consisting of Paul Bases, Andrew Schmiege, Lucas Fricke, and your wonderful blogger Nate Solofra decided to do just that.  Instead of taking Spanish, we decided learning a new language would help us understand again what it is like to start another language and how to better teach languages to others with little or no experience.

Casa de Borges

After classes, we went as a group on a tour of the barrio Palermo.  Here we saw first-hand what the area of Palermo consists and ended the tour by seeing where Jorge Luís Borges (famous Argentinian author) lived during his lifetime in Buenos Aires.

Ci vediamo domani!

-Nathan Solofra

MLC Immersion group in Palermo.