The term “study abroad” is sort of skewed in the U.S. because everyone associates it with going to a foreign country, traveling, and having an extended vacation. What is forgotten about is the “study.” People forget all the time that they are actually living in Buenos Aires, attending school every day, and studying. While some people might be turned off by that thought, I’m here to tell you about my amazing classes I am taking abroad.
 |
| This is the floor of the English study center in Buenos Aires where all of the CEA classes take place. |
Spanish
First of all, I already finished all of my Spanish requirements back home but I could not be happier to take a class here in Buenos Aires. No matter how long you study a language, if it is not your first then there is always more to learn. Here in Buenos Aires, there’s a thing called “lunfardo,” which is sort of like a set of slang terms in Spanish unique to this city. I’ve been learning a lot of lunfardo in my Spanish class and it makes me feel more confident speaking Spanish on the streets, and also helps to not point out the fact that I’m obviously not Argentine.
Culture of Food & Wine in Argentina
The only bad thing I could ever say about this class is that I get pretty hungry talking about food for an hour and half, but one of the best parts is that we get introduced to so many new ones. I have learned so much about the different Argentine foods that I have never even heard of before coming here and not only that, but also visit unique restaurants. Each class goes on many field trips and our first field trip in Food & Wine was to a café called Bar Academia. It is one of the oldest cafés in the city that is still functioning and takes a huge role in what food culture is in Argentina. Without this class, I would have never found this gem.
 |
| This is the floor of the English study center in Buenos Aires where all of the CEA classes take place. |
Communication and Global Competence
This class has truly been eye opening to take in a country where you are a foreigner. We talk mostly about language barriers, differences in cultures, and communicating with people from cultures different than your own. What better place to share your crazy abroad experiences? There have been many times since I’ve been in Argentina that I felt like I couldn’t communicate my feelings to their full potential, and it can be really frustrating sometimes. But each day after I leave this class, I am reminded that it’s not just my poor Spanglish or their lack of English, but the fact that I, and an Argentine, have grown up in completely different cultures. These differences between myself and the local people have only taught me to grow more as a person and to view things from other people’s point of view as well as my own.
 |
| This is what a typical classroom will look like, lined with maps and pictures of our beautiful home country, Argentina! |
The Culture and Civilization of Argentina
You can’t truly live in a new city and understand it without understand its past and present. This class has taught me the A to Z list of need-to-knows about Buenos Aires and Argentine culture. From the gauchos to tango to fútbol, Argentina is filled with a rich history and culture and this class has helped me to grasp the culture as a whole.
 |
| The student lounge on the CEA floor is always available for us to come and enjoy some mate before heading off to class! |
 |
| The walls of the classrooms are lined with highlights and trips of the country and always gives ideas of things to do for my next adventure. |
Kelsey B. is the Spring 2017 MOJO Blogger in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is currently a Junior studying Journalism & Public Relations at Indiana University.
