Excited for our first full day in Argentina, we began our day at 10:00 am by listening to a presentation by Matt Moran in the hotel. Matt is a former World Bank Consultant who immigrated to Argentina from Ireland for his job. During the presentation, we heard all about what it is like to move to Argentina, the pros and cons of the government system, and the Argentinian culture and lifestyle. He told us several interesting "dark" and "strange" tales from the country's past. In addition, he told a few anecdotes from his life in Argentina including a story about getting his driver's license here solely because he had a one back in Ireland. Matt was a very engaging presenter. This presentation was thoroughly enjoyable and a great way to start the day by better understanding what it is like to live in Argentina. After the presentation, we were free to get lunch on our own. In attempt to try some authentic Argentinian meat, Steph, Karissa, Tina, and I found a cute Italian restaurant down a closed street filled with people, shops, currency exchangers, and restaurants. The steak was great!
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| Matt Moran - great speaker! |
After our free lunch, the group met back up at 2:00 pm for a city tour by bus led by our wonderful tour guide Sophia. The tour lasted for about three and a half hours and we made three stops throughout it. Srdan gave us all a local treat to try on the bus called an alfajor that was either sugary or chocolate. We all loved the cookie-type dessert! By bus, we saw many cool art structures and statues around Buenos Aires. In addition we saw many important political buildings including the pink house where the President works and the army's building to name a few. We stopped at an open market not too far from the hotel to shop and enjoy the different stands. Next, we went to La Boca, which is a famous neighborhood with many shops in it. At La Boca, Wes, Steph, and I tried the famous Yerba Mate drink. The drink was very strong and herbal but we liked it! Our final stop was at a huge open market that went all the way down a very long street. At the market, we witnessed two police offers run down the street to catch a pickpocketer. The whole crowd applauded when he was caught! The large majority of the group decided to walk back to the hotel through the market instead of taking the bus back. After returning to the hotel at about 6:00 pm, we had the rest of the day free to enjoy and explore the beautiful and exciting city of Argentina. We have been enjoying bonding with and getting to know each other by swimming in the pool, walking through the city, finding great places to eat, and much more!
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