STORIES BEHIND THE SPANISH LANGUAGE WHICH MAY SURPRISE YOU Language is the primary vehicle for expressing ideas, thoughts, and feelings. It is the building block of culture and defines a community of people. Since the beginning of time, language has been part of every person’s social identity. Through many centuries of human existence, some languages…
Invaluable Resources for Expats Living in Buenos Aires
GET INFO AND SUPPORT FROM THE BUENOS AIRES EXPAT COMMUNITY THROUGH THESE RESOURCES While moving to a foreign country is the experience of a lifetime, you’re bound to miss the routines and familiarities of your everyday life back home, e.g. your local food delivery service or your neighborhood dry cleaners. But to help ease the…
Your Guide to UBER in Buenos Aires Argentina
What you need to know about UBER in Argentina Being a United States native, I have become accustomed to the luxuries of tapping my phone and magically making an uberX appear rather than hailing a cab. I was happy to know the same convenience would be available at my new home in Argentina. Only while…
Similarities Between The Australian and Argentine Cultures
As a guy who has lived in Perth, Western Australia his whole life, I knew that moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina was going to present a completely different way of living with a culture that is vastly contrasting to the one I grew up in. What surprised me, however, are the arrays of similarities that…
The Ultimate Spanish Vocab Infographic for the Cooking Lovers
At Vamos Spanish, we make use of all kinds of tools and activities in the classrooms to create a fun and engaging Spanish learning experience. The kind of immersive learning that we advocate doesn’t have to end once you step outside of the classroom doors though. Among the many tips that we give our students…
The Joy of Language Exchanges in Buenos Aires
The Capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, celebrates all cultures. First and foremost, its very own Porteño [Port] culture. And with a competitive standing, United States Culture. Trivia Night served to exemplify this sentiment. One of the most rewarding aspects of my experience with Vamos Spanish has been the events that we organize each week. Generally, you…
What Do You See When You Cannot See?
There are a myriad of shows, acts and musicals overflowing in Buenos Aires and they are all jostling to get under the limelight. Last weekend, my eyes were opened, so to speak, to a new phenomena as I went to experience the: “Theatre for The Blind”. “Theatre for The Blind” sounds like a strange oxymoron…
Your Spanish-English Language Guide to Popular Yoga Positions and Vocabularies
We never miss a beat in learning Spanish by immersion in Buenos Aires, but sometimes it’s not as simple as picking up the dictionary to figure out how to say something or what a specific term is. This applies exactly to my experience in attending yoga classes in the city. Not all yoga studios in…
A “Scientific” Study Of The Best Ice Cream in Buenos Aires
When people think of Argentina they often think of key food groups such as red wine and steak, but there’s an important food group they’ve forgotten… ice cream or ( Helado in Argentine Spanish ). Some of you may say that ice cream is not a food group, but frankly, you’re wrong. Some of you…
Sightsee Buenos Aires On A Double Decker
The Yellow Bus. Hop-on hop-off Buenos Aires City Tour. Whether you are visiting Buenos Aires for just a few days or a few months, you won’t go wrong by taking the yellow bus, or officially the Buenos Aires Yellow Bus https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/en/article/city-tour-bus, as your first activity to get a feel of the city. It is a…
Torrontes: The Exclusive Argentine White Wine
The first Argentine wine I tried was in Mendoza, and it was not a Malbec; back then my tastes ran only to white wine. I tried a Torrontes and was hooked. Torrontes is a grape variety grown almost exclusively in Argentina throughout the wine regions. There are three main varieties of grape Torrontés Riojano, Torrontés…
Buses in Buenos Aires | Ultimate 101 Guide to “The Colectivos” and Public Transport System
Buenos Aires is a very well-connected city by public transport. Among all the means, I prefer taking the colectivos (buses) the most. I always told newcomers that the colectivos are like cheap tour buses to see the city. In fact, they could easily be the cheapest. For just AR $9 (US$0.45), you can go from one end of the…
Top Places to Watch 2018 FIFA World Cup Games in Buenos Aires City
Every four years the world’s best soccer players reunite with their home country and play against other countries to determine which is truly the greatest. In no other land but Argentina is football as much a part of life as breathing itself. Here you’ll find some of the greatest spots that Buenos Aires has to…
Getting Cheeky in Argentina: How and When to Kiss People in Buenos Aires
(Aside from the obvious answer of whenever you can and however you want…) In Argentina, it is customary to give certain people a beso, or kiss, on the right cheek when you say hello or goodbye. If you are not expecting this to happen, or don’t know that it is a thing down here, you will…
Essential Apps In Buenos Aires Argentina
Useful apps to make the most of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is a metropolitan, energetic, diverse, and seductive city. It is a capital on a grand scale, though it can be a little complex and even daunting for the unprepared. Fortunately, almost everyone nowadays has a smartphone sat in their pocket which can be a…
Important factors which will determine your Study Abroad Success
The process of learning a language is a lot like an athlete training for a gold medal. There’s coaching, goal setting, hard work, determination, riding the ups and downs and modifying your strategies to get to the prize at the end. The Olympics have concluded in Rio for another 4 years and you’ve possibly been…
How to Learn Spanish in Argentina
My study abroad experience in Argentina I began learning Spanish over a month ago and figured it was now a good time to reflect on learning the language. As background, I grew up in the U.S. and studied Spanish until 8th grade. I then switched to studying Chinese for high school and university, living in…
Ways to Put Your Spanish Skills to the Test While Learning Spanish in Buenos Aires
Practicing Spanish in Buenos Aires Argentina As we are learning a foreign language, other than making sure we are grasping the grammar and applying them correctly in a classroom setting, we often feel like testing ourselves and trying to see how we actually fare in the real world. Able to interact with native speakers is…
Free Practical Alternatives to Learn Spanish
6 Alternative Ways to Studying Spanish Attending an intensive, structured language class is the number one way to improve your Spanish quickly. There is simply no substitution to putting hours into conversational practice, having a native teacher to help you with grammar and any difficulties you might have. But your efforts shouldn’t end when school…
From USA to Argentina Learning Spanish in Buenos Aires
Living in Argentina while Studing Spanish in Buenos Aires In three days, I will have officially been in Buenos Aires for two months! It’s not like I haven’t felt it coming, since that’s one of the first questions I get when striking up a conversation with locals: “How long have you been here?” It comes right after,…
Holidays Celebrations in Argentina
Holidays in Argentina are very important times to be around loved ones. While there are many holidays celebrated in similar tradition all around the world, there are some traditions that may be unique to Argentina. A good background to know before we get into the details of the holidays is that 92% of the people…
Discovering the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires
Recoleta Cemetery (Cementerio de la Recoleta) is often listed as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. After spending an afternoon wandering through the cobblestone streets lined with tombs I would have to agree. Recoleta Cemetery is located in the prestigious neighbourhood of Recoleta, in the city of Buenos Aires. In the early…
Argentine Public Holidays for 2018: Discover What To Do, What To See and Where To Go
Argentines love their holidays, and in 2018 they will be blessed with 20 “feriados” or holidays. However for the tourist the thought of closed shops, closed restaurants, closed spanish schools and closed cultural centers doesn’t have the same thrill as it does to your daily Buenos Aires office worker. Don’t despair, there are many ways…
Dulce de Leche Argentine Alfajor: Story, Types, Recipe and more
Alfajores are an Argentine snack specialty, dating back to the early 19th century. They are extremely popular across the country and have grown to become a large part of the Argentine culture. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of trying one yet, a traditional home-made style alfajor consists of two buttery fluffy cookies with…
Your guide to grocery shopping in Buenos Aires
By: Bruno Martín Picanzo Ubal Grocery shopping in Argentina can be difficult. With inflation estimated at 25.6% this year – down from 40% in 2016 – there is a disparaging array of prices affecting every area of the economy in the country. Not surprisingly, however, this recurring phenomenon that has long become normal to locals…
Plaza Francia Market & Fair in Recoleta Fair & Market: Not your everyday flea market
If you’re not quite in the mood for being the travel-guide wielding foreigner at one of Buenos Aires’ many tourist locations, the Recoleta Market & Fair in Plaza Francia is a perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Glittered with artisan stands and packed with porteño hippies, hipsters and tourists alike, the…
A Day of Escape from Buenos Aires to Colonia
Last weekend I joined the masses of gringos on the ‘Buquebus’ to Colonia in Uruguay, to escape cars, concrete and all the bustle of Buenos Aires. After a three-hour boat trip across the Rio de la Plata (main river through Buenos Aires) which included a fairly cheesy tango show, I arrived at Colonia. It is…
Buenos Aires Newspapers | Your Guide to Argentine Papers
If you are like me who enjoy reading the paper with a cup of coffee, you will not be lack of options here in Buenos Aires. Just off my head, these are some of the national dailies that you will come across in cafés all the time: Clarín La Nación Pagína12 Chrónica El Cronista (finance…
Argentine Empanadas – History, Recipes and Types.
Discovering the Argentine Empanada After the meat and pizza, a trip to Buenos Aires is not complete without empanadas. Every region of Argentina has its own special recipe which, the locals will assure you, is better than any other empanada out there. The modern empanada is believed to be a derivative of the Indian samosa.…
Where To Enjoy a Pint of Craft Beer in Buenos Aires
Best Craft Beer in Buenos Aires While here in Buenos Aires it may still be easier to find a Quilmes or Brahma at your typical Argentine watering hole, the microbrew craze that is sweeping other parts of the world is certainly starting to take hold in the bar scene of Buenos Aires. As an avid…
The Best Guide to the Iguazu Falls in Argentina
WEEKEND TRIP TO IGUAZÚ FALLS Unlike Anything Else in the World No trip to Argentina is complete without a visit to Iguazu Falls, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and 2011 was named one of the 7 Wonders of the Natural World. There are few sights more awe inspiring as Iguazu Falls. Stretching almost…
Top it up for Argentine Oscar win!
Argentine film ‘El secreto de sus ojos’ (The Secret in Their Eyes) won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film last night! It is directed by Juan José Campanella. The thriller is set in the early 1970s Argentina. The story unfolds in the country’s main federal courthouse, where an investigator discovers co-workers torturing suspects…
5 Pain-free Ways to Improve Your Spanish
5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Spanish in Argentina As a fellow busy expat, teaching English in Buenos Aires, I know that it can be easy to fall into the trap of limiting your daily Spanish intake to “un café con leche, por favor.” When you are surrounded by eager Porteños who want to learn…
Running in Buenos Aires | Where to Run in Buenos Aires
A runner’s first impression of Buenos Aires is usually as a huge city with busy overcrowded streets and potholed footpaths covered in the remnants of dogs visits. By no means a running friendly place, but don’t hang up your trainers just yet. Read our tips on running in Buenos Aires to discover places to run…
The Story of Milanesa – Learn How To Make it & Recipes
The Real Argentine Milanesa When you think of meat in Argentina most likely the first thing that comes to mind is parillas and asados. Which is for a very good reason because it’s done great and it’s a part of the culture. When you think of places in the world known for meat it’s a…
Where Was the Birth spot of Mafalda
May be I am a little slow or just didn’t pay enough attention, I just realized that the reason the cute little Mafalda statue sitting on a bench at the corner of Defensa and Chile in San Telmo is because she was born there! Well, of course, not literally at the street corner but she…
Temaikén
Buenos Aires has a zoo in the city but actually not too far from the city, there is another zoo, or more accurately a bioparque called Temaikén (http://www.temaiken.com.ar). It is only an hour bus ride from Plaza Italia and the bus will drop you right off at the entrance. Compare to the zoo in the…
How to Spot a Fake
How to Spot Fake Argentine Pesos Unfortunately, many visitors to Argentina end up with fake pesos notes. Some of these are excellent forgeries others are really quite poor but if you haven’t handled the money before you don’t know how to tell the difference between the real thing and a fake. Students at Vamos Spanish…
An Argentine Tradition – Eating Gnocchi On The 29th
Argentine ñoqui Tradition Not having much luck (financially) these days? May be because you didn’t eat ñoquis (gnocchi) on the 29th last month! Yes, here in Argentina, we have a tradition (or some say, superstition) of eating ñoquis on the 29th of every month for luck. Like many cultural customs here, this tradition stems from…
Fashion Insiders in Buenos Aires
Love fashion and want to practice your Spanish? There are quite a few prominent fashion bloggers right here in the city that will let you take a look at fashion through the eyes of a local. They talk about the local trends both on the runway and out in the streets, and also offer exclusive…
