Australia to Argentina my Travel Abroad Experience This is my second trip to Buenos Aires and so far I have been here for about 7 weeks. My first trip to this great city was in December 2014 and to be honest I only got a brief taste of it, but enough of a taste to…
From London to Argentina: My First Month in Buenos Aires
My Spanish Immersion Experience in Buenos Aires Argentina After finishing university in England earlier this year, I knew I wanted to do something a bit more challenging than following the usual route of finding a job in London. Above all, I wanted to put myself out of my comfort zone and explore a new country. I…
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,…
Top 8 Reasons to Choose Argentina as Your Next Vacation Destination
“No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.” A very famous Spanish phrase which translates to “Don’t wait for tomorrow to do something you can do today.” And we are here to prove you why you shouldn’t wait any longer to choose this Latin American country for your next travel getaway. Lying in the…
Spanish Grammar – Nouns and Gender
Spanish Grammar Series One of the trickiest things to come to terms with for a native English speaker attempting to learn Spanish, is the key role that gender plays. In English, gender is not important unless you are speaking about a living object, ie, a person or an animal. However, in Spanish, all nouns (person,…
Lollapalooza in Buenos Aires. Your Guide to the best party in Argentina
What is Lollapalooza? Lollapalooza is a music festival that originates from the United States, it was created in 1991 and has undergone various revivals since then. It first expanded into South America in 2010 when the festival was staged in Santiago, Chile. The following year there was a festival in Brazil and in 2014 Buenos…
Definite and Indefinite Articles in Spanish
Definite and Indefinite Articles in Spanish Study Spanish in Buenos Aires In order to learn any language, you need to spend some time understanding basic grammar and while it is not the most exciting aspect of learning a new language, it is important. One essential element of Spanish is the article. What is an article?…
Cultural Do’s and Don’ts in Argentina
The DON’Ts and DO’s complete guide. What you need to know now before going to Argentina Beautiful landscapes with high mountains and the famous La Pampa, a long and massive coastline, big cities like Buenos Aires and a healthy mixture of cultures – these are just a few things that make Argentina a country worth visiting. But,…
Traveling from New Zealand to Argentina
There wasn’t a great deal of thought or planning behind my partner and myself choosing to move to Argentina. Quite simply we were both at points in our lives where an adventure was well overdue. Max’s birthday was shortly after we meet and I bought my new chef boyfriend an Argentine cookbook because he had…
Places To Try Yerba Mate In Buenos Aires
Yerba Mate Bars in Buenos Aires Argentina Many foreigners to Buenos Aires may find themselves wanting to try yerba mate (the hot beverage which the Argentines drink daily), but are hesitant to invest in all of the necessary supplies in order to make it. The solution? Mate bars. Now as a (silly) foreigner myself, upon hearing…
How to Renew your tourist visa in Buenos Aires Argentina
Visas for Argentina As an american with his 90 day tourist visa running out I started to stress on how to extend this. After googling and failing to find time for a trip to colonia I found the best option was to deal with the Dirección Nacional De Migraciones. My Spanish in this first 90…
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…
The Story Behind Madres de Plaza de Mayo
The Argentina Story Behind the Date – March 24 Thursday, March 24, don’t expect to go to work, to class, or shopping- it’s a national holiday, and a big one at that. Known as el Día de la Memoria, the Day of Memory, it’s not your run-of-the-mill recognition of some old battle. In fact, pretty…
Compare Us to LV Studio Spanish School
10 Reasons to Choose Vamos Spanish Academy Academic Excellence. You will have the same teacher for your Spanish Classes. This is a very important factor for a better learning experience. Dedicated Academic Director. She will evaluate your written and oral level tests in order to place you at the right class according to your level.…
Introduction to (some) Argentine Slang and Lunfardo
The Slang and Lunfardo from Argentina Spanish (or Castellano) in Buenos Aires is full of slang words and expressions. When you first get here it can be difficult, and even frustrating, to understand locals due to all the slang that is used. However, just learning the basic slang words will be very useful and help…
Vos instead of Tu – Learn Spanish from Argentina
Why is Vos used in Argentina? By Alex – May 16 – 2015 Many students get shocked in their first Spanish lesson when they found out that the only conjugations they felt confident about, don’t exist in Buenos Aires. I’m talking about their first contact with the “voseo”, the use of “vos” instead of the…
Another Popular Sport in Argentina – Polo
Eight mounted horses ridden by men with five foot sticks and helmets, 300 yards of field and a solid ball. It sounds like the start of a medieval war but polo has been a rather posh sport in Argentina for centuries. Brought over by the British colonizers, who would enjoy the sport on the pampas…
100 Barrios Part 2: Sub-Barrios of Palermo
Anyone planning to come to Buenos Aires is very likely to come across the many sub-barrios (neighborhoods) of Palermo. But this can turn out to be very confusing, especially when you hear two names for the same area or discover that there seems to be some overlap in the territory! So here’s a list of the…
Earth Day 2016 Celebration in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Earth Day Celebrations In case Google’s home page –featuring an earthy forest design — didn’t tip you off, today is Earth Day! It’s the one day of the year where we’re reminded to think about our impact on the environment and educate ourselves on sustainability, and Buenos Aires is taking note. The city will be…
A beginner’s Guide to Understanding Mauricio Macri
Mauricio Macri, The Savior of Argentina On the 10th December 2015 Mauricio Macri officially came into power after winning 51% of the vote in the elections in October. This change from the Peronist government marked the end of an era. Macri promised change and the people trusted him to bring Argentina out of its dire…
American Visitors will no longer have to pay when entering Argentina
Americans traveling to Argentina will be able to enter without having to pay the Reciprocity Visa fee. by Alex Olson, 24 March 2016 The President of the United States’ visit to Argentina has created a positive new correct between these two countries. For years the Argentine government has been charging American visitors a fee of…
Argentine and Latin American Cumbia
What is Cumbia Music? Cumbia is a type of music and dance style from Latin America. It began as a courtship type of dance mostly practiced among African countries to then later mixed with Amerindian, European and African instruments and musical characteristics. You have probably heard this music if you visited Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru among others in…
The Famous Buenos Aires Ghost Story
Popular Ghost Stories Halloween is not widely celebrated in Argentina, so in Buenos Aires you probably won’t see children dressed up in costumes wandering the city streets, trick-or-treating at apartment buildings after buildings. However, we could still get you into the mood by telling you one of the famous ghost stories of Buenos Aires. It…
Carnival Celebrations in Argentina
Around this time of the year is the Carnival season all around the world, including the Rio de Janiero’s Carnival, which has to be the most famous one in South America. When it comes to Argentina, festive colorful carnivals aren’t probably the association one would make right away; however, do you know that we do…
Buenos Aires is One of the Most Bike-Friendly Cities in the World
When we talk about the cycling culture in an urban city, Amsterdam in the Netherlands probably first comes to mind or Copenhagen in Denmark or Berlin in Germany. Basically, you’d think of a city somewhere in Europe. However, do you know that Buenos Aires, Argentina actually has been quietly modernizing its city landscape and introducing…
100 Barrios Part 1: Unofficial neighborhoods of Buenos Aires
When reading about Buenos Aires, you’re certain to have come across names such as “Barrio Norte” or “Once” – but then when you go to locate them on a map, you can’t find any reference to them. Buenos Aires officially has 48 neighborhoods (barrios in Spanish), but there are another 48 (give or take) that…
Buenos Aires Summer Festival – Verano en la Ciudad 2016
The annual Verano en La Ciudad is here again! It is a summer program of cultural events organized by the city government. Not only they all take place in the outdoors (who doesn’t love to lounge around under the starlit sky in such wonderful Buenos Aires summer weather?!), they are also FREE to attend. This…
Where Are the Beaches in Buenos Aires?
Whenever hot steamy summer hits, the question we get the most from our Vamos Spanish students is probably “Where are the beaches in Buenos Aires?” And every time we have to unfortunately disappoint and reveal to them that there’re actually NO beaches in Buenos Aires [accompanied by horror facial expression] despite the fact that the…
Ringing in the New Year in Buenos Aires 2016
For many Argentines, ringing in the New Year is as much a family affair as celebrating Christmas. A big feast of asado (bbq cooking) accompanied by a seemingly never-ending supply of red wine, sparkling wine and more of those sweet munchies which you can’t have enough of since the Christmas eve dinner a week ago. The…
Leaving Buenos Aires For The Day
For many travelers, it can be hard to tear themselves away from the bustling city center and trendy Palermo cafés to discover what lies outside the city. However, if you are in the mood to get out of the city for a day to explore a different side of the Argentine culture and lifestyle, there…
Fun Ways to Burn Those Calories in Buenos Aires
If you, like us, find yourself surrounded by decadent treats in almost every window you pass, and constantly face the copious amounts of delicious steak on offer in every restaurant you visit – you may have realized that you are tempted by food around every corner of Buenos Aires. To continue this lifestyle of indulging…
Cultural Centers: The Treasure Troves of Buenos Aires Local Arts
There is no doubt that Buenos Aires has a vibrant culture and energy. The city has a long history of art and music, so it is no surprise that there are some really cool venues to show off so much of the amazing local talent. Centros culturales (Cultural Centers) are spaces that are dedicated to…
Argentine Icon Series – Carlos Gardel
You may have never heard of the name Carlos Gardel before you come to Argentina, but once you set foot in Buenos Aires especially, you’re bound to see his likeness everywhere from graffiti stencils on walls to decorations in traditional cafeterías, and his name is also a street name, subway station name and is even…
Argentine Icon Series – Evita Perón
When you hear the name Eva Perón, you may most likely recall Madonna singing the well-known song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”; the impact as the former first lady had on Argentina is anything but just a sentimental memory of a nostalgic past. Her legacy and most of all, what she stood for is still very much…
Visiting Perito Moreno in Southern Patagonia
Upon arriving at Perito Moreno: me: “Holy “S%&!” my friends: “Holy “S$&!” Everyone who has ever seen Perito Moreno: “Holy “S$&!” Simply put, there are few words people are capable of saying once they step off the bus and appreciate the magnitude and sublimity of the Perito Moreno Glacier. An hour and a half outside…
The Life and Legacy of An Argentine Literary Giant – Jorge Luis Borges – Part 2
Continuation from The Life and Legacy of An Argentine Literary Giant – Jorge Luis Borges – Part 1 Jorge Luis Borges was a pioneer of abstract thought and was labeled by his contemporaries as “irreal”. He was a deeply imaginative thinker and writer and challenged many of the preconceived notions that defined writing and thinking…
The Life and Legacy of An Argentine Literary Giant – Jorge Luis Borges – Part 1
As La Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires, one of the biggest book fairs in Latin America, is coming to a close this weekend and to keep the literary mood going, let’s take a look into the life of one of our most famous Argentine writers – Jorge Luis Borges: Jorge Luis Borges was…
Getting To Know the City called Buenos Aires
Half the fun of moving to a city abroad is learning about all the quirks and idiosyncrasies that comprise a place. Almost every major city has an international reputation that is validated by people who have never been but have heard about it, or people that have been for a short amount of time and…
La Bomba de Tiempo – Live Music in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is a city full of venues to experience some amazing live music. Whatever you may be in the mood for, there is most likely a spot that caters to that specific genre. If you want to have a very unique Monday night music experience, then you should definitely check out La Bomba de…
Don’t Forget About Tennis in Buenos Aires
Catching a football game, whether is Boca Junior, River or even a minor league team, is no doubt a must-do while visiting Buenos Aires. Football to the Argentines is almost like a religion, taking up pretty much all the spotlights in the local sports news. However, there is another sport also garners a lot of…
