6-1 The Day Before We Leave Argentina

By: Wynton Wong

It’s our last full day in Argentina, so we had to finish the sightseeing and go back to one of the most fun places in Buenos Aires. We returned to the neighborhood called “La Boca.” La Boca is a colorful neighborhood filled with street vendors and performers. A traditional tourist destination, we had to go back because there were so many different and fun souvenirs to buy for an extremely cheap price. Arriving around 11:30, we had around two hours to shop and eat lunch. Many of us went to a restaurant that had tango and folk dancers in the front and delicious chicken and empanadas inside. At the end of the two hour time limit we had all bought enough souvenirs to last through another year of gift-giving and birthdays.
After La Boca we continued going through the city and went to a gorgeous city park area. Located in the middle of the bustling metropolis that is Buenos Aires, it’s a sanctuary that’s perfect for relaxing and escaping hectic city life. We toured the park, many of us taking pictures of the wonderful scenery and some of us just enjoying nature and running around. Joggers were slightly confused by the rambunctious group that is our Cary Academy group but we continued along our merry way. We even saw the American Embassy; the red, white and blue waving among the skyscrapers of Buenos Aires.
Back in the bus, we went on to the location of our first night in Argentina, the neighborhood of Porto Madiera. Specifically we wanted to see the Puente de Mujer, or the Women Bridge; a wonderful piece of architecture that spans across a wide river. The bridge can actually move when a large boat needs to move through the area. The white spire-like bridge was a great photo-op and many of us had fun taking pictures. We also had the opportunity to tour a traditional boat. The boat was large and it was very easy to get lost in it. Many of us were a little late because we were enveloped in the depths of the ship. A magnificent ship, it ended our little tour of some key spots in Buenos Aires.
Off the bus and back in the hotel, Senor Quesada gave the final directions for the rest of the evening; we need to pack, clean and be ready to get out tomorrow! None of us are ready to go and packing is hectic and quite a chore, seeing as many of us bought a lot of things. We also needed to clean the rooms, we don’t want to be a bother to the hotel staff that has been so welcoming to us!
After a check of the rooms to see if we actually did pack and clean up. Some of us changed because we went to a dinner with the principal of North Hills. The restaurant was in Porto Madiera and was a fantastic little Italian style restaurant. The principal and his wife were very welcoming and very sorry that we could not stay with the families in Pilar, especially because they were one of the families. We all talked about different things and ate great food. The principal paid for the fantastic meal and we cannot give enough thanks to him and all the families in Pilar for even giving us the opportunity to live with them.
The end of the day is here and the last full day in Argentina is over. We are all a little tired, very sad that we could fully experience Argentina with our exchange students, and a little homesick (though we may not admit to it.) We are all grateful and happy for the time we were allowed to spend in Argentina and Buenos Aires. Seeing fantastic sights, eating delicious food, experiencing a Spanish-speaking country and practicing our Spanish; Argentina has been a fantastic adventure. We all wish we could have gone to Pilar, but sometimes things just don’t work out exactly as planned. But regardless we all had a great time in Argentina, learning a lot from the few days we were here. We are grateful and thankful for all the fun times we have had on this trip, and hope that we will be able to have more fun times and experiences with Spanish and maybe even our exchange students! We would like to thank everyone in Pilar and North Hills for giving us this opportunity, and hope that they stay in good health, Vanina and the OnlyTour crew for sticking with us through all the tours and crazy times, we learned a lot! The hotel staff for doing a fantastic job and dealing with our shenanigans, all the street vendors, shop owners for allowing us to practice our Spanish, no matter if it made sense, and creating beautiful objects for us to buy. Senor Quesada and Lee Lao Shi for chaperoning, it’s been a wild and crazy ride! Lastly, we would like to give tons of love and thanks to the people of Argentina and Buenos Aires for being just gorgeous and fantastic.
We will be going to “La Plata”, a different city in Argentina, tomorrow before we go to the Buenos International Airport. Where we will be flying to Miami and back to North Carolina! We all miss our friends and families and can’t wait to come home, but this trip to Argentina, Argentina, and Buenos Aires will forever be cherished.

5-31 National Sport Day, Market, And Street Vendors

By: Max Braun

The day started off good enough, with a late start (10:30), a big breakfast, and much improved weather (still cold, but notably sunny with blue skies). Our group started down the now familiar streets of Buenos Aires to Argentina’s National Day of Sport. As we walked through the event, we saw thousands of children playing tennis, basketball, rugby, volleyball, and of course, soccer. We even saw kids taking karate lessons! After exploring the displays and games, our group headed back uptown towards the older section of Buenos Aires where we would take the 80 year old subway system. After a short trip in the San Francisco trolley styled car, we were all amused to watch Paul (who had his headphones on) sit and wait for the doors of the car to open as he did not realize that we had to open the doors manually (apparently Paul’s Spanish isn’t that good seeing as there was a huge sign right on the door that said “Open Manually”). Nicole interfered and Paul was in disarray for the next three minutes. Up on the streets of the older section of Buenos Aires, we were all overwhelmed with street vendor after street vendor. After walking and seeing the handiwork of the vendors, we all split up the further discover this intriguing section of town and to eat lunch. Kramer won the award for weirdest purchase with the buying of a “Tomate Loco” (Crazy Tomato) and a can with a draw string that when pulled, sounded exactly like a chicken. Myself, Jack, Scott, and Vani (our tour guide who I’m sure all of you have heard about already) ate at a very cool restaurant with a seemingly infinite playlist of Tony Bennett and walls covered completely in old American movie posters. After a delicious lunch of French fries and a tenderloin sandwich, the group got back together and hopped on the bus for the short ride over to the world-renowned Argentinean cemetery. Upon arrival, the group came across an absolutely massive tree (the name of which I cannot remember at this point in time) that covered probably about a ½ mile of land with its branches. The actual cemetery was nothing short of breathtaking. It literally looked like a town. The ground was actually made of cobblestone with each tomb (and there were no headstones, only massive tombs) covering a vast expanse of land. Our shock was furthered by the grandeur of the tombs as each was made from brilliant stone engraved with intricate carvings done assuredly by the most professional artists. After receiving an explanation on several of the tombs from Vani, the group disbanded on a scavenger hunt to find the tomb of the famous Eva Perrone. I’m not sure which group found her tomb first but after a short photo op with the burial, the group exited the cemetery and down a street filled to the brim with even more street vendors. Finally, the group sat down in a park scattered with people and stray dogs. At first, the group disbanded for a time in order to find some snacks and some merchandise, but later we all reconvened back at the park where we all sat, talked, listened to music, slept, and talked to a man who was creating sculptures from thin pieces of wire. After this healthy section of R&R, the group piled back onto the bus and headed back to the Gran Hotel Argentina (where I am typing this blog now). Tonight, we head back into the old section of Buenos Aires to eat and walk around. Because I now they won’t let me hear the end of it later unless I say something now, I’d just like to say hey to my Mom, my Dad, my Sister, and my dog Rosie who are all surely missing me sorely at home. I apologize for only having called once but I’m going to see you all in 3 (I think) short days so I love you and I’ll see you then.

Adios, Max

5-30 It's All Aaboaut 'Shopping' (And Others)

By: Kramer Hines

Today in Argentina had a… iffy start. Someone… (Alex Spancake) answered our wake –up call. After looking at his phone and seeing the time, he decided that since it was two hours before we needed to leave, he said go back to sleep and his phone alarm would wake us up. Yeah… his phone alarm only goes off on weekdays, so we didn’t get up. Around 10:35, we received a call from Vic saying “Uhm… Chicos we are waiting. Are you all asleep?” We definitely were. I went in the bathroom for maybe 30 seconds and Eric Alexy was already ready to leave. So we all got dressed and went downstairs to start our day.
After the pain of the ridicule we received for being late, we walked out of the hotel and started down the street. To mine, and everyone else’s dismay, it was raining and cold. I really hate walking down the streets of Buenos Aires sometimes because of the poverty that they have here. There are a lot of people just sleeping on the ground and it is really depressing. A few street vendors had begun their day of work and after passing two McDonalds (I swear they are like the Starbucks of New York) we turned on to the familiar street of the shopping district. After taking a street smarts and directions course last night, Vic felt confident in our skills and knowledge of Buenos Aires and let us walk in groups of no less than 4 people throughout the shopping district.
My group, consisting of Me, Spancake, Ian Fincham, Zach Dresher, Eric Alexy, and Andrew Marron, explored many shops searching for Mate cups and various other things. The only person to buy a Mate cup in our group was Andrew Marron, and the cup was awesome, I’m not gonna lie. It was like the hoof of a massive elk, like the ones that Sarah Palin hunts. So we walked out, shopped some more, but no one really bought anything. Suddenly, I had an idea. “Let’s go to McDonalds,” and my group sighed, but decided to go with me. I kind of missed American food so I wasn’t gonna back down. I ordered my usual nugget meal, and when I asked for sweet and sour sauce…. That’s definitely not what I got. I got mustard and ketchup K. I do not lie when I say this; that McDonalds was the nicest restaurant I have ever been in hands down. The bathroom was marble and the inside of the restaurant was amazing. But the rest of the day was pretty great.
After meeting back with Vic, (not to mention we were early… we got to the meeting place before he did) we headed back to the hotel for a little bit of rest, I think it was about an hour of time. It was at that time that I realized that Jack Stutesman had bought an NC State sweatshirt here… in Buenos Aires. It was really surprising for all of us. After that, my room just showered and got ready since (not naming names) someone didn’t wake us up. Vic was like “we’re going to a shopping center” so I just expected something a little like Cary Towne Center or something. No, the form of Shopping Center in Argentina is WAY different. It was like a small city in there. 4 floors of awesomeness, one floor being a bowling alley/arcade, filled my brain with ideas. The same group that we went in earlier was our group for this shopping trip and we decided to skip the bottom floor and go to the second floor. Me being as awesome as I am, get many request to help people find good headphones. So we went into an electronic store and I found a pair of headphones for Zach. As he was paying, the rest of the group walked over to their 103 inch (yes, one hundred and three inches) TV and me and Ian started raving to the techno they had playing in the store. Then we went up to the third floor. I was tempted to buy some professional DJ headphones, but since I have already bought some headphones this trip, I decided against it. We just walked around a little more and went down to meet Vic. Once again we were there before he was. He then told us to go buy some dinner in the mall and meet back at 7. He had been sitting there waiting for us, and everyone was there but Max and Nicole (they were eating anchovy pizza [gross]) , and they ended up being late. It was then that Teacher Lee told us that we would have to stay at the hotel because we were late this morning and that I had to write this blog. I really like it in Argentina and I wish we didn’t have to leave early. Luvs to Mom, Dad, and Max (the cat). Oh and Justin… you too J. Miss you guys.
From Kramer

5-29 Cowboy Farm

By: Emily DeSimone

The day started with a “late” start to the day with a 7 am wake up call, soon followed by a delicious meal on the seventh floor of the Gran Hotel Argentino. The many expectations of what today’s journey might take us and might teach us, was the hot topic of the day. We were told that we were going to a church and a gaucho farm. The first thing we thought of about the church was a simple styled area where people profess prayers and devotion of their religion. The gaucho farm was somewhat of a mystery. We heard that it might be a “dude ranch” (ranch where you travel to and live the everyday life but it’s very well kept). We also heard that it was going to be like any other farm with muck up to your knees. With all of these rumors stirring, the girls in particular, had no idea how to dress. Should we dress cute and pray that the farm is actually a “dude ranch” or should we dress in the North Carolinian style with overalls and plaid shirts? Obviously none of the girls packed overalls and plaid shirts, so of course we rocked our flip flops, jewelry, shorts, Forever21 shirts, mascara, lip gloss, eyeliner, need I say more? The first destination was the church. As we turned the corner it wasn’t just any old church! This church was a shrine from Rome! Not really from Rome, but the architecture resembled much like the churches you would see. It was a beautiful site. Although construction was going on, we were able to go inside and have a peek. It had the old historic smell that most would be familiar with. The stained window glass was so detailed; it took your breath away. The architecture was very precise and bedazzled in a way. The church is a catholic church. Almost 75% of people are catholic in Argentina as Vani had told us. As we were admiring the old building, people gathered for mass and we decided it was time to depart. Our next stop was the gaucho farm! Now of course you have to have some common sense when you are staying in a hotel in Buenos Aires, a very LARGE city, that a gaucho farm is no block away. In fact this “block” took us more than an hour and half to get there. Once we arrived, we were greeted by alpacas, horses, and sheep throwing their heads up to see who is visiting. The land went on forever; the property was just exquisite with ponds and ongoing flat grasslands. We all scrambled to jump off the bus and quickly see what was in store for us. To start it off, a horseback ride! What a perfect way to begin our day on the gaucho farm. These horses however, were HUGE! Not like the simple Quarter horse you see back at home, these horses were draft horses. The horses were saddled for us and we took rounds of 8 riders and rode around the property. These horses were quite loved by our group. Some of the favorites included Dulce de leche, Poco, and Carolina. After the numerous rides we begged for, we set off for lunch. The lunch was delicious, but very filling. In Argentina, we have noticed that the meals have many courses. By the third course we were reaching our fill level. While us Americans were stuffing our faces, a band played music on stage. The guitarist was among the favorites of the band…The band played more of folklore music than the tango, which is famous as we know. The folklore was danced by dancers provided by the band who danced with handkerchiefs to show affection and romance. Although the dancers were doing a wonderful job, they invited our group to dance. We should have left the dancing to them. We didn’t have rhythm or really anything else, it was bad. Next we watched gauchos play games on horseback. They raced down a straight and held a stick up in the air and tried to catch a little gold ring. It was very impressive. The gauchos were very nice and welcoming and we thank them very much! Today was a fantastic day!

5-28 Isla Martin Garcia And Our Little Friends

By: Tiffany Williams

Yet another successful day in Argentina! Though the 6:30 wake-up call was not appreciated by everyone, it led to an exciting day. Most everyone made it to breakfast at 7; yet everyone that did not, made it down to the lobby by 7:30 to catch the bus to Martin Garcia Island.
Today we once again traveled by boat; however today’s ride was much longer. We had a 3 hour boat ride!!! Once on the boat, a variety of activities happened among the students. Some students slept, while others played cards. When we stepped onto that boat, we had a surprise we were never expecting. There was another school group going to the island today, but they were all around 9 years old. On the ride over, we had some interaction with them, but most of us were into our own business.
After the grueling 3 hour boat ride, we were all a little slow to get off the boat. Once arriving we headed to lunch. We were served hamburgers, apples, and coke or water. After filling up on a delicious lunch, we then took yet another tour. We learned about the history of Martin Garcia Island, and its purpose now vs. then. The island was filled with birds and flowers that were unique. While walking around, we came upon something we [students] did not expect the island to have: an airport! Though it was just a runway and a small one room building, the fact that the small island had an airport was shocking to some. We took pictures in front of the airport sign, and we saw two personal planes. After taking pictures and seeing a single runway airport, we continued walking.
However, someone felt that he was not getting enough attention! About 5 minutes into walking, Max Henning realized that he had left his bag. This meant that the entire group had to wait for Max to run back and get his things. Some of us think that Max felt that he wasn’t getting enough attention, and he just needed some attention.
After concluding our wonderful tour of the simplistic island, we headed to a soccer we passed and divided into teams. We had lots of fun playing soccer, and playing against friends for fun was a nice way to relax and get some exercise. With teams divided and the soccer ball in play, the competition was fierce (just kidding). Though not everyone played, everyone had fun relaxing or playing. We had to go search for the soccer ball a couple time considered there was pretty much woods all 3 out of the 4 sides on the field.
We then headed back to the port and waited about 30 minutes before we could board the boat. While waiting, some people received a tango lesson from the tour guides. It was humorous to watch friends try to tango, while trying to be completely serious about learning it at the same time. It was then time to board the boat.
Once we boarded the boat, we began to talk to the little kids again. The entire way home, we had fun talking all about their lives vs. our lives. The kids were so nice, and so sweet. They wanted to speak English to us, and we wanted to speak Spanish to them. It was so cool to meet the kids, and learn about their life. Just talking to these 9 year olds for 3 hours makes me think that the exchange would have been really fun. Though the trip did not completely work out, it was so much fun to chill with the kids. When the children realized that we had gum, they went crazy!! They all loved the gum; they all wanted multiple pieces. While we gave them gum, they gave us candies too. The candies were delicious and were all different flavors such as orange, vanilla, and even strawberries. By the end of the day, the kids were chanting our names, such as “Paul, Paul, Paul,” or “Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany.” At one point, they were chanting, “Alex, Laura, Tiffany.” We made some friends, and it was so amazing to see their little faces light up when we gave them just a simple piece of gum.
Today was definitely a fun day! We had so much fun with the kids, and going to the simplistic island helped us realize that sometimes simple is better than complex. Tomorrow sounds like a fun day, and though everything hasn’t worked as planned, the trip has still been fun!
Love you Mom, Dad, and Kenzo!!!!

5-27 Uruguay and Tangle Show

By: Alex Spancake

Today was yet another exiting day! Although we were very tired, we somehow managed to get everyone up. The breakfast in the hotel was excellent. After enjoying a delicious meal, we grabbed our bags and set out to continue our adventure. Instead of staying in Buenos Aires, or even Argentina, we went to Uruguay. In order to get there, we had to travel via boat.
Even though the boat ride was only one hour, I am pretty sure all of us thoroughly enjoyed it. It was by far one of the nicest boats I had ever seen. The seats were the equivalent of a first class airline flight, and the ride was extremely smooth. We all enjoyed ourselves… most of us getting some much needed sleep.
Upon arriving in Uruguay, we slowly moved off the boat, not knowing what to expect. We loaded ourselves onto a bus, and listened to some interesting information, in Spanish! The speaker on the bus seemed to know everything and anything about Uruguay. I was surprised to find out how Uruguay gained its independence, and other interesting facts. Because she spoke in Spanish, we really had to pay attention and figure out what some words meant… it is amazing how much you can learn just by listening!
As the bus arrived, we peered out the window. We saw a ranch full of horses, goats, and other animals. Although seeming somewhat boring, we did not know what the tour had in store for us. As we walked into the first room of the “museum”, we were amazed by what was hanging on the walls. The tour guide explained that where we were at was the location of several Genius World Records! Whether it was thousands of key chains, or millions of pencils, that place seemed to have everything! It was something to see.
After being amazed, we found ourselves faced with something new. The ranch obviously owned all the animals for a reason, and luckily, we literally got a good “taste” of what their life is like. Delicious marmalades awaited us. We got to try many different flavors! Strawberry, Kiwi, Dulce de Leche (my personal favorite), and Onion were just some of the flavors we experienced. Also, some great cheese was served!
Afterward, we jumped back on the bus and went into the town of Colonia. Again, our tour guide was very informative about what we were about to see. After spending two hours on the bus, walked off and viewed the beautiful town. “Wow!” I thought to myself. The roads glistened with smooth cobblestone, and the houses shined with vibrant colors. We walked around the town learning about different statues and buildings, and their significance. Afterwards, we stopped for a nice meal. Lunch was great! The food here in Argentina is really something!
After eating our delicious meal, we set out into the city to check it out by ourselves! As people swarmed left and right, we went into a variety of stores. To our surprise, we found a lot of interesting items. Although, as you know, if you want to buy something, you have to talk with the cashier at the store. Most of the people in Uruguay did not speak English, so we had no choice but to talk in Spanish. In addition to this, we had to figure out how much we needed to pay on what currency we had on hand. Luckily, most stores accepted American dollars, pesos from Uruguay, and Argentinean pesos.
At last, after walking all over the city, we jumped on the bus, and eventually on the boat, and went back to Gran Hotel Argentino! I am pretty sure none of us will ever forget the name of the boat company, “Buquebus!”
Finally, we went to Senor Tango! After everyone got dressed up and looking spiffy, we set out to truly find out was Tango was, and much more. After seeing the show, I was amazed. Not only did the show have great food and amazing dancing, but it explored a brief history of Argentina and its culture. It was absolutely amazing. From the real life horses coming on stage, to the fast paced violin, to the various tango moves, we enjoyed every moment of the show.
We are defiantly looking forward to tomorrow! I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD AND CAROLINE!