Breaking away...

In the month of March (Marzo), we in Argentina are blessed with two extra long (4 day) weekends!!! This is the perfect opportunity to get out of the city and do some exploring. This time of year is ideal for all types of adventures; from the glaciers in the south to the waterfalls in the north. But if you haven’t come to Argentina for the cold, then this could be an ideal time to see the south. While temperatures are still averaging 15˚C (60˚F) and the sight of the glaciers on those clear blue days are made even more spectacular by the thundering sound of ice breaking off and tumbling into the icy waters below.

El Calafate is typically the base for this type of exploration, situated centrally between many glaciers with its own airport. While flights leave regularly from Buenos Aires through LAN Argentina or Aerolineas Argentinas, they are not always reliable, so don’t plan your trip too tightly or you might be in frantic rescheduling. The town of El Calafate is quaint and has undergone rapid development as a result of the increased interest in the quickly disappearing glaciers. The town is full of souvenir stores but be prepared to pay tourist prices for them!

The main attraction is the Perito Moreno Glacier, situated 85km (53miles) from El Calafate (a magnificent drive). Options of viewing the Glacier range from a lengthy walkway with many picture-perfect vantage points or a boat trip to get you closer to the action. Another breath-taking experience is the Upsala Glacier, reached from El Calafate by boat, with its surrounding old-english estancias. The Upsala Glacier is losing approximately 200m of ice a year, and has been the Greenpeace poster for Global Warming effects.

In the area, the spectacular Fitzroy Mountain can also be visited. These attractions are disbursed over quite a wide area and can be reached only by car or bus. There are a number of companies offering day trip to these sights and for those more daring, there are a number of car rental companies in downtown El Calafate.

All in all, El Calafate offers a clean break from the big smoke, Buenos Aires. Its fresh air, wide open spaces and once in a lifetime view will quench the thirst for an outdoor adventure and can be achieved comfortably over four days. For these upcoming long weekends, consider an escape to the greener pastures of El Calafate.

For those electing to stay in the city, or those looking for a different adventure, stay tuned for what Elebaires has on offer. These alternatives will be announced in the coming weeks and are sure to please.

Lonely Planet: Recognition for a job well done!

Planning for a holiday abroad can be incredibly time consuming and mentally exhausting as endless options for a variety of experiences appear in our google searches. In times like these, we look for those familiar names, those sources of clarity in times of confusion. A source synonymous with travel and adventure, an organization ready to guide you on any journey is none other than the Lonely Planet.

For over thirty years, they have done the leg work for us, often saving us from the disastrous restaurant experience undoubtedly followed by a painful bout of food poisoning; the well-situated hostel that does not consider cockroaches a household pet; and of course how best to spend our time whilst on our individual adventure. For years they have provided us with this support and they haven’t let us down yet. In fact, they have recognized Elebaires as a premier Spanish language institute in Buenos Aires in their most recent edition of the Lonely Planet Guide for South America. A well-earned reflection of the quality of the programs offered at our school. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and would like to recognize the efforts of all our staff and students for making our program unique.

We know how difficult it can be organizing a trip to a foreign country. At Elebaires, we are here to make that a little easier for all of you with our variety of accommodation alternatives and city excursions to make sure you maximize your time in Argentina.

Learn Spanish after classes at Elebaires!

What do we do after classes? ¿Qué hacemos después de clase?
Caminamos por la ciudad, andamos en bicicleta por los barrios más verdes, comemos un poquito y tomamos mate!
Summer time is ideal to live Buenos Aires outdoors, join us!
Weekend trips? Sí! Salimos a Mar del Plata en Enero, disfrutamos el sol, la playa, el día y la noche!!!
Aprendemos español y vivimos una experiencia en Elebaires! Diplomas? Muchas felicidades a todos los estudiantes de Enero!!!
Gracias a todos los estudiantes que compartieron con nosotros tan buenos momentos, visitá nuestro álbum de facebook para ver más!

A Face Lift: Puerto Madero

In the late 1800s, Puerto Madero , a newly developed port along Rio de la Plata, was an engineering landmark and the city’s solution to the challenge of accommodating the numerous cargo ships. Ten years after construction was complete, Puerto Madero was made obsolete as bigger cargo ships made entering the port an impossible feat. Fast forward through 100 years of neglect and Puerto Madero has now become one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires.

The west bank, with its old red-brick buildings, offers the authenticity of the old, with the comforts of the new. Restaurants across the west bank of Puerto Madero, cater primarily to the tourists who flock to the waterfront to enjoy the fresh breezes, a sturdy sidewalk (not to be taken for granted in Argentina), and of course, a juicy argentine steak. Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge) is the most recent addition to the connectors between the east and the west. Designed by Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava, Puente de la Mujer encapsulates the modern outlook of the city.

While the west bank has maintained the portside exterior, the development across the east bank could be likened to Shanghai (okay, severe exaggeration but you get the point) with high-rise office buildings and new apartments making the cityscape almost unrecognizable. While the wide avenues are certainly a consistent feature in Buenos Aires, the feel of this neighbour is eerily similar to those found in the States. Further across, the Ecological Reserve offers a safe haven for the exercise junkies to get their weekly fix with bicycles and joggers dominating the paths, however it also offers a variety of local flora for those interested in a slower-paced experience.

The good news is that while Puerto Madero has undergone a face lift, the locals are still the same. You’ll still see Argentines sweating it out on the pavement, or trying to soak in that last bit of sunshine, or ever-so-coolly sitting at the corner cafe with a cortado (macchiato). Whatever it is you are looking for, Puerto Madero certainly offers a sweet escape from the chaos that surrounds it. While in Buenos Aires, be sure to witness the change that is going on as the city begins to shake off the old and embrace the new.

La navidad en Argentina

¿Cómo celebramos la navidad los argentinos?

Se hacen reuniones entre familiares y amigos en la noche del 24 de diciembre, cenamos y a medianoche vamos al arbolito (adornado con bolas, cintas, muñecos de papá Noel y un pesebre) para abrir los regalos. Por lo general se comparte con toda la familia unida, incluyendo tíos, primos, abuelos y demás parientes.

Se hacen comidas frescas porque es verano y hace mucho calor: pollo, cerdo, ensaladas y helados. A causa de la inmigración, nos quedaron muchas tradiciones europeas, como comer nueces, turrones y pan dulce, después de la cena.

Generalmente la comida se prepara “a la canasta”, cada integrante de la familia lleva algo, o todas las mujeres de la familia se reúnen para cocinar.

Cuando dan las doce se tiran cohetes y fuegos artificiales, se levantan las copas para brindar con sidra o champagne y todos nos damos un beso deseándonos “feliz navidad”. Luego se abren los regalos que por lo general para los chicos son juguetes y para los adultos son variados, ¡pero todos reciben un regalo!; entre las mujeres se regalan ropa interior rosada para estrenar en año nuevo porque dicen que es de buena suerte.

En las iglesias es común hacer pesebres vivientes; como la mayoría de las familias en argentina son de religión católica, la navidad también tiene un sentido espiritual: cada año se renueva la esperanza. El pesebre viviente es la representación de cómo fue el nacimiento de Jesús en Belén.

El día 25 de diciembre también almorzamos en familia, muchas veces con los familiares con quienes pudimos celebrar la noche buena.

A la semana siguiente nos volvemos a reunir para celebrar el fin de año, este es un evento más social que familiar se organizan fiestas y las personas después de recibir el año nuevo salen a bailar para celebrar y brindar con amigos.

¿Cómo festejan la navidad y el año nuevo en tu país?

• La comida
• Las tradiciones
• Los regalos
  
• La religión
  
• La decoración de la casa
  
• La música

Day at the Polo Fields

This past Sunday a group of Elebaires students partook in an excusrsion to Final Copa el Remanso Polo Club. For only 150 pesos (USD$38) we received transportation to and from the polo fields, tickets to the match, all you can eat/drink, and an after party. How could I pass up such a great deal?! We rode in a double-decker bus to the Polo Club which was 100 km (32 miles) outside the city. Upon arriving to the beautiful estate, we were met by waiters with trays of choripán and steak sandwiches as well as wine and champagne.

Sunday was an unseasonably warm day in Buenos Aires 33°C (91°F). Lucky for us there was a nice breeze on the fields which made it quiet comfortable to be outside. Despite having no clue what was going on, the match was very entertaining to watch. It was so incredible to watch how the players controlled the horses’ movements. After the match was over we walked to the stables and got a chance to see these beautiful creatures up close. As the sun began to set, a DJ started to play music and the crowd slowly began to dance. It was so fun dancing under the stars! Sunday was one of those days that I honestly have to say to my self "How lucky am I to be in Buenos Aires right now?"

Escaping the City

As amazing as Buenos Aires is, there are times where one needs to escape the bustling city. Luckily, you do not need to go far to experience a completely different world. One only needs to travel about 113km (70miles) outside Capital Federal to visit the San Antonio de Areco Estancia (Spanish word for ranch). Estancias show the history and the essence of Argentine culture. Their gauchos (ranch workers on horseback) are of similar importance to national folklore and identity as the cowboy in North America. Take a day trip to an estancia and enjoy different activities which show gaucho customs such as horseback riding, singing/dancing and most important eating!

Right now is the best time to go as there is a Gaucho Festival during the first ten days of November. In a tradition running more than 70 years gauchos from all over Argentina come for this Fiesta de la Tradición. There are activities all week but the main attraction is Sunday’s jineteada gaucha. With its origins in the heart of traditional Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, the jineteada is basically the Southern Hemisphere’s take on the rodeo. Those lucky enough to have been there this past Sunday (October 7th) witnessed the crème de la crème of the gaucho world compete. On Wednesday, November 10th, the festival’s closing day, all the gauchos gathered for a bonfire to celebrate the Día de la Tradición, eulogizing the life of writer José Hernández, famous for his epic gauchesque poem, Martín Fierro.

To see other ideas for trips outside of Buenos Aires check out the Elebaires Student Life page!

Nuevas reglas ortográficas para el español

En diciembre serán publicadas las nuevas reglas ortográficas para todos los países hispanohablantes, dónde se explicará el porqué de las diferentes reglas y normas como así también los cambios y novedades realizadas por el comité de la Real Academia Española.

Algunos de estos cambios son realmente polémicos: Ahora la "y", ya no será “i griega” sino “ye”.

En América, deberán dejar de llamar "be larga" y "be corta" a la "b" y la "v": ahora serán "be" y "uve".

Hay más información en el sitio oficial de la RAE.

Chilean Miners are rescued!

Scenes of elation erupted on the surface of the San Jose gold and copper mine in Chile’s northern Atacama Desert on 13th October 2010, one of the most important days for not only Chile but the rest of the world as millions of people across the world tuned into watch live TV coverage of the rescue.

At the time of writing this article 24 out of 33 miners had been rescued after being trapped 2,275ft underground for 69 days. Officials hope to have completed the rescue mission by the end of the day.

One by one, the trapped miners climbed into a narrow steel cage, equipped with a gas mask and escape hatches and took their journey through the escape shaft to freedom, where emotional family members and even the Chilean President Sebastian Pinera greeted them. The first miner to be rescued was Samuel Avalos Acuna the 31-year-old second-in-command of the miners because he was deemed to be in the best condition. As Avalos strode out of his capsule, onlookers cheered with the chant ‘Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!’. The 3 next fittest miners followed, the next group of 10 included the miners with health problems. The last group was the rescue workers who joined the trapped miners prior to their rescue.

Many worry that the miners’ journey up the steel shaft is only the beginning of their recovery, as they face months of temper physical and psychological rehabilitation. At first, the miners will be very tired and weak and will need intense medical attention as they adjust to light and fresh air, an expert warns.

In the capital, Santiago, a chorus of motorists’ horns could be heard throughout the day. In the nearby Capiapo, from where 24 of the miners come from, the mayor cancelled school so both parents and children could observe the rescue. Even as we write this in Buenos Aires, the joyful sound of playful beeping can be heard, lifting the mood of all. Here at Elebaires, we wish the miners well on their journey back to recovery!

Latin America gets a Nobel Prize!

Mario Vargos Llosa is a Peruvian writer who over the years has written about political corruption and military dictatorships in Latin America. The Nobel Prize in Literature 2010 was awarded to Mr Llosa ‘for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of his individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat’ according to the Swedish Academy on their website.

Vargos Llosa’s rise to fame came after the release of several novels The Time of the Hero (La ciudad y los perros), The Green House (La Case Verde) and the monumental Conversation in the Cathedral (Conversación en la Catedral). Llosa has covered many different literary genres in his novels including: comedies, murder mysteries, historical novels, and political thrillers.

Llosa has also been politically active throughout his career; over the course of his life, he has made a gradual shift from the political left towards the right. While at first he supported the Cuban revolutionary government of Fidel Castro, Vargas Llosa later became embittered. He ran for the Peruvian presidency in 1990 with the center-right Frente Democrático (FREDEMO) coalition.

At a press conference in New York, Vargos Llosa claimed that he thought the early-morning phone call notifying him of his nobel prize was a prank. He carried on by saying ‘I am very grateful to the Swedish Academy’. ‘It is a realy surprise’. Vargos Llosa said he thought the prize was being given not only to him but to the Spanish Language, ‘a very energetic, creative language,’.

We completely agree! Why not study this energetic, creative language here in Buenos Aires. Get to know the continent that Vargos Llosa is so proud of.