That One Time I Got to Play Fútbol with Locals #HogsAbroad in Argentina

Blog post courtesy of AIFS Study Abroad

It is no secret that fútbol (soccer) is extremely important throughout all of Latin America, but I have found this to be especially true here in Argentina.

Argentina has a long history of success with the sport on both international and local levels, and rivalries are strong on both levels as well. Coming to Argentina, I was really excited to embrace this emphasis on soccer, as I played the sport throughout my childhood and high school and was excited to be in a culture that placed it front and center — unlike that of the United States. I was even more excited when one of our program leaders organized a night for us to play fútbol in Argentina with the locals.

We held the game at one of the many indoor stadiums here in Buenos Aires and it was fun to watch some of the more competitive groups play while we waited for the field that we had reserved to be free. Our game was very casual and we split up into three teams so everyone would have a chance to take a break while other teams were playing. Honestly, I was a little nervous that my skills would be embarrassing compared to those of the locals, but they were all so kind and welcoming. Thankfully, my high school soccer days are not too far behind me, so I felt like I fit right in!

While playing a sport that I loved was super fun, my highlight of the night was getting to know the other university students who lived in Buenos Aires. It turns out that a lot of them were from other places throughout Latin America or Europe, so I had the chance to not only learn about Argentine culture, but also that of many other countries. It was so cool to connect with people from all around the world through something like soccer.

After the game, we rented a grill at the stadium and had a traditional style parrilla — similar to a barbeque-style grilled meal. I had eaten parrilla multiple times already during my time here, but this time was different because I was eating it with Argentinians. For them, it was just a typical part of life. During the meal, we were all able to relax and share stories about our various soccer experiences from the past and I learned that some of my new friends played at a semi-professional level!

This night was one of the times throughout the semester that I felt the most a part of Argentine culture. For the other students, a soccer game and parrilla is a normal Saturday night and I was so grateful that they invited me to be a part of it!

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Political science major Megan Rodgers spent the fall 2018 semester studying abroad with AIFS in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"My name is Megan Rodgers and I am a sophomore Political Science, International Studies and Spanish major at the University of Arkansas. I believe that experiential learning is one of the most important parts of a well rounded education and within my field of study, study abroad is the perfect opportunity to fulfill that goal. I chose to study abroad in Buenos Aires because it is the perfect place to study a wide variety of political and cultural topics while increasing my Spanish proficiency and enjoying life in one of the biggest South American cities!"

Don't miss your opportunity to study abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Navigating Public Transportation in Buenos Aires #HogsAbroad in Argentina #TravelTuesday

Blog post courtesy of AIFS Study Abroad

As I prepared to study abroad, I was warned about the many difficult transitions that I might face. I knew to expect culture shock, homesickness and difficulties caused by the language barrier so I made efforts to prepare myself mentally to face these challenges. However, for me, one of the most difficult adjustments that I’ve had make living in Buenos Aires had nothing to do with culture or language or distance from loved ones. But rather, that for the first time in my life I am living in a large metropolitan city and therefore have to figure out the craziness of public transportation.

I have never lived in a city with a big enough population to support a substantial bus system, much less a metro. The subte (metro) here in Buenos Aires is fairly easy to navigate, but it was still extremely intimidating to me at first — especially during high traffic times when we manage to fit more people in one subte car than I would have ever imagined possible. However, due to its more simplistic layout, I quickly learned to embrace the chaos and it was a huge confidence-builder when I began to be able to navigate it easily and use it regularly without fear and with confidence that I knew exactly where I was going.

The buses, by comparison, can be extremely confusing, as there are over 200 different routes and you have to know the city well enough to know when you want to get off or the bus will just keep on going. For my first month of living here in Buenos Aires, I let my fear of the bus system prevent me from going to events or places that were not accessible by other means of transportation. But eventually I got tired of letting my fear make me miss out on amazing opportunities and took my first solo bus ride to an event on the other side of the city.

Buenos Aires is a huge city and it is impossible to know every route, so the city has an app called “Cómo Llego” that works similarly to a GPS to tell you what bus to take, where to find it, and where to get off. However, you still have to know when you want to get off and there is no system announcing where you are. Therefore, I learned that I could follow myself on my downloaded Google Maps and know exactly when I need to get off. The bus system is still intimidating for me, but I am slowing learning more and more routes and, after getting over my initial fear, I have found that it is much easier than I originally thought.

The train is the last mode of public transportation that I have yet to completely figure out, but I took my first train ride last week. Now that I understand the system I look forward to the new places I can reach by taking the train!

The city is also filled with taxis, which are always my fall back if I’m not sure how to get some place and don’t have the time to figure out the public transportation — or if I don’t feel safe taking public transportation for some reason. But as taxis are significantly more expensive it has forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and fully embrace city life with all of the glories of public transportation.

Despite all of these amazing options for public transportation, I have found that one of my favorite things about living in Buenos Aires is its walkability! Now that spring is coming here (Pro tip: the seasons are the opposite of the United States) and it’s getting warmer, I have found myself skipping on public transportation when I’m going to relatively close locations and just walking instead. This has given me the opportunity to know the city better, window shop and discover lots of new restaurants and parks near my homestay.

After living here for almost 3 months now, I have come to view public transportation in Buenos Aires as a perk rather than a drawback. There are routes all over the city, it has forced me to step outside of my comfort zone, embrace the Buenos Aires lifestyle, and get to know this beautiful city even more!

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Political science major Megan Rodgers spent the fall 2018 semester studying abroad with AIFS in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"My name is Megan Rodgers and I am a sophomore Political Science, International Studies and Spanish major at the University of Arkansas. I believe that experiential learning is one of the most important parts of a well rounded education and within my field of study, study abroad is the perfect opportunity to fulfill that goal. I chose to study abroad in Buenos Aires because it is the perfect place to study a wide variety of political and cultural topics while increasing my Spanish proficiency and enjoying life in one of the biggest South American cities!"


Don't miss your opportunity to study abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Exploring South America: 5 Weekend Trips from Buenos Aires #HogsAbroad in Argentina #ThrowbackThursday

Blog post courtesy of AIFS Study Abroad

As amazing and exciting as the city of Buenos Aires is, one of my favorite parts about studying abroad here has been the opportunity to travel around the Southern Cone and get to know the rest of Argentina outside of the city. I just now got back from my last of five weekend trips from Buenos Aires during my time here and I would love to share with you a bit about each of them!

Here are five weekend trips from Buenos Aires, Argentina that you can’t miss.

1. La Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

This trip was actually only for one day and it was organized by AIFS which made it super convenient and fun because I didn’t have to plan anything. La Colonia is just across the river in Uruguay, so we woke up early to take the ferry and spend the whole day there.

We spent our morning on a bus tour and then a walking tour, and then had the rest of the day to explore the town on our own. I really enjoyed my time in La Colonia because it allowed me a glimpse into the Uruguayan culture. The town has lots of really interesting history and architecture due to the fact that it changed hands between the Portuguese and Spanish seven times during colonization. Colonia is also a common weekend vacation spot for people from Buenos Aires, as it has a small beach on the river and is really quiet and calm.

2. Mendoza, Argentina

Of all my weekend trips from Buenos Aires, Mendoza was my first independently planned one. I was a little nervous but it ended up being lots of fun. My friends and I took an overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Mendoza that was surprising comfortable and rented an Airbnb for our time there.

We were only there for a long weekend, so we spent one day exploring the city itself, one day on a tour of the Andes that stopped at Mount Aconcagua (the tallest mountain in the Americas), Puente de las Incas (a small Incan settlement) and the border between Argentina and Chile, and for our last day we took and all day wine tour.

Mendoza is known for being the wine country of Argentina, so we enjoyed the traditional Argentinian Malbec, but there is so much more to do in Mendoza than just wine tastings. My favorite day was our day in the mountains! There are horseback tours, a natural hot spring, bicycle routes and hiking. If you are in the mood for a relaxing weekend outside of the city, I definitely would recommend Mendoza!

3. Santiago and Valparaíso, Chile

The third trip weekend trip that I took was to Santiago and Valparaíso, Chile. This was my first time staying in a hostel and it was so fun getting to know our companions, most of whom were from Brazil. We spent two days exploring Santiago and then took a bus to the costal town of Valparaíso for the day.

Santiago is known for its “cerros,” which are big hills throughout the city. My friends and I spent a lot of time hiking to the top of these cerros to enjoy the amazing views of the city and the Andes mountains in the background. Additionally, one of my favorite parts of Santiago was the human rights museum that was built to commemorate victims of the Pinochet dictatorship from the 70s.

Our day in Valparaíso was my highlight of the trip. The coastal town is picturesque, with brightly colored buildings built into the side of a steep hill, artisan markets, a beautiful harbor and delicious seafood. I would definitely recommend this trip — it allowed me to see a bit of the Chilean culture and enjoy some great views!

4. Iguazú Falls, Argentina

My fourth trip this semester was to Iguazú Falls in the northeast corner of Argentina. This was one of the optional trips from Buenos Aires through AIFS and it was really nice to have someone else in charge of the logistics for the weekend, and to have our amazing Resident Director, Eva, with us!

It was a quick trip, so we spent one day exploring the town of Iguazú and visiting the “punto de las tres fronteras” where the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet. We then spent the entire next day in the Iguazú Falls National Park. This may have been my favorite trip because the views were absolutely spectacular and, after being in the city all semester, it was really nice to enjoy nature for a bit.

There truly is no way to explain how amazing these falls are without being there in person to hear the rumble and feel the spray, so I’ll just say that if you study abroad in Buenos Aires this is an absolute can’t-miss opportunity.

5. Chaltén and Calafate, Argentina

No semester in Buenos Aires is complete without a trip to Patagonia. Patagonia is a huge expanse of land that covers southern Chile and Argentina, so there are lots of places to choose from within the region, but I chose to visit Chaltén and Calafate because they are home to the famous Mount Fitz Roy mountain range and the Perito Moreno Glacier.

We spent our first four days hiking in Chaltén, which is known as the trekking capital of the world. My highlight from this time would definitely be hiking the Mount Fitz Roy trail. It was definitely not an easy hike, but the views were incredible.

After Chaltén, we spent two days in Calafate which is the closest town to the Perito Moreno Glacier. We took a full day tour of the glacier, seeing it from different angles from the boardwalk and on a boat, and finishing the day with a mini trek on the glacier itself. Trekking on the glacier was a surreal experience and may be the highlight of my entire semester! It may just be because it was my most recent trip, but visiting Patagonia was hand down my favorite.

There are so many other places throughout Argentina and the rest of the Southern Cone that I would love to explore, but unfortunately I am almost done with my semester — so naturally I am already planning my return trip. Argentina is such a beautiful country and I would 10/10 recommend spending your semester here so you can enjoy all that it has to offer!

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Political science major Megan Rodgers spent the fall 2018 semester studying abroad with AIFS in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"My name is Megan Rodgers and I am a sophomore Political Science, International Studies and Spanish major at the University of Arkansas. I believe that experiential learning is one of the most important parts of a well rounded education and within my field of study, study abroad is the perfect opportunity to fulfill that goal. I chose to study abroad in Buenos Aires because it is the perfect place to study a wide variety of political and cultural topics while increasing my Spanish proficiency and enjoying life in one of the biggest South American cities!"

Don't miss your opportunity to study abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

Food Allergies Abroad: Living a Gluten-Free Life in Buenos Aires #HogsAbroad in Argentina #FoodieFriday

Blog post courtesy of AIFS Study Abroad

For most students, one of the things that they look forward to the most about study abroad is trying new foods and experiencing the culture of another country through its cuisine. Unfortunately, for me this was actually one of my biggest concerns. When I was 11 years old I found out I had celiac disease, meaning that I am allergic to gluten. At home I have been able to adjust my lifestyle so that my allergy does not influence me at all, however it can be difficult for me to find gluten-free options while traveling. But I was not about to let that stop me from studying abroad and having the greatest experience.

Thankfully, AIFS was able to work with me to find a homestay that would accommodate my gluten allergy. My host mom, Marta, is the sweetest lady and she has gone out of her way to provide me with gluten-free options. Instead of the usual toast or pastries for breakfast, she bought me rice cakes and gluten-free cereal. She has even started making homemade gluten-free bread so that I can have toast when I want it!

Dinner might possibly be my favorite part of the day, as Marta constantly goes out of her way to provide me with gluten-free versions of all of the traditional Argentine meals. From tartas to millonasa to empanadas, I have been able to experience all of Argentina’s favorite foods despite the fact that they are traditionally full of gluten. Additionally, Marta always double-checks with me about things that she is unsure about, giving me the chance to practice my Spanish vocabulary that relates to food and cooking, and giving Marta and I a unique way to bond as we work together to find gluten-free alternatives.

Eating out is also far easier than I had imagined it would be. The Argentine government started an initiative a few years ago requiring restaurants to provide gluten-free menus to their guests and waiters here often understand my requests for food “libre de gluten,” “sin TACC,” or “para celiacos” better than waiters in the United States do.

Additionally, due to the fact that Buenos Aires is such a big city, there are many restaurants that cater especially to celiacs. There is a bakery a few blocks from my apartment where I go every week to get empanadas, pastas and sweets for the week. The lady who owns the cafe is so sweet and every time I stop by she asks me about my classes, helps me with my Spanish and asks about my experience finding gluten-free options. There is also a restaurant in a nearby neighborhood with a full gluten-free menu and one of the best gluten-free pastas I have ever tasted.

The normal diet in Buenos Aires in full of bread, pastry and pasta due to their Italian roots. However, the people here are so accommodating and there are so many different options that I have never struggled to find something that I can eat. I also have several friends here who are vegetarians or vegans and were afraid that there would be a lack of options due to the traditional gaucho dependence on meat. Just like me, they have been surprised by the vast array of vegetarian options and the extent to which their host families and the people in Buenos Aires will go to in order to accommodate them and make them feel at home. I am so glad that I did not let my food allergy prevent my decision to study abroad and am so grateful for the ways in which people here have gone out of their way to provide me with food that is delicious and gluten-free. My allergies have not hindered my study abroad experience at all. In fact, if anything they have made the situation better as they have revealed to me just how amazing and welcoming the people of Buenos Aires are.

--
Political science major Megan Rodgers spent the fall 2018 semester studying abroad with AIFS in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"My name is Megan Rodgers and I am a sophomore Political Science, International Studies and Spanish major at the University of Arkansas. I believe that experiential learning is one of the most important parts of a well rounded education and within my field of study, study abroad is the perfect opportunity to fulfill that goal. I chose to study abroad in Buenos Aires because it is the perfect place to study a wide variety of political and cultural topics while increasing my Spanish proficiency and enjoying life in one of the biggest South American cities!"

Don't miss your opportunity to study abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/

2019 #HogsAbroad Photo Contest Winners

The winners of the 2019 Study Abroad Photo Contest were announced and displayed during the opening session & International Bazaar during International Education Week.

During the previous school year, over 1,100 students studied abroad in 50 different countries.

These students submitted images capturing the places they visited, the people the met, and the wide range of "classrooms" they worked in -- including community clinics, cathedrals and temples, coral reefs, archeological sites and even a jungle or two.

This year’s photo contest was the largest ever, with over 400 photos submitted in 8 categories. The winners are displayed here and will be archived in the University Library’s ScholarWorks collection. The photos will also be displayed in Mullins Library throughout the winter.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Selfie 

Agrodome Alpacas
Myles Joyce
U of A Faculty-Led: Human & Animal Interaction in New Zealand, January Intersession 2019
"The Agrodome, a massive farm in Rotorua, was home to the most photogenic alpacas known to man."

Trevi Fountain Wish 
Kalyn Jackson
U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, Summer 2019
"This is a selfie of me throwing my coin in the fountain the wrong way at the Trevi Fountain. Even though my wish will not come true I still enjoyed my experience and loved the outcome of this photo!"

Selfie with the Pyramids
Timothy Burnett
U of A Exchange: Politecnico di Torino, College of Engineering, Spring 2019; Torino, Italy
"I traveled to Egypt for my spring break. This is my selfie from the pyramids in Giza, Egypt."

A Day In The Life 

A Day in Uyuni
Alex Duckworth
U of A Faculty-Led: International Photojournalism in Bolivia, Summer 2019; Uyuni, Bolivia
"The class spent three days traveling around the Uyuni salt flats."

Ciutadella Park
Hannah Taylor
AIFS Barcelona, Spain: Spanish Language and Culture, Summer 2019
"This park was a part of my friend group's daily lives in Barcelona. Whether we went for a picnic, to read a book, to take a walk, or to do a project, we definitely spent our time there."

Gelato Experiment
Austin Lawrence
U of A Exchange: Politecnico di Torino, College of Engineering, Spring 2019; Torino, Italy
"This was a class on gelato making using liquid hydrogen."

Events

The Dance
Crystal Smith
U of A Faculty-Led: Spanish Immersion & Service Learning in Puebla, Mexico, Summer 2019; Peubla, Mexico
"This photo was taken at a hotel in which we stayed in Cuetzalan and these young performers treated us to this display of traditional song and dance."

Battle of the Oranges
Kelsea Crabb
U of A Exchange: Politecnico di Torino, College of Engineering. Spring 2019; Torino, Italy
"Every year the city of Ivrea in Northern Italy hosts one of the oldest and strangest festivals in the country. Teams battle in the city piazza's throwing more than 500 tons of oranges at each other over the span of three days giving it the title of the largest food fight around."

A Holy Day
Margaret Woodruff
U of A Faculty-Led: Tibetans in Exile Today (TEXT), Summer 2019; Dharamsala, India
"We were fortunate enough to be in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama's private residence is located, during the holiday honoring the Buddha's birthday and the day of his enlightenment. Celebrations included large numbers of people circumambulating the Dalai Lama's temple, the hanging of prayer flags, and a free meal provided to everyone in attendance. In this photograph, two monks sit, praying for compassion for all sentient beings."

Global Classroom 

Sharing Their Stories
Margaret Woodruff
U of A Faculty-Led: Tibetans in Exile Today (TEXT), Summer 2019; Delhi, India
"The purpose of the TEXT trip to India is to work with the Tibetans in exile to share the stories of their lives. We conducted a series of oral interviews with Tibetans that had fled to India from their home country in hope of a better life, free from persecution. This photo was taken before we started recording our first interview of the trip, with TEXT student Andrew Kutchka conducting the interview and our friend Gesge Yeshi Choedup as translator. The woman that we spoke with ended the interview by saying how she hoped that one day she would be able to return to Tibet and that we would join her. At that point, it was clear to all of us how important it was to give these individuals a platform where they could share their amazing stories of resilience and compassion."

Ancient Classroom
Davis Campbell
U of A Faculty-Led: Honors Passport to Sicily- A Mediterranean Mosaic, January Intersession 2019; Sicily, Italy
"This photo is of us learning from a lecturer while sitting on ancient ruins on Mozia Island"

Sustainable Thinking Clothing Exhibit
Dominique Savage
U of A Rome Center: Summer Campus, Summer 2019
"With our weekend trip to Florence, our Economics class explored the wonderful exhibit called Sustainable Thinking in the Ferragamo Museum. The Ferragamo shoe company illustrated that some of their products and materials are sustainable conscious. This photo was taken in the "Transformation" room exhibiting "transformed fibers made from secondary raw materials."

Hogs Abroad

Hogs on Top of the World
Caleigh Cristensen
U of A Faculty-Led: Coastal Caribbean Biology, May Intersession 2019; San Ignacio, Belize
"Standing on top of a Mayan Ruin in Belize just after we called the hogs."

Hog on an Alp
Esther Heckmann
U of A Exchange: Regensburg Universitaet, Regensburg, Academic Year 2018-2019; Regensburg, Germany
"Reppin' UARK at the summit of one of the Alps in Southern Germany"

Woo Pig Sooie!
Lily Ledyard
Semester at Sea - Spring Voyage, Spring 2019
"Calling the hogs on the back of our floating campus!"

Miscellaneous 

Desert Sunset
Adrian Bradley
USAC Spain: Spanish Language, Culture, and STEM in Valencia, Fall 2018; Valencia, Spain
"This photo was taken during the sunset in the Sahara desert located in Morroco."

Young Chimp
Gopi Lukhi
U of A Faculty-Led: Tanzania - Ecology, Evolution, and Peoples of East Africa, Summer 2019; Gombe Nation, Tanzania
"Portrait of a young chimpanzee at Gombe National Park."

A Dinosaur Fight
Emily Wilson
U of A Faculty-Led: International Photojournalism in Bolivia, Summer 2019; Uyuni, Bolivia
"Because the Uyuni salt flats are so vast we were able to take all kinds of bizarre photos. This photo engages perception play while we fight and run away from a toy dinosaur."

People

Mäori Waka
Myles Joyce
U of A Faculty-Led: Human and Animal Interaction in New Zealand, January Intersession 2019; Auckland, New Zealand
"At the Mitai Mäori Village, the locals displayed their culture through various forms - one of them being a ride in a waka (Mäori for canoe). The warriors dressed in traditional attire as they chanted war songs accompanied by a drum. Meeting the Mäori people was the highlight of my time in Rotorua."

Doña Rosa
Crystal Smith
U of A Faculty-Led: Spanish Immersion and Service Learning in Puebla, Mexico, Summer 2019; Peubla, Mexico
"This photo was taken at a black clay workshop and Doña Rosa showed us how she worked the clay into a beautiful pot before asking for volunteers to learn a few of the techniques. Doña Rosa uses a special technique that is only found in her city of Oaxaca, Mexico to make the black clay shine.

Topkapi Palace - Istanbul
Dayton Thurn
U of A Rome Center: Architecture & Design, Spring 2019
"Topkapi Palace - Istanbul"

Places 

Beautiful Arch
Adrian Bradley
USAC Spain: Spanish Language, Culture, and STEM in Valencia, Fall 2018
"This photo was taken in a chapel in Austria. It was the middle of winter and we had walked in just to get out of the snow for a moment."

The Tower That Views the River
Demi Spencer
Intensive Mandarin Chinese and Chinese Culture, Summer 2019; Nanjing, China
"Yuejiang, or The Tower that Views the River, allows visitors a glimpse into the modern city of Nanjing, while preserving history and Chinese traditions."

Perspective Change
McLain Stalker
U of A Rome Center: Marketing in Rome, Summer 2019
"This photo was taken walking through a cave on our hike down the Dolomites. It was a trial for most and very lengthy. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, or challenging oneself to have a more positive outlook during trial is a game changer."

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Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/