Goodbye Argentina

                      Speaking for the group I believe I can say that this past month has been an experience none of us will ever forget. For me, the people of Argentina are what made the trip so special while the food and sightseeing  are only a great bonus to the trip. Whether we were at the school or home with the family the one thing that was a common sight was the happiness of everyone you came in contact with because of their being content with the little things. There was such a strong sense of family and friendship in everyone I encountered. Time was not spent in front of a TV nor computer but instead spent at 11 o'clock around the dinner table with aunts,uncles, and cousins. Weekends and afternoons were spent with friends enjoying the city and the countless things to do.

                      During our time in Argentina we experienced the culture and saw many beautiful sights. During the month we went to The Recoleta Cemetery and saw the burial place of Eva Peron. We visited the Gauchos and had a glance into the life of an Argentinean "Cowboy" and then spent a couple days in the mountains of Mendoza. The Pink House and the Boca neighborhood were other stops on our trip that I am sure no one will soon forget. We spent a day helping the poor at Obra San Jose and witnessed the strong sense of community the people of Argentina have. The sights were great but the most real and authentic experience of the trip came while attending classes with our host brothers and being with their families.

                    The hospitality each one of the host families showed was evident at the airport when every single one us wanted to stay longer in Argentina and no one wanted to say their last goodbye. During the month our host brothers showed us the city that they love and call home and made sure we had an experience we would never forget. The host families did everything to make us feel at home half way around the world. Not only were relationships formed with the host families but bonds were made with many students from the colegio as they also welcomed us with open arms. The strength of these friendship was seen on our last day at school when most of us voluntarily showed up to say goodbye. Like said in a previous post the people people of Argentina are the most passionate people in the world and they channel their passion into love and happiness.    

        It felt like just yesterday we were all arriving to Argentina to begin a new experience in a completely different culture and today I can look back and say that this has been one of the best months of my life.The last day of the trip was filled with so many emotions because of the reality that we needed to say goodbye to a place that felt like a second home. I am sure I can speak for the group when I say that what we will miss the most are the people who made our trip an experience that we will never forget. We take back to the states the amazing memories of the food, the sights we saw, and most importantly the relationships that we formed. I knew when I was saying my goodbyes at the airport that this would not be my last time in Buenos Aires and one day hopefully in the near future we would all return to the strong friendships and relationships formed on this trip. There is not much else I can say except "Thank You" to all the people of Argentina who made our time so special and made us all have a home thousands of miles away. 

 

Matt Doyle