The 'must do' Argentina Checklist

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Care work/Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Edward Spiller

The 'must-do' Argentina check list:

Have a midly complicated conversation with a local in Spanish. Tick
Visit the five biggest football teams in Buenos Aires. Three out of five ticks.

• Learn how to speak to referees in Spanish. Tick
• Buy a cheap used bike (or two) and ride around Buenos Aires. Tick
• Get away with reckless bike riding (mum I'm always really safe I promise) through the one beautiful phrase, "no hablo español". Tick
• Learn to love maté tea, the special type of tea that Argentinians drink throughout the day. Its bitter taste takes some getting used. Tick.
• Learn to avoid fernet, the ridiculously herby tasting liqour Argentinians drink throughout the night. Tick. It is enjoyed by the locals and all foreigners have no idea why. In that regard consider it the vegemite of Argentina. (On a side note can someone please send me a care package of vegemite and timtams?)

Still to be ticked off:

• Visit the famous Recoleta cemetry, the lying place of former president Eva Peron.
•  Learn more about Eva Peron. Apparently she's kind of a big deal. Lets just say, people know her.
• Learn how to say, "stay classy, Buenos Aires" in Spanish
• Find the best empanada shop in Buenos Aires.
• Convince Argentinians to let the Falklands Islands go. (This will never happen)
• Work out how Argentinians can stay up partying all night and still go to work. I guess at least I know how the Argentinian economy isn't doing that well.
• Find the most ridiculous haircut in Argentina, because there are many. I've come close (see picture of the guy in the football shirt) but there must be something slightly more strange out there. I'll keep you posted on discoveries.

Ed's Argentinian Adventure

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Sustainable Projects
WRITTEN BY: Ed Spiller

The day would begin as all bad mornings do, a phone alarm. Whispering lo siento (sorry) to my Argentinian room mates, I climb of my top bunk (or roll off depending on how late the night was before).

The frustrating action of being unable to find the perfect temperature of the shower continues until I realise I need to head off to spanish classes. I´ll grab some toast and put on what I think is jam but suspect is coloured pure sugar in jam form. The subway trip to class can be too packed to get on, but sometimes you´ll be delighted to find a peformer, with a guitar and occasionally a pan flute, all it needs is some Tango and you´ve found the essence of Argentina on the subway. When I get into town, Spanish classes begin. The classes are classes, poeple reading this may be thinking about taking a gap year to Argentina and are currently sick of being in school, so I won´t delve into details. All I´ll say is that I step outside and immediately use my Spanish when I still haven´t needed to apply trigonomic equations to any part of my life. After Spanish classes usually involves exploring the city grabbing some delicious empanadas, the national on the go meal of Argentina and the only thing that gives the aussie meat pie a real run for its money, while taking in the sights of Buenos Aires. I´ve been able to tick off one of my lifetime goals of visiting the biggest cathedral in Buenos Aires, El Bombanera stadium, home of Boca Juniors and next to a really good empanada shop. If you´re not into the whole "when in Rome" thing, the pituresque La Boca area is still a must visit for all gringos. Gringos is the Argentinian slang word for foreigners, I have absolutely no clue if it´s insulting or not but all I know is that as much as I try, locals can pick me out as one way too easily. I guess my rank amateur spanish has something to do with it, I guess the only way is up. . After a busy day, I´ll return to the hostel that has become my home in Buenos Aires. Even though the wifi is slow and unreliable it´s become a place to relax and get the local Argentinians to do my spanish homework for me when I´m feeling sick and tired of the wierd sounding double L´s.

Summary of my GapBreak in Argentina!

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Clem Rocks

Our volunteering was an experience like no other. We spent the afternoons in our banged up van driving out to ‘las villas’, the slums of Buenos Aires. There, we worked with children filling their time after school with fun activities so they weren’t left to wander around the dangerous slums alone. Although the surroundings were confronting our afternoons were certainly filled with joy as we skipped, played with puzzles and taught some of the older kids English.

The way our placement was structured meant that we were essentially living in a student residence in Buenos Aires for 3 months. For all of us this was the first time we lived away from our parents, leaving us to take care of ourselves in a new city far away from the comfort of Australia.

Our volunteering was much more flexible than most, giving us quite a bit of downtime to explore BA and Argentina. We spent a lot of this time exploring the city and doing touristy activities such as a graffiti tour, a day trip to Tigre and ‘La bomba del Tiempo’, a local percussion concert just to name a few. We spent a weekend in Mendoza, Argentina’s wine country and went on a trip with our volunteering organisation to Northern Argentina and Iguazu Falls. For many of us, this was the highlight of the trip working in the Peruti Village as we got the opportunity to see a totally different side of poverty in Argentina which was unlike our work in the slums.

We froze in the snow in the Andes and cycled in 34 degree heat through Misiones. We ate our weight in $2 pizzas from 'Fabrica’s' and spent a day in Uruguay. We met some interesting people, from sassy Argentinians to loud Germans and everything in between. We played puzzles, read (very poorly) in Spanish and woke up with sore muscles from piggybacks in the villas. We laughed, we cried and we spent a confusing day in Paraguay. All in all, it was a crazy, incredible and unforgettable way to spend a gap year.

Ticking off the bucket list before saying "Adios, Argentina!"

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Clem Rocks

I have tried to start this blog about 5 times now and every time I have chickened out because I don't want to face the fact that we are leaving Buenos Aires. To sound as cliché as ever 3 months has just flown by. The fact that we are packing is incomprehensible and the thought of leaving the Reina Madre tomorrow is constantly being forced to the back of my mind, though despite that I will try to wrap up the last 3 months as best I can.

On the weekend Tarun and Andreas went to Patagonia, to which I will hand you over to Tarun… "Patagonia was an amazing experience, definitely a highlight of the trip. In El Calafate we walked on a Glacier and in El Chalten we scaled a mountain, two adventures that I certainly will not forget any time soon."

A couple of weekends ago we attended 'La Ventana', one of the best tango shows in Buenos Aires, and it certainly lived up to its name. Beginning with a (very successful) Tango class, then dinner and a show it was definitely a highlight of our time in BA.

We have spent our final few weeks in BA ticking touristy things off our bucket list as well as revisiting our favourite places. A spontaneous trip to Tigre for a grand total of 15 cents, a graffiti tour, a trip to the Japanese gardens and a Halloween party were some of the highlights. We bid farewell to our token American Zyanya, thus making the 8 amigos a group of 7 again. We have dedicated our final week to eating our body weight in food from our favourite restaurants and plan on spending our last day in Buenos Aires at the final tourist attraction on our list, Floralis Generica.

Saying goodbye to Buenos Aires will be tough, but not as tough as it was to say goodbye to the children in the villas. Our last volunteering day was a weird cocktail of reminisce, sadness and a pinch of happiness that the kids exude everyday. As we drove out of Villa Luango for the final time I hoped that we did- however small- make a difference to the lives of those we met volunteering along the way.

We have a crazy week ahead of us as we part our separate ways. Georgia is the first to leave, home to the Gold Coast on Sunday night. Tarun and Andreas leave with a lovely 3am taxi to the airport on Monday bound for Sydney and Brisbane respectively. Which leaves Joe, Jaci, Annabelle and Clem to galavant around South America for another month or so!

We've frozen in the snow in the Andes and cycled in 34 degree heat through Misiones. We've eaten our weight in $2 pizzas from Fabricas and spent a day in Uruguay. We've met some interesting people, from loud Germans to sassy Argentines and everything in between. We've played puzzles, read (very poorly) to children in Spanish and woken up with sore muscles from piggybacks in the villas. We've laughed, we've cried and we've spent a bizarre day in Paraguay. It's safe to say that we've had fun as the Seven Michael Bevans (the only thing that rhymes with 7) and I couldn't have asked for a better group to share this insane experience with.

Gappers' Questionnaire!

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Clem Rocks

It is so hard to comprehend that fact that we only have two weeks left in Buenos Aires before we go our separate ways. As we begin to wrap up our time together with a series of 'lasts' we have begun reminiscing about the past three months in.

Highlight of the trip
Tarun: Peruti village, Mendoza
Andreas: Peruti village, high mountain tour, Iguazu
Jaci: Iguazu
Georgia: Zoo
Annabelle: Mendoza
Joe: Iguazu boat ride
Clem: Peruti Village

Most challenging aspect of volunteering?
Tarun: Saying goodbye
Andreas: Violent children
Jaci: Language barrier
Georgia: Language
Annabelle: Contrast between the city and the slums given their proximity
Joe: Trying to see the world through the children's eyes and trying to understand their daily reality
Clem: Feeling like we can't make a significant change to their lives long-term

Most rewarding aspect of volunteering?
Tarun: The kids
Andreas: Feeding kids in Peruti
Jaci: The rewarding feeling
Georgia: Seeing how happy and grateful they are we are when we get there
Annabelle: The look in the kids faces when you arrive in the van
Joe: The moments when you feel like you've made a small difference to their world
Clem: Making a difference to their day-to-day lives

Most noticeable difference between Australia and Argentina
Tarun, Andreas, Annabelle: The language and culture
Jaci: Price difference
Georgia: Their passion for anything and everything
Joe: No table water
Clem: Men's attitude towards women

Most quintessentially Argentine experience?
Everyone: The asado in San Ignacio

Favourite food
Tarun & Georgia: Pizza
Andreas: Steak (Argentine steak is the best in the world!)
Jaci & Annabelle: Alfajores
Joe: Chorizo
Clem: Empanadas

Are you ready to leave Buenos Aires?
Tarun: No, but I miss home
Andreas & Georgia: It's been incredible, but yes
Jaci & Annabelle: No
Joe: Yes, ready to see more of South America
Clem: Keen to travel but don't want to leave the group

If you could have something from home what would it be?
T: A cricket bat
Andreas: Bike
Jaci: Chicken sushi & a laptop
Georgia: My dog, and mum's chicken schnitzel of course
Annabelle: Table water, vegemite, Thai food, passion pop
Joe: Mi goreng
Clem: Thai food, dumplings

If you had more time and money what more would you like to do?
Tarun: Salt flats
Andreas: Bariloche and a football game
Jaci: Rio & Patagonia
Annabelle: Cordoba or Patagonia
Georgia: The rest of South America
Joe: Cordoba, Rosario & Patagonia
Clem: Cordoba

If you could do it all again what would you do differently?
Tarun, Georgia: I don't think I would do anything differently
Andreas: Stay in Palermo and bring more US dollars
Jaci: Save more money beforehand
Annabelle: Brought warmer clothes, brought an inflatable pool and a warmer jacket
Joe: Take more pictures
Clem: Learnt more Spanish beforehand

Hope you enjoyed our little questionnaire we made for ourselves! It's crazy to think that in our next post we will be farewelling Argentina... time has flown by so fast!

The Argentine Australians xxxx

6 border crossings, 3 new countries and a whole lot of memories

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Clem Rocks

We have officially hit the two-month mark on our trip, leaving us with the scary realisation that we only have one month left in Buenos Aires. It has been our craziest few weeks yet, with six border crossings, three new countries to add to the passport and a whole lot of memories to last.

We spent the last week in the Misiones region of Northern Argentina on a trip organised by our Antipodeans partners. The trip included two days of volunteering before heading further north to do some sightseeing at Iguazu Falls and the Jesuit town of San Ignacio.

It's hard to compare the volunteering in the slums and our work in the Peruti Village - both equally rewarding but incredibly different. We spent the weekend working with an Indigenous community whose lives to us seemed very basic - the work we did was not so much simply playing with the children but cooking nutritious meals, lice treatment, collecting clean water from the creek and donating clothes and basic sanitary items to the community. We were also given a tour of the village by the local children, who were keen to lead us through overgrown jungle, over rocks and up very steep hills to the river where the kids and some of the group cooled down and got to relax before facing the 8km walk back to the school.

After our exhausting yet rewarding weekend in Montecarlo we were keen to head to Puerto Iguazu for some sightseeing. Our first day was spent crossing borders on a local bus bound for Ciudad de Este, Paraguay - it was definitely an authentic South American experience sitting on the floor of an overcrowded bus surrounded by boxes of illegal goods being smuggled out of Argentina! Torrential rain and long bus waits mixed with our tiredness made our day… interesting- to put it nicely. We all likened Paraguay to Southeast Asia, with many of us asking the question "what is Paraguay?" To be honest, even after a day there I'm still confused.

Overnight the sun cleared in time for our day at the incredible Iguazu Falls. Going to one of the Seven Wonders of the World was on everyone's bucket list and as always, our photos do not do the beautiful place justice. We experienced the falls in all their glory on a boat ride that took us right underneath and explored the parklands all day before heading home to relax by the pool.

Our final two days in Misiones were spent in the town of San Ignacio, where we experienced a local Asado, visited the Jesuit ruins and lay in the sun in the wonderful 35 degree heat. Although our week in Iguazu had a few hiccups - thousands of mozzie bites, standing in front of a bus to prevent it from leaving with our luggage, lunch being stolen by possum-like creatures, a scary border crossing, headlice and some definite cases of heatstroke, the Misiones trip was once in a lifetime. Throughout our travels, we have definitely learnt that even though on paper many of our plans didn't work out, sometimes that's just the way it is. All in all, I absolutely loved our Northern Argentina trip.

Speaking of border crossings, a few weekends ago we took a trip to Colonia Del Sacramento in Uruguay, a small coastal town two hours from Buenos Aires by ferry. It had been raining all morning so our trip initially felt a little glum but the sun came out just in time for us to see the most amazing sunset over the water (see picture right at the top).

Back in Buenos Aires life is going swimmingly. Our volunteering is as fun as ever and we now know most of the children in the villas by name. Last week we finally ventured to La Boca - the famous colourful streets, home to the worshipped soccer team Boca Juniors. We also attended Mundo Lingo - a bilingual speed dating-esque event to practice our Spanish- somewhat successfully too! Some of the group also went to see the All Blacks beat Argentina (before Argentina beat the Aussies, so we hear).

Plans are being made to take a trip to Patagonia to see every corner of this beautiful country and we are filling up our weekends with as much sightseeing as possible. As summer looms and the days get warmer the city is beginning to liven up as we make the most of our final month here. We are two months in and I continue to fall in love with Buenos Aires more and more each day.

This is what a GapBreak is all about!

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Clem Rocks

Hello everyone! It has been a busy few weeks for our group of seven. We write to you from our 14-hour bus trip home from Mendoza, Argentina's wine region near the north border of Chile. It is amazing how after three weeks in Buenos Aires it really does feel like we are heading home after a weekend away.

Two weeks ago we had our orientation with Antips' in-country partners, who explained to us the significance of what we would be doing over the next three (now two) months. The primary objective is to "improve the children's quality of life in marginalised areas by generating opportunities for a better future in Argentina." The work that we do is primarily after school care, working in small community centres in 'las villas' playing with the children and essentially giving them something to do in the afternoons so they aren't wandering around the slums. Most of the activities we offer are recreational: puzzles, reading with the kids or playing soccer and skipping. For many of the children it is an escape and often the highlight of their day, and it is quickly becoming the highlight of our time here too. Only two weeks in and we have already chosen our favourite places and have fallen in love with these kids.

The group managed to get out of Buenos Aires on our first trip together - a long weekend in Mendoza. We arrived on Friday morning after a sleep on the overnight bus (in seats that are definitely business class standard) and that afternoon set off on a wine tasting tour of the region. Mendoza is known for having the best red wine in Argentina, though in addition to tasting the Malbecs and Shiraz we also had amazing olive oil at a small factory along the way and learnt the process of making wine at these vineyards.

The next day was Georgia's 19th birthday, and what a better way to spend it than on a high mountain tour of the Andes. Mendoza is semi-desert and it is quite rare for it to snow in the Andes at this time of year, so naturally we were expecting the blue skies and 20-degree weather we were told about. What we were met with was -7 degrees and snowing- definitely different to what we were prepared for, but so much better. We visited the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres and had lunch at an altitude of 3557m above sea level. We ended the tour in Las Cuevas, the final town before Chile with a population of only ten people before heading back via the Inca Bridge.

On our final day the girls opted for the city tour where we learnt about Mendoza's history and climbed 'Cerro de la Gloria', an iconic hill in Mendoza with spectacular panoramic views of the whole city; as usual, none of our photos do it justice.

Outside of volunteer hours we have also been very busy discovering more and more of Argentina. We dedicated last weekend to seeing many of the main tourist attractions in Buenos Aires. We visited Recoleta Cemetery, home of some the most elaborate graves we have ever seen, including that of the Peron family (see photo below). On the same day we also discovered El Ateneo, a beautiful theatre turned bookstore which was a lovely escape from the craziness of the city, even if just for an hour or so. On Sunday we returned to San Telmo markets with more determination than last week; not only did we make it the whole stretch this time but we also picked up some souvenirs to bring home along the way.

During the week we attended 'La bomba del Tiempo', an Argentine percussion show which we were told was one of the top three things to see in Buenos Aires- and it definitely lived up to this claim! The boys have joined a local football team, playing with and against other travellers about once a week. The girls attempted tango lessons which were less than successful (none of us are very coordinated), though we claim victory after the few 'buenos' we received from the teacher and are definitely as good as the locals now.

Today marks two months until we leave and although that feels like a long time we know that it will fly by. The combination of volunteering and travelling is really what a GapBreak is all about. We are planning to go to Uruguay in a couple of weeks and this weekend some of us are going to volunteer at a summer camp with the kids we see during the week. We are well and truly settling into life in Buenos Aires and are starting to feel like locals, though our thick Australian accents often give us away, along with our not-so-fluent Spanish.

Till next time!


Clem

Getting into the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires!

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Building
WRITTEN BY: GapBreak Volunteers

¡Hola from Argentina!

Our group of 7 have arrived and are well and truly getting into the hustle and bustle of life in Buenos Aires. Andreas arrived two weeks ago after 3 months of travelling around South America and has had plenty of time to get his bearings in the city. Next to arrive was Annabelle, following a 2-month stint in Europe. Tarun, Jaci, Joe and Georgia followed (bar their luggage) and finally Clem.

Our first week has been filled with Spanish classes, taught by our legendary profesor Eduardo. We arrived with 'poco español' but after 20 hours of lessons we have learnt the basics, can understand the 'porteños' if they speak slowly enough and, most importantly, we can order food. We're definitely going to be fluent in no time.

During our afternoons off we have started to explore this beautiful city, navigating our way around the 'subte' or subway to various neighbourhoods. On Wednesday we walked out of class to find a protest along 9 de Julio- the widest street in the world. (See middle photo above) Politics is such an important part of life in Argentina- everyone has an opinion and actively expresses it, a noticeable contrast to the passive aggressive nature of the Australian public.

We just arrived home after a day at the Sunday markets in San Telmo; after not even making a dent in the long street- filled with everything from souvenirs to ponchos- we have vowed to return and complete the whole stretch. We have been astounded by how incredibly cheap everything is in comparison to Australia. Our daily pizzas and empanadas cost us AUD$2 and dinner at a nice restaurant is less than $10, including drinks. Now that our jet lag has subsided we have started to explore the famous Argentine nightlife, where restaurants aren't busy until 11pm and clubs don't open until 2am! With many of us used to Sydney's 1:30am lock out rules this concept is the polar opposite - something we are still getting used to.

On Friday night we met for 'mate y medialunas', a weekly activity run by our in country partner. We also attended a pizza night where we tried mate, an Argentine tea and Fernet, a bitter herbal alcohol. Fernet is to the Argentinians what Vegemite is to Australians- which of course means that to foreigners it's not particularly enjoyable. Definitely an acquired taste.

We are desperate to take advantage of our short time in Argentina by exploring as much of the country as we can. We have booked a trip to Mendoza for two weeks time and are also in the midst of planning trips to Uruguay, Rio and Iguaçu Falls. On Tuesday we start volunteering and although we have loved having this week to explore the city, we are all keen to get stuck into the work, which is the real reason why we are here.

Buenos! Ciao!

Argentina GapBreak is underway with Spanish and Tango lessons

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Lucy Taylor

Our first week has flown by in a whirlwind of new experiences and adventures. On arrival in Buenos Aires we were thrust in to the very foreign South American and European influenced culture with little to no language skills between the three of us. This buzzing cosmopolitan city however has since stolen our hearts.

Our first week was predominately spent in Spanish lessons with our Peruvian teacher Yanina. She spoke very little English to us, and through this immersion we picked up vocabulary and grammar tropes quickly. By the end of a week of daily three hour lessons, we had picked up enough Spanish to understand, if only vaguely, what was being said around us, and even respond in broken speech if needed.

We also spent time getting to know the others living at the hostel and those completing programs such as TEFL and internships with our in country partner. Although we find ourselves to be a minority amongst a sea of Americans, meeting new people from both around the world and locally in BA has been great fun.

A memorable feature of this week was our tango lesson, held in a converted warehouse in Palermo. Equal parts excited and apprehensive, we joined the other “Roadies” for our first exposure to the traditional Argentinean pastime. I myself had little luck with the steps, however my fellow Antips danced with much skill, particularly Bern, who was asked to dance after class by a Buenos Aires local.

On Friday, exhausted after a late night dinner on our rooftop terrace which developed into an early morning soiree with many other hostel residents, we headed to the bus station with a couple of our American roommates for a weekend trip to Mendoza, the wine growing region of Argentina. On Saturday we embraced the aforementioned culture on a wine tasting tour, followed by a parrilla for dinner. The following day we enjoyed a bus ride into the Andes for some hiking, surrounded by vistas which were absolutely breath taking.

Now back in Buenos Aires, after such a busy first week we feel a little more settled into our surroundings and have begun to navigate the city more like locals than tourists, and we are excited to experience that which is to come in the coming weeks!

A memorable feature of this week was our tango lesson, held in a converted warehouse in Palermo. Equal parts excited and apprehensive, we joined the other “Roadies” for our first exposure to the traditional Argentinean pastime. I myself had little luck with the steps, however my fellow Antips danced with much skill, particularly Bern, who was asked to dance after class by a Buenos Aires local.

On Friday, exhausted after a late night dinner on our rooftop terrace which developed into an early morning soiree with many other hostel residents, we headed to the bus station with a couple of our American roommates for a weekend trip to Mendoza, the wine growing region of Argentina. On Saturday we embraced the aforementioned culture on a wine tasting tour, followed by a parrilla for dinner. The following day we enjoyed a bus ride into the Andes for some hiking, surrounded by vistas which were absolutely breath taking.

Now back in Buenos Aires, after such a busy first week we feel a little more settled into our surroundings and have begun to navigate the city more like locals than tourists, and we are excited to experience that which is to come in the coming weeks!

Don't cry for me Argentina!

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Madeleine Paradise

I sit here on my top bunk, looking down at the chaos below. The noises, the sights... the smells. It's fascinating - and a little bit scary - how much stuff 6 girls thought necessary to survive 3 months in South America. We're all hastily packing our things, questioning the necessity of our possessions, as well as trying to offload the useless onto each other. "Do I need three of the same T-shirt?", "Does anyone want a frequent flyer nasal spray?", "Anyone need gastro pills?", "WHY DID I BRING SO MANY SHOES?"... It's an interesting experience in Room 1. I'm certain the boys upstairs are a little more blasé about packing...

Packing. Packing to leave Buenos Aires. What? Who's leaving? We definitely aren't. Not in our heads, at least. It hasn't clicked - not one bit - that our time is up in Argentina. Come Friday morning, our beloved Bronwyn is the first to leave, heading to Rio de Janiero. Cass hops on a plane to New York on Friday night. Saturday; Arj, Beck and David fly home to Australia, Lyndon is off to Peru, Britt joins Bronwyn in Rio, and yours truly hops on a bus to Corrientes in Northern Argentina for another two months in South America (sorry Mum and Dad!). That leaves poor Issy, the first to arrive and the last to leave, for one more lonely night in the hostel, before arriving home after 5 months in Europe and South America.

Our time in Argentina and Buenos Aires can - and will - be likened to a painting. A canvas rich in culture, characterised by colour; light and shade; the odd smudge or two; and beautiful but different brushstrokes. Our quick trips away to Mendoza and the Andes; The Misiones and Iguazu; Uruguay; Rio; El Tigre; and an Estancia, all add different colours to the painting. From the red dirt of the Misiones, the stark white snow of the Andes, to the glittering gold of the shores of Rio de Janiero. Light and shade was apparent in day to day life in Argentina. Some days were naturally better than others. Some days were hard; work was challenging, our Spanish skills failed us, we were ill, we missed home, or we simply needed some time to ourselves. Smudges, or errors, are visible on our painting - nothing is perfect. Along the way, we lost jumpers, lost money, got the wrong bus in Mendoza (sorry guys!), inadvertently offended people by misusing pronouns, and had our underwear vanish when we took it to the laundry... But, I think these little smudges complete our painting, it is all the more beautiful for them. Also, amongst this chaotic piece of art that is our Argentina Antips GapBreak, you can't even see the smudges! Not with all the beauty this beast beholds. As for the brushstrokes, every person we met along the way added their own unique stroke. Every single person we met along the way contributed to our artwork; hostel owners, Spanish teachers, charity founders, fellow travelers, cab drivers, waiters, pizza-makers, fruit and vegetable vendors, and - of course - the unforgettable children we worked with in las villas.

At the end of the day, the Argentine Nine were the real artists behind this painting; we may have hit each other with the paintbrush every now and then, but man, we did good. We traipsed around the world, with altruistic ambition, helped those less fortunate than ourselves, and experienced an entirely different culture.

Take a step back, guys. Look at our masterpiece. ¿En serio? ...Wow.

Now, I'd also like to take this moment to thank our respective commissioners; our families and friends. The life of a young artist is hard; without your support (whether it be financial or moral) we may never have been able to complete this wonderful piece of work, and have had this incredible experience.

Our main purpose here, volunteering in las villas , has opened our eyes. We saw the way others live, and realised there are certain benefits we take advantage of at home. We're increasingly, and acutely, aware of disparities people face solely due to class and financial standing in society. We wonder how we can make a sincere and sustainable difference in the lives of those less fortunate (and, honestly, those TOO fortunate), yet we know it would take some kind of a revolution and moral conscience upheaval from all corners of the world... Someone needs to lead it. While eyes immediately fall on Lyndon for the job, it should be lead by our entire generation. ¡Viva la Revolution!

Its the old cliché that time flies when you're having fun.... But it really did. It's November already? Leaving is bittersweet. We've loved our time in Buenos Aires, volunteering with the children, living in the city, and being with each other. I have said it before, and I will say it again, the Argentine Nine have become a tight-knit unit, and have certainly cemented a place in my heart. I am proud to call these 8 wonderful humans my friends, and I wish them all the very best in the future.

12 amazing weeks, 9 beautiful group members, and 1 incredible experience.

The ABC of 3-months in Argentina

COUNTRY: Argentina
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Madeleine Paradise

Mi Casa es su Casa!

It is hard to believe we are almost finished here in Argentina. As always, we have been a busy bunch; attending volunteering, wrapping up Spanish lessons, planning post-bu travel, and exploring the wider province of Buenos Aires.

Volunteering is now a part of us. The children know us, and we know them - learning of their families, and their own short lives thus far. We watch the children grow, even noticing physical growth amongst the younger ones. While we've been volunteering every day as usual, Bronwyn and David took the opportunity to go on a LIFE volunteer camp over the weekend. The children in attendance were those we work with in las villas Monday-Friday. The camp was held at an estancia, a ranch-style farm, outside of the city. Not only did this give Bron and Dave the chance to escape the city craziness, but the children, of course, were able to remove themselves from life in las villas - if only temporarily. The children played sports, and even milked a cow (Bron was particularly rapt with this experience), giving them a physical - and mental - break from struggles they may face day to day in the slums.

We also went out to El Tigre, a town outside the BA. 28kms, and an hour long train ride (Yeah.. 28km/h... Speedy!) later, we arrived in the small riverside city. El Tigre's claim to fame is not tigers (much to our disappointment), as the name suggests, but the river on which it is set. Most of us took the tourist boat ride around the river paths, or strolled through the fruit markets, that actually didn't have any fruit.


Cass, Arj, Issy, and Beck all attended Fuerza Bruta last week; a theatrical, audience interactive, cirque de solei-esque phenomenon (that could be a little hyperbolic, and a lot ignorant, as I haven't actually been myself... Yet!). The beauty of BA is that there is always something going on; a drum show, a new market, concerts, or even a castle to climb, as some of the girls did last week.

We are now two months in to our time in Buneos Aires, Argentina. We have a measly 3 weeks left in the city and in Argentina. We're at the point where we know life here almost as well as we know our ABC's... Bare with me for this please.

A is for Argentina; our temporary home,
The land for two months in which we did roam.

B is Buenos Aires; the city where we live,
Busy and loud, and with so much to give.

C is for "¿Como?", our default comeback,
When they speak Spanish too fast and we've lost track.

D for Dulce de Leche; a caramel spread,
We can't escape it, smeared on pastries, cakes, and of course, bread.

E is for empanadas; a package of edible tastiness,
Beef, chicken, or ham and cheese; it's all a bunch of goodness.

F is food; facturas, Fabrica's, and Family Dinner Night,
But F is also for fatties - we're not a pretty sight.

G is for "GOOOOOOOOOOOOO *breath* OOOOOOAL";
Heard for much too long when watching football.

H for ¡Hola!; the standard greeting,
Appropriate for everything - especially an awkward kitchen meeting.

I for Iguazu, an undeniable trip stand out,
And if the water sprays you, it's okay to shout.

J is for jandals; poor Britt's happened to break,
It was funny, but I'm sure her feet started to ache.

K for koala, but there aren't any here,
Nothing Argentine started with 'k', not even a beer.

L is for LIFE; our local volunteer organisation,
The recipient of our time and our donation.

M is for Mate, the local bitter tea,
But it's "mah-tay", not mate... you got me?

N is for nits, a gift from Peruti
A little unsolicited, and a lot like a cooti.

O is for olives; Cass's clear obsession,
Without them, she falls into a pit of depression.

P for Peruti Village; an indigenous town,
Full of sheer happiness - it was impossible to feel down.

Q is for Quilmes, a local favourite brew,
Don't be surprised if we bring home a bottle or two.

R is Road2Argentina, our In-Country base,
Ensuring that in Argentina, we do not feel out of place.

S is for Sube; our trusty transit card,
for buses and the subway, so getting around isn't hard.

T is travel; we can't get enough,
Wandering far and wide, whilst lugging all our stuff.

U is for Uruguay, a brief little trip,
For all nine of us, except little Blip!

V is for villas, the slums in which we volunteer,
Our memories from here are our favourite souvenir.

W is for wifi, the bane of our existence,
Our connection to home, to minimise the distance.

X is for Xmas- this is kind of a cop out,
No relevant words start with 'X', what's that about?

Y is for "YOLO"; our unfortunate justification
For being spontaneous and crazy, without condemnation.

Z is for zero; zero reasons to leave,
We've loved our time here more than you would believe.

So there it is, our Argentine ABC,
I'm honestly very sorry it was so twee.
I will probably get made fun of for this,
But at least it was nice for me to reminisce.

A week long adventure in Paraguay

COUNTRY: Argentina 
PROGRAM: GapBreak 
PROJECT: Care Work 
WRITTEN BY: Madeleine Paradise

Mi Casa es su Casa

I feel a little like a broken record. It's been another busy fortnight. It's impossible to be bored in Buenos Aires, even when we feel like we are doing nothing, we're still living on the other side of the world.

Last week, we celebrated my own 19th birthday; somehow (don't ask me how, I just went along with it, and certainly wasn't complaining) making the celebrations last 3, potentially 4, days. From dinner at our favourite restaurant, Las Cabras, or "The Goats", birthday cake and presents on the hostel terrace, more cake and birthday celebrations in the Misiones, and going out at night days later in lieu of my birthday, I've had one of the longest birthdays known to man. I was spoilt and showered with love. It was certainly unforgettable and unique, and I thank my Argentine family profusely.

The Argentine Nine were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit the Misiones and Iguazu. We did this trip with our in-country volunteer company; LIFE. This enabled us to spend 3 days volunteering in the local indigenous community of Peruti Village. Sunny skies and sunny dispositions, our time in Peruti was unforgettable. Tasks we completed during the period included general play, delousing and styling the children's hair, and daily meal and snack preparation and distribution; including making flat bread from scratch - a trying and repetitive task for Issy, Dave, Beck and myself. We were given a village tour by some of the older children, who were keen to show off their community. The communal bath, burial ground and river were just some places we were taken. The river was a beautiful sight, lead down a precarious track; over rocks, dodging trees; we found ourselves at an opening on a cliff edge with water below. The children quickly demonstrated jumping into the water with ease, however we were far more reluctant. Though I'll give credit to Cass and Bron for dipping their feet! In Peruti, we also saw the distribution of donated clothes and shoes, as well as toys that our fundraising helped purchase. Seeing the children tote their new toys around the village was the cherry on top of a dulce de leche drizzled, chocolate ice-cream sundae of a weekend spent in Peruti Village.

Next stop on our week-long adventure was Paraguay. Parag-WHY, more like. In the space of an hour, we went from Argentina, through Brazil, to end in Paraguay. No, the novelty of border crossing with ease has not worn off yet. The city of Ciudad al Este in Paraguay was, interesting, to say the least. We found it to be much like the Southeast-Asian cities of Bangkok, Pnom Penh and Denpasar. Markets, street-side stalls, haggling, and wayward motorcycles in a made-up maze of traffic. This Asian likeness wasn't helped by the fact that we ate at a Chinese restaurant for lunch. Ciudad al Este was, however, an interesting change for the day. Some appreciated it more than others; Lyndon later proclaiming Paraguay to be 'a stain on his brain'.

Staying in Puerto Iguazu, we were destined to visit the incredible Iguazu Falls, and destiny it was. The park in which the falls are located in is spectacular itself, rich in flora and fauna. Monkeys, toucans, beautiful butterflies, and the curious South Aerican coatis all reside in the park's dense jungle. Walking in the heat, over the bridges to the main falls, David and myself couldn't help but sing (okay, I may break out in song often, so it's no real shock) to sum it up;
"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Argentiiiine Niiiine... Oh in the jungle the Iguazu jungle, the Argentiiiine Niiiine... Weeeee-eee-ee-e-e we see waterfalls... Because weeeee-eee-ee-e-e we walked on a bridge... "

Okay so in hindsight, perhaps you had to be there to appreciate this lyrical genius, but nonetheless, we walked on a bridge, and we saw waterfalls. The waterfalls, in all their wonder, left us in awe. Water falling from a staggering maximum height of 82 metres, over 275 drops, spanning 2.7 kilometres. We experienced the falls in all their glory, not fearing the spray or the "splaaaash" when we perhaps got a little too close to the water. This closeness was inevitable if, like myself, Arj, Dave, Issy, and Bron, you took a boat ride through the base of the falls; effectively saturating yourself in the water of the majestic Iguazu Falls; "WE'RE IN THE FALLS" - yes Arj, yes we are. now, I'd like to take a moment to remember Britt's jandals (they're thongs, mate), that tragically lost their lives that day, being walked to death around Iguazu National Park. They were a good pair of shoes.

We also visited the regional town of San Ignacio; where we got to see much of Northern Argentina's countryside. We trekked through what could be mistaken as Australian bush land to see century old indigenous Argentine carvings of mythical beings, and also to some incredible lookouts.

On the home front, we're still volunteering everyday, Lyndon, Britt and Arj are still attending Spanish lessons - with Dave finishing up this week, and we're still loving living here. It's hard to believe we are now over halfway through our time in Argentina, and soon we will be leaving our temporary home here.

Home is where the heart is. Over the last fortnight, our group has called many a place 'home'. Home has been our hostel, Buenos Aires, an overnight bus, in northern Argentina, and in some shady hostels. But don't worry, respective Mums, Dads, siblings, friends, aunts, uncles, and long-lost twice removed cousins; we still call Australia (or NZ!) home.

Personally, I've been questioning the concept of 'home'; where and what it is. Especially when considering what others consider to be home. Working in slums, with disadvantaged people, we see the stark contrast in standard of living; between their makeshift or amateur built homes, and our homes both here in BA, and in Australia or NZ. We see their homes. We see their modest living. We see their satisfaction with merely have a roof over their heads. By relative comparison, we know different. We know grand homes. We know the desire for a larger roof over our heads.

Taking a Gap Year to travel abroad, let alone to volunteer abroad, challenges your perceptions indefinitely. Not merely just of home, as I've expressed, but also of cost, worth, value, values, ethics, customs and culture - just to name a few. We're all changing a little, becoming increasingly informed young global citizens, developing an understanding of other cultures, communities and concepts. This is not a conscious learning, as a consequence of travel we have had our eyes and minds pried open in the best way possible.