Abigail Toevs is a student at University of Idaho and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Cordoba, Argentina
A week after leaving the states I have arrived at my final destination, la residencia de Krause in Córdoba, Argentina. Over the past week, six fellow international students, two ISA staff members, and I have been touring two of Argentina’s most popular cities; Buenos Aires and Rosario.
Buenos Aires is, in a word, alive. It is the 17th largest city in the world, and it shows. This bustling port city has a very rich, proud history. We had the pleasure of visiting some of its most popular points of interest including the Plaza de Mayo, 9 de Julio Avenue, the Obelisk, La Boca, and el Museo de Evita. Eva Perón, the wife of Juan Perón, also better known as Evita, was a celebrated activist for women’s suffrage, the Argentine labor unions, and the Peronist party in the late 1940’s. This exhibit portrays and narrates how dearly Evita is held in the hearts of so many Argentines, following her life from her impoverished youth, to her short radio personality career, and finally to her marriage to Juan, future president of Argentina. The Argentina Congress declared Evita the spiritual leader of the Nation of Argentina after her death in 1952.
In Rosario, we got to see the National Flag Memorial, the Basilica Cathedral, the Cemetario El Salvador, and of course the Paraná River, which is a major port for transportation of goods traveling south toward Buenos Aires.
Finally, getting to Córdoba was an adventure of its own. In the heat of the day, we rolled our luggage into the bus station in Rosario and boarded the double decker bus for a six-hour drive. Leaving the concrete and entering an expanse of fields growing corn, soybeans, and wheat with farm houses situated so quaintly in the middle reminds me so much of my own roots that for a moment I forget how many miles stand between the two landscapes. At the Córdoba bus station our host families met us right off of the buses. The Krause family was very kind to help Meghan, a fellow ISA student who is staying in the same home stay, and I with our luggage. I feel very fortunate to have such a friendly and helpful host family. I couldn’t ask for more.
In all, it has been an incredible week and it’s only going to get better from here. I know that I am going to have so many amazing experiences and I can’t wait to share them! ¡Chau!
Reblogged this on moiatiamo.