Family, meet Familia.

This blog is for you, mom and dad. Thank you for visiting me in my “new home” and, most importantly, thank you for allowing me to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina…it has been quite the experience! 

Parents come to town

This week I hit my “one month left” mark and there was no better way to celebrate than my parents coming to town. Why? you may ask… Because I had the perfect excuse to act like a tourist again–revisit all my favorite sites, walk around with my camera, and pretend like school and finals didn’t exist. They absolutely got a kick out of me playing “tour guide/Spanish translator” and while the visit was only four short days, we made the most of every minute.

MY Buenos Aires

My parents made their intentions very clear when they decided to come to Argentina: “Haylie, we are coming to see you, not Buenos Aires.” Now, of course I wanted them to see and experience the incredible city that I’ve made my home for the past four months…but I appreciated how there was no pressure for a jam-packed itinerary (one that would no doubt leave little time for sleep, rest, and relaxation). Therefore, I opted for a much different “tour” than most would receive upon visiting BA for the first time. They got to see MY little slice of BA–walk my favorite streets, meet my friends, visit my school “facultades”, sit on my favorite park bench, and even ride my trusty Subte D.

Some of our favorite moments include:

1. strolling through Plaza de las Naciones Unidas and seeing the Floralis Genérica (an iconic steel and aluminum flower sculpture that opens and closes with the sun). Passing “the flower” is always the highlight of my daily run so I was very excited to share it with them!

2. visiting my home on Charcas and meeting my host mom, Marité. We got to chat, eat alfajores, and sip coffee in the living room…and of course, snap a pic of the two moms with their daughter.

3. taking a nice little walk through the Plaza de Mayo at night. We got to see the Casa Rosada, Obelisco, and Kirchner Cultural Center all lit up (something I always love but never stop to appreciate). It was quite remarkable.

4. walking through Recoleta Cemetery where my parents both said (and I quote), “it’s like a little town for dead people!” The most comical moment of the trip, however, was when my mom and I simultaneously broke out into song by Eva Peron’s grave…”Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” (a song from the musical “Evita”). Yes, there was an audience and yes, it was embarrassing.

5. enjoying dinner and a tango show at Los Angelitos Cafe. This is something that is not a part of MY normal BA life but something I just had to do while my parents were here. It was completely touristy but so worth it. Below is a video of one of the incredible performances. Enjoy:)

6. eating really really good food. Food is always a priority in my family, especially when it comes to visiting new places. My dad was very excited to try Argentina’s renowned meat selections. I, however, convinced him to try some of my top-pick cafes as well. We had a wonderful brunch at my favorite restaurant Malvón, a delicious Mexican lunch at Mezcal, and an “Argentine merienda” of coffee and medialunas at Café Tortoni.

So cheers, mom and dad! I hope you enjoyed your time in BA just as much as I did. And don’t be too sad to leave…I’ve only got four weeks left in this beautiful city!!

Besos,

Haylie 🙂

This week I learned…

1. that I LOVE the innumerable amount of fruit stands in Buenos Aires. I visit the one on my block 2-3 times a week, but never stop to appreciate its convenience and beauty. So many colors!!

2. more about the presidential election in Argentina. Yesterday, every Argentine citizen went to the polls to vote for their next prez (it’s obligatory here). To read more about it, click here.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 26th, 2015 at 2:19 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “Family, meet Familia.”

1. Momma says:

   October 31, 2015 at 3:08 pm

   Oh Haylie! What a wonderful time we had with you. Thank you for sharing your world with us. We were not ready to leave but will cherish this special time with you always‍‍

2. Bonnie Neumeier says:

   November 1, 2015 at 2:50 am

   So glad your Mom and Dad got to visit you Haylie. They had a taste of your experience. Thanks for sharing your stories. Sending love and a hug.
   Aunt Bonnie