Argentina: The Social Life Of Buenos Aires

Submitted by Natalie Veiga on the 2018 fall semester program in Buenos Aires, Argentina…

The social life of Buenos Aires has moved me to see spending time with friends in a completely different way. I go to school in Newark, however, I also grew up and live in the suburbs in northeast Texas. Life moves slowly in both of those towns – we drive everywhere in our cars and there’s only so many bars, parks and restaurants to enjoy.

Buenos Aires seems to be full of endless possibilities. Everyday this week, I’ve been in a different park with my friends and every other evening we find a different bar, restaurant, café, a different space to occupy and enjoy. There are opportunities to constantly meet new people here. Everywhere we go, people in the city are excited to get to know us, and we feel welcome everywhere we go. Living in the suburbs back home feels so isolated compared to this experience – here the opportunity to socialize, to go out and be surrounded by people and lively energy, is always present, whether it’s a calm evening in the park watching the sunset or dancing at a local place. City life is a part of this experience, but it’s more than just any city life. This is something special that Buenos Aires has given us. The people here love to be out, even on gloomy, cloudy or cold days. They try to slow down the fast-paced life of a city and enjoy free moments with new and old company.

My friends and I in Bosques de Palermo, a series of local parks here, on the first day of spring.
A picture of the sky that same day during the sunset
Panorama of Plaza Serrano, the hub of several popular bars and restaurants in Palermo, a major neighborhood here in the city. This part of the city is always full of life.