Studying abroad in a vibrant city like Buenos Aires offers a bounty of spots where you can practice and improve your language skills outside of the classroom. Leave your shyness at home and put your knowledge into action by striking up conversations with the highly-spirited bunch that the porteñosare! Vamos!
A Night Out in Palermo Soho
Boho bars, funky clubs and explosive youthful energy - Palermo Soho is the most fashionable part of Buenos Aires and would be the perfect place for meeting native Spanish speakers. And let’s be honest – what’s a better way to blend in with the cool local crowd than conversations over a beer? The hip and young area will welcome you with arms outstretched - unpretentious bars like The Steve Bar and Esquina Libertad guarantee an easy-going vibe. Talking to native speakers will not only help you make new friends while introducing you to Argentine culture, but is also certain to do wonders for your fluency!
Taking a Tango Class
The heart of Buenos Aires beats through tango and not taking at least one class during your year abroad is unthinkable! Even if you consider yourself cumbersome, have never done choreographed dancing or are not fond of the idea of dancing with a stranger – taking a tango class is a fun way to practice your Spanish, meet people and believe us, no one will judge your dancing skills. Following the commands of your tango teacher while being able to copy what others are doing if you can’t understand what he’s saying is a great way to enrich your vocabulary and have fun at the same time.
Catch a Theatre Show
Listening to as much as you can and making notes of new words and phrases is the ultimate way to tune into a foreign language. As much as watching Argentine TV shows is definitely a great idea – getting more cultural and catching a theatre show in one of the theatre capitals of the world is a decision that will affect your Spanish as well. Choosing to see a classic at the famous Teatro Colón would be smart since the familiarity with the plot will allow you to pay close attention to the language rather than having to focus all of your attention on what exactly is happening.
Café Chit Chat
Exploring the countless cosy sidewalk cafés in Buenos Aires is an activity that you will probably never tire of. Even though learning how to order coffee and how to ask for the bill are probably among the first Spanish phrases that you’ll learn, making friends with the staff members at your habitual café where you stop on your way to lectures means that you’ll get to practice your skills daily. Even if it’s a small talk about the weather or school and work related topics, chitchatting with them every day will definitely be effective for practicing both your speaking and listening skills.
