Argentinian Adventures for St. Luke's Students

On June 5, St. Luke’s students and chaperones embarked from JFK Airport and arrived in Buenos Aires the next day. They were greeted and brought to their Argentinian partner school, St. Martin in the Fields, where they enjoyed a wonderful lunch enjoying freshly baked empanadas. The St. Luke’s students shared tables with the St. Martin’s student hosts, and the SLS chaperones, Jason Haynes and Sandra Comas, met with the directors of the school and exchange program.

The St. Luke’s students went home with their host families, and in the evening many went out for a meal or an event. Some students enjoyed a family night at home. Over the weekend some went to the Recoleta, or San Telmo with its famous outdoor antiques market, or to a good meal with milanesas, asado, and maybe some dulce de leche afterward.

In the next days, the St. Luke’s students gave numerous presentations. They talked about American holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Halloween.  They spoke about American foods and shared music.  They discussed sports, including the World Cup, which was happening during their visit to Argentina!

One exciting excursion brought them to Iguazú Falls, a truly amazing natural wonder, with mountainous waterfalls amidst the live rainforest. They went to a refuge that brings beautiful animals back into the wild and protects species that are in danger of extinction.  They also learned about the diversity and beauty of the region’s fauna and flora.

They took a boat up the Paraná Delta from El Tigre. There they saw how people get on a local ferry to go from one area of the delta to another and learned food comes to people’s homes by boat. Up the delta they spent a day at an estancia, taking a hike through an area rife with multitudes of birds, marsh creatures, and abundant plant life. They arrived back to a delicious asado and ensalada, a warm fire, and a quiet, beautiful ride back to the city.

In Buenos Aires they visited the Cabildo, the first Town Hall; the Casa Rosada, the house of the government’s executive offices; the Plaza de Mayo, the main square; the Banco Nación, the national bank; and the Legislature Palace. At the Cathedral they viewed the tomb of Argentina’s national hero, San Martín. They also saw the Recoleta Cemetery, walking among the great figures of Argentine history. La Boca introduced them to other aspects of Buenos Aires, both the life of early immigrants in the city and the contemporary love of soccer.

Their visits to the MALBA, a museum of Latin American art, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the national art gallery, were an inspiration. Excellent teachers taught them the tango in the Milonga, a great tango hall in the city, and they went to the extraordinary Teatro Colón opera house, one of the acoustical marvels of the world.

Thanks to St. Martin in the Fields, its students and the people they encountered, each day was a great one.