Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and its largest city and port, as well as one of the largest cities in South America. Buenos Aires is located at the southern side of the River Plate, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent. The city is more European than South American in flavour and its heart boasts bustling streets and avenues, old-time cafes and stylish restaurants. Wander cobbled streets, marvelling at faded architecture glories and colourfully painted metal houses.
The population of Buenos Aires consists primarily of Argentines of Spanish, Italian descent, although there are sizable communities of people with Arab, Jewish, Armenian, Anglo-Irish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean origins. Also, there is a mixed Spanish-aboriginal minority. Most inhabitants are of Roman Catholic religion.
In the capital's southeastern corner, La Boca is most renowned for its brightly coloured wooden and corrugated iron houses and its football team. By far the most visited area is the huddle of three or four streets around the Vuelta de Rocha, an acute bulge in the river's course. La Boca has gained an unfortunate reputation for being, if not unsafe, at least slightly risky for tourists; there's no need to be paranoid about visiting, but you should avoid wandering around visibly touting a camera.
Just a few kilometres to the north of Buenos Aires' Avenida General Paz lies the exotic Paraná Delta, a wonderfully seductive maze of lushly vegetated islands separated by rivers and streams, lined by traditional houses on stilts. By far the most visited area lies within an hour and a half's boat trip from the pretty town of Tigre, around 20km northwest of the capital. As a departure point for excursions to the delta, the town itself is sometimes overlooked by tourists, however; it offers an appealing mix of faded glamour, and the bars and restaurants around its recently refurbished riverside provide perfect vantage points for contemplation of the comings and goings of delta life.
La Recoleta Cemetery at Av Quintana and Junín (daily 8am-6pm, 3rd Sun of month 8am-2.30pm; guided tours last Sun of month at 2.30pm; free) exerts a magnetic attraction on locals and foreigners, principally because it's where Evita is buried. A haven of peace and quiet within its high walls, it's a great place to wander, exploring its narrow streets and wide avenues of yews and cypress trees, where dozens of feral cats prowl among the graves. Evita's family's plain, polished black granite vault is now her final resting place, but unlike many other graves it's not signposted, so follow the signs to President Sarmiento's, over to the left when you come in, then count five alleyways farther away from the entrance, and look out for the pile of bouquets by the vault. Her full name, María Eva Duarte de Perón, and some poignant quotes from her speeches are inscribed on several bronze plaques.
As an English teacher in Buenos Aires, you have the unique opportunity to really make an impact on the lives of disadvantaged children of the city. They will look to you not only as a teacher, but also as a mentor, making this an extremely important and rewarding volunteer role.
This rewarding and worthwhile youth outreach project gives you the opportunity as a volunteer to play the role of mentor and teacher to children and young people in Buenos Aires.
After redundancy, Sally decided to see the world. She enjoyed our South Africa Wildlife Course so much that within 48 hours of arriving back in the UK she booked onto the Malaysia Orangutan Experience and the Thai Adventure! Read more..
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Gap Year for Grown Ups provides Career Break Voluntary Projects and Culture & Language programmes throughout South America and Central America. They have the best available Community voluntary projects as well as a number of Conservation Volunteer Projects to choose from. Combine these voluntary work placements abroad with learning Spanish in South America.
For useful volunteer travel advice to South America from Gap Year For Grown Ups, use the following links:
