Learn
to Dance in Buenos Aires,
the elegant capital city of Argentinaand
home of the
flamboyant Tango!
Argentina is a
vast country with a dramatically varied landscape, from the subtropical north to
the sub-Antarctic south. Buenos Aires, where our programmes are located, lies
close to the edge of the great Río de la Plata.
During your
placement you will have lessons with a private tango teacher, who will tailor
your programme to your individual level of expertise.
NEW! You can also combine your
Tango placement with a Spanish Course
In
the first week of your placement you will be taken to see a Tango Show within
the wonderful city of Buenos Aires. Tango shows include both singing and dancing
and are on display in local theatres. Currently, “Homero Manzi” and "La
Esquina Balcarce"are both
popular shows which interpret the story and history of Tango from its early
beginnings to date. The exact show that you will visit depends on the time that
you commence your placement.
For the rest of
your placement you will attend lessons with one of two private tango teachers
who regularly teach in various places throughout Buenos Aires – their names are
Ariel and Dalilah. If you are female you will have lessons with Ariel and if you
are male you will have lessons with Dalilah.
The lessons
scheduled for you are:
Three private
tango classes per week, each lasting one and a half hours. These will usually
be taken in the afternoons but there will be some flexibility, depending on
your teacher’s schedule.
One group class
per week (lasting one and a half hours). All of your teacher’s present
students will get together for this class. If, at any time, your teacher
doesn’t have many other studentsor feels
that volunteers are not at a certain level or have sufficient experience,
then this class will be an additional private lesson instead. Usually this
will happen with short placements.
One Milonga
per week at Club Gricel. A Milonga is an open Tango party where all levels
mix together. People from all over come to this weekly social event, where
everyone dances together and continually change couple - all lots of fun!
Your teacher will attend this Milonga every week. You may chose to go any
day of the week should you want to. The Club Gricel Milonga is every
Saturday night and follows the group class taught by your teacher.
Your dance
schedule will allow plenty of time for sightseeing and absorbing the experience
of being in Argentina.
To read about a
volunteers experience of Tango in Buenos Aires please check out the Blog of
Sally Blake, a Travellers volunteer embarking on an adventure to perfect her
dancing skills! www.sallycat.wordpress.com
“The elusive spirit of Argentina is present everywhere in
Buenos Aires. The national dance, the Tango, is perhaps the best expression of
that spirit - practiced in dance halls, parks, open plazas, and ballrooms, it
is a dance of intimate separation and common rhythm, combining both an elegant
reserve and an exuberant passion.”
Whitney, Peter and Melina (at back)
at a Travellers Welcome Dinner
LIVING
IN ARGENTINA
The romance of Argentina takes one's
breath away. The natural wonders alone take some beating! From the
northern deserts to the southern Andean Cordillera, from Iguazú Falls to
the magnificent desolation of Patagonia, Argentina's geography is varied
and stunning.
For
cosmopolitan types, there's the elegant capital, Buenos Aires. This
fabulous city is renowned for its sophistication and has a surprisingly
European feel about it.
BA is reminiscent of Paris
and its tree-lined avenues and frequent plazas
have a beguiling, faded elegance. Downtown, the Plaza de Mayo is the
traditional focus of activity. Nearby Avenida 9 de Julio is popularly
known as the world's widest thoroughfare and, with its
nine lanes of traffic, is truly a pedestrian's nightmare! Avenida
Santa Fe is the most fashionable shopping area.
Argentina is geared
up to thrill - from nights tangoing in the chic quarter of Buenos Aires to
gaucho riding in the grasslands of the Pampas. Dynamic and bustling, a
city which seems never to sleep, Buenos Aires
is one of the most exciting cities in Latin America. Tango was born here,
restaurants serve all manner of world cuisines, bars play the latest
music, cafés spill on to the streets and nightclubs allow dancing
throughout the night.
Buenos Aires is famous throughout South America for
its theatres, museums and galleries. Gucci, Armani, Prada, to name a few,
line the boulevards catering for the fashion conscious porteños, their
offerings as stylish as anything found in the cities in Europe or North
America.
Argentine cuisine
is an adaptation of Spanish, Italian, Middle Eastern and other European
food, with a heavy emphasis on meat, in particular Beef. Beef is consumed
in a variety of ways, the most traditional is the Parilla – other wise
known as a Barbeque! Also common are meat and vegetable pies, empanadas
(similar to pasties) and pasta dishes such as meat Ravioli or bolognese.
Vegetarianism is not all that
common in Argentina so if you are a vegetarian
you may find that there is a limited choice in local
restaurants.
Argentineans have
a sweet tooth and desserts usually include ice cream, custard flan,
pastries and cakes all sweet enough to rival those found in European
cities like Paris. Dulche de Leche is a caramelised
milk and sugar concoction which is often eaten for breakfast and is
a typical local delicacy.
Area:
2,776,890 sq km (1,083,000 sq mi) Population: 37,812,817 Capital city: Buenos Aires (pop 16 million) Language: American Spanish, plus 17 indigenous languages
ACCOMMODATION
The hostel is decorated in a modern
style throughout and is a very homely place The TV room
There are two choices for accommodation in Buenos Aires. Depending on
your preferences you can either stay in the modern hostel, in the young
and trendy neighbourhood of Palermo, with other volunteers or, if you
would prefer a more cultural experience, you can be placed with a host
family and be fluent in Spanish is no time!
HOSTEL: You will be accommodated in a small,
modern
hostel situated in trendy Palermo, a beautiful area located near to the
heart of the city.
Palermo is the young people’s capital of Buenos
Aires and is full of restaurants, bars, and boutique style shops. Even
though on each block you can find the latest fashions and nightlife
hotspots, the neighbourhood is traditional with wide streets and old
colonial style houses. Many of the streets are cobbled and tree lined
and to the west you’ll find a huge park (similar to Central Park in New
York).
The hostel has recently been renovated with new decor and furniture.
Features such as high ceilings, wooden floor boards and friendly staff,
help create what is a chilled and relaxing atmosphere. Big enough to be
sociable and fun, yet small enough to feel at home - the hostel receives
a great deal of positive volunteer feedback. Even though the hostel is
open to the public, you will have your own room, shared with other
Travellers volunteers of the same sex. You could be sharing with 2 or 3
other volunteers.
At time of writing the facilities at the hostel include; Reception area
with open fire and sofas: a large living room with cable TV, air
conditioning, sofas and huge bean bags; two computers with FREE internet
access 24/7 with Skype and MSN; a large dining area with music/stereo:
kitchen with full facilities: private and enclosed garden/patio, with
garden furniture: ping pong table, table football, board games, and
books: local DVD store with hostel account: access to telephones for
outgoing calls and emergency services, and a London telephone number for
incoming calls: staff 24/7: security cameras outside: soft drinks and
snacks for purchase.
A traditional Argentinean breakfast will be provided every day at the
hostel and an allowance for your evening meal! We have this
arrangement in place to give our volunteers the flexibility to sample
the great Argentinean food! Right on the door step of the hostel there
are many cafes and restaurants with great priced menus just waiting for
you….the choice is yours! This means that you will only need to pay
for lunch out of your own money.
Your accommodation is ideally situated only two blocks from the subway,
trains and just around the corner from a major buses route, thus making
it very easy to get to and from your placements and around the many
tourist attractions: the Obelisco, the Casa Rosada, the Congreso, La
Boca neighbourhood and San Telmo district.
HOST FAMILY: If you would prefer a more cultural experience, we can arrange for
you to stay with a local Argentinean Family. Host family accommodation
gives you the opportunity to become more integrated with the local
community and is ideal if you want to practice your Spanish
(Basic/intermediate Spanish is required to stay with a Host Family). You
will be integrated into the family and will be provided with a
comfortable and clean private room and will have use of the kitchen.
Breakfast will be provided every day and for dinner (optional) you will
usually share a typical Argentinean meal with your family. Facilities in
host families do vary, but you will have the opportunity to express your
preferences regarding the type of family that you stay with (for
example, a family with/without children, pets etc). If you
stay in a host family you will be provided with the contact details of
other volunteers living in Buenos Aires at the same time as you so that
you won't miss out on any socialising!
Cost of living: The currency in Argentina is the Peso and
at the time of writing the cost of living is very cheap. Can of coke
costs: 2 pesos /40 pence, One Bus trip costs: 80 centavos /15 pence, One Subway
trip costs: 70 Centavos / 13 pence, A Taxi journey across the city
costs: 10-20
pesos / £1.60 - £3.30, Lunch in a café with drink costs:
13-17
pesos/ £2.10 - £2.80, Evening meal costs:
20-30
pesos/ £3.30 - £5.00.
There are approximately 3 Pesos to the US dollar, and 6 Pesos to £1
Sterling. Exchange rates are subject to fluctuation, so please check these
regularly as the figures quoted may differ.
WHAT
IS REQUIRED OF YOU:
As with all our destinations, the
Argentine culture
and heritage, although European in flavour, is different to Anglo-Saxon cultures and this must be borne in
mind.
Self-reliance and independence are highly
appreciated in all our destinations and will help you to make the most of this
wonderful opportunity!
A group of volunteers at the Travellers
Welcome Dinner
Once you have applied for a placement, we will send you a very
detailed Argentina Information Book, as well as an equally detailed Safety Guide
- both of these will help to make your stay in Argentina one that you will never
forget!
This is a truly awesome, elegant and beautiful
country.
TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
We can also arrange your flight
dates
to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a
fascinating and wondrous country!
You will fly into Buenos
Aires where you'll be met by either Melina or Adriana Saccal,
our local organisers. From the airport you'll be taken to your accommodation.
Several days later, once you have settled in and recovered from the flight, you
will be introduced to your teacher.
To see what Support
& Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
VISAS:
Visa’s are not required for a stay of 90 days if you are a British Passport
holder. If you are not a British passport holder, we will liase with you about
specific requirements, if any, and make the Visa process very easy.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our
volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination
country.
Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa
and the level of your air ticket,
of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get
a changeable ticket.
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in Argentina, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation (excluding lunch)
while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
Please note that if you'd prefer to live with a host family, there is an
additional supplement of £45 per month for bed-and-breakfast and £75 for
half-board.
.
+44 01903 502595
