Argentina
Quick Facts:
Prepared to be awed by a country filled with gorgeous geographical landscapes, delicious cuisine, and rich culture? Argentina is home to the world-famous Iguazu Falls, the southernmost city in the world (Ushuaia), vineyards; and of course, the birthplace of tango.
Argentina’s climate is mostly temperate usually being subtropical in the north, arid in the southeast and subantarctic in the southwest. Its population consists of about 45 million people with 92% of them living in urban areas. The official language is Spanish, but it also has high Italian influence due to its migratory history (hence, the very unique accent of its population).
You will be constantly surprised by this country’s vibrancy and energy in sports, music, and adventures!
Culture:
Argentina’s culture is composed of influences from Europe – most commonly Spanish and Italian. A part of the population is considered “mestizos” which is a mix of European and Amerindian ancestry. This dynamic gives the country a very wide spectrum of literary, theatrical, musical, and architectural originality. Always be on the lookout for amazing food and drink: Argentina is known to be one of the major consumers of red meat in the world by having a wide array of BBQ options. Also, they grow one of the most famous types of wine-grapes – the Malbec – most commonly found in the Mendoza region.
With so much to do, you will always find time to connect with different people and enjoy building relationships both professionally and personally.
Living Arrangements:
Argentina has a wide array of urban areas to live in. Especially in big cities like Buenos Aires; furnished apartment buildings are the most common type of living arrangements. Stores and marketplaces near urban areas can be easily reached by walking or biking. Of course, there is the possibility to move to a more suburban area on the edge of principal towns where larger houses are more common.
Education:
Undoubtedly, Argentina has one of the highest quality of educational standards in South America. Schools’ curriculum usually includes pre-primary (1-2 years), primary (6 years), and secondary (6 years). By the end of secondary school, students are encouraged to specialize in an area of interest.
International education can commonly be found since many schools have a more broad focus and many of them offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Public universities can be found for free but there are also other great private universities that have extra requirements.
Remember, the school year is from March to December and their summer vacations are during what many people call winter… but this is because this country is in the southern hemisphere.