Traveling for Le$$

Who doesn´t love traveling and who doesn´t love saving money? I´m always surprised by the number of young people don´t know of some simple ways save money and still do what you wanted to do, so I thought I would share some of my tips and tricks..

If you´re a student in Argentina, you can actually use that pesky student visa we had to apply for. (Shocking, I know!) As you will quickly find out...museums, theaters, tours and other tourist attractions have different prices for residents and foreigners. However, with your student visa and residence paper you are in fact an Argentine resident :-) for example, you can visit Iguazu waterfalls for $10 instead of $25

If you aren´t a student, you can still get a discount by going on the free or discounted day of the museums. Most have a day every week that they don´t charge admission to anyone, but some only have this for students. In other cases, they have a 50% off discount on certain days of the week. Try combining this discount with the resident discount and viola - double the discount! If you tour Teatro Colon on a Monday it's half price, so only $8 or if you're a resident, $2.50

Be sure to check out the free cultural events put on by the government. (http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/cultura/) There is always something exciting to see instead of taking an afternoon siesta. 

Want to travel around the country? No problem - public transportation is great AND you can save money by using it. The colectivos that go to other parts of the country are housed in Retiro, but you can check their schedules online at Plataforma 10 or Omni Lineas

Students get a 20% discount when traveling by colectivo by showing a letter from the university saying you are a student there (certificado de regularidad), your passport & university ID card (and bringing a photocopy of both)

If you prefer flying (not advised with this volcanic ash), reserve your tickets online and go to an Aerolineas Argentinas office with your passport and visa. If you have a student visa (thus you have residency), you pay the same price as an Argentine. 

If you're planning on staying awhile, you will probably purchase a cell phone. Since 90% of cell phones here are pay as you go, you will spend a significant amount on communication. Texts to someone with the same service provider are around 50 cents and more expensive if someone has a different service provider. Calls are $1+ depending on the person's service provider, area code and if you are calling a land line - which I would NOT advice unless you have tons of prepaid credit on your phone. For calls to land lines, go to a telecabaña, as they are significantly cheaper.

However, you can sends texts for free via the company's website. For example, if Susy has a phone with personal, go to www.personal.com.ar to text her. If Bobby has claro, go to http://www.claro.com.ar/portal/car/  Most service providers also have favorite numbers (números amigos). So if you put on a certain amount of credit each month, you can call one number for free and text another for free. 

Confession

Confession: I am a wanna-be blogger, but the truth is I would rather be out and about. When I get back, I completely forget about blogging or am too tired to write.

It's been awhile, so I'll give a short recap of the past 3? weeks...

I returned to Buenos Aires and started the process for my student visa. For the first step, I went to get fingerprinted and get a special paper, which I was told to pick it up in a week. However, I wasn't going to be in Buenos Aires at that point and if I didn't pick it up within 14 days (including weekends and holidays, even though the office isn't open) they dispose of it altogether.... That would have been nice to know before paying to start the process. I love how they don't ever tell you these details unless you happen to ask.

I broke one of my rules...avoid all American establishments aka McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Starbucks and TGI Fridays. Although it was worth it, as I went to meet up with Jessica and Katie (2 of the Cru STINT girls) at Starbucks. It was a good opportunity to connect with other believers and figure out what options I have for churches, etc. The best part? I get to be involved with Cru in Argentina (which they call VIDA)! Perfect study abroad -- classes about Argentina and Latin America, basically STINTing for 5 months and working an international internship. :-) Love it!!

Ceci returned and brought me my glasses and ATM card, if you remember my misfortune of the past month. Despite having a giant head, my glasses are too big! Shocker, I know. Not a huge deal since I got the broken glasses semi-fixed and can use them or contacts or my old glasses. Then there's the ATM card... Sunday we went to the bank and I tried to use my card, but the machine wouldn't even take it. The bank said to talk to my home back, which said they needed a error code to figure out the problem. There's no error code if the machine won't even take the card. Just my luck. I still haven't figured it out since the card worked in the U.S. and is identical to the one with the bad magnetic strip.

As if the day couldn't get any worse (we walked around all day trying to find an ATM to take my card), we went back to Maty's and half a block away a guy had been pushed/jumped from the 3rd floor balcony. It felt like I was in a movie...neighbors gawking in the street, police tape, a body on the curb. Not something I wanted to experience during my study abroad. Thankfully we left the next day for a  much needed vacation to Mar del Plata! The first 2 days were perfect weather for going to the beach and frolicking in the ocean. The next 2 days rained, but we went to the aquarium, shopping and saw Black Swan.

Now I'm going to Corrientes to watch carnival, visit people, go shopping and walk around downtown, just like before. The weather is still gorgeous and classes don't start until March 14th, although I have orientation the 9th. I probably won't write until I get back to Buenos Aires on the 8th, but you never know...I seem to be doing a good amount of academic paperwork during my vacation. :-P