This post was written by my friend Fernanda, telling a little about the exchange in Resistencia that she did in Argentina. It is the first in a series made by guests to tell their experiences living around the world. To follow all the posts visit Living Abroad.
Resistencia is the city of sculpturesTherefore, a very beautiful city!
My arrival in the city occurred with the trivial expectations of someone going on an exchange program: what will I find there?!
The information on Google was very shallow and, as most people I know dream of going to Europe and also, as exchange program websites focus a lot on Europe, perhaps many people are missing out on the wonderful opportunity to get to know this place full of history !
My stay lasted five months and four academic months (from August to December 2013). On this occasion, it was freezing cold there and I learned the first important thing about resistance and Resistance haha 😀 the climate there is very intense. It's either cold, cold, or hot, hot.
About the exchange program in Resistencia
I graduated in Archival Science at UFSC and, in my second year of the course, I decided to apply for an exchange program that had open calls for applications. The Asociación de Universidades Grupo Montevideo (AUGM) then came up with its exchange programs and, among them, the one that interested me: Programa Escala Estudiantes de Grado.
My affinity with Latin America, or with studying it in some way, was still incipient. Despite living in this territory, I never studied it in depth, to get to know myself and my undergraduate course better.
AUGM promotes exchanges only to Latin American countries, for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. There I went.
My application was to the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (UNNE), located in the northeast of Argentina, in the province Chaco and capital Resistencia. It has campuses spread across some other places in Argentina, however, as my exchange was in Licenciatura en Ciencias de la Información con Orientación en Archivología, my campus was Resistencia.
Making friends and getting to know a little more about our culture is wonderful! Being able to study what you like and experience new nuances in your areas of study is enriching!
The city of Resistencia
Resistencia has around 300.000 inhabitants and is located in the so-called San Fernando Department, within the Chaco province, which is like a State for us Brazilians.
Its population is made up of very different people and of different ethnic origins. An example of this is that as a border region with Paraguay and Brazil, it preserves the Guarani culture and therefore many, in the regions of Resistencia and Corrientes (capital of the province next to Chaco), speak the Guarani language fluently. Therefore, foreigners should not feel caté (fine)! You must participate!
Its fame as the city of sculptures comes from Sculpture Biennials which always take place in the city and attract sculptors from all over the world! The sculptures chosen to make up the city are displayed on Rambla de las Esculturas and throughout the city, forming a beautiful open-air museum!
This year, the Biennial called Equilibrium took place from the 16th to the 23rd of July, with the theme of balance. The artists, from Germans, Taiwanese to Romanians, worked during the period outdoors, in a space open to the public who wished to follow the construction of the works.
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The food
Starting with the traditional ones Argentine wines, it is possible to buy them very cheaply and enjoy Malbec grape wine, essentially produced in Argentina. The Cuyo region, especially in Maipu and Mendoza, has a lot of variety, making it possible to taste wines at each winery you visit! Organic wines also have a lot of sales.
About food, what about the meat??? The burgers are wonderful and I always fall in love with them. They are easily found in cafeterias and are special. Lomitos are also wonderful. They are meat sandwiches (lomo, which is a part of the beef), very soft and delicious.
But pies They are the flagship, I believe. They can be made from meat, chicken, ham and cheese... What makes them different are the “little ears”, which I took a while to learn, but now I'm an expert!
Could you also talk about pastafrola, which is like a pie topped with membrillo (which resembles guava paste), sweet potato jam, or dulce de leche.
Well, talking about good food is talking about Argentina. I decided not to highlight alfajor, because it is well known around the world.
But I will highlight the ice cream Try it, please!!! Especially that of dulce de leche slush <3
And, if you want to be very Argentine, take fernet with coke 😉 Fernet is an alcoholic drink made with herbs and goes very well with Coca Cola!
Live
Living in Resistencia is very enjoyable! Naturally, we coexist with other cultures and can take advantage of all the artistic flair that surrounds it. Watch theater, music and dance shows. Get to know the rhythms that play in clubs, such as cumbia, chamamé and quartet (tango is rare).
Enjoying the siesta is a great thing and, when you return to Brazil, you will definitely miss it! This moment begins around 13:00 pm and ends around 17:00 pm, when the All businesses close and everyone goes to their homes to sleep! Before and after, everything opens normally.
Chaqueños are very welcoming. They will certainly welcome you with a mate and chipacitos, to share a few hours of conversation on the balcony. You will always have a place with love wherever you go.
Closing the post and to make you feel more excited, how about taking a free tour of the city?
The van Resistance City Tour, operated by the Instituto de Turismo del Chaco, is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 and 18:00 and on Sundays and holidays at 18:00.
Your starting point is at Casa de las Culturas, calles Marcelo T. Alvear y Mitre, Centro, Resistencia, Chaco, Argentina.
No prior registration is required. Arriving about 15 minutes early is enough.
GOOD TRAVEL!
Who would like to do an exchange in Resistencia? The city looks wonderful! And what about the food? I shouldn't be editing this post at lunch hahaha Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Fe!