2012 HBHS Argentina Tour

On the 30th March, 25 senior students departed for Argentina on the bi-annual Spanish Tour. The trip was a three and a half week immersion into Latin-American language and culture, run by Mr and Mrs Matthews, and Mr Steel.  After the 14 hour plane flight, we landed Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina and a bustling Latin city of over 16 million.

We were quick to notice how friendly and helpful the Argentine people are, with most going out of their way to assist us when they discovered we were from New Zealand. For the first week we toured around the city of Tigre, before a trip to the seaside town of Mar Del Plata, where we were billeted for the first time. This and our second billet, later in the trip, were perhaps the highlights of the travel experience for many of the boys. Staying with an Argentine family was a real insight into the cultural differences between the two countries and made the boys practice their Spanish speaking, as most families spoke little English if any at all.

Later, we also visited Posadas and the stunning Iguazu Falls in the north. The Iguazu Falls are an amazing spectacle, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and marking the natural border between Argentina and Brazil. The trip was a cultural eye-opener for all the boys, from seeing the screaming football fans at the Boca Juniors game to sitting down for a family meal at 11.30pm. All of the boys worked hard to practice their Spanish speaking, and were very quick to pick up new skills and, of course, local slang.

Many thanks must go to Mr and Mrs Matthews, along with Mr Steel and his wife for putting in long hours of organisation and supervision. It was a great experience, and I for one can’t wait to return!

Oliver Wilding (Year 12)