A Day in the Life of an ELEbaires Intern

When an email dropped into my inbox last August from ELEbaires, saying that they had accepted my internship application, I was filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. After months of oohing and ahhing about whether to book a flight half way across the world, I couldn’t back out now. My start date was set for the 28th of September, which gave me a little over a month to find somewhere to live and face the realisation that I was moving to Argentina for a year! Now fully in the throes of an internship at ELEbaires, here is a little round up of what I get up to each day…

Lessons begin at 9.00am and last four hours with a 15 minute break in between to grab a coffee and chat with other students. Having not spoken Spanish for almost five years, I was a little daunted by the prospect of leaving my English at the door for a whole morning! However with only two of us in the class (practically a private lesson!), I needn’t have worried. All aspects of the Spanish language are covered, from basic conversations (ordering in restaurants, catching a bus etc.) to local, colloquial sayings and Argentine current affairs.
 

 
Located in the beautiful Palacio Barolo on Avenida de Mayo, there is no shortage of places to grab a bite to eat come lunchtime. We all tend to bring our lunch back to the Elebaires common room, which gives everyone a chance to meet each other and hear about the morning’s lessons.

As an Intern, my afternoons consist of working in the ELEbaires office, assisting with the school’s marketing. This includes writing blogs, updating the schools social media pages and thinking up ideas as to how we can best show off what ELEbaires has to offer. Everyone Monday and Wednesday afternoons, all the students head out together to soak in a bit of Buenos Aires culture, be it to La Boca, Recoleta Cemetery, the Botanical Gardens or just a great café.
 

 
Back in the office, it is time to update Facebook, Instagram and Twitter about the week’s goings on. Blog posts are what I enjoy doing most; not only are they a great way to keep the ELEbaires page fresh and interesting, but they also allow me to delve a bit deeper into Porteno life!
Come 6pm it is time to head home, or to a local bar with my fellow students to practise what we have learnt! Interning at ELEbaires has given me the opportunity to both greatly improve my Spanish, and gain valuable work experience!