The City of Buenos Aires

Education in Buenos Aires

The education system in Buenos Aires is valued very highly in the society. The National Council of Education creates a curriculum, and all the schools in the country follow it. Kindergarten is optional for children, but at the age of six children have to start attending school. Unlike schools in the United States, schooling ends at the age of fourteen unless you go to a secondary school. If you want to go to college, you have to attend a secondary school for five years and take the bachillerato exam. Public school is free, but there are no public school buses, and students must buy their books and uniforms.  The uniforms are white lab coats and are worn over regular clothing. Private schools like the one pictured are sponsored by churches or other organizations and pay expenses through tuition. They also wear uniforms that consist of plaid skirts for girls, and white polos and navy pants for boys. Students start the day at 8 am and end at noon, whereas others start at 1 pm and end at 5 pm. -Lena Hobson

Street Art in Buenos Aires

Originally a tool used for spreading political messages, street art in Argentina has evolved into an often legal, sometimes even government-sanctioned, form of artistic expression. Some of the best of it can be seen in the Palermo district.

Palermo is the largest neighborhood in Buenos Aires, and also serves as a center of creativity and local culture. The talent on display here has drawn eyes from all over the world, with Huffington Post listing Buenos Aires as one of the top cities to see urban art.

Since the neighborhood was and is one of the primary destinations for both locals and tourists, Palermo needed to look as vibrant and eye-catching as the cultural gems found within, and to achieve this, Buenos Aires chose to use street art. Owners of stores, bars, and restaurants hired artists to pull interest towards their businesses. Even some homeowners turned their house into a canvas. Along with these personal requests, the government paid for commissions on publicly owned spots as well, like the fully decked out Palermo subway station.

All over the neighborhood, you can see murals, tags, plasters, and many other types of street art, so throughout your travels, it’s definitely worth it to keep an eye open when around Palermo, as you never know what unexpected things you might find. -Garrett Reid