At first, I imagined an IES run weekend trip would be jammed with obligatory activities and tours, strictly organized to the point of boredom. How wrong I was! After dropping us off at a feria to browse and shop at our leisure then taking us to an art museum with a guided tour, they packed us on a boat to our island paradise. The leisurely ride brought us to a secluded hotel consisting of private bungalows and a pool-side patio. Due to the river’s proximity, all of the buildings were on stilts and reached by a network of suspended wooden pathways curving through the trees. I felt like I was staying in some sort of tribal tree house, what with the birdsong and dense vegetation.
The evening brought bonding, food, and a light night pool run that sent us sprinting to our cabanas for a hot bath. It was a pleasantly odd situation: vacationing with our professors and their significant others. Running it all was Filomena, a frazzled and excitable woman that resembles an adult version of Dora the Explorer. The following day was marked by meals: breakfast complete with pastries and fruit, a lunch asado of immense proportions, and pool-side teatime with muffins and rolls. Between feedings, we soaked up the sun by the pool and in peddle-boats which we enjoyed in the river. With sweeping branches curtaining the river banks, the day felt like a romance scene in a film. (This is starting to feel like the theme of my life here!) It was sad to leave, though the return passage brought more gorgeous river views. Buenos Aires’ port welcomed us home with the warm glow of lights glimmering in the water.
