A quick guide to your final week.

My last week is drawing near. After four months of Ups and Downs, awkward icebreakers which led to incredible friendships, and unforgettable nights, I have a week left here in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your last week.

• Buy gifts before your last week rolls around. Even if you only buy a third of them beforehand, it helps eliminate last week stress and allows you to spend more time with the people and places that you’ve grown to love in your new home.
• Make a bucket list and start checking them off. Over the past few months, we’ve gotten hundreds of recommendations, heard stories about places, or passed by a certain park or store. Which ones stood out the most? Are some of these places specific to your host country? If so, take advantage of those opportunities now, because you don’t know when you’ll have them again.
• Wake up early. These past few days I’ve been trying to wake up earlier to just walk around and just sort of be in Buenos Aires. This means taking a walk through my favorite park or taking my time at the local feria in San Telmo.I’m not saying you should get up at 6am, especially if you didn’t get home till 4. However, you should definitely aim to be up and going by noon. Beating the crowd some mornings in Buenos Aires definitely helps me enjoy the scenery a bit more.
• Stay out late. Contradictory? No way. You can sleep back home in a week or two. Right now you’re in the adventure of a lifetime. Make plans with friends that you won’t see back home. Visit some new hotspots. Be it getting ice cream with friends, or staying out till 6am at our favorite Buenos Aires hotspot, spend time with those who have helped make your experience a wonderful one.

Avoid some of the super touristy travel guides and ask some locals about what makes this place special. You’ll get a more personal answer and probably a more pleasant experience that’s unique to wherever you’re at.

Over the last 4 months, I’ve learned and grown so much. I’m not sure what going back home is going to be like, but I’m not going to worry about that now. Right now, I have a week left in Argentina, and I’m going to make the most out of every moment.