Destination 2: Argentina: Secrets of the Heart

Episodios 12 - 18

In Pursuit of Rosario - The Journey Continues

Episodes 12–18: The Buenos Aires Investigation .

The investigation takes a dramatic turn as Raquel leaves the cobblestone streets of Spain for the grand avenues of Buenos Aires. When Raquel arrives in Argentina, she’s looking for Rosario using the Estancia Santa Susana address. Here mission transforms from a historical inquiry into a deeply personal family detective story.

Her investigation leads her to Arturo Iglesias, one of Rosario’s sons, who helps Raquel navigate the urban landscape of Buenos Aires to uncover the truth about Rosario’s second life after leaving Spain. The narrative balances the technical aspects of the investigation—searching archives and following leads—with the emotional weight of a family reunited across oceans and decades. By the end of this set, the focus shifts from finding Rosario to tracing the “lost” son, Ángel, setting the stage for the next leg of the journey.

Recursos para los episodios 

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About the audio files:

Episodios 12 - 18

Un viaje a Buenos Aires

Argentina

Episodio 12: Revelaciones

Resumen del episodio – (The Truth about Rosario) – Raquel arrives in Buenos Aires but discovers that the hotel has not reserved a room for her until the day after tomorrow. They do have an available suite, however, so she takes it. The following day Raquel travels by taxi to the Estancia Santa Susana ranch. A gaucho, Cirilo, informs her that Rosario no longer lives there but has moved to the city to live with her son, a doctor. Raquel returns to Buenos Aires to look for Ángel at the address Cirilo gave her. A psychiatrist, Arturo Iglesias, lives at the address indicated. He is Rosario’s second son, Ángel’s half-brother. He finds don  Fernando’s story difficult to believe because he was under the impression that Rosario’s first husband had died in the Spanish Civil War but is convinced when he sees the letter from Sra. Suárez. He informs Raquel that Rosario is dead and that he lost contact with Ángel some time ago. He takes Raquel to the cemetery where Rosario del Valle de Iglesias is buried and tells her that, whereas Ángel had wanted to be a painter, his stepfather had wanted him to study economics. They fought and the father suffered a fatal heart attack. Ángel then left Buenos Aires and never returned. Arturo thinks it is time to forgive his half-brother, and he decides to help Raquel with her investigation.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Introducción al tiempo Pretérito para hablar de acciones pasadas; uso de pronombres de objeto para evitar la repetición de sustantivos; adjetivos descriptivos de personas y cosas.

Otros temas: Ampliación del sistema numérico; uso de las formas familiares (); la pronunciación de las letras “p” y “t”.

Episodio 12 Revelaciones

Episodio 13: La Búsqueda

Resumen del episodio – (The Search) – Arturo and Raquel canvass the dockside La Boca neighborhood with a photo of Ángel, asking shopkeepers and dockworkers if they remember him. A chain of leads takes them from a fish market to a grocer to a sailor named José, who can’t place Ángel but points them toward a man named Héctor who might know more. Over lunch, Raquel calls México to confirm Rosario’s death to Pedro and don Fernando, then joins Arturo at his home that evening for a home-cooked dinner while they wait to track down Héctor.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Uso del pretérito para hablar de lo que tú y tus conocidos han hecho; pronombres de objeto directo referidos a personas; cuándo usar (y cuándo no) los pronombres reflexivos.

Otros temas: Vocabulario extenso sobre alimentos; cómo realizar peticiones directas; la pronunciación de “s”, “z”, “ci” y “ce”.

Episodio 13 La búsqueda

Episodio 14: En el Extranjero (Abroad)

Resumen del episodio – Raquel has dinner at Arturo’s home, where they grow closer and Arturo opens up about his failed marriage. The next day, following a lead from José, they track a sailor named Héctor down at a neighborhood party. Héctor confirms he knew Ángel well and recalls that years ago Ángel took a job on a cargo ship and moved abroad — possibly to Puerto Rico. Héctor has an old letter from Ángel that may hold his exact address, and promises to find it.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Profundización en el tiempo pretérito; objetos directos de persona; el uso y significado de las preposiciones en español.

Otros temas: Vocabulario sobre comidas; técnicas para gestionar y mantener una conversación; la pronunciación de la “r” y la “rr”.

Episodio 14 En el Extranjero

Episodio 15: Culpable (Guilty)

Resumen del episodio – Arturo confides in Raquel that he feels guilty for never reaching out to Ángel, and the two grow closer. The next day, while waiting to hear back from Héctor about the letter, they spend a carefree day together — shopping for leather goods, watching a street performer, and enjoying a horse-carriage ride and picnic in the Rosedal park. That evening, Arturo sends Raquel a leather jacket as a keepsake of their time together.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Formación del pretérito irregular; pronombres de objeto indirecto (a quién o para quién se hace algo); verbos de gusto y molestia (tipo gustar).

Otros temas: Vocabulario sobre frutas y verduras; cómo animar a otros a realizar una acción; la pronunciación de la “n” y la “ñ”.

Episodio 15 Culpable

Episodio 16: Caras

Resumen del episodio – Arturo and Raquel share a lighthearted morning — a comically uncooperative camera, a playful vegetable-themed craft — before Héctor calls with news. They track him down at the port, where he hands over Ángel’s old letter: it’s postmarked San Juan, Puerto Rico, and confirms Ángel has no plans to return to Argentina. Arturo, moved, offers to travel to Puerto Rico with Raquel to continue the search together.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Formas irregulares adicionales del pretérito; uso avanzado de pronombres de objeto indirecto; cómo usar dos pronombres de objeto en la misma oración.

Otros temas: Vocabulario de alimentos; expresiones para disculparse y pedir permiso; la pronunciación de la “ch”.

Episodio 16 Caras

Episodio 17: Inolvidable

Resumen del episodio – On her last day in Buenos Aires, Raquel and Arturo grow closer — dancing the tango, wishing on stars in his garden, and sharing stories about their pasts. Arturo then takes her on a personal tour of the city’s cultural landmarks: the Teatro Colón, the Plaza de Mayo (where they witness a protest by the Madres de Plaza de Mayo), the former home of writer Jorge Luis Borges, and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Arturo confirms he’ll join her in Puerto Rico within days.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Cambios de raíz en la tercera persona del pretérito (verbos -ir); práctica con el uso de dos pronombres de objeto; objeto indirecto avanzado.

Otros temas: Vocabulario relacionado con la escritura y los libros; saludos y despedidas; la pronunciación de la “y” y la “ll”.

Episodio 17 Inolvidable

Episodio 18: Estimada Sra. Suarez

Resumen del episodio – Raquel says an emotional goodbye to Arturo at the Buenos Aires airport before her flight to Puerto Rico. While waiting to board, she writes a letter to Sra. Suárez in Madrid, recapping everything she’s learned in Argentina — Rosario’s death, Ángel’s falling-out with his family, and the lead pointing to Puerto Rico — and reflects on her growing feelings for Arturo.

📖  Conceptos

Gramática: Repaso integral del tiempo pretérito y la narración en pasado; dominio de los diversos tipos de pronombres de objeto.

Otros temas: Repaso de vocabulario de carnes, pescados, frutas y verduras; términos para hablar de materiales escritos.

Episodio 18 Estimada Sra. Suarez

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Clarification about the audio files ....

There is only one set of audio files for both the textbook and workbook/study guides. Each audio file is used for both. The textbook contains the “script” and reading that goes with the audio file. The Workbook (Manual de actividades) contains the actual blanks to be filled in while listening to the audio file.

The audio is specifically designed to “talk” you through both the textbook and workbook activities. For example, a narrator will say, “Lección uno. Comprensión. Ejercicio A…” and then provide the audio content used to respond to the workbook questions & activities. 

Recent Updates & fixes

3 May 2026:

The Q&A content needed attention. Originally (a long time ago) I included two different sets of questions from various sources. But the questions were redundant, some answers were wrong, and the number of questions was overwhelming. With a little AI help I went through every episode and combined the Q&A sets, grouped the questions, and checked the answers. It took three long, tedious days to complete. I hope you like the results.

13 Apr 2026: 

  1. Received feedback that a user did not know how to access the videos. I moved the “ticket” image from the right sidebar to the center on each page.
  2. Added a pop-up to explain that there is only one set of audio files for both the textbook and workbook/study guides. When the headphones icon appears in either the textbook or workbook, it refers to the single audio file for that episode.

Please send suggestions and ideas. I will continue to update the site based on feedback.