the end?

It's incredible how fast this has all gone. I want to sit here and write (I've started journaling recently and I love it) but I feel like there is so much to do here on my last day. For now, thus, I offer photos. Not quite as good as words, but so it goes.

Chile tomorrow.
Parents/Aaron on the 15th.
The States on the 27th?

Left: Finished ISP (my first bound work!)
Below: Margaritas on my 21st! and me and my friends on my birthday!

This evening, my taxi passed an ambulance going down Callao. I'm not sure how I feel about that. He showed no apparent remorse.

Some photos from San Martín

(visiting Bariloche, after an interview with Darío Duch, a lawyer/government official)









(below: San Martín from the hill above it)

Today, for the first time since being here, I realized what a luxury it was to study abroad. That sounds silly, but it's true. By "luxury" I don't pretend to mean that I never realized the privilege I had by being able to study abroad nor do I not value my experience here in any way shape or form.

I was talking to my host dad tonight, (who finally came back!) and we somehow got lost in another political discussion about why Argentinean society doesn't trust government, and no one truly believe that it's a representative democracy despite the fact that on paper, it appears one of the best functioning in Latin America. And as we sat there together, talking about history, and past presidents, and social events that have affected the vision and path of Argentinian society, I realized for the first time what a wonderful luxury it is to live in another place, and truly experience what it has to offer. I think I spent the first few months here trying to catch up- facts, stories, classes. All seemed to wiz by. Tonight, for the first time, I applied it. I had a fluent conversation about socio-political factors that affect society today with an argentinan citizen, and I find that so amazing. I feel like I'm not really conveying what I mean to say here. How to best describe it (oh language barriers.. haha).

Not everyone is afforded the luxury of going to another place and truly throwing themselves into it. I've been lucky enough to travel before, but I have never felt something click the way it did tonight. I think there's definitely a period of time necessary to truly understand where you are, and the implications of what you see. You pass through stages: at first everything's new, clean, and shiny. You're a tourist in a new place. Then it starts to become "normal" and the little things stop jumping out at you. Then you begin to miss the comforts of home. Then, finally, I think (if you're lucky enough) you start to be able to reconcile the two and understand how your world comes into play with the other world you're experiencing living in a new place. Tonight, for the first time, I realized that not many people get that chance. How often can you essentially pause life and go somewhere else and start anew? Study what you want. Learn the ways of a new people, of a new city, of a new way of life?

It's strange- going into this ISP period I really was dreading the experience. A full month to do research on your own has so many potential drawbacks, frustrations and also benefits. For example, I KNOW my spanish has gotten worse since living with two Americans for the better part of two weeks. (It's visible in how semi-decent my grammatical structure is at this point). But I also think this period taught me the most about myself. With the freedom to do what I want, or rather to use my time the way I wanted, in order to see what I wanted, I was really able to gear the experience towards what I wanted to learn. And I have. And I love that.

12 days left? Geez. Where'd the time go?

Street racing?

My colectivo just street raced another around Plaza de Constitucion today, in the middle of rush hour. I kid you not, there was engine revving and everything.

Conclusions from Lake Lácar

So I'm sitting here in this little cafe, on the lake Lácar in Patagonia on my last morning. Got up early to attempt to do some of this looming work that will all be turned in less than two weeks now. Crazy how fast it's all going.

But I came to wonderful realizations. I'm copying and pasting from an email I sent out this morning:

Basically, I'm working on the conclusions of my research paper and for the first time really sat down and thought about what politics and political involvement means to me. Let's see if I can put this into words. I've been sitting here talking to youth for the past two weeks about why they're involved in politics in this tiny town. After my interviews I try and analyze similarities- are they involved because its good social network? Because they want to reclaim public space? For personal reasons of transcendence? ect. I really entered into this experience trying to compare it to my own involvement with the Obama campaign and obviously, it's impossible to do so based on the pure logistical differences between their political system and ours. But it hit me today that it's so much more than that. I was involved because it was fun, it was social, ect but more so than that-- it was a way to promote a cause/ideal that I believed it.

What I've found from my research is that here in San Martín, politics is a necessity. People are involved because the whole town is focused on that which the tourist wants and they don't pay attention to the neighborhoods that have been pushed off to the peripheries (both physically and socially). They are involved because the only other option is to lay down and accept social/economic marginizlacion. And to me that is so sad. There is no basic belief in the power of the system, and honestly, I feel lucky to both have been involved when I was, and to have grown up under such a belief system. Obviously, its something that was intrenched in me long before I signed into work for the campaign, but sitting here-- thousands of miles away from home, and realizing such a strong, and wonderful belief in the power of a person to change the world is pretty incredible to me. It makes me sad that due to historical/social history of this place, its inconcievable to most citizens.

Obviously reading my paper and understanding the social/historical context of this small mountian town is important to understanding the true implications of what I came to realize today - but I just feel like this is the culmination of what I've been wondering here in Argentina. Since that first time sitting down with my host family and getting chills as I showed them Obama and JFK's speeches, explaining to them why one would "waste" their own time to promote the career of a politician, I feel like I've come a long way to here.

I find it ironic that studying someone else's system and reasons for being involved led me to understand myself even better. Nonetheless, it's quite interesting.

A strange realizaiton

In a few weeks (yep, we're at less than 6 now, crazy!) I'll be be back in the States, for the foreseeable future. As funny as that sounds, I think it will be the first time in a very long time when international travel is not on the horizon. Strange.

San Martin de Los Andes

Well we made it to San Matin de los Andes after 28 hours on a bus more or less. Winding roads through the back country, but we are finally here. We have our own mini cabin, which is gorgeous. It has a full kitchen, a grill, is cosy and warm and is really quite perfect. The only two downsides: the jacuzzi is actually a bathtub with jets, and the wifi only works towards the main lodge, which means to use it I have to be outside. Unfortunately, it's rained almost every second since we've been here and when it's not (like now), it's dreary, cold and wet. And yes, by cold I do mean that's its 43, foggy and drizzling. Ah winter (ish) in Patagonia.

More later.

While going through my stuff packing tonight, I found some American money I'd left in the back of my wallet for emergencies. It looked so foreign to me, I actually check to see if it was fake.

I'm off

Well tomorrow starts the adventure of ISP. I don't really have a topic yet, nor do I have an advisor where I am going but I am excited. I leave tomorrow afternoon and take a 21hr bus to Bariloche, and then another 4 hour bus to San Martin de Los Andes. (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=san+martin+de+los+andes+argentina&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=ar)
It's pretty far, remote and small but I think it's going to be wonderful to be in a little town, away from the choas of the city. I am sharing a log cabin with two friends. We have a kitchen, fireplace and even a jacuzzi. What could be bad about that?!

And some research topic will emerge.. I hope.

I'm off. I'll update when I have more info.

More Mendoza Photos

Mendoza

I am exhausted and have an absurd amount to do, but I just wanted to write about my trip before I forgot. This weekend was honestly one of the best I've had here in Argentina. Despite all the bad luck I've had down here (you know, the parasite, the fact that for a day and a half we were sure my identity was stolen - more on that later- the fact that my bike was the only one that broke, twice, during our biking wine tour, the fact that I am the one that has spent the most time researching and making contacts for my ISP and it's falling apart faster than I can seam it back together). I was talking to one of my friends in the cab on the way home tonight, and for both of us this weekend was so cathartic. It was like it finally hit us that study abroad is wonderful. Of course, it's an incredible experience but just being able to go, travel, be away from the group dyanmics (for better or worse) and just cheaply tour through wine country on our own pace was so... freeing. Travel with SIT has been wonderful, don't get me wrong. But this weekend was like a true vacation. No classes. No schedules. No rooming assignments. Just what we wanted to do. Amazing.

Thursday night we left Buenos Aires after presenting our final exam paper and flew to Mendoza. The hostel we book at ripped us off (they tried to charge us for a room that didn't have keys or a lock. Not only did it not have a lock, in fact, the door was too wide for the frame so the door wouldn't close). After arguing for 30 minutes, we finally got our money back and at 11:30pm embarked to find a new hostel. 6 hostels later, more or less, we found this wonderful backpacker's hostel that was super nice to us. The insides all had interesting signs and designs. It was very laid back and located in the equivelant of Lincoln Road- shops, bars, outdoor restaurants. It's was lovely.

Friday we woke up expecting to do the bike and wine tour, but since it was feriado (holiday- again!) in Argentina we wound up just walking around the city. We tried to go to the zoo, but that too was closed, so we wound up randomly finding a national monument to General Martin in the middle of a huge park and walked around and looked at some art work. That afternoon we took naps, chatted with some british people we met at the hostel and went to the town feria. As much as I love outdoor markets, I think I am feria-ed out. I think this must have been our 9th or 10th feria since coming to Buenos Aires and I just can't buy more of the same stuff. Still tempting though..

Saturday we woke up super early for the main event: bikes and wine tours. In pure argentine fashion it took about 2 hrs more than expected to get to the city, Maipu and get our bikes. When we finally did get riding though it was just such a wonderful experience. I hadn't been on a bike in years and years and I wasn't sure I could hack it. Especially that long of a distance. Especially after touring vineyards. But the program was wonderfully spaced out and throughout the course of 11am-6pm we toured a few vineyards, went to an olive oil plant, lunched at a close vineyard (two course meal and a wine tasting for about $8UDS- amazing!) and biked over 20 miles. It was surreal it was so wonderful.

This morning we woke up and the group split up: half went paragliding (no thank you, I value my life and don't trust argentine safety very much) while a friend and went white water rafting and rapelling. The water was calm for this time of the year (class 2 rapids) but it was so nice to be out in the mountains, away from cars and noise, and just be on the water. We also wound up sharing a raft with a friend of a friend that's studying abroad in Chile right now. He was just in for the weekend-- what a small world! After an hour of rafting, more or less, we sat outside and had lunch by the river. I took a 2hr nap in the sun and enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather (it was about 75 during the middle of the day!). Finally got some color so that's nice.

I'm incredibly exhausted and need to figure out what in the world I'm doing for my ISP proposal due tomorrow morning. Still no contacts from this organizaiton so it's time to panic, a bit.

The weekend was wonderful. I want to go back, already. It really made me realize that as much as I love cities and the motion that comes with them, that I really am happiest when I'm outdoors. Immediately, upon being back in Buenos Aires I am stressed again. I'm glad I now know that about myself

Reality sunk in today as I switched out my spanish books for my LSAT books in my bookbag. We're officially done with almost everything that's not ISP related here and tomorrow is May. When did that happen?

Game Plan

Today: Spanish Written Final
Tomorrow: Seminario Final Paper due/Presentation of the paper (20 pages, about Universal v. Local Human Rights).
Thur night - Sunday night: Mendoza
Monday: ISP Proposal Due
Tuesday: Spanish Oral Final
Wednesday: Uruguay!

.. WHEW

ISP madness

Well. ISP is hitting me hard and fast, that's for sure.

It's the middle of finals week down here, and I find it so interesting that what I'm actually stressing about is the big ISP proposal we have due Monday (that may have to do with the fact that I'm spending this long weekned in Mendoza). I have spent most of the afternoon looking up potential sources, trying to outline where I want my paper to go, but I still haven't heard back from the organization I want to work with (argentina cuidadana, a non-profit which aims to increase political participation via a heightened awareness in active citizenship). I am getting nervous since the leader, Rabbi Segrio Bergman, is such an important figure down here. On the one hand, getting in with this organization will give me great access and the potential of getting an interview with him is just great. On the other hand, they have proved so hard to get a hold of it almost doesn't seem worth it. ISP period starts May 5th and I feel so behind.

Sigh back to work.

Finals

Today I took my first final for our Field Studies Seminar class.
It was 5 questions, and took a total of 25 minutes.

I love study abroad.

Things I miss:

A brief, yet notable, list of things I miss from the states:

- Soy yogurt.
- Bagels.
- Food with flavor.
- Normal-people sized bowls and spoons
- Functional napkins (they're made of wax paper here)
- Toilet seats in public restrooms (yeah, I kid you not).
- Toilet paper in public restrooms.
- Marked bus stops.

Sigh.

Isla Desierta

Tonight we to a play for my spanish class- (I was pretty much dreading it being that we'd already had 3 hours of spanish class everyday this week). It was actually a pretty cool experience. The show was at a blind theater, where all the actors were blind. The premise was that the show was to be a sensory experience, so the audience too was blind. We were led in, in the dark, and sat there for an hour just listening and experiencing the show.

It was strange, but a really interesting concept. In the hour we sat in the dark, we heard them act the play, listened to music, "smelled" the market (cinnamon, orange, and other spices) and the jungle (cucumber and then we were misted with rain) where it was set and "survived" a shipwreck and a large thunderstorm at sea. I left a little bit dazed, and wet, but it was still something interesting I'm glad to have done tonight. I brought my camera to put up some photos, but needless to say, my efforts were futile.

Close your eyes. You've got the picture.

This sounds about right

"We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
-T.S. Eliot

Looking at everyone's stressed facebook statuses, I have a newfound appreciation for being abroad. The evening's plan is as follows: catch up on the office, do about 20 minutes of homework, and fall asleep early to my ipod. :)

Some photos from Patagonia- real post to come after I recover from the 22hr bus ride we just got off.

Patagonia

This is going to be a quick one as the computer I am using is dying (oh yeah and I'm in patagonia and just want to be outside in the mountians!) but I just had to share about my day. It was fantastic.

We got up this morning around 8, as usual, and headed out to Cerro Trundaor (thunder mountian from all the avalanches that fall in the area) National Park. We did some small hikes around waterfalls, and then headed up to the glacier area, where we saw both a regular and black glacier. It is really sad to see how fast they are fading-- our guide told us the ice had receeded 30 inches in 10 years on the surface of the black glacier. They predict that in 20 years it may be entirely gone. Sad to think that our children may not get to see the things we did. More on that later, with photos. Speed postings for now.

The coolest part of my day, actually, was dinner tonight. I explored Bariloche tonight with a jewish friend of mine and we stumbled upon the Chabad house. I was a bit tenative but it wound up being a great night. They didn't have the warmth or college-spirit, we'll call it, of Hershey and Chana at WashU but I underestimated how great it would be to be in a jewish home for Shabat. Not to mention the food was great. It just made me realize how much I do value being Jewish, even though I may not be as observant as others. It's nice to sit around a table with family and friends. It's nice to talk about Jewish values. And I'm finding more and more that I enjoy talking about the Torah portion and religious philosiphy. I don't so much see it pertianing to my life, but I am so intruiged as to how or why one believes what they do. Tonight, for example, I couldn't help but to wonder the Rabbi's thoughts on fatalism, or destiny and if he believed HaShem had a grand plan for him or not in the end. I am excited to come back to school and talk to Chana about that kind of stuff. Why not!

Anyways, that's all for now. Tomorrow we are visiting a Mapuche community (indigenous to this area) all day and then we leave the following day for a 20hr bus ride back to Buenos Aires. Then finals. And ISP research. Back to the real world. Boo.

Photos of glaciers, national parks, hikes, ect to come! :)

Oh and also, as of tomorrow, I am 100% parasite free!

Chascómus

What a wonderful weekend. I don't really feel like blogging right now since I only have a few hours before seeing Phantom of the Opera and then heading out to Bariloche, but I figured it'd be a good idea. Here goes nothing.

Last Thursday morning, bright and early, Nati, Fede and Nati's mom headed out to Chascómus, a small town about two hours outside of Buenos Aires for Semana Santa. Although the trip there was horrific (5 hours of stand-still traffic, all of us dying because we had to go to the bathroom so badly -- yes, I never quite realized how much we in the United States take highway rest-stops for granted -- and a brief run in with some corrupt police officers) we made it to their house by midday. Nati and Fede bought a small house together on the edge of the town, since real estate is much cheaper further away from the touristic town center, and are working on the house. It really doesn't have anything yet; this weekend's goal was to put in water and gas. It was really interested to see though, watching my host parents tear out dry wall and install gas piping along the floorboards. Crazy what an architecture degree here in Argentina teaches you to do!

Since the two of them were busy fixing up their house, I had tons of free time to roam around. In town, an artisan fair was happening. Actually, that was the reason Nati's mom came with us. In addition to being a teacher, she has her own line of shapmoos, soaps, and aromatherapy scents, and is being supported by the town in a microcredit type deal to sell her goods on big weekends such as Semana Santa. I spent some time roaming, (and maybe buying? :/ I may or may not have bought this gorgeous silk screen for my apt in St. Louis) but most of all I just sat by the water and read. If anyone reading this actually knows me, usually this would have driven me insane but it was actually quite nice.


For the past two days, really all I did was go to bed early, finally get some sleep, and then get up around 9 and go for a run along the water. I was finally able to run with my ipod since I was outside of Buenos Aires where it's not safe, and I just loved it (my view during my run shown on the right). I dont know what got into my this morning, but I ran almost the entire way into the town.. about 10 kilometers. Crazy!


The peace and quiet was so nice. Although I'm really excited to go to Bariloche tomorrow and see some snow, hike and eat chocolate (which they're famous for) it was really tough to leave..

It was sort of a strange, yet carthartic, experience for me spending so much time alone, with my book and my music, staring out at the water. I'm thinking about heading back there during my weekends of ISP and just relaxing again. So wonderful.

Tonight was one of the best nights I've had in Argentina. I am super exhausted so I'll try and elaborate more later, but basically seder was wonderful. I've never felt so at home so fast within Argentina. I don't know if its because of the familiar customs, food, or what but it was just wonderful to see a family relating to one another in the way I have been accustomed to for so long. I'm not sure how to put into words the gestures, or conversations, or Jewish-mother-isms but it was incredible to see how they all seemed to transcend language. The cultural practices are all the same, and it was so nice to be a part of a Jewish family again.

What really amazed me is how a friend of my old boss at the AJC put me in contact with this family and they opened up their house without any hesitations, one day before their seder. I could have been anyone, a crazy person from the street, but they opened their doors and welcomed me into their family as if I'd been there for ages. Not to mention the fact that they were wonderful. Leah, one of the sisters in the family, works at the Israeli Embassy here in BsAs. Miriam, the woman who arranged it for me, works for a cultural organizaiton of jews who help young Argentinians about to have their bar/bat mitzvahs get to Israel for the first time.

Another cool aspect of the seder for me was that they were not super religious, but rather self-described traditionalists and humanists who seek to apply the teachings and practices they love about judiasm to their everyday life (ie opening their doors to anyone who may need a place to go on pesach). They don't really go to temple except on high holy days, nor do they keep shabat but they like to remember the nostalgic traditions of judiasm and enjoy being with the family for big holidays even if they're not done in the most orthodox manner. It reminded me a lot of my family, which was nice. Another aspect I really enjoyed was that the seder could really be applied to everyday life and to what's going on in the world today, as opposed to just when the Jews left Egypt. We had a bunch of philosophical discussions about globalization, modern "plagues" and vices, in addition to the ususal "Is Miami as violent as they show in the Fast and the Furious?" By the end of the night I was washing dishes and taking a cab home with the grandparents. Amazing.

At the very least, Miriam and I are going to meet up again for coffee in the city and chat.

All in all a good night. I'm exhausted. Leaving tomorrow morning at 8am to head to the casa de campo with my host family. Hasta luego!

Sometimes I love the colectivo (although most of the time it's just late, hot and crowded). Today on the way home I saw both an old fashioned tractor and a horse drawn carraige heading down the street next to our bus. In the middle of the city.

The strange part- I didn't really find it strange until I got home and actually thought about it.

Pesaj tonight

Finally, through a connection at the AJC who set me up with the director of AMIA down here I found a sedar! It's amazing how strangers are willing to open up their houses just through friends of friends. On the other hand, I really have no idea what I'm getting in to (ie I am pretty sure I'm going to be there praying all night). They're "traditionalists" which doesn't really mean anything to me, but from what I understand they reinterpert the sources of judiasm and apply it to everyday life. But hey, at least i finally have a place to ea some chicken, matzoah ball soup and salad!

I didn't miss the real world

Just signed up for an LSAT class for this summer. It starts the day I get home from Argentina. FML. *


* side note: It's taken me over two hours to even open my book for my homework due tomorrow. I have to write two short answer questions in spanish about the economic crisis of 2001. We've talked about that for the past month, at least. How am I suppose to survive back at WashU again? I've forgotten what this thing called work is. Luckily, I'm armed with an entire pot of coffee and a new box of cookies. Sadly, this may take all night. I really wish I was kidding.

ISP (For any spanish speakers)

Too exhausted to translate this to english right now, but for anyone's that's intersted, I finally have clarity for my ISP! Here is my (very rough) idea and research question, to be later turned into a thesis. For those unfamiliar with SIT, we spend the last month down here working on an ISP, an independent study project, where we have total liberty over a research question. We have the month free to research, interview, and write a 20-40 page paper.

"Mi idea para el ISP es trabajar con el población que va a votar por primera vez en esta elección para averiguar si ya son desilusionados por la política como tantas otras personas en la Argentina o si piensan que si pueden lograr cambios positivos a través de la política. Quiero saber: ¿si votan porque es obligatorio o porque piensan que su voto de hecho puede lograr un cambio positivo en la política? Y si solo votan porque es obligatorio (o si no votan) ¿de dónde viene esa desilusión con la política? ¿Es transmitido por los profesores de las clases de acción cívica o es debido a una falta de programas para los jóvenes para desarrollar el interés en lo político por parte del gobierno?

Comprendo que una persona no se puede escapar las experiencias personales en una investigación así entonces voy a investigar ese asunto, tomando en cuenta mis propias experiencias trabajando con la campana de Obama en la Florida y en Missouri. Allí, por primera vez, me metí en la política y me sentí que los jóvenes si se pueden lograr cambios sociales y positivos a través de la política. Esta experiencia cambio mis pensamientos sobre el poder de la gente con respeto a la política y me gustaría sabre como relaciona con la política acá en la Argentina.

Pienso que quiero hacer las investigaciones en la Plata, donde concentran las elecciones en el 28 de Junio.( Históricamente se realizarán el 25 de Octubre, pero por la crisis económica mundial que amenaza el poder política de su gobierno, logró moverlas a Junio. El voto fue realizado el 28 de Marzo en el Congreso (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/world/americas/27argentina.html?partner=rss&emc=rss) Una de las problemas con ese cambioes que ahora los jóvenes que iban a cumplir 18 años antes de los elecciones no tienen la habilidad de votar). Quiero trabajar con jóvenes de 17-18 anos, en escuelas secundarias en la área".


Also, as a side note, I may have found the most rachel-unfriendly product in the world.

Cartoneros

I was riding the bus home today and realized that I've become accustomed to seeing 'cartoneros' on the street. In shanty towns, during our service visits, in my neighborhood, even in the nicer areas of Buenos Aires. They're starting to blend into the scenery of the city for me, and yet I remember how shocking their presence was to me upon first arriving . I find that really quite and troubling.

Well to start, I'm assuming at least a few of you reading this don't know what a cartonero is. I had no concept of it when I first got to Buenos Aires. Cartoneros are people whose "profession" it is to go through the city's garbage, searching for things to use, sell, or even eat. It's a big problem in the city, especially of late with the repercussions of the economic crisis being felt around the world. Entire families of cartoneros will take city blocks and "own" them, sorting through dumpsters as full-time jobs during the day. A new surge of 'cartoneros jovenes' (children cartoneros) has swept the city. As noted in the major newspaper down here, Clarin, many of these children will go to school during the day and sort trash at night in order to survive on the streets. Their attendance rates are surprisingly okay, until middle school when they seem to fall off the map.

It frustrates me that I am beginning to become accustomed to seeing them every few blocks. I've only been here 6weeks or so. Imagine what it's like for residents of the city who grew up with such a reality. How, as a society do we address these problems if we, as humans, have this incredible and scary capacity to ignore that which is "everyday" for us?

It's amazing and yet so sad at the same time the things a person can get use to seeing.

Drum Roll Please

Alright, I've been putting this off for some time since there is just so much I need to write about, but I'm finally back (by popular demand from my Beta boys :) ).

Things have been flying by like crazy down here. I can't believe it's already April and I'm starting to plan out what I'm doing this summer and where I want to travel at the end of the program. My to-do list is getting super long, but that's besides the point.

When I last wrote we were getting ready to go to the northern providence of Salta. I felt a little strange two days before we left but thought nothing of it. Argentine food is full of meet, bread and other such heavy foods and I just figured I was still not quite use to it. I felt so alright the next day though that I spent the day at an American bar watching NCAA basketball. It was so nice to indluge in american food, sports and english again, even if I was super embarrassed to be at this Ex-pat Bar. (Well, in retrospect I guess I wasn't too embarrassed because I'm heading back there in a few hours for Final Four basketball! Makes me miss being at school and sitting on a couch with all my guy friends..)

Bascially, to make a long story short, I spent the next four days, including the entire plan ride to Salta being miserably sick. At first my group just thought I had altitude sickness, then they thought I had food poisoning but by day four of being stuck in the hotel as the rest of the group attended classes, went up the gondola into the mountains and explored Salta they decided it was time for me to go a doctor. I spent the afternoon in the tiny emegency clinic (and actually learned a lot about the public/private heath care system down here) and they finally told me I had a parasite called Blastocytis Hominis. Pretty exciting stuff.
















I think the worst part of the experience for me was realizing how much being sick made me miss home. It's so interesting the things we take for granted (ie being able to explain your symptoms in your native langauge) and so many aspects of the health care system that are so cultural. For example, the first doctor I saw came up to my hotel room. While he spoke to me about what was going on with me (for a total of 5 minutes) his assistant was preparing an anti-nausea medicine for me. However, they didn't explain that, so he just came up to me in the middle of my conversation and started giving me this huge shot. I freaked out, as any of us would, laying in bed, in the middle of trying to explain why you can't keep food or water down for more than 5 minutes. Needless to say, I was very homesick (really for the first time in my life) for those four days.

I do finally feel like myself now though. I took three rounds of meds and have to repeat again in a week to kill the eggs (ew) that might have grown in my intestines. Bascially, I'll never dirnk tap water again-- even though I only did it about twice. Buenos Aires water is suppose to be some of the best in South America and totally portable for Americans. Of cousre, I just had the bad luck to gulp some down with a parasite in it.

I'd love to continue but I'm off to catch my bus to head to Chinatown, and then to watch some Final Four basketball. I'll write about my rural homestay (which they let me go on by a slight margin) and how things are going in preparation for Pesach, Semana Santa and leaving for my family's casa de campo and then Bariloche next sunday. Whew. Time just needs to slow down.

Chau. Thinking of everyone back in the states.

Suerte

Obviously, I have an intestinal parasite. Obviously.

Corte de Ruta

Well, the farmers in the north have started a 7 day strike where they are cutting off major highways and ceasing the production of soy, grain, and beef. The inetersting part, though, is that no one really seems to mind. It's headline news and yet the only reason we talked about it in class today was because the route we were taking up to Salta is has been "cortada" by the farmers. We are now flying, instead of taking the bus ride through the countryside. Apparently the delays would have been up to 40 hrs. So that's that. Just as simple as changing a bus ticket.

Take a second and think what would happen if in Washington D.C. thousands of farmers took the streets and cut off the major highways leading in and out of the city.

Gotta love Latin America.

A crazy few days

It's amazing how fast the time is passing. We've been here nearly three weeks, and on Saturday we're off to Salta for an 11 day trip north. I remember looking at a calendar and thinking about how much time there was before we got to travel, and yet, here it is.

The last few days have been crazy. We headed into this week knowing that it was going to be busy, but classes have really picked up and I'm not sure where the time has gone. Tomorrow we are visiting an organization, Sol Naciente, that works with single mothers in one of the biggest slums in Buenos Aires. In the middle of the city, among the high-rises and resturants, is a very large shanty town, mostly filled with single-parents households. This organization, from what I understand, has bascailly formed a collective where women can live free of fear of domestic violence and send their children to school. Among the services it offers are a soup kitchen, a mini-market where women can sell handicrafts and childcare during the day while these women work. I believe we have an escort to go into the shanytown, though. Should be quite interesting. Then friday we have our spanish "midterm" and two written assignments on the theory of social movements due. Work? What is that? I've sort of forgotten how to sit down and study.

Once I get through Friday, this week should really take off. Saturday we leave for Salta (20 hours by bus to the north). We are doing some touring (visiting local monuments such as the indignenous museum, the salt mines) doing some hiking and taking classes on indigenous movements and social organization at the University of Salta.
Then we start our rural homestay. Now that should be the interesting part. For four days we are living with farmers, in their huts, in this small village outside of Jujuy. No cell phones. No lights. I can't wait. The houses -- well, at least one per neighborhood -- are equipted only with radios in the off shot that something happens. Needless to say they've already placed me with the equivalent of the town doctor, as close to the "main" road as possible, but so it goes with my asthma. Sigh. Either way, it's going to be so interesting to see the different lifestyles and pace down there. I am so excited to sit under the stars and talk to my host family (all 10 of them that live in the house?) I am so ready to be pushed out of my comfort zone again.

That's all for now. Missing everyone in the states a lot..


Random addition: Latin salsa turned out to be more like step aerobics/cardio latin dance, to bad spanish covers of 90's music, in spanish. Needless to say it kicked my ass.

Today I joined a "gym". Since being sick, I've been going crazy just sitting around the house. While part of me loved watching old re-runs of Friends with my host family, the other part of me was dying from being inside while in such a dynamic city.

So, I joined a "gym". I put that in quotations, because apparently the gyms here in Buenos Aires (with the exception of a big chain that exists in the center of the city) are located in people's homes. Mine, two blocks from my house in Barracas, is the converted garage of a single woman who has made it her life passion to get people fit. In general it's pretty run down, with two old school tredmills, a few bikes and some rusty machines - but man do they take pride in their rusty machines! She followed me around this tiny space all afternoon, "teaching" me how to use the bench or showing me exercises. As my host mom explained when I got home, no one there knows anything but everyone thinks they know something. It at least made for some interesting conversation as I was working out today. I am going to go back Wed to try their "latin salsa" class. I think she teaches that as well.

It's not quite U of M, but it'll do.

"A terrible cold"

Today my parents closed up the house because a "terrible cold" had descended upon Buenos Aires. It's 61 and sunny. I love this country.

Tonight my mom made me a special "light" dinner since I am sick. It consisted of pan friend steak, onions and a tomato salad. Wow culture shock.

Well apparently people read this- who knew? :)

I can't believe we're already through our first week of class and settling into life here. Part of me feels like I've been here forever (yes, I can finally navigate the complex web that is the colectivo system here) and part of me feelings like I barely left WashU. For those of you that aren't familiar with the Buenos Aires bus system, there is a 40 page thick intricate map of buses, their routes and how much they cost. The tricky thing is, stops are not marked on this map, so actually finding where bus 134 stops within the 10 block square quadrant you're currently standing in can be a bit tricky, to say the least. Also, if you're not standing at said stop, waving your hand frantically (and even sometimes when you are) there is no guarantee that the bus driver will stop for you. Same goes for when you're trying to get off. You've really got to assert yourself -- something I'm not great at. However now that I've figured out how this system works, I can really get anywhere. So much more effective than any public transportation system in Miami. Ick.

So this weekend was filled with exploring. On Friday night my family had another family celebration of my host "sister" Flo's birthday. This was suppose to be her friends party, as the big family dinner was last week, however aunts, uncles, grandparents, ect all came over to be with her as well. The concept of family here is so interesting. I was trying to picture, most of the time, how a 23-year old would react to large amounts of family showing up to her birthday party with her friends. It was no big deal at all here. Family stayed, and the girls all went out dancing when the fiesta was over.. at 3am. Crazy.

(Below: my host mother, on the left, her sister Flo, in the middle and their mother on the left).


Saturday, I explored through Palermo, one of the nicer areas in the city and finally found some food that wasn't meat or bread: Armenian! It's amazing how fast one misses vegetables and soy milk. Never thought that would happen. Sunday, I met up with a group of 15 WashU freshman that were here in Buenos Aires with Dean Duvall and Prof. Brown for a focus seminar. We met up at a country club outside of the city and had a long, lazy lunch at this estate in the sun. The man's house we were at makes some of the best wine in Argentina, and obviously- had studied at WashU's business school for a year. If that wasn't a cool enough connection to make, the guy they had pick me up (Gustavo) studied at WashU Law for a year while getting his JD. He is now a lawyer in Buenos Aires with a big family, and teaches Constitutional Law at UBA (the University of Buenos Aires, one of the most reputed institutes in the country). From what I understand, although teachers there make close to nothing since it's public and paid for by the government, it's a huge prestige thing to teach at UBA. Anyways, he invited me to sit in on his class in the coming weeks and I am super excited. What a small world! If that wasn't enough for one day, that night about 15 of us saw Manu Chao at a sold out show at Luna Park. When we finally left, at 1am, he had been playing for four straight hours and was on his 7th encore. Amazing.



Anyways, more later. I'm sick and missing classes for the first day. Obviously, then, as the WashU student that I am, I feel the need to at least catch up on some reading. Ciao.

As requested...

More photos of Buenos Aires, per requested.





Left: our living room and "dinner table" followed by my first try at empanadas. Can you tell which is mine?

Below: our group at the plaza de mayo, attending the march of the madres de la plaza de mayo)

Disclaimer: Apparently my brain is a bit confused and my english is slipping. I really don't use english writing at all anymore, and almost my entire day is in spanish, so pardon my lack of coherent phrases and/or spanish grammar.

Tonight I had the opportunity to show, or at least try to illustrate, my host parents American politics. To contextualize, the past few nights have been filled with questions about Argentine politics, Peron, Eva, Kirsher, Menem, and the social implications (most of which were in the form of movements against the government) of their presidencies. Some very heated debates have emerged as a result of these conversations (especially last night at a three-generation family dinner). Don't get me wrong, they have been quite interesting, especially because my family has a very distinct perspective from that being offered in the university here. However, the most salient fact that has come out of all these discussions is not a condemnation of Argentine politics nor the presidents that have come before. More so, a general frustration, an inability to change things, seems to permeate the discourse of everyone I talk to. It's very sublte and implicit, but after showing my family Youtube videos tonight, it appears clear as day to me.

I sat Nati and Fede down tonight and showed them the videos I had told them about a few nights before about Sarah Palin and the SNL skits that Tina Fey did. Of course, with no background knowledge that provoked the Katie K. interview and a few other clips. That turned into Obama's speeches and finally his DNC address in 2004. After it was over, (and I had chills, as always) I asked them what they thought. They agreed with what he was saying and agreed that he was a good orator, but both said that they'd never trust someone like that. Someone with obvious intellect that had a way with words -- they'd be interested, sure, in how his policies panned out in the following years, but they'd never volunteer time or money for a political candidate. Ever. They couldn't imagine a time in which they would either.

The conversation that followed illustrated perfectly the difference between politics in the U.S. and elsewhere. Where the Argentine population can rise up against an idea/government, ours rose up in support of an abstract idea, because we believed that with the right person, it actually could be implemented. That concept completely escaped them. A fundamental belief in the system, something I myself doubted before this election, competley is lacking here. For them, government and politics will always be the same. Presidents are just new faces driving the machine. It's sort of hard to put into words the political/social frustration (that seems to have just turned into a self-perpetuating apathy) but the realization today, was, as we say "muy chocante".

That's all for now.

A woman on the bus today asked me for directions. She thought I was Argentine.
Great stuff.

Meet the Parents

" The world is a book and those who d not travel read only one page"


It's been a crazy past few days, but man has it been incredible. After a few days of being oriented to the program and Buenos Aires (if that is even possible in two days, ha!) we finally met up with our host families on Friday evening. I was a bit nervous, as I was one of the only students given a family on the outskirts of the city and the only one whose "parents" were under the age of 30. How do you think of someone as a figure of authority if they're only 6 years older than you are? Needless to say, though, after ten minutes with my "parents," who prefer to be called host siblings, I realized my fears were ridiculous.

I am so incredibly lucky. Nati grew up with exchange students in her home for years. Her parents had hosted SIT students for six years, and when she moved in with her boyfriend, Fede, they decided they wanted to do the same. They live in Barracas with their turtle, PepaThey are both architects in their final year at UBA. My first night was spent here sitting on a table about 6 in above the floor, listening to music and Fede playing guitar while talking politics. I didn't realize it before, but having parents that are 27 offers such a distinct perspective on what is going on down here. They have both lived the history and understand the perspective of the new, globalized generation and the combination is truly fascinating. We have debated history, Obama, Iran, Iraq, the Argentinan crisis of 2001 and the rise of Blockbuster and Starbucks in Argentina's major cities in the past few months. At first the langauge barrier was a bit tough, being that spanish class just never really taught us those kind of works, but after only a few days I'm having a hard time thinking clearly in English. (This entry, has taken me forever).

That's pretty much all for now. It's been a long pair of days, between hanging out with Nati and Fede, exploring the barrios around ours (which is really on the border of the Captial Federal) and meeting the whole family, who lives a few houses down. Today was Nati's mom's birthday, so we all went over for a typical asado by the pool. It was lovely, but I was a bit out of it, as last night was my first night out with other kids from the program. It began at 12am and ended around 6am this morning. Apparently that is early for them. It's going to be a long semester.


Time for some rest. Classes begin tomorrow and I've got an hour commute by bus. Should be interesting!








(Nati and her nephew)

Yesterday was one of the longer days I’ve had in my life. I met up with my group in the Miami airport around 5pm on the 23rd. We roamed the airport a bit, made awkward small talk and settled into the 9 hour flight down to Argentina. On the upside, LAN didn’t cancel my plane or loose my bags this time. Yay! I was, interestingly enough though, randomly was seated next to Jordan Feldman’s Harvard roommate on the way down there. That combined with meeting a girl I'd seen in Juliana's photos from the Island school just further proves that it is such a small world. I dozed on and off most of the flight, but got no real sleep.

Needless to say, arriving in busting, sunny, B.A., and having no concept of what time of day it was was a bit of a shock. I immediately regretted bringing half of my luggage – almost everyone had a frame pack and a small duffle and it looks like it’s going to be a real pain lugging mine around the city. I should have learned from Costa Rica, that yellow duffle is no good! But that’s besides the point. After the usual immigration and customs (which for some reason I was entirely waved through) we boarded a small bus with our program to an estancia (large extensions of land left over from the colonial days). All exhausted, most of us passed out for the hour bus ride out of the city into the countryside. (It was the only real sleep I’ve gotten so far since leaving the U.S) Unlike any other city in Latin America I’ve been to, the area just outside of the city proved to be quite green and fertile. Everything from pine trees to palm trees (yes, seeing them right next to each other is quite strange) are haphazardly planted along the side of the paved highway. We arrived to find mounted horses, for us if we so desired, a pool, tennis courts and ranch-like housing. So not the Latin America I am used to. I think arriving in the city on Thursday is going to be a big shock. The metro/colectivo system just seems more and more daunting, especially with the lack of coins in the city. More on that later.

Today we did a breif orientation- going over program information, schedules, trips, and safety. It was really the first time we talked specifics and I am more excited than I can describe to start things. We are arriving in B.A. tomorrow to meet our families, do more oritentaitons and plan for our excursions to Salta and Bariloche. It looks like it's going to be a ton of work, and a very hectic schedule but it all looks amazing. Paired with our actual classes at UBA are cultural excursions such as marching with the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo and painting a mural with social protest artists.

That's all for now. It's gorgeous out and we're going to enjoy these few hours off as a group to lay by the oasis like pool and tan. What a life!

Gone Going

So to begin, I figured I'd start this up as the best way to keep in touch with everyone while gone. I can upload photos, post stories and keep everyone on the same page. Not to worry, I'll still be accessible by email or Skype.

So today is the day. My overwhelming feeling right now is that it's just hard to believe today is actually here. I've been talking about Argentina for so long now that it just sort of seemed like something far off in the distance- something that would never actually arrive. But here it is. Feb 23rd. Phone ringing with people who all want to say goodbye, and me running around realizing I should have planned a bit better. (Really, Rachel? You forgot to order the right inhaler?!) I know the next five months or so are going to change me and my perspectives on the world, and I am excited, don't get me wrong. However, for today, I'm overcome with the bittersweet feeling of missing people and realizing just how truly wonderful my friends are. I am excited to go off and start a new adventure, but I'm not sure I'm ready for it all to change. Oh well. Not a whole lot to be done at this point- here we go!



(* two of the photos I brought down to share with my host family)