One of the most interesting parts of the programs for me has been our course excursions. We have been forced to talk to strangers on the street and in the park about random topics in castellano, and recently my Spanish class visited the Cromanon memorial site.
The Cromanon had been a totally happening club in the Once district, and on December 30, 2004 the Callejeros, a local BsAs band with a cult following, was playing. The club promoters wanted to make as much money as possible that night, so they chained shut all the emergency exits to keep people from sneaking in. This plan went horribly awry when a fire started in the club and no one could get out. To add to the horror, there was a nursery on the floor above the club, and the babies and their caretakers perished in the fire as well. In total 192 people died that night and more than 700 were injured. Almost all of the victims were between the ages of 14-24.
The memorial site is covered with photographs, poems, and the shoes that the victims were wearing that night. Seeing several hundred pairs of dirty converses is pretty intense.
In our history/econonmics seminar, we learned about the Peronist policy everyone here holds so close to their hearts. Peron was basically the F.D.R. of Argentina, in that he socialized the country. Large projects gave people the jobs they so desperately needed, social services were nationalised so that they were accessible to everyone, and folks got paid vacation. It was kind of like Poland under soviet control. Only with fewer mortalities. This history of socialization has contributed to the alternative economic development policies that have sprung up since then. For example, Argentina is home to the phenomenon of 'fabricas recuporadas,' or factories that had been shut down by the owners after the economic crisis of 2001/2 but have sinve been reclaimed and reopened by the workers. They function in different ways, but usually the factories are now run entirely by workers, often everyone receives the same pay, and decisions are made in a group meeting democratically. Another social movement that is taking place here is the trabajadoros desocupados: unemployed workers band together and form cooperatives and work together to create jobs and provide services to the community. I visited the MTD LM cooperative, where they started a bakery school, a seamstress workshop, and a preschool. They sell pan dulce to raise money for the school, the preschool is free for the community, and they export the clothing they make to Italy, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the U.S.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
vamos a la playa
The highlight of my semester so far has been my weekend trip to Pinamar with 5 of my friends. We took a night bus to the ocean (well, some of us did. Some of us took it to the middle of nowhere and had to find their way to the ocean) before we crashed in a beach side hostel.
This place was amazing! All of Saturday it POURED, but we decided to hang out on the beach anyways. Pat had his guitar, Isaac had his mate, Colleen had her camera, and Erin, Evan and I were great company. We met some really great and interesting people in the hostel. Ghisela is a Castellano/English professor and actually taught SIT classes back in the day. Sergio and Clara were a really cool couple renting the double room in the hostel. Sergio is a poet and an anthropologist conducting research on international perceptions of smiles, and Clara is an actress who works for the Department of Economy. They both spoke English basically perfectly so we ended up communicating in a real medley of idiomas. Some folks i enjoyed hanging out with who did not speak a word of English were a group of lifeguards staying at the hostel. They were all about my age, and were really eager to talk to us. Two of them were Mexican, so whenever i couldn't understand one of the Argentinians, i would ask Omar from Oaxaca to repeat what was said in Mexican Spanish so that i could actually understand. I never would have guessed that my familiarity with Mexican Spanish would be significantly greater than Spanish in general.
That night we had an asado (grilled half a cow) and drank Malbec. Then we went skinny dipping and played on the beach with two of our lifeguard friends accompanying us to make sure the silly Americans didn't drown. Very memorable.
The next day the weather was much improved and matched our spirits. We baked and swam and sang and had an amazing time on la playa. Man, summer feels NICE.
This place was amazing! All of Saturday it POURED, but we decided to hang out on the beach anyways. Pat had his guitar, Isaac had his mate, Colleen had her camera, and Erin, Evan and I were great company. We met some really great and interesting people in the hostel. Ghisela is a Castellano/English professor and actually taught SIT classes back in the day. Sergio and Clara were a really cool couple renting the double room in the hostel. Sergio is a poet and an anthropologist conducting research on international perceptions of smiles, and Clara is an actress who works for the Department of Economy. They both spoke English basically perfectly so we ended up communicating in a real medley of idiomas. Some folks i enjoyed hanging out with who did not speak a word of English were a group of lifeguards staying at the hostel. They were all about my age, and were really eager to talk to us. Two of them were Mexican, so whenever i couldn't understand one of the Argentinians, i would ask Omar from Oaxaca to repeat what was said in Mexican Spanish so that i could actually understand. I never would have guessed that my familiarity with Mexican Spanish would be significantly greater than Spanish in general.
That night we had an asado (grilled half a cow) and drank Malbec. Then we went skinny dipping and played on the beach with two of our lifeguard friends accompanying us to make sure the silly Americans didn't drown. Very memorable.
The next day the weather was much improved and matched our spirits. We baked and swam and sang and had an amazing time on la playa. Man, summer feels NICE.
Second impressions
I think the most indicative sign that I am having an incredible time here is my blog sitting decrepit and abandoned on the web.
Muchisimo has happened since I last wrote, and I will share a few highlights.
First of all, my birthday was fantastic! I've always wished I could celebrate my March birthday when it was warm, so i was thrilled to think that i would be able to here since the southern hemisphere is totally radical and has summer when up north has winter. CHISTE! (Just kidding!) All day it was raining hard and i froze my booty off! It actually rained so hard that they had to shut the subway due to flooding, and the street collapsed in a two or three places around the city. Despite all that, I had a pretty great time. I got woken up by a jazz rendition of Happy Birthday played on the sax:
(photo of rafael)
After classes I went out to a Polish restaurant to celebrate with some of my awesome new friends and my amazingly awesome Argentinian family.
(photo of me and monica)
Speaking of the homestay family: I am in love. That entire not-talking-much thing has not only passed but I've actually chosen to stay home some nights to chat with them and listen to them practice (they play primarily Bossa Nova) instead of exploring every inch of BsAs nightlife. Rafael loves to talk (to the point that he will come find me if Monica isn't home) and has heaps of patience and seems to enjoy figuring out what i am trying to say half the time. Monica has been smiling a lot more, and I like making her laugh. We occasionally talk about how i basically have a super homestay situation, because i have many freedoms (i can go about as i wish) but also have a very active and present family who wants to spend time with me and talk to me.
In addition to being challenged culturally and linguistically, I'm also taking classes. Our program is based in IDES, el institucion de desarrollo economico y social (the institute of economic and social development) We have two classes a day, but 2 to 3 hours each, usually one is Spanish and the other is either our history/economics/social change in Argentina seminar or a seminar about anthrolpoligcal field studies. During breaks and lunch i try to be outside because the neighborhood IDES is in, Palermo, is very pretty, like a modern Paris. There are plenty of parks and beautiful buildings.
(out back and balcony photos)
Muchisimo has happened since I last wrote, and I will share a few highlights.
First of all, my birthday was fantastic! I've always wished I could celebrate my March birthday when it was warm, so i was thrilled to think that i would be able to here since the southern hemisphere is totally radical and has summer when up north has winter. CHISTE! (Just kidding!) All day it was raining hard and i froze my booty off! It actually rained so hard that they had to shut the subway due to flooding, and the street collapsed in a two or three places around the city. Despite all that, I had a pretty great time. I got woken up by a jazz rendition of Happy Birthday played on the sax:
(photo of rafael)
After classes I went out to a Polish restaurant to celebrate with some of my awesome new friends and my amazingly awesome Argentinian family.
(photo of me and monica)
Speaking of the homestay family: I am in love. That entire not-talking-much thing has not only passed but I've actually chosen to stay home some nights to chat with them and listen to them practice (they play primarily Bossa Nova) instead of exploring every inch of BsAs nightlife. Rafael loves to talk (to the point that he will come find me if Monica isn't home) and has heaps of patience and seems to enjoy figuring out what i am trying to say half the time. Monica has been smiling a lot more, and I like making her laugh. We occasionally talk about how i basically have a super homestay situation, because i have many freedoms (i can go about as i wish) but also have a very active and present family who wants to spend time with me and talk to me.
In addition to being challenged culturally and linguistically, I'm also taking classes. Our program is based in IDES, el institucion de desarrollo economico y social (the institute of economic and social development) We have two classes a day, but 2 to 3 hours each, usually one is Spanish and the other is either our history/economics/social change in Argentina seminar or a seminar about anthrolpoligcal field studies. During breaks and lunch i try to be outside because the neighborhood IDES is in, Palermo, is very pretty, like a modern Paris. There are plenty of parks and beautiful buildings.
(out back and balcony photos)
mas que nada
I am in love with Argentina! I love living here! I love drinking mate more than water. I love microfinancing, i love fabricas recuperadas, i love cooperativos. i love the socialists from cuba who are working to spread literacy. I love dancing to cumbia under the stars in an old abandoned mansion. I love knowing the first name of my local grocer lady and that she asks me about my classes. I love the sun. I love warm. I love feeling like i can do anything i want and not feel the constraints and limits of university life. I love being ACTUALLY challenged to learn this language without the unnecessary competitive pressure that is so prevalent at Columbia. I love that i am about to go to rosario, uruguay, and brazil. I love bossa nova music. I love that most of my friends here are actively artists, musicians, philosophers, anthropologists and activists. I love that we are changing our worlds and trying to learn about changing the system down here. I love meeting people who are dedicated to living their lives. I love feeling like i am actually learning. I love meeting great funky people everyday. I love hearing their stories. I love feeling this free and i love the idea of living here permanently.
Who would come visit?
PS- i am in the middle of writing my midterm right now and i am still in a good mood. What is wrong with me you ask? What is RIGHT with me, i answer!
Who would come visit?
PS- i am in the middle of writing my midterm right now and i am still in a good mood. What is wrong with me you ask? What is RIGHT with me, i answer!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Home stay
Sunday, 25 February 2007
So the home stay has definitely proven to be one of the most challenging things I have ever done.
During my orientation, the home stay director commented that culture shock takes on many forms, such as unhealthy eating habits, or just a constant feeling if exhaustion because everything is harder. She said the something so basic that we would do without even thinking back home, like going to the store and buying batteries, is much harder. And she was right: I don't even know where I would buy batteries, so good thing i don't need them. Some light shopping yesterday proved very difficult, as I was only able to get like 3 things from my 10 item list. After 4 hours.
I've never been homesick before, and I don't really know what to do with myself to make it better. I found an exhibit on New York art and I can't wait to check it out. My gift to my home stay family was a book of New York photographs and i can't stop reading it over and over.
Even with all this, there are some definitely cool things about my home stay situation. I live with a woman named Monica, who is a psychoanalyst, and also a Jazz singer and plays guitar (what a wacky combination!) Her boyfriend, Rafael, is always over and plays the saxophone. They perform together in a Bossa Nova band and my first night with them they gave me a mini concert. I have my own room and toilet, and the apartment is on the top floor of the building, so we have direct access to the terrace/roof.
However, Monica and I don't really talk. When we do, I feel like she's already disappointed in me. She hardly ever smiles or laughs, and when she does it looks sort of strained. I think I'll have a lot of freedom, no curfew or anything like that, but also, with independence comes little assistance. She seems overly protective about things like me taking the subway (something I feel confident doing on my own) but then only points me in the general direction of a place with wireless (something I have no idea how to find out on my own.) For the first few days at least, I wish I had a really friendly host mom, who would take me by the hand if I needed it and show me the neighborhood. We'll see what it's like in time.
My classes begin on Monday, and I already have an intimidating amount of homework.
With the purchase of a cell phone my social life will be more in my hands, and hopefully the other students with host siblings can share some of their built in social circles.
So the home stay has definitely proven to be one of the most challenging things I have ever done.
During my orientation, the home stay director commented that culture shock takes on many forms, such as unhealthy eating habits, or just a constant feeling if exhaustion because everything is harder. She said the something so basic that we would do without even thinking back home, like going to the store and buying batteries, is much harder. And she was right: I don't even know where I would buy batteries, so good thing i don't need them. Some light shopping yesterday proved very difficult, as I was only able to get like 3 things from my 10 item list. After 4 hours.
I've never been homesick before, and I don't really know what to do with myself to make it better. I found an exhibit on New York art and I can't wait to check it out. My gift to my home stay family was a book of New York photographs and i can't stop reading it over and over.
Even with all this, there are some definitely cool things about my home stay situation. I live with a woman named Monica, who is a psychoanalyst, and also a Jazz singer and plays guitar (what a wacky combination!) Her boyfriend, Rafael, is always over and plays the saxophone. They perform together in a Bossa Nova band and my first night with them they gave me a mini concert. I have my own room and toilet, and the apartment is on the top floor of the building, so we have direct access to the terrace/roof.
However, Monica and I don't really talk. When we do, I feel like she's already disappointed in me. She hardly ever smiles or laughs, and when she does it looks sort of strained. I think I'll have a lot of freedom, no curfew or anything like that, but also, with independence comes little assistance. She seems overly protective about things like me taking the subway (something I feel confident doing on my own) but then only points me in the general direction of a place with wireless (something I have no idea how to find out on my own.) For the first few days at least, I wish I had a really friendly host mom, who would take me by the hand if I needed it and show me the neighborhood. We'll see what it's like in time.
My classes begin on Monday, and I already have an intimidating amount of homework.
With the purchase of a cell phone my social life will be more in my hands, and hopefully the other students with host siblings can share some of their built in social circles.
Buenos Aires, Here we come.
Friday, 23 February 2007
I'm standing at the threshold of my program. Orientation is over, we had our first introductory class on Friday, and then all of us in the program went our separate ways as we were picked up by our home stay families.
The last two days of orientation were in BsAs. All the students in my program ventured out into the BsAs's nightlife together, not yet burdened with homework, and feeling rather liberated by not having to procure proper age identification or a cover charge at most places.
One of our orientation activities had been splitting into groups and exploring an individual barrio of the city. My group of three went to Puerto Madera, the port part of the town on the River Plate. This is where the city has its origins, and the entire country really. The west side has been renovated, with the old red brick buildings being turned into restaurants and offices. The east side of the river has also been fully developed, although it was during the economic crisis that foreign investors swept in to take advantage of the unbelievably low cost of building high rises in BA. The strip is home to giant corporate buildings like Telecom, Nextel, LG, and more. It's also home to luxury hotels and residential high rises (las torres) which are the most expensive in all of Latin America. I'll probably make my way out there again, possibly to spend an evening at BuddaBar, Asia de Cuba, or Opera Bay (an after-work dance club designed to look like the Sydney Opera House) or at the large Nature Reserve located on the other side of the high rises.
Our last night before moving in with our home stay families we went to a Parilla, where I finally got to try some Argentine steak. As promised, it was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. I don't think I can ever go back to being a vegetarian again.
(I repented my meat eating ways to the veggie gods the next day by going to a vegetarian restaurant named Krishna, with mirrors and an eclectic mix of music, ranging from Hare Krishna chanting to Prince's Purple Rain.)
We then wandered around until we found some outdoor bars. It was nice to see so many people out so late on a Thursday night, live music and cool beer reminding us that it is, indeed, summer here.
After a week of spending so much time with each other, it was going to be strange to be separated and scattered throughout the city. I was definitely feeling nervous. I am going to have a whole weekend without any obligations (exciting but daunting) with a family who I will have trouble communicating with.
I'm standing at the threshold of my program. Orientation is over, we had our first introductory class on Friday, and then all of us in the program went our separate ways as we were picked up by our home stay families.
The last two days of orientation were in BsAs. All the students in my program ventured out into the BsAs's nightlife together, not yet burdened with homework, and feeling rather liberated by not having to procure proper age identification or a cover charge at most places.
One of our orientation activities had been splitting into groups and exploring an individual barrio of the city. My group of three went to Puerto Madera, the port part of the town on the River Plate. This is where the city has its origins, and the entire country really. The west side has been renovated, with the old red brick buildings being turned into restaurants and offices. The east side of the river has also been fully developed, although it was during the economic crisis that foreign investors swept in to take advantage of the unbelievably low cost of building high rises in BA. The strip is home to giant corporate buildings like Telecom, Nextel, LG, and more. It's also home to luxury hotels and residential high rises (las torres) which are the most expensive in all of Latin America. I'll probably make my way out there again, possibly to spend an evening at BuddaBar, Asia de Cuba, or Opera Bay (an after-work dance club designed to look like the Sydney Opera House) or at the large Nature Reserve located on the other side of the high rises.
Our last night before moving in with our home stay families we went to a Parilla, where I finally got to try some Argentine steak. As promised, it was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. I don't think I can ever go back to being a vegetarian again.
(I repented my meat eating ways to the veggie gods the next day by going to a vegetarian restaurant named Krishna, with mirrors and an eclectic mix of music, ranging from Hare Krishna chanting to Prince's Purple Rain.)
We then wandered around until we found some outdoor bars. It was nice to see so many people out so late on a Thursday night, live music and cool beer reminding us that it is, indeed, summer here.
After a week of spending so much time with each other, it was going to be strange to be separated and scattered throughout the city. I was definitely feeling nervous. I am going to have a whole weekend without any obligations (exciting but daunting) with a family who I will have trouble communicating with.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
ARGENTINA!
Groggy and tired, the group flight kids met up with solo travelers, most of who have been traveling round South America for the past 6 weeks. Already accustomed to the language, they started speaking Spanish to us and there was some awkward tension as it sunk in that the program was starting and we would have to give up speaking in English. My hives got worse.
We all hopped on a mini bus and headed out to a hotel out in the campo. The two girls I'm rooming with here for two nights are great, one is from nyc and the other is from Minnesota. They're both very chill and smart, and not at all overly peppy. Most of the people in the program seem really cool, and I'm excited to get acquainted with everyone.
After the “welcome to Argentina” lecture and going over our schedule for orientation as well as for the entire 15 week program, i started feeling comfortable. We eat 4 meals a day since dinner is VERY late, sometimes as late as midnight. I realized that it was okay that I didn't already know everything, that i would neither be too smart nor too ignorant in this program, and that while it would be challenging, it would also be incredibly educational. And fun. At the end of the day, every student received a gift from our directors. We opened them up together to find that we were all given silver mates and bombillas with our names engraved on them.
I'm getting the sense that this will be somewhat of a life changing (or at least influencing) experience. I'm already imagining minor changes I hope to incorporate into my life back in new york: speaking Spanish with neighbors, slowing down my pace, shopping for local produce, drinking mate constantly.
My hives have all but disappeared, and hopefully they were just scary signals of stress.
The People in My Program
While we're all of a similar sort (the type who would want to study regional integration in lain America) we are a pretty diverse bunch. We come from Caracas, Laguna Beach, Berkeley, Connecticut, Madison, Wisconsin, you get the drift. I'm one of four New Yorkers here.
But we still all know the lyrics to Redemption Song.
I am very impressed with everyone here. Everyone seems so enthusiastic and genuine, and it's nice to feel separate from the superficial focuses very prevalent in New York. We're all starting to speak Spanish a lot more with one another, which is very nice as we're eager to help each other out.
And yeah, maybe all of us knowing the words to Bob Marley is a bit cliché, but hey, it's a good song.
“deja que el mundo te cambie, y podrás combiar el mundo”
This place is crawling with the cutest kittens! And fleas. Fleas everywhere. In the grass, in the kitten, on the dog. Not so yay.
We all hopped on a mini bus and headed out to a hotel out in the campo. The two girls I'm rooming with here for two nights are great, one is from nyc and the other is from Minnesota. They're both very chill and smart, and not at all overly peppy. Most of the people in the program seem really cool, and I'm excited to get acquainted with everyone.
After the “welcome to Argentina” lecture and going over our schedule for orientation as well as for the entire 15 week program, i started feeling comfortable. We eat 4 meals a day since dinner is VERY late, sometimes as late as midnight. I realized that it was okay that I didn't already know everything, that i would neither be too smart nor too ignorant in this program, and that while it would be challenging, it would also be incredibly educational. And fun. At the end of the day, every student received a gift from our directors. We opened them up together to find that we were all given silver mates and bombillas with our names engraved on them.
I'm getting the sense that this will be somewhat of a life changing (or at least influencing) experience. I'm already imagining minor changes I hope to incorporate into my life back in new york: speaking Spanish with neighbors, slowing down my pace, shopping for local produce, drinking mate constantly.
My hives have all but disappeared, and hopefully they were just scary signals of stress.
The People in My Program
While we're all of a similar sort (the type who would want to study regional integration in lain America) we are a pretty diverse bunch. We come from Caracas, Laguna Beach, Berkeley, Connecticut, Madison, Wisconsin, you get the drift. I'm one of four New Yorkers here.
But we still all know the lyrics to Redemption Song.
I am very impressed with everyone here. Everyone seems so enthusiastic and genuine, and it's nice to feel separate from the superficial focuses very prevalent in New York. We're all starting to speak Spanish a lot more with one another, which is very nice as we're eager to help each other out.
And yeah, maybe all of us knowing the words to Bob Marley is a bit cliché, but hey, it's a good song.
“deja que el mundo te cambie, y podrás combiar el mundo”
This place is crawling with the cutest kittens! And fleas. Fleas everywhere. In the grass, in the kitten, on the dog. Not so yay.
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