I don't even know where to begin, I'm sorry this has taken me so long to update. I have gone on two trips in the last month and whenever I have some time to blog, I never want to sit down and write. So, brace yourself for a summary of what I have been doing for the last 4 1/2 weeks...I have gone on two major trips with my program since I last posted: Bariloche, a city in Patagonia as well as Salta and Jujuy (up north).
Patagonia:
My program is centered around human rights and social movements and the trip to Patagonia was focused on one's right to land. We visited a couple of Mapuche communities, whose right to land has been violated and there have been instances where the government even tried to take their land away. The Mapuche are an indigenous group of southwestern Argentina and south-central Chile. One day we visited a community outside Bariloche and a woman from the community shared her story of how she stood up to the Argentine government. Here is a picture of her and the group listening on:
Patagonia was stunning; I saw some of the most breathtaking views of my life and the lakes and mountains were gorgeous. However, Bariloche was pretty touristy and I would love to visit a smaller town in Patagonia with less foreigners. We had lecture almost every day there as well with a group of lawyers that worked in Bariloche and we went on a few hikes outside the city. We also were able to experience the "real Bariloche." We visited a few neighborhoods right outside the city and saw some of the poorest communities I ever seen in my life. It was such a weird contrast- going from the center of the city, with beautiful hotels and shops to communities with run-down homes and buildings. It was a nice trip and I ate some of the best chocolate. After dinner, we trekked over to one of the many chocolate shops and sampled different kinds... I was definitely in chocolate heaven!
A few more pictures:
Hiking
Up North:
I actually just got back from Salta last Thursday after a two week trip with my program. We had lectures on gender and sexuality as well as human trafficking on the border of Bolivia and Argentina. We took a bus to Salta and returned via plane. The bus ride to Salta was about 20 hours and it was actually not as painful as it sounds- we left around 5 and the seats fold down to a bed, so we all slept through the night. Actually, my seat didn't go all the way down because it was broken, but it was still comofortable. We were also served my personal favorite, "mystery meat" with hard bread. It was disgusting and when I told my host parents about the "carne misteriosa," they thought I was nuts...
Like the Patagonia trip, we also had lectures and for one of the classes, we visited a soup kitchen, also called a "comedor." We had the opportunity to talk to the women that worked there, helped them make bread and prepare food, and of course, played with the kids. The soup kitchens are in very poor areas of the city and the women that worked there made meals for up to 100 kids each day. Also, one of the first days in Salta, we visited an archaeology museum and they had three Incan mummies that were discovered around 2000. The mummies were young children that had been sacrificed in the Incan empire and were in excellent condition. Before they were sacrificed, they had huge celebrations and marches in the city and it was thought to be a great honor to be chosen (Sounds pretty awesome huh?). Even though it was kind of creepy to see such small mummies of children, I loved the museum and thought the exhibit was fascinating.
For another lecture, our group split into two groups and I chose to visit the hospital in Salta to talk about female reproductive rights. I had envisioned that we would meet and talk with various doctors and listen to their experiences and perspectives on women´s rights. The lecture actually turned out to be really strange...The first part of it made me think I was back in sex-ed class in high school- painfully awkward and funny. About half way through the lecture, the woman pulled out lyrics for a song and not only did she turn music on, she started to sing along. I totally lost it and some kids in my program started to sing along as well. She also talked about abortion and how the majority of Argentinians are against it. I thought it was interesting to hear her perspective but did not feel like getting into a debate with her about abortion...I was happy to get out of there after that lecture!
Another part of this trip included a home-stay in a rural community outside Salta. My friend, Josh, and I stayed in Gobernador Sola with Rita and Javier along with their son. Rita is the head of the primary school near by and also the secretary of the community. Her husband, Javier, works in Agriculture and is the vice president of the community as well. Rita's mother, Rosa, came to the house everyday to work but she lived down the road. There were mountains on either side and the town was tucked in between; it was stunning. There was an elementary school near by as well as a church, but otherwise, it was an endless landscape of fields, mountains, and more mountains. I thought that we were going to be working in the field and killing chickens or something, but we ended up talking to the family and hanging out.
One day, we helped pick choclo, which is essentially corn, and helped Rita make humitas, a traditional Salta dish. Basically, its mashed up corn, sauteed onions and peppers, and cheese wrapped up in a corn husk. SO GOOD. Another day, Josh and I visited the school and played with the kids and later, they schooled us in soccer. Let me tell you, that altitude difference makes you TIRED! We went to bed the first night around 10 or 11pm and woke up the next morning at 11 and we still took naps later that day.
One of the last nights, we had the opportunity to go to the town meeting and listen in. It was really interesting; they talked about how some wealthy people from Buenos Aires are buying their land and beginning to build homes there. Another interesting topic they talked about was "el tren a los nubes," or "the train to the clouds." It's a train that starts near Salta and runs through the mountains, offering the riders amazing views of the Andes mountains and landscape. However, the bathrooms on the train dump their waste right onto the land, which in effect, ruins their land and crops! The people I met in the community are some of the nicest people I have ever met and I hope in the future that I can return. Overall, it was a nice break from reality and it was cool to gain a different perspective on their lifestyle. Oh, and kind of a funny story from our trip: The grandmother, Rosa, and I became good buds. She thought Josh and I were a couple and kept telling him, "Be careful; make sure other men don't look at Abigail." Of course, it was a little more dramatic in Spanish, but you get the idea...
Here are a few pictures:
A few more things...
1. I am DONE with class now! Actually, I have to finish a ten page paper (almost there) and then I start my independent research project for the last 4 weeks. I am going to focus on a Jewish organization here in Buenos Aires and conduct interviews, so it should be really fun. I am also looking forward to setting up my own schedule and having some more time to explore the city.
2. I tried blood sausage at dinner and I LOVED it. My Dad told me he wouldn't be offended if I didn't like it but I kept asking for more. He told me I was a "vampiro." I definitely don't want to know what it's made of because if I really want to eat it again, so please don't tell me...
3. Rachel comes to Argentina in a week, I am so pumped!
4. My friend, Mercedes is studying abroad in Brazil and she is actually from Buenos Aires originally. Also, her boyfriend is studying abroad in Buenos Aires. Last Saturday, I was in Recoleta and all of the sudden, someone touched my arm and said, "Abbey!" Lo and behold, it was Mercedes! So random. This city is huge and without planning to meet, we ran into one another. I love when things like that happen.
5. I made chicken parmesan for my family tonight and it was a big hit. I guess my irrational fear of burning the apartment down and being sent back to the states was a little over the top...
6. I miss Swedish fish. And peanut butter. Whenever I go to a market, I always look, only to find lots of dulce de leche. It's good, but I mean, nothing can beat a good peanut butter and banana sandwich.
7. I am sleeping in tomorrow!
Besos.
I actually just got back from Salta last Thursday after a two week trip with my program. We had lectures on gender and sexuality as well as human trafficking on the border of Bolivia and Argentina. We took a bus to Salta and returned via plane. The bus ride to Salta was about 20 hours and it was actually not as painful as it sounds- we left around 5 and the seats fold down to a bed, so we all slept through the night. Actually, my seat didn't go all the way down because it was broken, but it was still comofortable. We were also served my personal favorite, "mystery meat" with hard bread. It was disgusting and when I told my host parents about the "carne misteriosa," they thought I was nuts...
Like the Patagonia trip, we also had lectures and for one of the classes, we visited a soup kitchen, also called a "comedor." We had the opportunity to talk to the women that worked there, helped them make bread and prepare food, and of course, played with the kids. The soup kitchens are in very poor areas of the city and the women that worked there made meals for up to 100 kids each day. Also, one of the first days in Salta, we visited an archaeology museum and they had three Incan mummies that were discovered around 2000. The mummies were young children that had been sacrificed in the Incan empire and were in excellent condition. Before they were sacrificed, they had huge celebrations and marches in the city and it was thought to be a great honor to be chosen (Sounds pretty awesome huh?). Even though it was kind of creepy to see such small mummies of children, I loved the museum and thought the exhibit was fascinating.
For another lecture, our group split into two groups and I chose to visit the hospital in Salta to talk about female reproductive rights. I had envisioned that we would meet and talk with various doctors and listen to their experiences and perspectives on women´s rights. The lecture actually turned out to be really strange...The first part of it made me think I was back in sex-ed class in high school- painfully awkward and funny. About half way through the lecture, the woman pulled out lyrics for a song and not only did she turn music on, she started to sing along. I totally lost it and some kids in my program started to sing along as well. She also talked about abortion and how the majority of Argentinians are against it. I thought it was interesting to hear her perspective but did not feel like getting into a debate with her about abortion...I was happy to get out of there after that lecture!
Another part of this trip included a home-stay in a rural community outside Salta. My friend, Josh, and I stayed in Gobernador Sola with Rita and Javier along with their son. Rita is the head of the primary school near by and also the secretary of the community. Her husband, Javier, works in Agriculture and is the vice president of the community as well. Rita's mother, Rosa, came to the house everyday to work but she lived down the road. There were mountains on either side and the town was tucked in between; it was stunning. There was an elementary school near by as well as a church, but otherwise, it was an endless landscape of fields, mountains, and more mountains. I thought that we were going to be working in the field and killing chickens or something, but we ended up talking to the family and hanging out.
One day, we helped pick choclo, which is essentially corn, and helped Rita make humitas, a traditional Salta dish. Basically, its mashed up corn, sauteed onions and peppers, and cheese wrapped up in a corn husk. SO GOOD. Another day, Josh and I visited the school and played with the kids and later, they schooled us in soccer. Let me tell you, that altitude difference makes you TIRED! We went to bed the first night around 10 or 11pm and woke up the next morning at 11 and we still took naps later that day.
One of the last nights, we had the opportunity to go to the town meeting and listen in. It was really interesting; they talked about how some wealthy people from Buenos Aires are buying their land and beginning to build homes there. Another interesting topic they talked about was "el tren a los nubes," or "the train to the clouds." It's a train that starts near Salta and runs through the mountains, offering the riders amazing views of the Andes mountains and landscape. However, the bathrooms on the train dump their waste right onto the land, which in effect, ruins their land and crops! The people I met in the community are some of the nicest people I have ever met and I hope in the future that I can return. Overall, it was a nice break from reality and it was cool to gain a different perspective on their lifestyle. Oh, and kind of a funny story from our trip: The grandmother, Rosa, and I became good buds. She thought Josh and I were a couple and kept telling him, "Be careful; make sure other men don't look at Abigail." Of course, it was a little more dramatic in Spanish, but you get the idea...
Here are a few pictures:
A few more things...
1. I am DONE with class now! Actually, I have to finish a ten page paper (almost there) and then I start my independent research project for the last 4 weeks. I am going to focus on a Jewish organization here in Buenos Aires and conduct interviews, so it should be really fun. I am also looking forward to setting up my own schedule and having some more time to explore the city.
2. I tried blood sausage at dinner and I LOVED it. My Dad told me he wouldn't be offended if I didn't like it but I kept asking for more. He told me I was a "vampiro." I definitely don't want to know what it's made of because if I really want to eat it again, so please don't tell me...
3. Rachel comes to Argentina in a week, I am so pumped!
4. My friend, Mercedes is studying abroad in Brazil and she is actually from Buenos Aires originally. Also, her boyfriend is studying abroad in Buenos Aires. Last Saturday, I was in Recoleta and all of the sudden, someone touched my arm and said, "Abbey!" Lo and behold, it was Mercedes! So random. This city is huge and without planning to meet, we ran into one another. I love when things like that happen.
5. I made chicken parmesan for my family tonight and it was a big hit. I guess my irrational fear of burning the apartment down and being sent back to the states was a little over the top...
6. I miss Swedish fish. And peanut butter. Whenever I go to a market, I always look, only to find lots of dulce de leche. It's good, but I mean, nothing can beat a good peanut butter and banana sandwich.
7. I am sleeping in tomorrow!
Besos.
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