I would walk 500 miles…

I went to the Plaza de Mayo to see “Las Madres” do their weekly march. Unexpectedly, I got a bit emotional! In the fall through the University of Minnesota Dance program I studied this group of woman, who started a resistance movement in the 70s to protest the disappearances of their children during the “Dirty War”.

In that period, activists or possible revolutionaries “disappeared”; at least 10,000 men and women were taken to concentration camps, abused, and killed by the oppressive government. People were forbidden to gather in public, but the mothers of the “disappeared” young adults became tired of waiting in their homes for their children to return. A few started meeting in the Plaza and they discovered their stories were not isolated incidences. Some of the original Mothers also “disappeared” but the others continued to march, demanding information and justice to those responsible for the killings.

When I went there were close to 1000 people in the plaza, including allied groups and other protests. I kept a distance because protests sometimes incite violence. But I had the thought “sometimes the places most worth being are a little bit dangerous.” It was dangerous for the original Madres, but now, maybe in part because of their movement, these hundreds of Argentineans can meet freely. Right now may not be my time to walk, to stand, for something I value in the face of danger. But learning to love being out of my comfort zone is a big step for the girl who has been scared of small spiders, heights, and skiing fast. And it’s a valuable question to ask, for what would I walk? For me, it’s for the one true God and the things He commands of us, like “Seek justice. Help the oppressed.” And for this I applaud Las Madres.

Speaking of walking, my black Keds have almost seen their last steps. With my quick engineer’s estimate, they have seen me through almost 500 miles of walking to school and within at least six different countries. Now that is how I want to use all my material possessions! As a generalization, Buenos Aires seems materialistic, like most of the United States. There are shoe stores on every block in my neighborhood, and they’re usually busy. I find myself getting pulled into the desires for leather boots, fashionable jackets, etc. I hope these simple shoes can be a reminder that the things I already own can do quite well!

A few of my favorite things

Wow I cannot believe it's been almost 3 weeks already! I've definitely gotten more settled and comfortable, and today the tables have turned: someone asked ME for directions :) AND, I understood, knew the answer, and could say the answer in Spanish. Horray!
Other things that have been "favorites":

Gelato and café. The ice cream shops all have at least a few flavors that don't have milk but still taste creamy and delicious like soft-serve. The coffee here is great, too. One of my favorite things to do is to go to a café and sit and read, journal, or do homework. Generally things here are expensive, but $2 for a coffee also comes with a cookie or two and sparkling water. What's weird is that before this trip I didn't like coffee, but I guess it's because I don't like the watered-down coffee in the US? The coffee here is as strong as espresso in the US, and is deliciously smooth and rich.


I also love the plazas. There are many in Buenos Aires. Although fall is almost over here and we're nearing on winter, during the day it gets hot enough to sit out enjoy the sun's warmth. On the weekends the plazas are all filled with markets and art fairs with occasional musicians or tango dancers.

Last but not least, my favorite day so far was probably Saturday last weekend. I went with a couple other students across the river to Uruguay. We were in Montevideo that day, which is now one of my favorite places in the world. It's a city with lots to do but it also feels very relaxed. Within 24 hours I spontaneously danced Tango with the guy who works at the hostel, went into the famous Teatro Solis, went to a great outdoor antiques market, sat on a park bench and people watched, strolled along the river and had some absolutely delicious steak. There were a couple hundred high school students out and about for the Global Day of Youth Service, and at one point they invited us to join their team building dances/activites in the plaza! Here are some offering "Abrazos Gratis" (free hugs).

So many favorites!! Is there anything I don't like? Well, the pollution in quite bad. It's a bit hazy near certain streets, and also I feel like I inhale about a cigarette's worth of secondhand smoke per day. The other thing that is challenging, of course, is the language barrier. BUT I'm getting better, and that's what I'm here for!

Bs.As. (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

It has begun! I’ve been in Buenos Aires, Argentina for four days now and it’s been quite a whirlwind. My first flight was delayed so I, along with one other student on the program, missed the connection. After being re-routed through Chile we arrived but our luggage didn’t until the next day. Oh well! I arrived at my host family’s flat for a pleasant surprise- I have my own small room with a closet, mini-fridge, desk, internet, and attached half-bath! There are three daughters: Dolo (Dolores) is 25, Belu is 20, and Pili is 18. With mama Ines, papa Carlos, and the dog Galo and it’s a full and lively house. The food is great but I have certainly eaten more beef in the last few days than I did in the last year. Dinner is around 9:30pm and breakfast is tiny; it’s taking time to get used to that!

I have classes from 9-1:30 with a couple hours of homework each day. I’ve been thrown into classes I don’t feel ready for, but I’m already noticing improvement. I’ve learned 5 new verb tenses in 4 days; information overload! Being in Buenos Aires is sensory overload as well. Every day I cross the Avenue of July 9th, which gets up to 20 lanes wide!

The afternoons have been spent exploring a few historical sites and parks. One of the pics here is of a flower "statue" that is solar-powered and supposedly opens and closes with the sun. The other is not of a church as it might seem, but one of the grandiose tombs of famous and historical people in the Cemetery of Recoleta. More to come...