I have arrived in Buenos Aires after a long flight of 8
hours and restless sleep. I met up with the other folks in my program, about 30
students from around the country, and were thrilled by how much in common I
have with a lot of them. We’re all fast friends in the making!
I was particularly lucky to meet a fellow who has been in
Buenos Aires for about a month now and was happy to get the rest of us
oblivious gringos around town sightseeing. The architecture here would thrill
Aunt Holly and I love the beautiful façades and rising spires. It’s winter here
in Argentina, yet the day felt like it was in the low 60s and thus was pretty
comfortable. Definitely a nice change after 100 degrees in Colorado.
The highlight of today was visiting the Plaza de Mayo where
the madres de la plaza meet every Thursday to protest the human rights abuses
the military regime of Argentina committed from 1976-83. Around 13,000 people
disappeared. The demonstration was a powerful symbol of the turmoil still felt
by many Argentines about their government, their country, and the future of
both. The woman I managed to capture in this picture is a somber reminder of
the struggle this country has had to face in its efforts to present itself on
the global stage. She and the other mothers quietly chanted the names of those
who had disappeared while slowly circling around the Pirámide de Mayo in front
of the Casa Rosada where the President has her offices.
Today we also learned in orientation all about the amazing opportunities
that we’ll have in Mendoza, including free gym and library access, free theatre
passes, Argentine cooking classes, and of course access to some of the most beautiful
mountains around (after the Rockies of course). While we’re here in Buenos
Aires our orientation is in English so we don’t miss any critical information
and can relax and be tourists before the challenge of full-emersion begins in a
couple days. I find myself so excited to learn Spanish now that it’s all around
me, and I can only hope I can keep my patience and not get too frustrated as I
try to become fluent as fast as possible. The brief times I do communicate with
Argentines I get flushed and excited, seemingly one step closer to being part
of this amazing culture.
I sign off for now, and leave you with a wonderful picture
of Argentine empanadas. Yum! The food here is definitely delicious, albeit they do
serve dinner around 10pm.
Love you all!
Lisa en Argentina
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