1800 Kilometros al Comienzo Nuevo

When discussing my plans for 2009-2010 school year, I often say that I moved to South America. This statement, although obviously true, is a bit misleading in that it completely ignores the immense differences between my two homes on the continent. Chile is arguably one of the most developed nations in the world as evidenced by its recent admission into the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. It possesses adequate infrastructure and services in most parts (but not all), although it certainly should improve access for poor citizens. On the other hand, Paraguay remains nation in the midst of development. Roughly 1/3 of the population falls beneath the poverty line, although I've read articles claiming that the real number is actually significantly higher.

Regardless of its struggles, Paraguay has proven to be an excellant home. In addition to sweltering temperatures (46 degrees Celsius or 115 Farenheit at La Escuela Agricola on Friday), it boasts some of the warmest and friendliest individuals I have ever met. Some tourbooks attribute this phenomenon to the lack of foreign visitors, while Paraguayans suggest that it stems from a sense community created by the nation's small size. After all, it is often nicknamed the "nation of amigos" by its neighbors.

Not only have I had an excellant time meeting numerous Paraguayans, I have also enjoyed my internship at Fundacion Paraguaya. This microfinance organization operates throughout the country and has allowed countless of small businesses to grow by providing access to credit markets for poor Paraguayans. Fortunately, it has been successful in many of its endeavors including the creation of Committees of Women Entrepreneurs. These groups of about 10-15 women receive credit as a group for their businesses and are responsible for repaying it collectively and attending financial training sessions. Not only have they been incredibly successful monetarily, but they have also added further evidence to the proven hypothesis that female borrowers invest much more of their earnings in their families and communities than their male counterparts.

More recently, the Foundation has opened a self-sustaining agricultural school to teach impoverished children in rural areas various methods to maximize their crop production and use of animal products. Interestingly, many students do not simply return to the farm after graduating. Many continue onto the university and study subjects such as agronomy and later use this knowledge to help their childhood communities.

While the Fundacion has obviously had great success with both of these initiatives throughout the past twenty-five years, poverty remains rampant in Paraguay. Thus, it recently embarked upon a new initiative known as "Proyecto Ikatu" (Ikatu means "Yes, I can" in Guarani, Paraguay's other national language). This program has identified 50 indicators of poverty and is attempting to address each individually in an effort to further improve the lives of borrowers. These range from illiteracy to a lack of sanitary restrooms.

As an intern, I will be working with Proyecto Ikatu while concurrently learning more about microfinance in general. Specifically, I will be developing a program to address one of the poverty indicators: the inability of many poor women to assert their human rights. Ideally, I'll also help conduct some training sessions with the Committees of Women Entrepreneurs before returning to Chile.

My time in Paraguay has not, however, been all work. On Friday, the entire organization consisting of upwards of 270 individuals descended on the agricultural school for the annual end-of-the-year party. Deep in the absolutely stunning Paraguayan countryside, we sang Christmas carols, honored the most successful workers from the past year, and gourged ourselves on traditional Paraguayan dishes including Sopa Paraguaya (it's corn bread...go figure) and queso con dulce de leche. Fortunately, the calories were quickly sweated away throughout the next few hours as we played volleyball, soccer, and danced in the 46 degree heat. Eeek.

Saturday marked my first day in the city without any work obligations. Although I enjoy my internship, I was eager for the opportunity to explore Asuncion. The other intern and I began by roaming through various artisan markets. Obviously, I enjoyed seeing the crafts, but the highlights had to be my long conversation with a begger (typical Paraguayan hospitality) or discoving that I am absolutely horrible at bargaining. If you have a child nearby who even vaguely looks undernourished or stereotypically poor, I will most likely agree to pay whatever you ask.

After doing some shopping, I began visiting the typicsal tourist spots: pantheon de los heroes, plaza uruguaya, plaza de los heroes. Eventually, I continued down to the river to see the port and the various government buildings alongside it. The cabildo and President's Palace were absolutely stunning with the piranha-infested river as a backdrop. Unfortunately, this image was marred by the shantytowns creeping alongside the buildings. It's a shocking and somewhat upsetting contrast; the grandeur of the government institutions and the too-skinny, desperately poor families that administration has failed to protect. However, this image can also be seen as being representative of Paraguay and too many other countries across the globe.While some enjoy excessively opulant lifestyles, others wonder if they can find enough food to serve for dinner.

Hypocritically, I spent awhile considering the scene outside the government buildings and then proceeded to eat far more than was necessary after meeting some friends at an incredible tenedor libre asadito. Salad, pasta, and prime slabs of beef abounded along with wedding guests; a couple was celebrating in the restaurant, so we too had the chance to enjoy the festivities and an incredibly entertaining wedding singer. Afterwards we ventured to a bustling Paseo de las Carmelitas to explore the nightlife in Asuncion and the company of some awesome Paraguayan acquaintances.

Like in Chile, Sundays in Paraguay can be described as dead. There is no one in the streets and only a few people in the shops that are actually open. I did a little exploring, a lot of organizing, and met the gringos for some ice cream. It was such a good time; it really is too bad that Hillary forgot her cell phone. Or maybe not?

Monday was spent researching human rights abuses and influencer theory in Paraguay. As both obviously interest me immensely, the day passed quickly. Before I knew it, I'd returned home to meet with the Gringos for the last time before they continued onward to Peru. They brought some Paraguayan and Argentine friends and we soon started playing Cranium - Latin American Edition. So hard. But fortunately, as predicted, the girls pulled off the come from behind win so it was definately an overall success. Especially when we finished the night with a delicious homemade dinner and watermelon. I'll be eating left-overs for days, which should be delicious when I add a dessert of the strange and unknown fruits I found at the farmer's market today.

"Not All Who Wander Are Lost"

Did I simply forget? Have I become too lazy to post regularly? While there are millions of excuses from my lengthy hiatus from this blog, I'd like to think I've simply been too busy living. The past few months have overflowed with adventures, laughter, and work. Blogging, unfortunately, just hasn't been a part of my world.

Recounting several months of la vida cotidiana seems almost impossible. Where to start? Classes ended, finals happened, and my internship consumed much of my time and mental energy. Yet, the workload never proved overwhelming; perhaps due to the excitement interspersed throughout the monotony. Weekends brought white water rafting, an excursion to La Serena, my two left feet struggling to dance la salsa, and wanderings through places as varied as Persa Bio-Bio and La Vega. Moreover, it was a time of celebration. The Gringos brought Halloween and Thanksgiving to the southern hemisphere and we celebrated each with elaborate costumes or pumpkin pie respectively. Even Christmas made an early appearance when we decided to celebrate with cookies, secret santa, and some fabulous holiday tunes.

The excitement has not abated as the end of my first semester approaches. For the past week, I trekked through Torres del Paine, a Chilean national park that we affectionately dubbed "The Middle Earth" due to its uncanny resemblance to the home of Bilbo, Golum, and the other beloved characters from JRR Tolkien's popular series. We meandered through this world of immense rock towers, shimmering glaciers, and icebergs with all our gear strapped to our backs. With blistered feet, unshowered bodies, and lots of GORP (gold old raisins and peanuts), we sang and laughed our way through an indescribably wonderful week in one of the remotest places on our planet.


To the nine other members of our own little fellowship of the ring,
I reckon I could use heaps of words in an entry about the trip and never fully explain its wonder. From the first 4AM sunrise in Punta Arenas to the crazy gaucho with his slightly oversized meat cleaver, each moment was absolutely unforgettable. Maybe it would be best to just say that it was "so good." After all, that lovely little Australian phrase has forever infiltrated all our vocabularies and sometimes less truely does say more.

And, yes, if I could marry a trip, I most certainly would have "put a ring on it."

Demasiadas Cosas Que Necesito Hacer: Perfecto

Whenever inundated with work during my first two years at Tufts, I would continually remind myself that sleep in somewhat overrated. Why should we spend nearly a third of our lives with our eyes shut there is so much to see all around us? This admittedly unhealthy philosophy has continued to serve me well throughout the past few weeks. Whether studying, traveling, or just chilling on Puente Loreto at 2:00AM, every moment has overflowed with activity. Some highlights:

La Noche Elegante - Students in Chile, like in the US, generally do not dress up before going to class or wear anything too formal when going out at night. I definately appreciate this atmosphere, especially since I consider myself a pretty lazy dresser. However, I do miss wearing some of my nicer attire. I did, after all, save some valuable suitcase space for my dresses. Several of my Tufts-in-Chile friends felt the same way so we dressed up for an elegant night on the town. We started off our evening by eating at La Tecla, an absolutely delicious restaurant near Plaza Nunoa. Not only does it boast excellent crepes, but it also sells phenomenal salads. These salads are not Chilean-style; each boasts numerous vegetables that are mixed together and actual dressings. After enjoying the food immensely, we went to the theater to see "El Avion Rojo." Unfortunately, while I could understand the Spanish pretty well, I still struggled to follow the plot since it included numerous references to unfamiliar events in Chilean history.

El Morado - After spending the evening wobbling around Santiago in heals, I eagerly returned to more comfortable attire the next day in order to hike in El Morado National Park. Located amongst the peaks of the Andes, the park features glaciers and numerous stunning views. We could not explore it in its entirety since we somehow forgot to consider elevation and snow; it was just too difficult to navigate the deep snow drifts when only wearing sneakers and shorts. Unfortunately, our failures were not limited to our attire. Rather than checking the bus schedules, we assumed buses frequently journeyed between the remote park and Santiago. Well, as we learned, they do not and we consequently missed our friend's wine tasting. Fail. Regardless, a worthwhile trip full of great views, snowball fights, NesCafe, and new friends from the Czech Republic.

El Sur - As Columbus discovered both North and South America, Chileans also enjoy a long weekend midway through October. I may not necessarily think Columbus' behavior in the "new" world merits much celebration, but I'm not about to complain about another chance to travel throughout Chile. That weekend, the Argentina Crew reunited minus Frank to trek south and explore Temuco and Valdivia, two small cities in southern Chile.

After an long overnight bus ride, we arrived in Temuco a little too early on Friday morning. With almost nowhere open and no hostel in which to chill, we ended up sipping McCafe (much worse than NesCafe) in McDonald's for a few hours before exploring the plaza, some Mapuche markets, and the city itself. Over all, I was not especially thrilled with it; it felt overly commercialized and unexciting. My companions agreed, so we hopped on another bus in the late afternoon to travel to Valdivia a bit earlier than planned. However, we didn't arrive as soon as we hoped due to numerous mechanical failures along the way. Whether in the US or Chile, all my roadtrips seem temporarily halted by engine failure. Grrr.

While this obviously proved frusterating, Valdivia is definately worth the trek. Throughout the next few days, we frolicked with sea lions, hiked in the "urban jungle," took a boat tour along the rivers, and enjoyed an incredibly fresh seafood dinner prepared by our very own Aaron, Ben, and Katrina. Que rico! Not too mention our successful seige of an old Spanish fort in nearby Niebla. It's a long not-so-entertaining story, so let's just say that it isn't nearly as difficult to scale the walls of the facility as many historians suggest.

Colchagua: After spending only a few days in Santiago, I left again on Saturday to visit the Valley of Colchagua with the Tufts-in-Chile crew. Only four members of the group chose to attend the surprisingly enjoyable day. According to the official itinerary, we explored an hacienda and a history museum. Unofficially, we helped with both the harvest and consumption of oranges, devoured boxes of galletas, sang for hours, and wandered through some adorable artisan shops. So, even after sleeping for only three hours the night before, it proved to be one of the best Tufts-in-Chile trips thus far. Bakan!

While I obviously enjoy traveling immensely, some of the best moments in Santiago occur during seeming mundane weekdays. I study, I intern, I dance, I laugh with friends, and I sometimes wish I could capture every moment in my blog. Unfortunately, as noted, I don't sleep enough as it is and these entries already seem way too long. So, I'm going to temporarily stop rambling, do a bit of homework and get some zzzzzzzzzzzzz's.

Buenas Noches!


PS...Pictures have been posted: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile

Los Mundos Chilenos Sobre y Abajo de la Tierra

After spending my first few weeks of classes wondering whether school actually involves any real work in Chile, I've discovered that all assignments simply fall on the same weeks throughout the semester. I am, unfortunately, in the midst of one such time period. Whether it involves writing essays, reading seemingly endless articles on South American politics, or hunting for obscure comunal demographics for internship, work has consumed nearly all of my spare time. Finding time to sleep proves difficult; setting aside enough time to blog has been nearly impossible, which resulted in the long gap between entries. Anyways, as my work load has slowly diminished, I've finally returned blogging after an amazing, albeit hectic, week of homework, exploring, and just enjoying my time in Santiago.

In addition to spending a considerable amount of time in class, at my internship, or studying, I still found a few spare moments to explore more of Santiago last Friday. We arrived in Santiago nearly three months ago; yet, I often feel as if I only "know" a few small sections of the city. Thus, eager for any excuse to investigate some of the outlying areas, I decided to write my next Revista Revolver (a small English-language publication in Chile) article on Santiago's numerous parks. Rather than focusing on those downtown, I decided to visit some in other comunas including Recoleta.

I consequently decided to abandon my school work on Friday and explore the parks in Recoleta. While I enjoyed the parks immensely, the highlight of the trip definately occured when we stumbled upon a farmers' market during the trek between parks. Numerous stalls overflowed with ripe fruits and vegetables. Not only did they smell and taste absolutely delicious, but the produce was insanely cheap. Almost too cheap. It feels soemwhat wrong to buy apples for roughly 10 cents per pound when upwards of 20% of rural Chileans live beneath the poverty line. Regardless, I bought some delicious fruit. They wouldn't sell it, after all, if they were not making a profit.

While I only planned to spend the day researching for my article, I actually visited another park Friday night. A few of the Gringos and many of our Chilean friends went to Parque Quinta Normal for the Universidad de Chile's annual toxifonda. Basically, its a gigantic dance party complete with some live entertainment underneath the stars. Que divertido! Que lindo!

Although I obviously stayed out relatively late on Friday night, I eagerly jumped out of bed Saturday morning in order to travel to El Teniente, the largest subterranean copper mine in the world. After a long busride through the Colchagua Valley, we ascended into the Cordillera and arrived at the mine. Before entering, we had to dress in mining gear as a safety precaution. Amusing, but, in retrospect, probably a bit unnecessary as we only had the opportunity to explore very limited parts of El Teniente.

The tour itself consequently only lasted a few hours. We explored the control rooms, some shafts, a device that crushes rock, and a room with some other gems found deep within the mountain before lunching in the mine's cafeteria. The food obviously failed to meet the usual standards for fare on Tufts trips, although the experience may have negated its less than excellant taste. While eating, the comparison between the mine and a prison became incredibly apparent. Not only did everyone wear an orange jumpsuit, but locking doors forced all to stay within their designated area of the mine. All arrive on designated company buses and leave aboard the same vehicles after the bells end the workday. Order obviously appears tantamount.

However, El Teniente is obviously not a prison. Its 5,000 employees chose to work within its confines each day. It may even be a desirable place to work. Regardless, the obsessive organization made it appear almost exploitative. Could it change its operations to allow for more freedoms or a more enjoyable work environment without sacrificing output and earnings?

Although the mine arguably usurps its workers rights today (I don't know enough to make any conclusions; so, we'll just make observations), the situation has definately improved from early eras. When it first opened slightly more than a century ago, all employees lived in the adjoining company town, Sewell. They needed to adhere to company rules and buy from the company store. Today, the mountainside town is merely a tourist site...which we explored after visiting the mine. Not only did we wander through the colorful buildings, but our guide told us some old town lore. Quite amusing.

Obviously this town flourished numerous decades into the past...but still within my Chilean great-grandmother's lifetime. The mine is about 100 years and we celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday. She's the first person I've ever met whose reached such an old age, but I'm thinking it may become increasingly common as doctors can cure so many more ailments these days.

Once again, the following week overflowed with classes, homework, and tango lessons. Que divertido!

Por el Amor de la Patria, Carreteamos!

While I would have loved the opportunity to spend another week in Buenos Aires, our early return to Santiago proved to be an excellant choice. We returned on Friday as opposed to Sunday in order to celebrate "Las Fiestas Patrias" in Santiago. These holidays, celebrating Chilean independance and the military respectively, occur on the 18th and 19th of September each year. Although many liken the festivals to July 4th in the USA, Chileans celebrate with considerably more patriotism and fervor. For example, every residence and building in the city proudly displays the Chilean flag in accordance with national law.

As our bus did not arrive in Santiago until slightly after 1:00 on Friday, my celebrations started a bit later than most. Rather than immediately racing about the city, i rested for a few hours before joining my friends to attend the festival at Parque O'Higgins. Given that I barely slept eight hours combined throughout the next few nights, this proved to be a wise choice.

As numerous people had warned me about the mayhem found at Parque O'Higgins, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a crowded, albeit calm, atmosphere...at first. Hundreds of children frolicked in the grass while flying kites and battling with them, as occured in The Kite Runner. Others rode ponies, snacked, or watched performances. My friends and I just reclined in the grass to people watch, chat, and watch the sun set on the snow covered Andes. So beautiful. So serene.

We soon realized, however, that our calm patch of park was merely an oasis. Hungry, we ventured away from the grass in order to find food in the fonda. The fonda is a path through the parklined with shops, restaurants, dancing venues, etc. In it, we found pandemonium. So many people had crammed into the roadway it was impossible to move on your own. The crowd just carried you in whichever direction. Many obviously didn't enjoy this andinteractions occasionally became a bit heated, although we did not see any fights. Eventually, we settled in a restaurant to enjoy some Chilean treats before leaving the insanity and stopping at a friend's house to celebrate for the rest of the night.

After a tranquil Saturday morning, the festivities began once again when I attended a family barbaque for much of the afternoon and evening. Delicious...of course.

Anyways, once darkness fell, my cousins and I journeyed to the nearby Estadio Nacional to attend another fonda. Unlike the fonda at Parque O'Higgins, one had to pay to be admitted and it was considerably cleaner and more organized. Obviously, this made it slightly more enjoyable, but I still question the enterance fee. It's a public park, but the cost made entry prohibitively expensive for many poorer members of the city. The festival, therefore, seems somewhat discriminatory, while it celebrates events that should be bringing the entire country together.

Regardless, I stayed at the fonda for awhile enjoying the food and chatting with my cousins. Eventually, I left to reunite with a few friends before traveling to another friends' house to celebrate (although this verb is controversial as many of Chilean companions that evening do not acknowledge the holiday on the 19th as they do not believe that the army should be honored as glorious) for the rest of the night. And by rest of the night, I mean until dawn...literally. It was quite enjoyable to watch the sunrise over the Andes mountains while walking home. I should note that partying until the AM is typical in Chile...most university students rarely return home before sunrise on the weekends. I'm just now beginning to adjust to their schedule.

Unfortunately, I rolled out of bed only a two hours later. The celebrations continued with another family barbaque lasting well into the evening. Once again, amazing food, although it was struggle to keep my eyes open even after drinking several cups of coffee.

The past few days have marked the return to the routine. Classes, running, trying to speak in Spanish, etc. I've even found some free moments to start uploading pictures:

Isla Negra:http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/LaIslaNegra#
Argentina: http://picasaweb.google.com/ChristyChile/ElMundoDeTangoCheYCarneArgentina#

So many pictures from Argentina. And I only posted about 1/2 of my favorites. Sorry if it's a bit repetitive

Is a Coup like Capture the Flag...Che?

After roughly spending nearly fifty hours cramped on a bus, devouring several pounds of barbeque every night, and struggling to master the complexities of tango, we finally returned from Argentina. We could not rest, however, since Chile celebrates its independence and army on September 18 and 19; joyous festivities and pandemonium obviously filled the city. As students of Chile and its culture, we were "obligated" to join the mayhem and enjoy the balmy spring weather and celebrate nuestra nueva patria.

The festivities, which I will elaborate on later, proved to be a phenomenal ending to an excellent break spent exploring Argentina. Throughout our ten day trek through Argentina, we visited three unique cities: Mendoza, Cordoba, and Buenos Aires. Each proved incredible, and, not to be too cliche, but I truely wish we had the opportunity to spend significantly more time in each place.

Mendoza: After living in Santiago for several months, Mendoza barely seems large enough to constitute a "city" as it only boasts a population of slightly more than 100,000. Regardless, the desert town overflows with energy..and wine from the surrounding vineyards.

We arrived in the city just before sunset Wednesday night. Hungry, we almost immediately began searching for somewhere to eat dinner only to discover that the desired restaurant did not serve anyone until 8.30. The siesta schedule, it seems, is taken much more seriously in Argentina than in the Chilean capital. We, therefore, spent awhile exploring the downtown streets and Plaza Independencia before finally enjoying an excellant buffet with incredible Argentinian barbaque. Que Rico!


Exhausted from both overeating and traveling, we collapsed into our beds shortly thereafter in order to wake up early the next day to explore the surrounding vineyards. I chose to wake up even earlier in order to run through the massive Parque San Martin. It should have been an excellant experience: lakes, statues, trees, brilliant views of the Andes and the highest peak in the western hemisphere; unfortunately, a dog bit my leg shortly into the jaunt (Not severely. He didn't break the skin, but I was still a bit unnerved by the experience). It's a bit ironic considering Santiago boasts many more strays than Mendoza, yet I have never had a problem there.

Anyways, we soon ventured the the countryside surrounding Mendoza to explore the various vineyards dotting the region aboard rented bikes. Although I'm still unable to discern the nuances of each wine (AKA the hint of oak or dash of orange), it still proved absolutely delicious. Yet, the wineries may actually have been overshadowed by our last stop...a chocolate factory. Samples were, of course, provided!

Bikes and wine provided an excellent opportunity to relax in the midst of the semester, but the real highlight of our trip to Mendoza was the trip from Santiago to the Argentine city. As per the recommendation of most of our host families, we chose to undertake the eight hour trek during the day in order to enjoy the mountain views throughout. While I took numerous picture of the craggy peaks along the border and their transformation into redrock desert, none fully capture the beauty of this largely desolate region.

Cordoba: After a much less scenic over night bus ride across the pampa to Cordoba, we arrived in the city early Friday morning. Although its only ten hours from Mendoza, it seemed as if Cordoba was an entire world away. Its overwhelmingly dirty, dusty, and chaotic. These words are not generally considered to be particularly positive, but I honestly liked the city more than Mendoza. Its vibrantly alive; while we spent most of our time here touring the more famous sights, it had this contagious energy. Even after barely sleeping aboard the bus, I just couldn't bring myself to take a nap.

Friday, we meandered through the local bookfair, shops, and visited several sights including the Cabildo, Manzana de los Jesuitas, the crypts, and numerous extravagant cathedrals. These churches seemed especially decadent when contrasted with the relatively poor city nearby. Wouldn't the God I discussed in religious education as a child prefer if church funds aided the impoverished instead of creating overly elaborate places of worship? I'm relatively unaware of Cordoba's history, but I cannot believe that the city ever enjoyed enough affluence that all lived comfortably so money could go to building such churches.

Rather than eating a resturant that evening, we attended an Argentinian barbeque at the hostel that night. Great food (Cordoba is, after all, an important hub in the local steak market) and even more entertaining conversation with fellow guests from around the world. Many had traveled extensively in Latin America and offered many suggestions. Although these varied, there was consensus that Colombia is definately the place to go. Maybe its time to start planning another trip?

Saturday, we continued our whirlwind trek through the city in the morning and visited yet another Cathedral - Los Capuchines. Like the others, it boasted stunning artwork and sculpture. Yet, it boasts one major "error." While there is clearly a spot for a second steeple, the architect purposely omitted it in order to create an imperfect cathedral. In his eyes, only God could create something perfect, so he had to purposely err. There may be a problem with his logic though- if he had to intentionally make a mistake to avoid perfection, then he is clearly capable of achieving it. If only God can create something faultless, then is he equating himself to God since he too could create the perfect cathedral if he so desired?

After visiting the religious site, we visited a more secular architectural gem: The Palacio Ferreya (now an art museum), before settling in the expansive Parque Sarimiento for a relaxing afternoon sunbathing on a dock, feeding the ducks, and people watching. While it was enjoyable, it was a bit disappointing to discover that the large green swath on the map was actually just dirt in person. Not so pretty, but probably a lot more economical than trying the irrigate hundreds of acres in the relatively arid pampa.

As the sun set, we travelled to a nearby artisan market to meander through hundreds of stalls selling leather goods, jewelry, antiques, etc. before once again hoping onto an overnight bus--this time destined to go to Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires: Remember the governor of South Carolina who had an affair in Buenos Aires? While the cheating obviously appalls me, only a few minutes in the city demonstrated why he could not stay away from the metropolis itself. It teems with a vibrant culture, great food, and so much to explore.

After our arrival Sunday morning, Molly, a Tufts student who is studying in BA, graciously gave us a tour of the city that included an antiques market, street performers, a flamenco show, Plaza de Mayo (pronounced Ma-jo in Argentina), La Casa Rosada (pink presidential palace), El Obelisco, Calle 9 de Julio (With 18 lanes, its the widest street in the world), another craft market, Recoleta Cemetery (A maze of tombs including that of Eva Peron) and Floralis Generica ( A steel flower opening in daytime and closing at night).

While the whirlwind tour obviously gave us a great look at many of the city's most famous landmarks, the highlight of the day actually came after dinner. We live and ate in San Telmo, a district known as the birthplace of Tango. When walking outside, we discovered a Milonga, or tango dance party, in a park. Unlike the other places we visited, it was not overrun by tourists. Rather it was simply a collection of Argentineans having a great time underneath the stars. Needless to say, we joined in, struggled with the complexities of tango, and met some rather interesting Argentinean dance partners.



Monday, we ventured to the upper class comuna of Palermo to visit the Botanical Gardens, Plaza Italia, Plaza Serrano, and just relax in a park for the afternoon. Once night fell, we attended a drum show full of energy and rhythm. Bakan!

Tuesday, we traveled to the most famous calle in Buenos Aires: El Caminato. Colorful houses lines the road brimming with painters, tango dancers, etc. While this may try to reflect its historical past, it now boasts a distinctly "tourist" vibe. In fact, I honestly felt as if I was in Orlando walking through Disney World. While our group agreed that this dynamic is far from ideal, it poses interesting questions about the effect of tourism on specific cultures and poverty. The neighborhood was, in my eyes, nearly ruined by its focus on travelers, but this concentration most likely enabled residents to make a living in what is one of the poorest sections of the city.

Disappointed with El Caminato, we soon returned to Plaza de Mayo to further explore and visit a nearby coffee shop that remains unchanged from the early twentieth century. I'm not sure what was better: real non-Nes Cafe coffee or the decor and adorable doormen.The coffee did prove to be an excellant albeit pricey choice since we went to a dance club for salsa lessons and some dancing that night.

Unable to sleep late, I arose early and ran through BA in the early AM on Wednesday (And by early I mean 8:30). I somehow found my way into a nearby nature preserve and explored the wetlands abutting the ocean before pausing to enjoy some incredible ocean views. In the distance I spotted a bobbing grey object moving across the horizon. I'd like to believe it was a whale...but maybe I'm a tad bit optimistic.

By lunchtime, I had joined my fellow travelers' to visit Plaza San Martin, view the tour reminiscent on England's Big Ben (more European influence in the city), and picnic in the grass. Eventually, we tore ourselves away from our comfortable perch on the green and wandered through Puerto Madero, visited a historical battleship, and ended the day with a stop at the MALBA (also known as the Museo Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires).I enjoy art, especially pieces with a strong political message. Yet, even I was baffled and slightly bored by the sheer number of purely abstract pieces in the museum. Perhaps I'm simply not able to truely appreciate the brilliance found in a green canvas with and orange zigzag. Or, more cynically, maybe the artists' gained recognition simply because of their connections or luck. Perhaps their works actually lacks any characteristics that fully distinguish it from a toddlers' fingerpaintings or other lesser known abstract pieces? On the bright side, the museum also included selected works by some of my favorite artists including Diego Rivera and Freida Kahlo.

The next morning, we awoke to pouring rain on our final day in Buenos Aires. Nevertheless, we still ventured outside the hostel to view the national congress (and plot our own coup/game of capture the flag), surrounding square, and the "March of the Mothers." For the past thirty years, the women have united each Thursday in the Plaza de Mayo in order to peacefully demand answers regarding the disappearances of their sons under the military regime. It was smaller than anticipated, but moving. The peaceful women adorned in white handkerchiefs contrasted sharply with an unrelated rally across the square. The other protest, which was surrounded by countless police in full riot gear, loudly declared its views while plastered in black and red. An interesting contrast both aesthetically and theoretically that posed some interesting questions about the nature of protests and the whether ends ever justify radical means.

This question is especially compelling given Che's affiliation with Argentina (it's his homeland), and the very evident support of the guerilla throughout the country. His name has even been adopted as an equivalent to the english "man" or "dude" at the end of a sentence. Before we could observe much, however, we had to jump on the subtre (Argentine word for metro) to return to the bus station for the LONG trek home.

By the time we returned to Santiago, I just wanted to climb into my bed and sleep for days. Unfortunately, as an aspiring Chilean, I had to celebrate las fiestas patrias, but more about the weekend next time (and pics too)

Ciao!

From a Fever to Saturday Night Dance Fever

I consider myself a morning person. While I don't necessarily bound out of bed at sunrise, I usually arise without too much grumbling a little later. I should have known, therefore, that something was wrong when I felt incredibly lethargic Monday morning. Stupidly, I ignored my pounding head ache and went running near Parque O'Higgins anyways. By the time I returned home after one of the most miserable runs of my life, it was evident that I was pretty sick. I barely managed to shower before returning to the comfort of my bed for a twenty hour "nap."

Not too exciting. Actually, I was pretty miserable. However, it did provide some insight into the health system in Chile. As my symptoms clearly suggested some sort of virus, I chose not to go to the doctor against my host parents' advice. A trip simply seemed excessive; I was actually surprised that they even suggested it.

After further thought, however, I've realized that Chileans tend to seek medical advice for very minor ailments. Although we have only been in Chile for about two months, several Tufts-in-Chile students have visited doctors for seemingly mild diseases. Why? Could Chileans simply be more concerned with sickness and disease? Or, conversely, could their internationally-envied health system know as FONASA somehow encourage too many doctor visits?

By Tuesday, I was ready to return to classes and the academic week continued as expected with lots of classes and work, much of which I completed in the library at La Universidad Catolica Campus Oriente - AKA Hogwarts. Tisch just doesn't capture the magic of this castle and its stunning library facilities.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the academic week included various culinary discoveries. When trekking home through pouring rain on Wednesday, my companions and I searched for a cafe in which to grab a quick snack. Nothing, unfortunately, looked promising, so we eventually decided to stop at a somewhat uninviting barbeque spot. Consequently, we were pleasantly surprised when served some of the best pevre that we have eaten thus far in Chile. The meal itself didn't disappoint either. Similarly, the next day included some excellant treats when a Chilean friend invited me and another friend to his favorite bakery. Located only a few blocks from campus, it served some absolutely amazing cookies. As they say ALL THE TIME in Chile, "Que Rico!" (A phrase that applies to food, weather, and just about anything imaginable. Whenever confused, just say it since it's almost definately an appropriate response).

Friday, fortunately, signaled the start of another weekend of whirlwind touring and dancing. On Friday, a few friends and I ventured to the Comuna of Vitacura to visit El Museo de la Moda. Seeing such classic and stunning attire from throughout the twentieth century inspired us to follow the trip with a little shopping spree of our own in Patronato after recharging with an amazing lunch in the adjoining cafe.

Patronato, however, doesn't exactly boast the refined and elegant gowns highlighted in the museum. The neighborhood consists of several blocks overflowing with cheap and often tacky attire near the river. Among other things, it sells an extensive collection of spandex in amazing colors and prints. Shopping spree before returning to the US?

Exhausted, I eventually returned home. Before I collapsed in my bed, I attended my Chilean mother's birthday party, which lasted until after midnight. Not only did I have a few pieces of torta (Que rica!), but I realized I can finally understand my extended family. Okay. That's an exaggeration. I understand about half of it which is significantly more than the first day at the Baptism.

The next morning, I was up at sunrise once again for the Tufts-in-Chile whirlwind trip of the week called Litoral de los Poetas. We journeyed to Cartagena and Isla Negra to enjoy stunning, albeit stormy, ocean views and view the houses and tombs of several famous poets including Pablo Neruda, Vincente Huidobro, and Adolfe Cuove. It proved to be another interesting, wet, and tiring day.

After napping during the bus ride home, several of my friends and I somehow found the energy (AKA a couple HUGE cups of coffee) to watch the Chile v. Venezuela world cup qualifier soccer game. As previously noted, soccer is a very BIG deal in Chile and this game had big implications. A win meant a world cup birth in 2010; a loss, on the other hand, meant that Chile had to somehow defeat Brazil in order to earn a trip to South Africa. Given the strength of the Brazilian squad, the game was pretty much must win.

La Universidad Catolica, one of the two universities that we attend in Santiago, organized a giant viewing of the game of a big screen TV ala Tufts Election Night in the CC '08. Hundreds of people packed into the room to cheer on their team. While it would have been nice to find tickets to the actual game, it was definately an interesting experience to watch with lots of other students, even if it was significantly more sedate than I expected. Chile, widely considered the underdogs, ultimately tied Venezuela, so I'm not sure the ultimate world cup implications of the game.

Afterwards, dance party. Insanity. Pandemonium. Crazyness. I love how they only play a couple minutes of each song, so no one ever bores of the music. And if that somehow fails to keep everyone dancing until 4 in the morning, they also have occasional live acts interspersed throughout the show. Que rico!


Pictures from Cartagena and Isla Negra soon!

Ciao!