•Thursday, May 14, 2009
Hello Chacsters!
Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I arrived really early this morning (Red Eye flight) and I am about to go pass out...
Today I got settled in with my host - a lovely woman named Juana who showed me how to make Yerba Mate (apparently it is really important to stress the ¨Yerba¨ so that people don´t confuse it with marijuana).
Buenos Aires is very European, and I was completely prepared to take the city on in some dashing Parisien-esque garb. However, weather.com failed me again, and I find people in jackets and boots rather than frollicking in the 70 degree weather I was expecting. Fortunately, Juana offered to outfit me in a matching sweater vest and wrap she knitted herself. To be honest, it looks ridiculo, but I admired it and I am wearing it. "You can´t find things like this in New York anymore, eh!?" she exclaimed as she gingerly tucked a matching scarf around my neck.
I went to the main government center where there were a number of protests going on. Apparently, not a single day passes when there isn´t some sort of protest. In addition, I noticed in the subway stops (where there are TVs) that EVERYONE watches intently when news comes on or a government official speaks. I had a very interesting conversation with Juana about her preferences for decentralized politics and economics - Argentina has had such a varied political and economic history (colonialism-democracy-military dictatorships, being the economic superstar of South America to having the worst government debt default in history). While I am doing research here I am really excited to hear other people´s views - I´m also looking forward to indulging in a steak and some empanadas before I leave.
That´s it for now! and Nicke I would like to be added to get post notifications too ;)
Julia
Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I arrived really early this morning (Red Eye flight) and I am about to go pass out...
Today I got settled in with my host - a lovely woman named Juana who showed me how to make Yerba Mate (apparently it is really important to stress the ¨Yerba¨ so that people don´t confuse it with marijuana).
Buenos Aires is very European, and I was completely prepared to take the city on in some dashing Parisien-esque garb. However, weather.com failed me again, and I find people in jackets and boots rather than frollicking in the 70 degree weather I was expecting. Fortunately, Juana offered to outfit me in a matching sweater vest and wrap she knitted herself. To be honest, it looks ridiculo, but I admired it and I am wearing it. "You can´t find things like this in New York anymore, eh!?" she exclaimed as she gingerly tucked a matching scarf around my neck.
I went to the main government center where there were a number of protests going on. Apparently, not a single day passes when there isn´t some sort of protest. In addition, I noticed in the subway stops (where there are TVs) that EVERYONE watches intently when news comes on or a government official speaks. I had a very interesting conversation with Juana about her preferences for decentralized politics and economics - Argentina has had such a varied political and economic history (colonialism-democracy-military dictatorships, being the economic superstar of South America to having the worst government debt default in history). While I am doing research here I am really excited to hear other people´s views - I´m also looking forward to indulging in a steak and some empanadas before I leave.
That´s it for now! and Nicke I would like to be added to get post notifications too ;)
Julia
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