San Telmo Market

On Sunday, we took a few hours to explore the San Telmo market. We rode the subway to the neighborhood and had time to wander through the twelve block long street market that ended at the Plaza de Mayo.

The street vendors were set up with tables and tents and most of the shops and cafes along the street were open too. The variety of items to purchase that included: flags, paintings, clothes, antiques, and jewelry. Many of us were impressed with the handcrafted items that were on sale and that the prices were generally reasonable. It was a great place to buy gifts for family and friends or a souvenir for yourself.

If you’re not interested in purchasing any of those items, there were of course empanadas, choripan, and fresh orange juice to buy as well. After we ventured through all twelve blocks and finished at the Plaza de Mayo, we headed back to the hotel to drop off our new things.

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Racing Soccer Game

On Saturday, the group was able to sleep in.  A couple of us went to a quick restaurant and at 2:30 we left for a Racing soccer game.  The bus ride was about 30 minutes and the bus quickly filled with Racing fans wearing light blue.  Upon arriving, we got drinks and choripans and made our way to our section.  The field was surrounded by a mote to prevent fans from running on the field.  As kick off started to approach, the stands started to become very rowdy.  People were passing blue and white plastic bags to blow up and wave around, while others were tearing up newspaper to make confetti.  The atmosphere was lively the entire time as the fans were constantly singing chants and songs throughout the game.  This game was also special because one of the players was retiring and this was their last game.  The retiring of a soccer player is like a death and is a very big deal.  There were many banners hanging around, people were passing out flyers with his name on it, and there was an honorary sign made displayed on the field.  The team received 2 penalty kicks during the game and the retiring player was allowed to take both, and scored on 1 of the penalty kicks.  We left early to avoid the crowds but there was even a ceremony to be held after the game for the player.  Overall, seeing a soccer game is a must if you want to experience the heart and soul of Argentina.  Soccer is essentially a religion here and an extremely important aspect of Argentina’s culture.

El Archivo Nacional and La Plaza de Mayo

In the United States I never knew that we had access to almost any document we could dream of, which is also what is available here. The first thing that struck me about the building was it’s intricate yet simple architecture visible in the inside of the building. Its size was also incredibly impressive, but what was more interesting was how much information the building held. We were fortunate enough to get a tour of a few sections of the archives where we tested out the audio/visual database and learned about the restoration process oIMG_3688f the older documents. I think touring this building and getting to see a few of the older documents gave me a better appreciation for the work of historians, since before today I did not know the logistics of the job. Additionally, the fact that centuries of records could fit in a few of the boxes that we were shown was humbIMG_3689ling and made me reflect on how little time I have been a part of history. Overall, this excursion was educational in showing us some behind-the-scenes aspects of being a historian and how the documents we see online in databases got there.

 

We also got the chance to tour the Plaza de Mayo where we saw Las Madres de la Plaza along with other groups protesting. Los desaparecidos are the people who disappeared during the last, and most bloody, dictatorship in Argentina under Jorge Rafael Videlo due to their political alignments. Las Madres have been protesting these disappearances for 39 yeIMG_3712ars, every Thursday in La Plaza de Mayo in order to raise awareness about those who have disappeared, but also with hopes to bring justice to the families of los desaparecidos. There are still families that have not received closure with regards to the family members they lost, and more peopleIMG_3701 still need to be brought to justice for their crimes against these families.

La Plaza de Mayo is an important historical place for many reasons, but these marches of resistance held by Las Madres resonates with me the most. These brave women dared to speak out against the government during the “dirty war” under Videlo even though the chance of being killed or becoming another desaparacido was very high. The passion that the women (and men now) show for their families and justice was and is inspiring to witness. I can only hope that I would show the same bravery and devotion to my family and values as they have, however I also hope I never need to.

Excursion of Zanjón de Granados

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There is a house in San Telmo in which a family and their slaves lived in the early 19th century.  It was built in the 1830s over a house that was originally built in the 1700s.  There are some original structures to the building from the 18th century as well as restorations done by the current owner, George.  George originally wanted to tear down the building and create a restaurant in the space, but once he discovered the historical site he decided to create a museum and open it to the public.  He had restorations done and completed an archeological dig.  During the dig, many artifacts were recovered such as ceramics, glass bottles, the framework of a toothbrush (since the bristles had not made it), silverware, and nails.

The house was built over a river and contains tunnels through which the rivers flow (picture  one).  You can still hear the water running through the tunnels and see some of the water under the wells.  The house contains two wells, one big one in the basement and one smaller one where the kitchen would be (picture two).  The water can be a big problem because it can flood the current building in the basement when there is heavy rain.

Fun facts:  People in the 1800s would use frogs as a water filter but this particular family used turtles as theirs!! Also, the walls are pasted together with a “glue” that is made of horse manure, but since it does not smell once it dries it was commonly used to hold bricks together.

Step Reflection

Reflection Paper

Comparing Argentina to the USA and Brazil

Before going on this study abroad, the only thing I knew about Buenos Aires, Argentina was that it was the Paris of South America. I have been to many places in the world, including another South American country (Brazil). My main goal for this trip was to compare Buenos Aires, Argentina to the United States, and Brazil since that was an OSU study abroad program I was involved in too.

As soon as I arrived and off the plane I was looking around to make comparisons (as I would do for any new destination). The first thing I realized was that the people really looked European without any mixture. Being from the United States, I think there is an image in my head as to what Latin America looks like and this was different. When I arrived in Brazil everybody seemed mixed and if their dominate phenotype was European you could still tell there was an ancestor who wasn’t European. In the United States there is also a lot of mixing and diversity.

I had a better understanding of what I was seeing in Argentina once we had our morning classes. I learned that there were a not a lot of slaves, and due to a lot of European immigrants the country adopted their ways culture. In Brazil there were a lot of slaves due to sugar cane. There was also a culture of mixing in Brazil unlike Argentina and United States. Another thing I learned from class was that the United States and Argentina had similar scenarios when it came to getting independence. In Argentina there were different provinces and viceroyalties that had their own identities like how the United States had different states with their own identity. For both countries, there was unification when it came to independence.  Even after independence both countries had people who feared a centralized national government. As history goes on there is less similarity because in Argentina there was a lot more political violence and military coup d’états.

One of the cultures I saw copied a lot in Argentina was Italian culture (especially when we went out to eat). One of the restaurants we went to had the menu in Italian. Even in the architecture you can see it came from a European background. In my opinion the United States and Brazil have more of an identity than Argentina because we from the United States do not look back to Europe but look forward in what we can do as Americans. I think Brazil is the same and there is a proud sense of being Brazilian and no need to look back to the Portuguese. In Argentina there is more pride in claiming your ethnicity than nationality. I would conclude that the main reason for this is because there still has not been a long period of political peace.

Recoleta Cemetery & El Ateneo

On this beautiful, Argentine fall day our group began our morning with a trip to the historic Recoleta Cemetery. Founded in 1822, the Recoleta Cemetery was named for the Recoleto Monks serving as burial grounds for Argentine Catholics. However, subsequent to its establishment the cemetery expanded in some ways but became more exclusive in others- it became open to other religions but also eventually transitioned into a resting ground for only the wealthy and powerful, easily distinguished from common cemeteries through its use of grand mausoleums.

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As we arrived to the cemetery, we were able to quickly see what sets Recoleta apart from other burial grounds. Its grand, white entrance detailed with symbols of life and death and a message that reads “Requiescant In Pace” (Latin for “Rest in Peace”) provides a nice preview for what lies inside. Past the gates, the cemetery is lined with nearly 5,000 mausoleums all impressive in their own ways. With some of the mausoleums costing nearly $4 million it came to no surprise that Recoleta serves as the resting grounds of some of Argentina’s most wealthy and notable people.

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The cemetery features the tombs of countless presidents, soldiers, entertainers, and other awarded figures, some of the most notable graves belonging to Nobel Prize winner Luis Leloir and First Lady Eva Perón. Overall, the Recoleta Cemetery was eerily enchanting and worth the visit.

Next stop on our list was a quick visit to the El Ateneo bookstore. As it was originally used as a theater, El Ateneo is enormous in size and rich with intricate details making it unlike any other of its kind. The selection may be similar to the book stores we have back in the states but the setting makes it renowned as one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world and surely a necessary stop for anyone visiting Buenos Aires.

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To finish the day we stopped for a nice lunch at Piegari restaurant. All in all it was another wonderful and eventful day in Argentina.

Adventures

Wow… So far, this trip has been an action packed adventure of exploring the city and learning about Argentinian culture. The long days and early mornings left many of us literally exhausted… (See photo below)

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Thankfully both the National Museum of the Arts and the National Decorative Museum provided a relaxing afternoon of appreciating different aspects of Argentinian culture. For the record, I am not an art major nor do I consider myself a connoisseur of fine art, but I’ll share certain aspects of the museums that I found interesting.

 

Both museums had a large amount of religious artwork. These works were usually in older sections of the museums. It really showed the impact that the church had in society. Not only was the church a major political force during this time period, but it heavily influence people’s daily lives. Some pieces that were not religiously focused still had religious symbolism involved. For example the painting below.

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Another interesting aspect that I noticed is the influence from other countries such as France, England, Spain, and others in the paintings, sculptures, and even the architecture in some of the buildings. I found these subtle crossings of culture to be interesting. For example, the picture below shows a French flag waiving in the background of the picture.

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A third aspect of the museums that I found interesting was the amount of pieces that were dedicated to animals. The photo below shows there was a room exclusively filled with horses. I am really curious to learn why certain animals have so much significance in Argentinian culture. Part of me wonders if it is due to the impact they had in Argentinian agriculture throughout history, and how critical they were to the economy and life in general.

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My favorite part of the museum was the modern art sections. Even though my knowledge of the arts is laughable, I was still able to appreciate the different works of art and the method that was used to create them. It was nice to slow down and just appreciate the giant works and the craftsmanship required to create them.

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Malba Musuem

On Monday May 25th we had our private Malba tour. In my opinion, this was one of the best art museums we went to. There were 3 floors and each floor was unique in their own way. The first and the third floors were interactive (some students were even afraid sometime).
One of the pieces of art I liked was called Suspension of Disbelief. This was one of the live pieces of art. There were a web of threads connected to different parts a man’s body and whenever he moved another object nearby, connected to the thread would move. I thought it was interesting but some of my companions thought it was weird.

Another interesting piece of art was called Clockwork. When you first walk into the room there is a gallery guard standing in the middle of the room and there’s a bunch of names of the wall. It takes a little while to figure out but you have to tell him the time and then he will write your name down with the time next to it.

After leaving the museum I am now hoping to find interactive museums back home.

How to Tell a Story (Tango)

Tango is the quintessential essence of Argentinian culture.  That claim could easily be misinterpreted to suggest that Argentinian culture is one dimensional and constant, as the perception of Tango is that it consistently involves a machismo man and a graceful woman. However, the reality is that Tango and it’s array of forms are as diverse as the people in it’s founding country.  After going to the Tango bar, I have learned how different one Tango dance can be from another. Each dance seemed to tell it’s own story, with it’s own unique emotions.

For example, one of the first dances involved three men and one woman. The woman began the dance with her partner, a stereotypical and unaffectionate machismo man. When he grew tired of her, he flung her away and left her alone on stage.  Two new men entered the fold, with dirty looks on their faces.  They grabbed the woman and forced her to dance with them, flinging her about about.  She, much smaller, remained graceful, with a sad face showing her despair despite her elegance.  I felt as though she was being raped in a sense, her dancing with them was certainly not consensual.  Later, her man returns, and his anger is not only directed at the men dancing with his girl, but at his girl for dancing with them.  The machismo man fights of the two men, and whisks his woman away, as cold as ever, blaming her for what was really his own fault. The dance was hard to watch, and it made me very upset at the male characters involved.

The next dance however, offered some redemption.  From the start, it was apparent that this dance would be different.  The man was heavy set, sturdy, not the typical skinny man we are used to seeing dance the tango. His partner, a slender blonde woman, was clearly out of his league.  But when the dance started, the man gave an uncanny display of his dexterity, his ability to dance and move were beyond anything I could have imagined for a man of his body type.  More importantly however, was that he was smiling, always smiling, at his partner.  It was obvious he wanted her.  But not in the aggressive machismo way displayed earlier,  but rather in a sweet and humorous way.  He was a gentleman, inviting his partner to dance, not taking her by force.  The woman, amused by his interest, played with him.  She would indulge him for a little, then push him away, with a coy smile saying “try harder.”  The man however, never lost his smile. He never became discouraged, and continued to try his best to impress the woman of his dreams.  He remained confident, never doubting his ability to win her over. However much she teased him, it was obvious to everyone involved what the end result would be.  When she finally relented,  and the two happily embraced, I could feel myself smiling, just like him.

If there is anything I learned from watching a Tango show, it is that every dance is different, each story it’s own.  There is no one way to do Tango, there is not one way a Tango dancer should look.  Tango is a diverse dance, capable of inflicting it’s admirers with a myriad of emotions; it is of little surprise that the dance is so loved.

 

Jewish Neighborhood

The Jewish neighborhood was going to be special for me no matter what.  I was eager to explore the history of my Jewish-Argentinian grandfather.  I also was curious to see what the Latino-Jewish neigherhood would look like in the modern day. Some parts of the neighborhood I found familiar, other aspects were a little surprising. The Mizuzot on the doorway of each business was a common connection to Jews around the world, and showed that the community had many religious Jews running their businesses in the district.  On the other hand,  I had never expected the primary business of the area to be textiles. I suppose I had heard stories of tailors in the shtettles of Russia. However, the sheer number of stores, lined up next to each other (for what seemed like miles) of essentially the same thing, made me wonder how there could possibly be a consumer market large enough for such a huge quantity of textile stores.

The visit to AMIA was another part of the tour with which I could relate.  Even back home in Cleveland, we have our own Jewish Federation, and the concept was very familiar to me.  Usually in the United States there is a separate Jewish Federation for each city with a major Jewish population.  Interestingly, Argentina only has AMIA, as 80% of Argentina’s 300,000 Jews live in Buenos Aires.  AMIA provides many of the same services for the Jewish community in Argentina that our Federations do back home.

The terrorist attacks against AMIA and the Israeli Embassy truly hit home for me. Seeing the memorials for each made me feel for the victims of terror, and shows that the world still has a ways to go when dealing with anti-semitism.  What amazes me, however, is that more than 20 years later, the Argentinian government still has not found the culprit.  I can only imagine the public outcry if America simply took no action and had no response to 9/11. While justice still has yet to be served, I was happy to see such a thriving Jewish community, and that even through adversity the Jewish community still took pride in their culture and country.