In the last 6 weeks or so the news has been making a killing (attempting to anyway) with stories about "inseguridad" (insecurity) in the country, mainly in Buenos Aires but other cities as well. Every day I see a different, so-called "expert" on the TV talking about why the country has spun out of control. These rotten kids do drugs, have random sex and then start murdering and stealing to pay for their immoral lifestyle. It's not only the experts who are talking - everyone has an opinion about why this is happening and what has to be done. Two Argentineans, three opinions. It has gotten to the point where some people are hoping that the military regime comes back to power and that the death penalty is used (Argentina has no capital punishment as of now). Yesterday a riot broke out in a Buenos Aires neighborhood - in the middle of which, a district attorney was physically attacked.
But what struck me was the sudden rise in news stories, more than the stories of violence themselves. I racked my brain to figure out why all of a sudden the country descended into Hell. And then the answer finally clicked: the true chaos culprit is its most popular critic, Susana Gimenez.
First, a little background on Susana.
Forget Cristina Kirchner, Susana is the country's real leading lady. She is well into her sixties but she makes the plastic surgery work. She started out as a model/actress (just like the other famous Argentine woman, Evita), but ended up most successful as a TV show host. She is Oprah, Ellen, and Dr. Phil all put into one. Her show is mandatory dinner time entertainment (in the Colombero household at least) and her magazine is the go-to guide for what-not-to-wear. When Susana Gimenez speaks, people listen (even though they all know she's really just a dumb blonde).
Now here's the story.
Susana Gimenez's close friend was murdered and robbed by ruthless thugs in Buenos Aires one night. Susana was obviously furious. She announced in a fit of rage, frenzy, anger and mournful pain that those who kill should be killed and that the country needs to clean up its crime problem. As much as Susana's fall line, being pro-capital punishment became in vogue.
So it goes that insecurity replaced the financial crisis as Argentina's story of the season.
And stories they had: San Isidro, Buenos Aires' Upper East Side (complete with Carlos Basso), sought to build a wall separating itself from the nearby villa. Then there was the riot in another Buenos Aires neighborhood. Every random homocide became part of this larger story that had (apparently) been developing under-wraps for years and suddenly exploded these last couple months. Susana Gimenez is a perfect example of Malcolm Gladwell's tipping point: one incident that starts a trend; in this case, indignation about crime.
Personally, I don't doubt insecurity is a huge problem. In fact, I know it is. Everyone has a tale of a friend of a friend who had a gun to his head, a knife to the stomach, etc. Crime is definitely a huge issue in this country. Exaggerated fear or politics blinded by fear, however, will never lead to good policy. I hope the result of all this anger doesn't resemble the American response to terrorism, but when people in San Vicente start wishing for a totalitarian regime (that did stuff way worse than Guantanamo), things are not looking so good.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
So Here's the Deal with Floggers
The Tedster recently sent me a NYT article about floggers. After writing my very long email response, I figured I should share with the world the TRUE significance of floggers and Cumbio.
Basically, the article makes floggers out to be something WAY more stylish than it really is. We Americans have a Cumbio too - her name is Tila Tequila. She was a former stripper who started posting original rap on MySpace. Somehow (and this I still haven't figured out) her website garnered more hits than any other profile. Along the way, she became a Playboy model, fashion designer and an MTV reality TV star (A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila). The term "MySpace whore" - someone who is practically addicted to posting pictures of themselves on MySpace - is basically a flogger.
Flogger, however, is a little different in that floggers self-identify as such. They have "flogger parties," as the article mentioned, where they dress up and take pictures of each other. No one calls themself a MySpace whore. People do, however, call themselves flogger.
Floggers also have distinct clothing. The article says they dress up brightly, but that's an understatement. They wear very tight skinny jeans in bright red, yellow, orange or green. Do you know Kanye West's glasses, white with lines through the middle? They wear those to those boliches, sometimes white or sometimes in other colors. And they're not copying Kanye. They also wear their hair long and to the side, over the eyes, and it's very often dyed. Any sort of standout accessory - neon shoe laces, hairclips, etc - are all part of the flogger wardrobe. While Cumbio likes cumbia, most floggers prefer electronica, techno and other mainstream clubbing music. What Cumbio said about the androgenity (sp?) of the floggers is definitely true, but floggers are not putos (gays).
Having said all that, the article is very wrong to give the impression that floggers are about empowering youth, giving them a voice like "Hollywood celebrities" or anything like that. The vast majority of teenagers despise the flogger movement. There is only one official flogger in San Vicente. Of course, everyone else has a fotolog and the flogger fashion influences mainstream fashion as well (my friends very often go out in brightly colored clothing that would look absurd in the US), but to identify as a flogger is generally an embarrassment. Someone once told me that he doesn't like the floggers because they just follow what all the other floggers do, that they lack individuality. Most of my friends scoff at the floggers they see at the boliche. If they are wearing flogger-like clothes, others will often accuse them of being the F-word, to which they will hastily shake their head and respond "NO! No soy flogger!" Cumbio's book is a joke - there is a very popular Facebook group called "Yo no puedo creer que Cumbio haya publicado un libro" ("I can't believe that Cumbio has published a book"). "Todos Contra Cumbio," All Against Cumbio, has over 13000 members.
As much as Cumbio and the floggers are disliked in the Argentinean mainstream, it's hard to understate their influence. The colorful shirts, the tight pants, the piercings - it is all now part of Argentinean style. Perhaps floggers should even take credit for Cristina's pink suits.
I hope this adds a new perspective to the Times' article!
Paz y Amor,
La Pirata
Basically, the article makes floggers out to be something WAY more stylish than it really is. We Americans have a Cumbio too - her name is Tila Tequila. She was a former stripper who started posting original rap on MySpace. Somehow (and this I still haven't figured out) her website garnered more hits than any other profile. Along the way, she became a Playboy model, fashion designer and an MTV reality TV star (A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila). The term "MySpace whore" - someone who is practically addicted to posting pictures of themselves on MySpace - is basically a flogger.
Flogger, however, is a little different in that floggers self-identify as such. They have "flogger parties," as the article mentioned, where they dress up and take pictures of each other. No one calls themself a MySpace whore. People do, however, call themselves flogger.
Floggers also have distinct clothing. The article says they dress up brightly, but that's an understatement. They wear very tight skinny jeans in bright red, yellow, orange or green. Do you know Kanye West's glasses, white with lines through the middle? They wear those to those boliches, sometimes white or sometimes in other colors. And they're not copying Kanye. They also wear their hair long and to the side, over the eyes, and it's very often dyed. Any sort of standout accessory - neon shoe laces, hairclips, etc - are all part of the flogger wardrobe. While Cumbio likes cumbia, most floggers prefer electronica, techno and other mainstream clubbing music. What Cumbio said about the androgenity (sp?) of the floggers is definitely true, but floggers are not putos (gays).
Having said all that, the article is very wrong to give the impression that floggers are about empowering youth, giving them a voice like "Hollywood celebrities" or anything like that. The vast majority of teenagers despise the flogger movement. There is only one official flogger in San Vicente. Of course, everyone else has a fotolog and the flogger fashion influences mainstream fashion as well (my friends very often go out in brightly colored clothing that would look absurd in the US), but to identify as a flogger is generally an embarrassment. Someone once told me that he doesn't like the floggers because they just follow what all the other floggers do, that they lack individuality. Most of my friends scoff at the floggers they see at the boliche. If they are wearing flogger-like clothes, others will often accuse them of being the F-word, to which they will hastily shake their head and respond "NO! No soy flogger!" Cumbio's book is a joke - there is a very popular Facebook group called "Yo no puedo creer que Cumbio haya publicado un libro" ("I can't believe that Cumbio has published a book"). "Todos Contra Cumbio," All Against Cumbio, has over 13000 members.
As much as Cumbio and the floggers are disliked in the Argentinean mainstream, it's hard to understate their influence. The colorful shirts, the tight pants, the piercings - it is all now part of Argentinean style. Perhaps floggers should even take credit for Cristina's pink suits.
I hope this adds a new perspective to the Times' article!
Paz y Amor,
La Pirata
Friday, March 6, 2009
Dean Rapelye Says Hey
I just finished writing a letter to the Dean of Admissions and I figured it made an excellent excuse for a blog post - a gushy, sentimental summary of my year so far in Argentina.
Dear Dean Rapelye,
To write specifically what I have been doing for the last year would probably make it seem boring. I went to high school from from August 22 to the beginning of November. I learned a bit about Argentinean history, but in truth, the classes were dull with material I'd already learned. In November, I went on a two week trip to Patagonia, including whale watching, penguin spotting, a visit to Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes (the beginning of Che Guevara's route), Ushuaia (the southernmost city on Earth), and my personal favorite, glacier trekking on Glaciar Perrito Moreno. The trip was organized by Rotary with 59 other exchange students from Europe and North America. I will be travelling with the same group in April to northern Argentina.
When I arrived back in my small town of San Vicente after the trip, school had almost ended and summer was ready to begin. Summer in San Vicente is slow and hot - afternoon siestas are mandatory because it's too hot to do anything else. During the summer, I made some day trips to nearby cities of Santa Fe and Rosario, both three hours away by bus.
School begins again in a week, as do my accordion lessons. In April and May, I will be travelling to northern Argentina and hopefully to Brazil as well, and then in June I come home.
As I mentioned earlier, to simply list the itinerary for the year makes it sound like not much. I know though that I have changed in ways since I first arrived. During high school my mind was always set on a long-term goal and my days were spent trying to achieve that goal - grades, extracurriculars, etc. Here, with only a certain amount of time in this country and no real "end goal," I developed a carpe diem attitude - make every day count. I have become more adventurous, eager to try new things, ready to do whatever is necessary to make my day a memorable one. Three hour bus rides to a nearby city seem like a short trip; I have no problem sending a text message to someone I might have just met last night saying "let's get together sometime."
What I have found to make this year worthwhile in the most significant ways are the many people I have met along the way. On an exchange program in a small town (7000 people) like San Vicente, it's incredibly easy to chat with anyone. People always want to talk to the "yanqui" as we Americans are known here. I have spent time with many interesting people here, sipping mate in the plaza (a shared yerba-based drink), making an asado together (Argentinean barbeque), or chatting in a boliche (Argentinean disco). It is all these people who have made my year incredible. They have shown me new perspectives, Argentinean culture, and in some cases, just a good time. It is those days, the ones spent with friends in San Vicente, that have made my year special.
I try to keep my thoughts away from my return home, but I am extremely glad that I am really just hopping from one journey to the next. I still plan to attend Princeton and I am looking forward to it with even more excitement than before.
Sincerely,
Brandon Davis
Dear Dean Rapelye,
To write specifically what I have been doing for the last year would probably make it seem boring. I went to high school from from August 22 to the beginning of November. I learned a bit about Argentinean history, but in truth, the classes were dull with material I'd already learned. In November, I went on a two week trip to Patagonia, including whale watching, penguin spotting, a visit to Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes (the beginning of Che Guevara's route), Ushuaia (the southernmost city on Earth), and my personal favorite, glacier trekking on Glaciar Perrito Moreno. The trip was organized by Rotary with 59 other exchange students from Europe and North America. I will be travelling with the same group in April to northern Argentina.
When I arrived back in my small town of San Vicente after the trip, school had almost ended and summer was ready to begin. Summer in San Vicente is slow and hot - afternoon siestas are mandatory because it's too hot to do anything else. During the summer, I made some day trips to nearby cities of Santa Fe and Rosario, both three hours away by bus.
School begins again in a week, as do my accordion lessons. In April and May, I will be travelling to northern Argentina and hopefully to Brazil as well, and then in June I come home.
As I mentioned earlier, to simply list the itinerary for the year makes it sound like not much. I know though that I have changed in ways since I first arrived. During high school my mind was always set on a long-term goal and my days were spent trying to achieve that goal - grades, extracurriculars, etc. Here, with only a certain amount of time in this country and no real "end goal," I developed a carpe diem attitude - make every day count. I have become more adventurous, eager to try new things, ready to do whatever is necessary to make my day a memorable one. Three hour bus rides to a nearby city seem like a short trip; I have no problem sending a text message to someone I might have just met last night saying "let's get together sometime."
What I have found to make this year worthwhile in the most significant ways are the many people I have met along the way. On an exchange program in a small town (7000 people) like San Vicente, it's incredibly easy to chat with anyone. People always want to talk to the "yanqui" as we Americans are known here. I have spent time with many interesting people here, sipping mate in the plaza (a shared yerba-based drink), making an asado together (Argentinean barbeque), or chatting in a boliche (Argentinean disco). It is all these people who have made my year incredible. They have shown me new perspectives, Argentinean culture, and in some cases, just a good time. It is those days, the ones spent with friends in San Vicente, that have made my year special.
I try to keep my thoughts away from my return home, but I am extremely glad that I am really just hopping from one journey to the next. I still plan to attend Princeton and I am looking forward to it with even more excitement than before.
Sincerely,
Brandon Davis
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Manhattanophilia
The trip to Buenos Aires and Bariloche with my parents was lovely.
Since then, I have seen a FANTASTIC movie called "Juegos Sexuales," also known as "Cruel Intentions." I watched this movie with Facundo and Maxi, the former being a Manhattanophile who practically orgasmed at every sight of the Hamptons and Upper East Side mansions. The movie was one of the best I have ever seen. Ever. It may have been life changing. Sebastian Valmont and Annette Hargrove are my two newest idols, to be added to the collection that now includes Tila Tequila and Kanye West.
Facundo assured me that if I enjoyed (understatement) Cruel Intentions, then I would certainly enjoy Gossip Girl. Today we watched an episode of Gossip Girl (the one where Bart Bass dies and Chuck Bass goes Edward Sullen on everyone), and I must say that I was a bit disappointed. The acting is really atrocious, and the story line absurd. I am intrigued though by the dynamics of Chuck and Blair's relationship. I also love that because Dan and Rufus are from Brooklyn, they must be the "poor" characters. These things amused me for 43 minutes.
I also saw Daniella for the first time in two weeks, which was lovely. Last week she was in Mar del Plata with her host family, so for the first time in a month or so I was the lone exchange student of San Vicente. I had a lovely enough time, but she adds a special spunk to the usually tranquil San Vicente.
Moving backwards, my nights out the last two weekends have been so-so, as the Argentines would say in their pidgin English. Last Saturday, while the parental units were sitting in First Class (I'm assuming) on the way to JFK, I was at La Fiesta de la Espuma in San Carlos; in English: the Bubble Party. The bubbles poured out of a bubble-machine onto the patio outside my favorite Boliche L'Etoille so fast that I was actually wading through bubbles that came up to my shoulders. It was UNBELIEVABLY fun, until I realized that my leather belt probably thought differently. Cest la vie. Viva la vida, no?
Last night was less fun, but still an experience, I suppose. We went to a concert for "Sabroso," a cuartetto band. Cuartetto is fast-paced Cumbia, the kind of Latin American music that most Yanquis would laugh, or rather scoff, at. It's essentially Argentine country music. The scene is the same, (or at least what I imagine the country music scene to be). Not the most fun, but I got to eat a choripan, and meet some very fun "cuarteterros," cuartetto super-fans.
Plans have yet to be made for tonight, but I'm sure that with Daniella back in town, they will be far from dull.
Something to look forward: I am going to Buenos Aires with Victor next week! After my moments of Manhattonophilia recently, sparked by Cruel Intentions, Gossip Girl, and Susan Hope Davis, I am looking forward to a trip to the Capital Federal.
Since then, I have seen a FANTASTIC movie called "Juegos Sexuales," also known as "Cruel Intentions." I watched this movie with Facundo and Maxi, the former being a Manhattanophile who practically orgasmed at every sight of the Hamptons and Upper East Side mansions. The movie was one of the best I have ever seen. Ever. It may have been life changing. Sebastian Valmont and Annette Hargrove are my two newest idols, to be added to the collection that now includes Tila Tequila and Kanye West.
Facundo assured me that if I enjoyed (understatement) Cruel Intentions, then I would certainly enjoy Gossip Girl. Today we watched an episode of Gossip Girl (the one where Bart Bass dies and Chuck Bass goes Edward Sullen on everyone), and I must say that I was a bit disappointed. The acting is really atrocious, and the story line absurd. I am intrigued though by the dynamics of Chuck and Blair's relationship. I also love that because Dan and Rufus are from Brooklyn, they must be the "poor" characters. These things amused me for 43 minutes.
I also saw Daniella for the first time in two weeks, which was lovely. Last week she was in Mar del Plata with her host family, so for the first time in a month or so I was the lone exchange student of San Vicente. I had a lovely enough time, but she adds a special spunk to the usually tranquil San Vicente.
Moving backwards, my nights out the last two weekends have been so-so, as the Argentines would say in their pidgin English. Last Saturday, while the parental units were sitting in First Class (I'm assuming) on the way to JFK, I was at La Fiesta de la Espuma in San Carlos; in English: the Bubble Party. The bubbles poured out of a bubble-machine onto the patio outside my favorite Boliche L'Etoille so fast that I was actually wading through bubbles that came up to my shoulders. It was UNBELIEVABLY fun, until I realized that my leather belt probably thought differently. Cest la vie. Viva la vida, no?
Last night was less fun, but still an experience, I suppose. We went to a concert for "Sabroso," a cuartetto band. Cuartetto is fast-paced Cumbia, the kind of Latin American music that most Yanquis would laugh, or rather scoff, at. It's essentially Argentine country music. The scene is the same, (or at least what I imagine the country music scene to be). Not the most fun, but I got to eat a choripan, and meet some very fun "cuarteterros," cuartetto super-fans.
Plans have yet to be made for tonight, but I'm sure that with Daniella back in town, they will be far from dull.
Something to look forward: I am going to Buenos Aires with Victor next week! After my moments of Manhattonophilia recently, sparked by Cruel Intentions, Gossip Girl, and Susan Hope Davis, I am looking forward to a trip to the Capital Federal.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Boca Lago Takes San Vicente by Storm
I love old people. So with a rummy tournament and South America's biggest bingo game, you can imagine that I basically had one of the best weekends ever.
We begin Friday night at Club Bochazo, an outdoor restaurant/mini sports complex. We were there for the Perrera (dog shelter) fundraiser, a rummy tournament with a 2 peso buy-in.
The night began with a tango show by a group from Rosario. Then the rummy tournament began - average age: 65. Perfect.
These people were serious about their game (at one point, an old man told me to take my drink off the table because the watermark might wet the cards). Still, I won the first round. All sense of good sportsmanship flew out the window. I was absolutely elated. I ran up to Daniella, the exchange student from New Zealand, and Mariela and Victor, my host parents, and screamed excitedly "I won! I won!" Of course, there were two more rounds, and I was the first person out in the second round, but ... that's not important.
Other highlight of the night: someone told me that I looked intellectual because I was wearing my glasses and a nice long sleeve shirt. Score.
Saturday night was San Vicente's biggest event of the year - the Bingo. Bingo in Argentina basically means any sort of gambling, but San Vicente's bingo really was bingo as we know it in Senior Centers and Old Age Homes everywhere. A few thousand cars were given away, in addition to tens of thousands of pesos. I played the binguito - a 25 Peso buy-in for a 30,000 peso win. I lost. But it was still a fun time. Toward the end of the night, we listened to Soledad, a famous Argentinean folk singer and she ROCKED it. Afterward, I headed to the terminal for a late night snack and chat with friends from Maria Juana (my favorite Communist included).
Monday afternoon, Daniella and I headed to Santa Fe to spend the night in her host family's apartment there and meet up with exchange students in the morning to renew our visas. The highlight of the visit: I got to eat Mexican food. Twice.
Hence: I am very excited for my trip(s) to Mexico and Ole Mole this summer. The only foods that can even compare to choripan are quesadillas and burritos.
Now I'm headed to Buenos Aires tonight for a week or so with the padres in BsAs and Bariloche.
We begin Friday night at Club Bochazo, an outdoor restaurant/mini sports complex. We were there for the Perrera (dog shelter) fundraiser, a rummy tournament with a 2 peso buy-in.
The night began with a tango show by a group from Rosario. Then the rummy tournament began - average age: 65. Perfect.
These people were serious about their game (at one point, an old man told me to take my drink off the table because the watermark might wet the cards). Still, I won the first round. All sense of good sportsmanship flew out the window. I was absolutely elated. I ran up to Daniella, the exchange student from New Zealand, and Mariela and Victor, my host parents, and screamed excitedly "I won! I won!" Of course, there were two more rounds, and I was the first person out in the second round, but ... that's not important.
Other highlight of the night: someone told me that I looked intellectual because I was wearing my glasses and a nice long sleeve shirt. Score.
Saturday night was San Vicente's biggest event of the year - the Bingo. Bingo in Argentina basically means any sort of gambling, but San Vicente's bingo really was bingo as we know it in Senior Centers and Old Age Homes everywhere. A few thousand cars were given away, in addition to tens of thousands of pesos. I played the binguito - a 25 Peso buy-in for a 30,000 peso win. I lost. But it was still a fun time. Toward the end of the night, we listened to Soledad, a famous Argentinean folk singer and she ROCKED it. Afterward, I headed to the terminal for a late night snack and chat with friends from Maria Juana (my favorite Communist included).
Monday afternoon, Daniella and I headed to Santa Fe to spend the night in her host family's apartment there and meet up with exchange students in the morning to renew our visas. The highlight of the visit: I got to eat Mexican food. Twice.
Hence: I am very excited for my trip(s) to Mexico and Ole Mole this summer. The only foods that can even compare to choripan are quesadillas and burritos.
Now I'm headed to Buenos Aires tonight for a week or so with the padres in BsAs and Bariloche.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Nietzche and Sutzche
People I've met in the last two weeks:
Daniella Ferrier: the new exchange student in San Vicente from New Zealand.
Pieri Romitto: self-proclaimed Communist; future political science major at a university in Santa Fe capital; does not own cell phone because it is an agent of capitalist globalization
Los Grosos: a band of midgets who play "Elena No/El Enano" a play on the name Elena with the Spanish word for "Midget." Los Grosos play typical cumbia Santa Fecino, and their hit song is played at the end of every episode of Susana Gimenez, the Argentine version of Oprah/Tyra/Ellen.
Los Palmeras: my favorite Argentine cumbia band; I heard them play in San Vicente months ago and I got to hear them again last weekend.
Places I've Been:
L'etoille: Biggest boliche in the area; in San Carlos, 1.5 hours from San Vicente
Fiesta Cerveza: Argentine version of a county fair, also in San Carlos (this is where I heard the cumbia bands)
Maria Juana: the next town over; this is where I met the Argentine Communist.
Daniella Ferrier: the new exchange student in San Vicente from New Zealand.
Pieri Romitto: self-proclaimed Communist; future political science major at a university in Santa Fe capital; does not own cell phone because it is an agent of capitalist globalization
Los Grosos: a band of midgets who play "Elena No/El Enano" a play on the name Elena with the Spanish word for "Midget." Los Grosos play typical cumbia Santa Fecino, and their hit song is played at the end of every episode of Susana Gimenez, the Argentine version of Oprah/Tyra/Ellen.
Los Palmeras: my favorite Argentine cumbia band; I heard them play in San Vicente months ago and I got to hear them again last weekend.
Places I've Been:
L'etoille: Biggest boliche in the area; in San Carlos, 1.5 hours from San Vicente
Fiesta Cerveza: Argentine version of a county fair, also in San Carlos (this is where I heard the cumbia bands)
Maria Juana: the next town over; this is where I met the Argentine Communist.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Dirty Vegas
"Days go by and still..."
Here is a brief account of the last few days.
Monday
Monday morning I went to Veronica's office (that's the Rotary member in charge of the Youth Exchange) who told me that I was moving houses that afternoon. I knew that I had to move soon, but the suddenness of it took me by surprise. I'd been living with the Colomberos for almost five, so to clean out my room and pack my things felt almost like leaving home a second time. Of course, this time I get to see my "family" whenever I want because even though my new host family lives on the other side of town, that's only about six blocks.
Tuesday was a fantastic day. Here's basically how my inauguration day went.
I had to create a Powerpoint presentation for my Tuesday night English class, and internet is necessary for the pictures and some information that I don't know off the top of my head. My new host family (who I'll get to in just a minute if you will aguanta, por favor) has a shoddy connection so I took my laptop to the bus terminal with wifi.
I first went to the New York Times website for their live coverage of election day activities, but even at the fancy bus terminal, the internet is not so fast. The bus drivers in the terminal were flipping between the news and a talk show and then eventually, when the Republican cabal started walking in (looking like the end of a bad political thriller), I grabbed the remote, turned up the volume and asked the attendant to turn off the radio. Essentially: It's Barama time. Shush.
Obama's speech was very mediocre in Spanish which made me a little bit disappointed. Fortunately, Malia's picture-taking was so hilarious I couldn't really pay much attention to anything else. Then I got to read the speech online in English and it was, as always, moving, inspirational, intelligent, etc. So I was very happy to be American and ready to continue working on my presentation about the American political system.
In spite of the Inauguration Day fervor, Tuesday's class was a let down. A few students were on vacation, one was sick (probably a bad case of Obama fever), and a few more simply forgot. That left only two. The two who came, however, are two of the most advanced English-speakers so we were able to have a more in-depth talk about Argentinean and American politics in English (and Spanish). One of the girls told me she was jealous of how much we learn about government and politics in school and that she feels embarrassed to know so little about her own country. Like almost every other Argentinean I've talked to, she is very much against Cristina Fernandez Kirchner's policies, but doesn't know enough about the government to actively take a stand for a viable opposition. In Argentina, there's the Peronist party, and then about 5 other opposing parties who end up taking away votes from each other. The conversation put the importance of voter education in a new light for me - but this is a simple life update and I don't want to get too philosophical or political. In short, the class was informal but interesting.
Later that evening I rode my bici (I have a bike now!) to Nadia's house to celebrate her birthday. It was a lovely night with mis amigos, the usual suspects (Fede, Franco, Migue, Ezequiel, Roci, Yami, Luisi, Sofy and Nadia), haciendo boludeces in the plaza until the early hours of morning.
Today we all gathered at Fede's pool, tomando terere and mesitas. Later I had dinner with my new host family, followed by a bit of reading and a bike ride to my old host family to say hi to Norma, and now I am here, updating all you yanquis on my life.
About my new host family: the first thing I noticed about the family is that they live on a dirt road. Dirt roads now seem completely normal - both Nadia and Yami live on dirt roads and it didn't strike me as anything odd. But putting myself back to my pre August 2008 self, dirt roads couldnt seem more foreign. While one might expect to find only shacks and shanties there, my host family lives in a very pretty, new home. My host family is part of the Cuneo family which owns the main factory in San Vicente. My host "father," Muneo, works in a laboratory and my host "mother," Mariela, is a veterinarian. I put these words in quotations because they are both only in their mid-thirties and childless (except for my host father's son from a previous marriage in Buenos Aires). This means I have the house to myself from 8 AM until 5 PM, except for lunch at noon. It's a completely different environment from the Colomberos, where everyone was rushing in and out at - literally - all hours of the day and night. The other member of the family is a blue-eyed, brown-, gray-, and black-haired cat named Kiki who I'm starting to like. She reminds me of Calvin, my piano teacher's cat. The only other felines I know are Scooter and Mrs. Tibbles and those are, at best, reserved, and at worst, straight-up MEAN creatures. Kiki and Calvin are both cool cats who still like to snuggle. Another perk to the Cuneo household is Muneo's guitar. I have big plans on adding to my knowledge of three chords. And of becoming a trendy folk singer.
That is everything of importance in my life since I last posted (I think). I promise to update more frequently now that I'm settled in my new house. But por ahora...
Paz y Amor,
La Pirata
Here is a brief account of the last few days.
Monday
Monday morning I went to Veronica's office (that's the Rotary member in charge of the Youth Exchange) who told me that I was moving houses that afternoon. I knew that I had to move soon, but the suddenness of it took me by surprise. I'd been living with the Colomberos for almost five, so to clean out my room and pack my things felt almost like leaving home a second time. Of course, this time I get to see my "family" whenever I want because even though my new host family lives on the other side of town, that's only about six blocks.
Tuesday was a fantastic day. Here's basically how my inauguration day went.
I had to create a Powerpoint presentation for my Tuesday night English class, and internet is necessary for the pictures and some information that I don't know off the top of my head. My new host family (who I'll get to in just a minute if you will aguanta, por favor) has a shoddy connection so I took my laptop to the bus terminal with wifi.
I first went to the New York Times website for their live coverage of election day activities, but even at the fancy bus terminal, the internet is not so fast. The bus drivers in the terminal were flipping between the news and a talk show and then eventually, when the Republican cabal started walking in (looking like the end of a bad political thriller), I grabbed the remote, turned up the volume and asked the attendant to turn off the radio. Essentially: It's Barama time. Shush.
Obama's speech was very mediocre in Spanish which made me a little bit disappointed. Fortunately, Malia's picture-taking was so hilarious I couldn't really pay much attention to anything else. Then I got to read the speech online in English and it was, as always, moving, inspirational, intelligent, etc. So I was very happy to be American and ready to continue working on my presentation about the American political system.
In spite of the Inauguration Day fervor, Tuesday's class was a let down. A few students were on vacation, one was sick (probably a bad case of Obama fever), and a few more simply forgot. That left only two. The two who came, however, are two of the most advanced English-speakers so we were able to have a more in-depth talk about Argentinean and American politics in English (and Spanish). One of the girls told me she was jealous of how much we learn about government and politics in school and that she feels embarrassed to know so little about her own country. Like almost every other Argentinean I've talked to, she is very much against Cristina Fernandez Kirchner's policies, but doesn't know enough about the government to actively take a stand for a viable opposition. In Argentina, there's the Peronist party, and then about 5 other opposing parties who end up taking away votes from each other. The conversation put the importance of voter education in a new light for me - but this is a simple life update and I don't want to get too philosophical or political. In short, the class was informal but interesting.
Later that evening I rode my bici (I have a bike now!) to Nadia's house to celebrate her birthday. It was a lovely night with mis amigos, the usual suspects (Fede, Franco, Migue, Ezequiel, Roci, Yami, Luisi, Sofy and Nadia), haciendo boludeces in the plaza until the early hours of morning.
Today we all gathered at Fede's pool, tomando terere and mesitas. Later I had dinner with my new host family, followed by a bit of reading and a bike ride to my old host family to say hi to Norma, and now I am here, updating all you yanquis on my life.
About my new host family: the first thing I noticed about the family is that they live on a dirt road. Dirt roads now seem completely normal - both Nadia and Yami live on dirt roads and it didn't strike me as anything odd. But putting myself back to my pre August 2008 self, dirt roads couldnt seem more foreign. While one might expect to find only shacks and shanties there, my host family lives in a very pretty, new home. My host family is part of the Cuneo family which owns the main factory in San Vicente. My host "father," Muneo, works in a laboratory and my host "mother," Mariela, is a veterinarian. I put these words in quotations because they are both only in their mid-thirties and childless (except for my host father's son from a previous marriage in Buenos Aires). This means I have the house to myself from 8 AM until 5 PM, except for lunch at noon. It's a completely different environment from the Colomberos, where everyone was rushing in and out at - literally - all hours of the day and night. The other member of the family is a blue-eyed, brown-, gray-, and black-haired cat named Kiki who I'm starting to like. She reminds me of Calvin, my piano teacher's cat. The only other felines I know are Scooter and Mrs. Tibbles and those are, at best, reserved, and at worst, straight-up MEAN creatures. Kiki and Calvin are both cool cats who still like to snuggle. Another perk to the Cuneo household is Muneo's guitar. I have big plans on adding to my knowledge of three chords. And of becoming a trendy folk singer.
That is everything of importance in my life since I last posted (I think). I promise to update more frequently now that I'm settled in my new house. But por ahora...
Paz y Amor,
La Pirata
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