Argentina 2009

 John Christ '11

Now that I am back in the great US of A, I have had time to develop some of my thoughts about my travels...

I will start by simply stating that I love America and wouldn't want to live anywhere else for a long period of time.  With that said, however, I would encourage all to travel, and to learn the ways and customs of other people. 

While in Argentina I experienced different customs, and various life styles unfamiliar to us here in the United States.

 Out of all things that I have pondered upon through my travels, I would have to say that the natural human interactions and relationships is what I focused on the most.

In Santa Fe, one specific difference from our life styles here is what they call el centro, or "the center."  The name itself can tell you a lot about what occurs in the center. Another way of saying el centro is to refer to it as the peatonal.

This is where almost everyone goes to walk, shop, eat, watch futbol and so on. Every time I would take a trip to the center I would always ask myself. "Why don't we have this kind of thing?" 

I mean, we have malls and shopping centers but nothing quite like el centro.

It is amazing to me just to sit at one of the many pubs with the smell of smoke and mate in the air and see the passionate futbol fans gather to see the last minutes of the game.

Although the peatonal in Santa Fe gave me the opportunity to observe and watch the locals of Santa Fe, after seeing the center in Buenos Aires for the first time it took me by surprise.

The many street dancers and performers supplied the tired walker with a break and the opportunity to see what they had to offer. I was offered many flyers of "sucio" nature (dirty) which I always replied with a nice "no gracias." 

So, although I would never degrade my own country in any way shape or form, I would like to acknowledge the need for the great peatonal in every city of the US. Such areas of recreation hold in them so much more than just a place to walk.

I learned more about the Argentine culture and the people of Argentina by walking with them at rush hour on a Thursday evening than I ever could have wished for. 

John Christ '11

*Tango dancers in the streets of B.A.*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We1iddbmw6Q  

Andrew Anderson '10

 

Standing in the Cathedral of the city of Córdoba, one cannot help but gasp at the wonder of the richly decorated church. Gold embosses virtually everything with the ceiling being wonderful murals of biblical passages. The attention to detail is impeccable; the miniscule Venetian mosaic floor covers the entire church and makes you wonder at the thousands of hours that went into its building. The pulpit is covered in a layer of gold foil that makes the detailed wood carvings truly show what power the Catholic Church wielded in colonial America. The murals on the ceiling, which are technically not murals, differ from those found elsewhere because they are not directly painted on the ceiling (thus are not technically murals) but are painted on cloth which was then placed on the ceiling. Regardless of their technical name they are wonderful works that create an unbelievable sense of openness in the Church.

 

 

The ceilings of the church are covered in gold and cloth paintings of Biblical passages

 

The beauty of colonial Córdoba is reflected in the in the Cathedral which is a prime example of some things you will see in the Manzana Jesuítica, or simply the Jesuit block. Containing early 17^th century colonial buildings, the block is home to several important building: the cathedral, the Jesuit Church, and the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba are only a few. The university is the second oldest in all of the Americas and the second largest university in Argentina (second only to the university of Buenos Aires). The University was founded by the Jesuits 1613, it currently has 113,558 students, and the incredible number of universities in Córdoba adds a youthful feel to the city amidst its colonial architecture. The students also add an element of political radicalism in the city, which apparently is a traditional bastion of the Unión Cívica Radical, or the Radical Civic Union Party. The left-of-centre politics in the city is interesting given the proximity of Che Guevara's childhood home.

 

The Students of Córdoba show their dislike of economic exploitation

 

While the good Doctor Ernesto was born in Rosario, his acute asthma (which would affect him for the rest of his life) led his family to spend more time in a second home outside Córdoba. While the home is not particularly historically significant, the house represents something of our fascination with San Ernesto. We come to look at knick-knacks of a revolutionary: cigars, mate glasses, hats, etc. and for what purpose? We seem to have this glorious picture in our heads of this grand counterculture, which leads kids who have never heard of the Sierra Maestra mountains to put Che's image on pins, hats, shirts, cigars, patches, lamps, clocks, underwear, posters, and just about everywhere imaginable. Che has become market capitalism. Maybe it is just that Alberto Korda took a stupidly good photograph, but kids do not put quality images of waterfalls on their backpacks. So Che's childhood home represents something of our deep drive to fight the man, surrounded by his motorcycle, "The Mighty One," and green military fatigues, I cannot help but think, maybe we all just have a secret desire to look really good in a beret.

 

by Jordan Brewer '10

               

               One of the weekend viajes (trips) we went on during our Argentinean excursion was the trip to Iguazú. The group departed on a 16 hour bus ride with the hope of seeing some amazing sights, which fortunately was exactly what we did. Las Ruinas de San Ignacio de Mini were stunning to me for a few good reasons ill explain later.

First, some background information about the ruins. Of the 30 Jesuit Missions that are conserved in Northeastern Argentina, San Ignacio de Mini is the largest and best preserved. Because of such cultural importance, the UNESCO has declared this place a World Cultural and Historical Heritage Site. A large portion of the original structure has been conserved and restored almost perfectly, while other sections are still in the restoration process.

 I found the level of restoration and conservation to be utterly fascinating. But, most of all, when I strayed away from the group and really examined the red stone and architechture, I pondered how these building came to be and who built them. In the answer lies the humanity in the issue of the Jesuit Missions. Was it right for the Jesuits to spread their belief if it meant changing the culture of the natives (guarani)?  There are a lot of elements to take into account when discussing this issue, but I think that although the Jesuits were certainly a lot nicer than the conquistadores, the culture was nearly destroyed.  The style of converting people to the Jesuit belief in Argentina is very to the style of Jesuit teachings in los Estados Unidos (the US). I feel as though the Jesuits at Brophy have taught me to embrace other cultures and be open to new concepts. I wish that the Jesuits who started missions involved more of the native culture in their mission. This might have saved a culture that will be missed by humanity.

In conclusion, the ruins were an extremely interesting experience for me. It was so cool to see some of the Jesuit symbols, such as IHS, in their most ancient form. But, the striking reality of the destruction of a culture somewhat took away from the experience and made me think about the humanity of the issue. I am excited to take my experiences from the ruins back to Brophy and share them with my fellow classmates and teachers. The tricky issue of religious missions and the conversion of groups of people is an unseen topic in the Brophy classroom that I would like to see change.

The well maintained and restored entrance to the main plaza.


A side view of the red stone pillars.

By: Zach Jesberger '11

Say you wanted to take a weekend vacation up to San Francisco, or a ski trip up in Colorado...You would probably take a plane or just drive yourself, right?  Not in Argentina.  There you would just take the Ómnibus.  This is just a big, sort of double-decker charter bus that almost everyone uses for travel in Argentina. 

Now, our minds may think, "Screw that, I'd rather just take a plane and be there sooner," but there are many plus sides to taking the Ómnibus.  It costs a lot less than an airplane, so in these tough times, that can be very helpful, and also has much more comfortable seats.  There are three different types of seats, and we traveled on all of them. 

The Quarto Cama (quarter bed) was the smallest, but still had more room on every side than an average airplane seat.  They had a pull-down foot rest and reclined back comfortably.  The Semi Cama (half bed) was similar, just a lot wider, with a bigger foot rest, and reclined father.  As you may have guessed, the Cama (full bed) was similar to the first two as well, but this one reclined to basically horizontal and had a larger footrest as well.

Karl Heiland '10 and Andrew Anderson '10 get some good sleep on their Semi Camas.

A nice aspect of the Ómnibus was that there was no racism whatsoever; it catered to many different cultures.  Movies were frequently shown, and we ended up seeing some in 4 different languages.  The majority was English movies that contained Spanish voice-overs, but some were English as well.  We also watched a German rock climbing movie, and the beginning to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" in what I believe was Russian.  This provides a comfortable, enjoyable, and affordable travel for anybody from vacationers to traveling businessmen.

Although the bus is relaxing and enjoyable, many of the more interesting experiences can be found in the Estación (station) itself.  There is a wide variety of stores, from the very popular Kioscos (Kiosks, like a Circle K kind of), to restaurants to magazine stores.   There is never a shortage of things to do there, believe me; we were at one for three hours once.

The Argentines perception of an average American breakfast.  This is sold at many different bus stations.

Finally, the most interesting things at these bus stations can be the people that you meet there.  One of our most absurd encounters on the trip involved a strange fellow that we called the Garlic Man.  He sung to us in Spanish, tried to sell us garlic from a stick he carried on his back, and then creepily snuck away.  Later, we found him lurking near us again; we were afraid, but luckily he didn't have his eye on us students.  Instead, he worked his way behind Mr. John Damaso '97, and planted a kiss right on kiss shoulder.  Why, I have no idea, but there is only on proper response to events such as these at bus stations...What the hell?

By: Zach Jesberger '11

By Bryce Welborn '11

What better place to experience the wonder of Tango than in the city where it originated, Buenos Aires. I have never been one to see professional dance shows, let alone enjoy them, but all that changed during our stay in Buenos Aires. With one night left before our departure from the country, we went out for dinner and a show at a place called Café de los Angelitos (café of the little angels).

Café de los Angelitos was established in 1890.

            When we first stepped into the restaurant, I immediately noticed the different atmosphere that I had not yet experienced in any of our previous meal spots. We were led into the VIP show room, a dimly lit auditorium-like dining room. In the room there were long banquet tables set up towards the stage; booths and smaller tables lined the outer edges of the room.

As I have noticed from previous experiences in the U.S., places like this usually focus more on the show aspect and lack in food quality, but the case was quite the opposite at Angelitos. The menú presented me with a vast array of gourmet dishes such as Sopa Milonga, an asparagus soup with small bits of salmon, and Bife Cachafaz, a steak served with baked potato balls, sautéed mushrooms, and fresh cherry tomatoes. As the dinner was served, a lovingly delectable aroma arrived with it. I finished my meal with an exquisite dessert called Carlota Chirusa which is a maracuyá (passionfruit) mousse with a scoop of lemon ice cream and berries.

About half an hour after finishing the last of our postres (desserts), the show began, with much anticipation on our side. The curtains opened to reveal a small dance floor and a Tango band on a raised stage above and behind it. My first impression was that the stage was too small to harbor any type of show, but I was shortly proven wrong.

It made me nervous to watch ten people dance so rapidly on such a stage.

The show immediately burst into a fast-paced Tango. As the music picked up, more dancers came on to the stage. I was amazed at how they could dance so furiously without falling off the stage. The men and women danced so closely and quickly while controllably flinging their legs between and around those of their partner. It seemed that even the slightest fault in this dance of perfection could have ruined their wild patterns.

Some of the dances were performed very intimately by only two people.

The show also had two cantantes (singers) and an orquesta de señoritas (ladies' orchestra). During each 'act', various lights and a video projector were used to add a little extra to the mood of the show. After one and a half exciting hours, the dance spectacle ended and the audience erupted into an enormous applause.

By Bryce Welborn '11

By Max Gaynor '11

It was the night of the 4th, June 2009; the air was calm and cold as the players entered the arena.  The tension was tenable in the air, and the showdown was imminent.  The crowd was going wild, in anticipation for what will be remembered as the most important soccer game in the history of the world.

 Well, this may be a slight exaggeration, but it's not far from the truth.  On that night, the estudiantes del intercambio (exchange students) had rented the artificial soccer field at the school's Ateneo (gym).  We had planned an international soccer game, The U. S. vs. Argentina. 

 We had been waiting a week to see who was better at fútbol (soccer), the teams may have been slightly uneven; but this didn't decrease trash talking.  The game was really more for fun than anything else, and what is more of a cultural exchange than trash talking? 

 One cultural difference between the U. S. and Argentina is the sports.  In Argentina everyone played soccer, not necessarily competitively, but everyone played.  In the U.S. soccer is not really as common of a sport, rather fútbol Americano (football) and baseball and others are more mainstream.   

 The night of our fateful soccer game, we all gathered as a group beforehand and played video games at Pablo Salvadores' house...soccer video games of course.  After more trash talking and such over the video games, arguing about who is better and such, we left and walked to the field. 

 At the field we were greeted by a very large number of kids playing soccer, practicing with the school entrenadores (coaches), and this for me was the perfect example of the cultural difference of soccer playing here and there.  Not only that, but a lot of the kids looked like they were a lot better than I was!  After the kids were done we took the field, after a short warm-up and figuring out who was playing what, we started our game. 

Header!

It was a long hard-fought game, with one side slightly handicapped.  The final score was 5-1 and team Argentina won.  I frankly was not surprised, but it was entirely irrelevant to me. 

Orange Soda Break!

The great part of the game was just going out and playing sports and having fun with all the guys.  This concept seems very universal to me at this point, at home maybe you go out and play baseball, but in Argentina you go play soccer. 

By Max Gaynor '11

By Karl Heiland '10

Last Thursday, our group arrived in "the Paris of South America:" Buenos Aires. We navigated through narrow allies to find our hotel, the Sheltown. A city tour had been planned for us, but due to a lack of time, our tour guide elected to show us the focal point of Argentine politics, the Plaza de Mayo, or, the Plaza of May.

Travelers and vendors lined the plaza. On an adjacent street, people from a ghetto of Buenos Aires took part in a thundering protest against the policies of the government, while policemen nervously stood by.

The Casa Rosada (pink house) serves the same function that our White House does. As our tour guide explained, the two feuding parties of Argentina were once represented by the colors red and white, and to symbolize the unity of the country, pink was chosen for the building.


Sunset at the Casa Rosada

The front balcony of the building has been the favorite place of Argentine presidents to give speeches. It might be most famous for a certain speech given by Eva Peron, one of the boldest women in Argentine history. As the president's wife, she forged her own identity as a champion of rights for the poor and for women's suffrage. In 1951, she decided to run for vice-president of Argentina. Not soon after, she stood on the previously mentioned balcony and revealed to the public that she was dying of uterine cancer and had to withdraw her bid. And so comes the famous line, "Don't cry for me Argentina."

Our group was fortunate to see the plaza on a Thursday. Every Thursday afternoon, a group of women slowly circle around the central monument in the square. Since we arrived towards the end of this procession, I only saw five of these women; however, their image has left a deep impact on my consciousness.

Most looked to be not much more than five feet tall. Their heads were covered in white napkins and laminated pictures hung from their necks. The faces on these pictures were young and smiling. People in the plaza approached the women and exchanged words, sometimes embracing them.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Argentina was under the military rule of Jorge Videla. Any citizen who was thought to have even the smallest connection or interest in left-wing politics was taken away; some pulled off the streets in broad daylight. About 30,000 people disappeared, most of them college-age, and most of them now executed. The women in the plaza are the mothers of these children. After all these years, they still demand to be reunited with their children and for imprisonment of those responsible for these crimes.

This is where, I'm hoping, my Argentina experience will be allowed to continue in the next year, through my connection to the mothers. The group who trained the regime responsible for these murders was based in the United States, the School of the Americas in Birmingham, Alabama. People in the United States knowingly taught these officers the best ways to torture and kill people, people who were my age. Their consciences were clean because they knew that these techniques would only be used on those with "liberal" ideologies. A Brophy group goes to Birmingham and protests every year. Next year I want to be there, with the memory of the mothers in my heart.


Las Madres del Plaza de Mayo

By: Jake Steffens '12

My experience in Argentina was greatly added to during my first birthday outside of the country. At my birthday party, it was called a "Hamburgeseada y Choripan." That means that the served hamburgers and Choripan is like a chorizo sausage in a bun like a hotdog. The food was amazing. When you celebrate a birthday in Argentina, there are a lot of little things that are necessary according to the Argentineans. For example if anyone started to joke around a sing happy birthday before it is your actual birthday everyone yells "mala suerte!" or bad luck! It is considered bad luck to sing happy birthday before the actual birthday. Because of this, the party was held on the night before my birthday but carried over into the next day which was my actual birthday. The party is a big part because everyone just hags out and has a good time while the food is barbequing.

This is Pablo, Chapa, Bruno, Miki, and Juan hanging out and waiting for the food.

Other rituals that they do is when it is a boys birthday, they have to "Golpear" you. Basically they just beat you up. Everyone runs at you and hits you. Another thing that they do is that they pull your earlobes down however many years you are turning. All of their traditions seem to hurt. The cake at the party was called a "Torta de Alfajor." It was amazing. They have deserts called alfajores there this is just basically a big version. It is crepes with something called "dulce de leche" on it stacked up a couple of levels. Dulce de leche is kind of like caramel. Then they have Morang or whipped cream on the top.

This is the cake that they had. It is the Torta de Alfajor. The dulce de leche is the chocolate looking stuff.

At a birthday party in Argentina, there is a lot to look forward to and a lot to learn about. The atmosphere, the people, the food, and the traditions are all unique. A birthday party in Argentina was a major factor that added to my culture experience.

By: Jake Steffens '12

By Max Gaynor '11

Alta Gracia, meaning "High Grace", is a town in the North of the Argentinian Province of Cordoba. In the town of Alta Gracia, we visited a Jesuit Estancia (Estate). This Jesuit Estate is a 17th century ranch-like development which was used by the Jesuits in order to support the University they started in 1610.  

The Estate Church

The Estancia was made up of: the church, the residence, the Obraje (the industrial area), the Ranchería (housing structure for black slaves), the Tajamar (the dam), and the mill. We only visited the residence and church, as these are the only remaining structures. The residence has become a museum, and the church is now the parish church of the city.

As we walked into the central courtyard of the residence, I was struck with how old this building really was. Having been built in the early sixteen hundreds, over many years, it was possible to see different materials and methods used during different periods of time. The residence was built using, piedra (stone), brick, and barro (mud) all in various places.  

The Front Staircase Inside The Courtyard

Once inside the tour guide told us about the native people that lived in the area at the time during which the estate was created. These people called themselves Comechingones which means "eating stone" or "eating soil". This may have been their name due to the fact that they made their homes in shelters dug out of the ground and cuevas (caves) near arrollos

(streams).

One of the most notable things about these people is their genetic makeup. These people had the same short stature as the other natives of South America, but they had facial hair. It is believed that the Comechingones may have had some contact and genetic exchange with Vikings prior to the arrival of the Jesuits. The Comechingones radically advanced after contact with the Jesuits, and they started utilizing irrigation, they hunted and fished, and domesticated animals.  

Walking through the halls of the residence, I found myself looking at what; it seemed to me, would be marvels of the 17th century. Not only for the area, but for the time period, I believe the Jesuits were quite advanced. We saw indoor plumbing, water filtration, and iron working facilities while we were there. The Jesuits also utilized a hydro-powered mill to grind their grains in order to make harina (flour).  

The bathroom was only a recreation, but it showed a very modern floor plan. There was a row of stalls, about six of them, doors and all. The toilets were just holes in a wooden bench, but these holes emptied from the second floor into an underground aquifer. It was unheard of at the time to have indoor plumbing, let alone on the second floor.  

The kitchen sported a large volcanic rock with an opening at the top, positioned over a large gourd. Water was poured into the opening and it would filter through the porous volcanic rock into the gourd in order to filter it.  

In the garden area in the back of the residence, the small building for iron working stood. This was apparently the oldest building at the estate. Iron working was very advanced for the time, and the Jesuits had a particularly nice set up. I was very impressed upon entering the room at the size of the billows; it must have been six feet long. The Jesuit blacksmith produced a lot of goods, from door locks and hinges, to lanterns. 

Touring the Jesuit estate, I felt that I was seeing the most advanced of the early 17th century. This trip further convinced me that the Jesuits played a pivotal role in the advancement of South America.

By Max Gaynor '11

by Tommy Williams '11

Iguazú National Park is the national park in the city of Iguazú in the Misiones province, which contains the famous Iguazú Falls. Since Iguazú is located on the northeast corner of Argentina, it is shared between both Argentina and Brazil. You are close enough to see Brazil and the walkways that are in Brazilian territory.

It takes about fifteen hours in bus from Santa Fe to Misiones, so the group and I arrived bleary-eyed but ready to see the saltos (waterfalls). We were driven in a rented van to our hotel, and after a quick check in we were on our way to the Iguazú National Park. It only takes about twenty minutes, but there is a bus service from the park to the city which has buses every thirty minutes from 7:15 AM to 7:15 PM.

First, we took the Circuito Superior (Upper Circuit), a 650 meter walk which showed us most of the falls along the upper lip. On the Upper Circuit, we saw the from the Salto Dos Hermanas to the Salto Mibiguá. After returning we went back to the main operation center and went on a 4x4 ride through the jungle.

The Upper Circuit

On our ride, our guide told us more about the conservation of the park and what needs to be done to preserve it. Iguazú is a World Heritage Site, meaning that it's extremely important to the natural world. It has over 2,000 different species of vascular plants and is home to many important animals like the jaguar and tapir. Our guide further explained that only seven percent of the original forest remains, and that there are many poachers who will come into the park and cut out the hearts of palm on trees on palm trees, effectively killing them.

After the ride in the 4x4 we went on a boat ride through the Rio Iguazú Inferior (Lower Iguazú River). The river is also shared between Brazil and Argentina, so the drivers had to remain on the right side to not violate protocol. During the ride we saw the Salto Tres Mosqueteros and then we went under the Salto San Martin. Note: If you do not wish to be miserably wet for the rest of the day, wear waterproof clothing or bring a change of clothes.

 
Rainbow on the Salto Tres Mosqueteros

Following a thorough soaking, we headed along the Circuito Inferior (Lower Circuit) for a closer look at the waterfalls we saw earlier in the morning. It was a lot more up close and personal and offered great views for photos.

The Lower Circuit

We then walked up to the main part of the center and had lunch in a tenedor libre (buffet). Even though the group had already paid for the meal, drinks always cost extra and are usually priced around six or seven pesos. The food there was very good along with desserts like minted pears.

Later, we went to the train station and took it to the Garganta Station. From there we took a 1100 meter walk to see the most famous waterfall there, La Garganta del Diablo (The Devil's Throat). We saw one cayman, a turtle, and several toucans on the way there. All under the walkway's there was some type of animal to see. 

Before we arrived at The Devil's Throat, we saw chunks of concrete and metal railings below in the water. Our guide explained to us that back in 1992 there was an inundación (flood), that swept away many of the previous walkways. It was hard to believe that something as solid and heavy could be swept away by water, but when I heard the roaring up ahead, I was then convinced about the power of water.

 

The Devil's Throat

The Devil's Throat made me go into shock. There was a constant roar, like there was a massive thunderstorm going on, and a constant spray of water that hit you in the face. When I was brave enough to peer into the depths, I only saw about fifty feet down, as it was shielded by fountains of mist. As I looked around, everyone seemed like ants in comparison to this mighty beast of a waterfall. It was something that I won't forget about Argentina.

Iguazú National Park is a great destination for tourists visiting Argentina and natives alike. It's also important to preserve the park for environmental purposes and to be reminded by the awesome power of nature. 

by Tommy Williams '11