June 2009 Archives

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

By: Jake Steffens '12

When told that we were going to do community service on our trip to Argentina, I pictured us going to a place like Saint Mary's Food Bank or doing work in a warehouse. That was my first response. But when we saw what we were going to be doing it became much clearer that it was quite the opposite.

 When we first are getting ready to go to the place where we are going to do work, which is called "Alto Verde," our first stop is at the "Casa Jesuitica." It is the Jesuit house where we leave all of our things. We then walk down a sidewalk and cross a freeway. The freeway isn't usually very busy so we didn't rush ourselves, and right on the other side of the freeway, there is a dock made out of old pieces of plywood and Pallets. It looked like if you stepped on it would float away and sink. It was surrounded by old oil drums and things that washed up on shore. You have to wait for the two boats to come and take you to the island of Alto Verde. It costs 2 Pesos to cross the river which is about 75 cents. The port/dock is called "Puerto Piojo." (Lice Port)  On the island, you walk on the edge of a hill that separates the water from the houses above until you get to the church. We had groups of people doing different community service. Some of us went to visit houses and give out food while talking to the families, some of us sanded and varnished the church patio, and some of us went to clean another church. We all did this for about 3 hours every Wednesday. Except for one Wednesday when we were there for about 6 hours painting the church.

These boys are some of the boys from our school who lived at Alto Verde. Also Zach Jesberger '11 and Max Gaynor '11.

When you are on the island, there is much more to do than to just do this. You look around at the kids in scraggly clothes playing soccer and sometimes they asked if you could play with them. It was great to get to know the kids there. They are all full of life and they find things to do to pass the time that isn't watching TV or playing video game. They were half the reason why our experience at Alto Verde was so great. Alto Verde was a big part of our Argentine experience and a great  one at that.

These boys are some kids form Alto Verde who we saw every time we went. They were pretty funny.

By: Jake Steffens '12

Por Brandon Blair ´10

Cuando estás cerce de una persona, hay muchos saludos para usar en Argentina. Besar la mejilla, abrazar, y dar las manos son ejemplos. En los Estados Enidos, muchos saludos no son comunes y la mayoría de los saludos son usadas por los jovenes.Todas las personas en Argentina usan saludos frecentemente y en todas las situaciones. Cuando yo me levanto por la mañana todos en la familia me besan sobre la mejilla y me dicen "Buen Día". Después de cinco besos y muchos "buen dias" yo voy a la escuela. Mi manera de dar la mano con mis amigos de colegio es similar con mis amigos en los Estados Unidos, pero muchos amigos en Argentina me abrazan y me besan la mejilla también. En clase, cuando el profesor entra el cuarto, todos los estudiantes se levantan para mostrar respecto por los profesores. Cuando las personas salen, hay una otra ronda de besos y abrazos. En mi opinion, los saludos en Argentina son más personales y cariñosos que los saludos sienten muy diferentes de los saludos en los Estados Unidos pero me gustan mucho.

Por Brandon Blair ´10 

Por Karl Heiland ´10

En Argentina, los jovenes no pueden manejar hasta que tener dieciocho años, entonces están siempre viajando en colectivos. Cuando ves tu colectivo, tienes que levantar la mano y si tienes un poco de suerte, el conductor va a parar. Tres segundos después de llegar, el conductor está manejando lo más pronto posible. El colectivo mueve en la manera de una montaña rusa, con locos bajos y arribas.

La gente que entra es diversa; estudiantes, madres con hijos, personas yendo a los trabajos... Es muy comun a ver tus amigos y amigas en el colectivo y oir las noticias jovenes.

Los chicos de las calles esperando por un colectivo

El colectivo es el rey de las calles. Pasa cruces de las calles sin ningun espera. No le importa otros autos o bicicletas. El trafico de Santa Fe es salvaje, pero tienes la más seguridad en un colectivo.

Mi hermano Guillermo dice que los colectivos parecen venir de la segunda guerra mundia, porque son raros, viejos y anticuados. No como los de Phoenix, que son modernos. Pero igualmente, Guillermo usa el colectivo todo el tiempo y le encanta "ver la gente pasar."

Cuando estás cerca de tu parada, encuentras el señal rojo y lo empujas. Es necesario salir muy rapidamente porque el conductor no va a esperar. El colectivo no es una cosa elegante, pero es un interesante y barata manera de viajar. Es una parte muy esencial de la vida de la gente, porque va a todos lados y le ahorra mucho tiempo y dinero a la gente.

Una vista de las calles...

by Jordan Brewer '10

Las clases en el Colegio Inmaculada son muy diferentes de a las clases de Brophy. Los estudiantes siempre se quedan en un aula por toda la mañana. Los periodos son de cuarenta minutos y son los profesores quienes van a los salones. A veces tienen más de una clase seguida, no como en Brophy, donde nunca tenemos dos horas cátedras de la misma materia. Las clases son menos formales que las nuestras, así los estudiantes se divierten más que nosotros. El trabajo que hacen es parecido al de los Estados Unidos, pero nosotros tenemos más tarea que los alumnos del Colegio Inmaculada. Mi momento favorito de la mañana es cuando el profesor sale de la clase. ¡Los chicos se vuelven loquísimos! Tiran borradores, piezas de tiza, sillas y mesas. Y, a veces, ellos escogen a un estudiante que les moleste a todos y le atrapan. Sin que se de cuenta, de atrás alguien lo inmoviliza y luego los demás lo encierran para molestarlo.

A pesar de los contrastes, me gusta la pequeña comunidad. Todos los profesores son simpáticos. Es un sistema particular.

 

Los chicos del curso de Ciencias Naturales con la profesora geografía.

 

El festejo de cumpleaños de Marilyn, la profesora de biología.

by Jordan Brewer '10

escrito por Tommy Williams '11
 
A los Argentinos les encanta la fiesta. Todos los fines de la semana se puede ver gente en boliches y fiestas a las dos de la mañana. La vida de la noche empieza usualmente a medianoche para los adolescentes. Durante los fines de semana, una o más fiestas es típico de Santa Fe.

 

Tommy Williams '11, Daniel from Loyola High, Bruno Barnaba Zach Jesberger '11, Bryce Welborn '11, y Ignacio LLapur a una fiesta

  
Mientras estaba en Argentina, yo fui a una disco y dos fiestas. La disco o boliche empezó a las dos de la mañana en Ruinas. Fue muy divertido, yo bailé mucho con los otros estudiantes de los Estados Unidos, los hermanos de intercambio, y otro amigos que viven en Argentina. Hubo música popular como reggaeton y cumbia en la disco que son excelentes para bailar. La disco fue un buen lugar para conocer más gente de Santa Fe.
 
Fui con Pedro el dieciocho al cumple de un chico. Tuve un buen tiempo con Pedro, Guille, Karl, Bryce, y Jordan. Karl, Guille, Pedro, y yo llegamos a las once de la noche y pasamos el tiempo bailando y hablamos con las chicas de Argentina. ¡Fue una noche excelente! 
 
Anoche, hubo una fiesta en la casa de Pedro para el cumple de su perro, Pampa (¡Bromeando!). Fue un fiesta muy diferente porque el DJ, Guillermo, puso música como Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Black Eyed Peas, y otros de los Estados Unidos. La fiesta empezó a las once y terminó a las cuatro de la mañana. Karl tuvo muy buenos movimientos en la pista de baile.

DJ Guille

 
La comida de las fiestas es semejante a la de los Estados Unidos. Hay muchos snacks como papas fritas, chizitos, y pochoclo. A veces hay sándwiches o pan, pero depende de la fiesta.  Para bebidas, usualmente hay Coca, Sprite, Levite, y a veces agua.  ¡Es una buen idea comer antes de ir a una fiesta!
 
En Argentina cuando los parientes se reúnen, hay muchas fiestas. Según Pedro, cuando su tía regresa a Argentina de España toda la familia se reúne y tiene un buen tiempo para toda la semana.
 
¡Si vas a visitar Santa Fe o vives acá, debes estar listo para noches de fiestas fantasticas! 
 
escrito por Tommy Williams '11

 

 

By Max Gaynor ´11

Mate es una de las cosas que se pueden ver solamente en America del Sur.  Los nativos fueron el primer grupo que usaron el mate para tomar.  Los nativos creían que mate es bueno para la salud, y muy rico. 

Cuando los españoles llegaron a Argentina, los españoles que vivían alredor de Paraná empezaron a usar el mate.  Las personas de Argentina todavía creyeron el mismo de los nativos. Hoy muchos estudios dice que mate es muy bueno para la salud, porque mate tiene antioxidantes y dicha substancia ayuda en el combate de radicales libres. 

Muchas personas toman mate cada día, por la mañana y durante el día.  Mate es disfrutado a todos, y cuando un grupo esta juntos, el mate está pasado por todos.  Las personas toman un vaso (el vaso es chiquito), y el vaso es llenado por un termo.  Después del vaso se ha llenado, es pasado a la próxima persona. 

Se toma mate con un sorbete de metal, se llama, una bombilla, en un vaso especial con madera al dentro, y madera o metal por lo general.  Muchas vasos son cubiertos con cuero también. 

Mi Propio Vaso de Mate

Mate es una de las cosas que siempre se ve en Argentina, y es solamente posible probar el mate en America del Sur.

por Bryce Welborn '11

 

La primera vez qué alguien me habló del boliche Las Ruinas, yo no podía esperar para ir. Cada día durante mis clases en el colegio, todo el mundo me preguntó, "¿Vas al boliche el fin de semana?" Yo estuve muy emocionado toda la semana.

Afuera de Las Ruinas...

Finalmente, era sábado; el día de ir al boliche había llegado. Me gustaba el tema del boliche. Al llegar, yo vi que las paredes parecían a unas ruinas, que estuvieron rotas. Fuimos a dentro  y yo vi más paredes como las que estaban afuera. Las Ruinas tenía dos espacios para bailar y el segundo era más grande que el primero. Como el tema, el cielo era de muchos ladrillos y era muy similar a unas calles afuera.

 

A Bryce Welborn '11 y sus nuevos amigos les gustaron la música y el boliche.

Después de hacer mis observaciones, la música empezó. La música era tan fuerte que no pude entender la letra (y porque la letra de cada canción era en español también). La manera que bailamos era muy diferente de la manera que bailamos normalmente en las fiestas y las danzas en los Estados Unidos. Los argentinos nos enseñaron cómo actualmente con la música y su ritmo diferente. Los dos tipos de baile que nos enseñaron se llaman "cumbia" y "salsa". Era una buena oportunidad para aprender qué significa ser una parte de la cultura de los adolescentes de Santa Fe.

 

por Bryce Welborn '11

by John Christ '11

por Juan Christo '11

Cuando pensé sobre las clases en Argentina antes de venir, tenía una idea my diferente. Pensé que los estudiantes de Immaculada serían muy obedientes. Son buenos estudiantes pero son locos siempre. Al principio de la clase, todos los estudiantes de levantan por la profesora. Algunos estudiantes no se levantan y la profesora espera para empezar la clase hasta que todos los estudiantes se levantan.  Todos los estudiantes trabajan buscan una buena silla blaca y un escritorio.

 

Los estudiantes se levantan cuando el profesoro llega.

La atmósfera de la clase es muy diferente de una clase de Brophy. una clase puede ir para casi dos horas. Entonces, los estudiantes controlan la clase y es muy fuerte. Nadie tiene las computadoras y los profesores tampoco. Las clases son muy aburidas para mí porque todas las personas hablan muy rápido y entiendo muy poco nada.

 

 

 

Las profesoras no vienen a la clase entonces nosotros esperamos por veinte minutos para un profesor. 

Mi experiencia en la escuela ha sido única y he aprendido muchas cosas sobre la cultura de los estudiantes y de la Nación.

John Christ '11

Before I left for Argentina I promised many people that I might write a song while on my trip.  The first half of my trip I had little progress toward a top seller but then something amazing happened. I got sick.

At first, I did my best to play it off as food poisoning, but when things got just too bad, I had to give in and see a doctor. 

It is one thing to have doctors talking in ¨doctor talk¨ in front of you in English, but it is a whole different story when it comes to doctors speaking Spanish. 

I was blessed in the sense that all the doctors that I saw that day were friends of Immaculada. The first doctor was in fact, was the principle's son. 

After visiting a second doctor, who happened to be Alumni of the school here in Santa Fe, I was told through rough translations and facial expressions from my host mother that I needed to have my appendix taken out that night.

Wow. Beats food poisoning I guess.

Next thing I knew I was laying on an Argentinean hospital bed waiting for two syringes to be stuck into my behind.  Here in Argentina I have mastered the art of going with the flow, and that is exactly what I had to do that night. 

After the shots I was then told to shower with a special soap before my X-ray.  As the two men giving me an X-ray asked my questions about cuss words in English, I had to tell myself to relax and just go with the flow.

As the clock struck 9:20pm I was laying on the operating table with my left arm strapped to the side and a needle in my forearm.  The anesthesia traveled up my arm with a sensation like no other. The last thing I remember is the doctor turning on the futbol game... then it was all in their hands.

Filled with an odd feeling of anticipation and confusion as I boarded the elevator before the operation.

 

Blah blah blah blah blah!!! That is all I heard when waking up from the operation.  Still drugged up, I was in a state of raw confusion.  All I could do was make a mean face and hope for an end to loud ringing coming from the room.

Always suspicious of the man who put holes in my stomach.

My host mother Andrea stayed by my side the entire night, sleeping on a cot that just maybe could have been 200 years old. 

When the morning finally came I was still in pain and I had a tube sticking out of my stomach.

As I finally made my way out of the hospital feeling like an old man, I had time to think about my experience.  I thought, wow, I never thought that I would ever go through something like

that...in a foreign country. 

Alittle helado makes all my worries run away!

Then, I thought about my song.  I couldn't think of any high level poetry but I did think of the possible title. 

"I Left My Appendix in Argentina."

John Christ '11

 

Por: Jake Steffens ´12

Cuando pienso en las canchas de fútbol cinco, de los Estados Unidos, veo que son muy diferentes a las canchas de Argentina. En la cancha de fútbol cinco solamente cinco jugadores pueden jugar en cada equipo. La cancha es la mitad de una cancha regular. Pero es muy especial porque la cancha se queda en un bar. Cuando camina dentro del bar de la calle, hay un bar, pero atrás del bar, hay la cancha, y a veces hay dos canchas. La primera vez que fui a un fútbol cinco, no sabía como iba a ser. Creí que iba a ser una cancha afuera con césped. Pero me sorprendí cuando caminábamos dentro de un bar de la calle. La cancha era de césped artificial. Los amigos de mi hermano Argentino, Joaquín, estaban jugando. Cuando llegamos, yo me sentía un poco tímido porque jugaron muy buenos. También en otros futbol cincos estuvieron en patios de recreo para niños, y otras canchas eran más grandes. Después de jugar, los perdedores tenían que pagar por el tiempo. Gane tres veces, y perdí tres veces cuando he jugado en el pasado. Cuesta siete pesos cada persona.

            Los futbol cincos son muy especiales de Argentina. Típicamente, se puede jugar los fines de semana o durante la semana. Juega con amigos y es muy divertido.  Si voy a Argentina otra vez, voy a ir a un fútbol cinco sin duda. No me lo voy a olvidar nunca.

Por: Jake Steffens ´12

Por Andrew Anderson

     El horario típico al Colegio Inmaculada es muy diferente de un horario de Brophy. En Brophy, tenemos siete clases, y seis clases al día. Los alumnos del Colegio en Santa Fe normalmente tienen tres clases al día y solamente van a la escuela desde las 7:40 hasta las 12:45. Una otra manera que las escuelas son diferentes es en el Colegio Inmaculada, los estudiantes tienen un curso con una especialidad de materia. Hay cuatro cursos en la escuela: Economía y Gestión de las Organizaciones; Humanidades (ciencias sociales); Biología (ciencias naturales); y Comunicación, Arte, y Diseño. Los alumnos tienen unas clases de su especialidad además de las clases normalmente.

 

Los estudiantes norteamericanos hablando durante recreo, una parte importante del horario del Colegio Inmaculada

 

     En el Colegio Inmaculada, los profesores mueven alrededor de las clases y los estudiantes se quedan en una clase. En los estados Unidos, en Brophy, todos los alumnos tienen un horario único, pero en el Colegio Inmaculada, todos los estudiantes del mismo curso tienen el mismo horario.

 

Tabajando en clase

 

Por Andrew Anderson

Por Zach Jesberger '11

Tocino, salchichas, huevos, y panqueques son partes de un desayuno tìpico Estadoudinese.  Me encantan los desayunos grandes de Los Estados Unidos, pero acà, en Argentina, me enseñaron otra manera para desayunar.  Todas las mañanas, me levanto y cuando Yo abro la puerta, ya puedo oler el cafè con leche.  Entonces, me visto y bajo las escaleras, y me siento a la mesa.  Yo remuevo el cafè con leche con una cucharadita y saco una tostada.  Siempre hay mermelada de durazno, porque este tipo parece ser el favorito de Argentina.  Mis hermanos Argentinos y Yo ponemos un poco manteca y mermelada en las tostada y las comemos.  Las tostadas son pequeñas, pero todavìa comemos solamemte 3 o 4 de esas.  Despuès de comer 1 o 2 tostadas, el cafè con leche està listo para beber.  Cuando el sabor riquìsimo tocca mi lengua me siento màs despierto y listo para el dìa.  Para mi, no hay algo mejor que cafè con leche por la mañana.  A veces, Yo como cereales con leche o una medialuna (croissant), pero por lo general, los desayunos Argentinos son pequeños.  Estos desayunos pequeños son muy ricos y me dieron una vista nueva del desayuno.

Por Zach Jesberger '11

by Bryce Welborn '11

Although religious beliefs were present since the earliest inhabitants of Argentina arrived, prominent religions did not appear in modern day Argentina until the late fifteenth century in the Incan Empire. Pagan beliefs in the Incan Empire quickly began to dominate northwestern Argentina with the expansion of the empire. Not long after, in 1516, the first Europeans arrived, and with them came Catholoicism. From then on, where ever Spanish explorers went in Argentina, they took with them priests and began to spread Christianity.

Most of the spread of Christian beliefs in what is now Argentina was not very peaceful, as beliefs were forced upon las indígenas (the natives). This was not always the case though, especially when it comes to the missionaries of the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits established many missions and protected the native Guaraní people from slave-hunters and other dangerous Europeans while at the same time converting over 200,000 Guaraní to Catholocism.

 

As one of the earliest missions established in the region, San Ignacio Miní Mission has been standing tall for centuries.

            Nowadays, Roman Catholocism is by far the most predominant religion in the country; almost 90% of the population identify themselves as católico. Of the near 10% that are not Catholic, most people are part of some Christianity based religión.

Argentina has the largest Jewish population in all of Latin America at about 230,000. The population of Jewish people (judíos) has fluctuated greatly since the years following World War II; at that point, Argentina's Jewish population was the third largest in the world. Islam is also present in Argentina, but mostly not found outside of Buenos Aires.

In Santa Fe, I have realized a few differences in regards to religion between here and home. Two Sundays ago, I went to a misa (mass) at the church next to the school. When we arrived, (a little late) I walked in to see every pew full and people lining the walls. I saw that most people were not especially dressed up, something that I have not seen at services in Phoenix. I initially thought that people here were more casual and relaxed in their practice, but I quickly learned that this is not the case.

 

Max Gaynor '11, Jake Steffens '12, and Zach Jesberger '11 proudly pose before a freshly painted church on the island of Alto Verde.

 

In a conversation with my brother Ignacio, I found out that he goes to church on a regular basis and feels very close to God. While driving around town, I have seen on many occasions Ignacio and Bruno cross themselves whenever we pass by a church. After all my observations on religion in Santa Fe, I am curious to find out how my Argentine brothers view our religious practices in the United States.

by Bryce Welborn '11

 

By Karl Heiland ´10

Music is the most timeless of all languages. From Homo habilis banging sticks together in the African highlands to your aunt Lisa listening to Duran Duran on the elliptical trainer; we all have a natural inclination towards rhythm and harmony.

Without failure, one of the first questions I am asked upon meeting a new person here is, ¨¿Qué tipo de música te gusta?,¨ or, ¨What type of music do you like?¨ The importance of this question reveals a truth that is often lost on the iPod generation: music is as much a social form as it is an artistic one.

Earlier in the trip, I was lucky enough to have one of the most memorable musical and cultural experiences of my life at a boliche, or dance club. A mystical aura of perfume and smoke hung over a dance floor full of teenagers passionately throwing themselves into the predominant form of popular music, reggaetón. Close to twenty years ago, this music was born in urban Panama. Combining fast Latin dance beats with a mixture of singing and rapping, this genre has become an important part of South American youth culture.

Even with my basic Spanish abilities, it is easy to get the gist of these songs by knowing a few key phrases. There are the break-up songs, which make great use of the word mentirosa, or liar; there are the love songs, which use the phrases te amo or te quiero, meaning I love you, anywhere from ten to fifty times; and then there are the straight-up dance songs, which inevitably include a section with the word ¡baile! (dance) being shouted.

Dance fever

One of the most obvious differences between the U.S. and Argentina is our ability in the art of, to use an anthropological term, ¨groove.¨ As opposed to what is seen at most high schools in the U.S., the teenage dancing of Argentina is a little ¨breed¨ and a little more ¨dance¨ (see Mr. Johnson for a more complex look into the phenomenon of ¨booty-dancing¨). After a few hours on the floor, I began to really get a feel for the music as well as the way that people were moving. Imagine James Brown raised by a group of traveling Salsa dancers and you have a pretty good idea of what it looked like. At close to six in the morning, we were thoroughly exhausted and decided to take a taxi back home.

As someone who is known to dabble in the art of ¨jazz,¨ another fascinating thing I have learned more about in Argentina is bossa nova. In the late 50s to the early 60s, this music was created in Brazil, and has since become popular throughout South America.

On a mellow Sunday evening, my host family decided to give me a tour of a neighboring city, Entre Rios. The city is full of green, gently-rolling hills, and as the name suggests, it is surrounded by rivers. High above the water, people sit on half-walls overlooking the gray and blue waters. Groups of hundreds flock for the sole purpose of sitting and following the sun´s purple path over the somber scenery.

While taking in this sight, my ears were taking in the sounds of bossa nova from the car´s stereo on full volume. Immediately, I felt how perfectly suited the music was for the surroundings. The warm chords of the guitar and piano were the purple and orange sunset, warm and nostalgic. The samba rhythm kept perfect time with the mopeds and stray dogs dodging through cars and crowds. After a sight like this, you feel like it´s a crime that most people in the United States will never care to go south of Rocky Point.


Sundown at Entre Rios

By: Zach Jesberger '11

After arriving in Argentina during our 5 hour bus ride to Santa Fe, we stopped at a gas station.  I immediately thought it would be cool to check out what kind of snack food fills the gas stations of Argentina. After walking around, seeing various candies, sandwiches, and empanadas (authentic Argentine hot pockets), I grabbed a drink and was ready to pay when I saw at the cash register 20 different types of what I thought were brownies.  I decided to get one and that was how I stumbled upon the epidemic of Alfajores.

 

There are numerous different types of Alfajores, double-decker, double chocolate, even Oreo, but the generic Alfajor consists of two thin, circular brownies, with a layer of Dulce de Leche between them.  Back in the states, there are some Dulce de Leche-flavored sweets, but that flavor doesn't compare with the thick, rich, Argentine Dulce de Leche.

 

A few days later, we had just eaten dinner at my host family's house, and were enjoying watching the provocative show "Casi Angeles," when my host mother brought in some sweets wrapped in small, white packages for each of us.  I learned that Santa Fe is famous for their own type of Alfajores, Alfajores SantaFesinos.  Instead of brownies, these have a base of a thin type of bread or pastry, with a thick center of Dulce de Leche, and are covered in Meringue, a sugary, white glaze.

There are many different brands of Alfajores, but the SamtaFesinos are by far the most popular in Santa Fe.

 

I learned that these are actually very similar to the original Alfajores, which originated in Spain, and the brownie kind are pretty far from the original.  The biggest difference is that the Spanish Alfajores were filled with Mermelada (jelly), but the Argentines replaced this with their sacred Dulce de Leche.  As the name suggests, Alfajores SantaFesinos originated in Santa Fe.  These also came before the brownie type, but now are only popular in the cities of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires. 

The unbelievably rich Dulce de Leche is the hidden treasure that the Argentines added to make their Alfajores unique.

 

As for the history of these, they were introduced in one of the most important yearsin Argentine history: 1853.  In this year Convencionales (representatives) from each of the 22 states of Argentina traveled to Santa Fe to sign the Constitución Nacional.  What better time to introduce an amazing new snack food than the signing of your country's constitution?  When all was said and done, each of the Convencionales received a gift bag that, among other things, contained Alfajores SantaFesinos.  These were to give to their wives, girlfriends, and children, and to always remember their days in Santa Fe.

 

As far as I know, no snack food of the United States has such a rich history, or is so important in the forming of the country as Alfajores are for Argentina.  Since our country has been formed for over 200 years now, we probably won't get a snack food that is rooted in our history like this, but we can always hope.  As for me, I'm  just trying to find the cheapest company that will ship a truckload of these back to Arizona for us to forever enjoy. 

By: Zach Jesberger '11

By: Jake Steffens ´12

When one travels to another country, it is going to be really hard to fit in if they dont know what they are saying. When i first got here, i thought i was going to be able to carry on a conversation pretty well. But it turns out the Argentines have a language of their own. A language within a language. It is their slang. There is not only slang but different ways to say things.

It can be as simple as changing the word "chicas" to "minas," which really threw me off. Or from saying "Cómo Andas" instead of "Cómo estas." Because saying Cómo estas is somehting like speaking in old english to them. Teens translate cómo estas to something like "How are you on this fine day."

Probably the most spoken words that i have heard here are the words "Che Boludo!" It seems like Argentines cannot get through a sentence without using these two words. The translation literally means "Hey Jerk!" But it is basically used to say "Hey, Dude." you  can say either one be itself. The best example to show you how much this is used is by this book:
 
What the man is doing in this photo is a hand motion that is unique to here. It signifies "What the heck does that mean?" It is one of many hang signals that they use here. Others can mean "you are scared" and "Its all good." 
There are also many other words and phrases that are different in Argentina. Some of the most prominant are:

Minas- girls (i asked a couple of boys to translate this word into english and they all said "chicks.")

Fachero- Sweet talker (James Bond would be a Fachero)

Copado- cool

Genial- great (there are many ways of saying "great, or "cool" here)

Bichero- Guy who likes ugly girls (The boys here say that this word is not supposed to be used as an insult. It is used between friends and is not suppoosed to be used against someone else to tear down their feelings)  

Guacho- It means a little boy.

Croto- This word literally means a homeless person. But they use it between friends also to describe if a guy wears scraggly clothes. Or if he acts out of the ordinary.

Rompebolas- At first i didnt think i could put this in my blog but the boys from argentina say that it is not a bad word at all. The meaning in english is used for calling someone really annoying. But it litterally means that someone is a ball breaker.

Cheto- this word is used to describe a person who is flashy and wears stylish clothing.
(for instance: Me and Pedro were at the mall and we saw a boy with a neon green shirt on and silver shoes. Pedro immediately said "Qué cheto." I asked him what it meant and he said it basically meant that that person was a Flogger. Those are the kids who tipically like to wear those kinds of clothes."

Toda la honda- It means everythings good! No problems! But youwouldnt say this to a teacher if you were a student. It is mainly used between teenagers.  

In Argentina, the language is quite different than most of the other spanish speaking countries. When i asked my host brother if they used most of the words here in other countries, and he said that they only used them in the neighboring country of Uruguay, It is a very unique country as you can tell already, and most of the time you have to ask about words you dont understand. They might not be in the dicitonary.

By: Jake Steffens ´12  

by Jordan Brewer ´10

Throughout the past few years, I have had the privilege and opportunity to travel around the globe as a young man. When I travel, I like to consider immersion into the national sport as a vital element of my journey. The national sport of a country often tells you alot about the culture of the people. In many countries, a sport like soccer is a passionate part of life that is shared by the majority.

 

When you look at sport in Argentina, you would naturally assume that the national sport is soccer, or ´´fútbol``, because of stars such as Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona (hand of god). But, its not soccer. It`s Pato.

 

´´El Pato`` (the duck), is like a hybrid between polo and basketball. Originally, a player would ride on a horse with the objective to bring a basket that would contain a duck back to his ´´casco`` (ranch house). The basket was placed between two ´´estancias`` (ranches), and the first team to bring the duck back to their ´´casco`` would win.

 

Although Pato has been played in Argentina since 1610, it has not always been the national sport of the people. The game was banned multiple times due to the violent nature of the players. ´´Los jugadores`` (the players) were brutal to one another and would often engage in knife fights during the match. Accordingly, the game was banned throughout the 19^th century by the Argentine government and frowned upon by the Catholic church.

 

In the 1930`s, Pato was brought back as a tolerable sport by a ranch owner named Alberto del Castillo Posse. Castillo Posse changed the game by setting a new set of rules (polo based), and by adding three new elements to a match. Two 8ft poles with 3ft diameters set at opposite ends of the field, a leather ball with 6 handles (16 in. diameter) to replace the duck and field regulations (about 218.75 yd x 92.5 yd). President Juan Perón declared the new Pato to be the national sport of Argentina in 1953.

 

A brief look at Pato in action with some basic information on the game (above).

 

Pato seems like a special game on its own, but the ´´guachos`` are what truly make the game fantastic. When we went to ´´el campo`` (countryside) and to the Guacho Presentation at Colegio Inmaculada, it was apparent to me that after hundreds of years these people have acquired fantastic skill sets to accommodate their life styles.

 

During our trip to ´´el campo``,  the guachos stood in a large ring like area with ten or so cows running around them. They were extremely proficient with their lassos and made it look easy (I`m sure the truth is quite the contrary).

 

I think every country needs a national sport, however popular or un-popular it might be. At the end of the day, the traditional Spanish roots of Pato should be something that every Argentinian should be proud of and cherish as their own.

 

 

The six-handled leather modern Pato ball (above).

 

by Jordan Brewer ´10 

 

 

 

by Brandon Blair '10

Everywhere you go you are surrounded by music in Argentina. As I walk down the street, i hear the the sound of up beat drums from a reggaeton track coming from inside a busy Panaderia. I see a car drive by with a giant, ancient speaker attached to the top with rope playing the latest Argentina pop hits. Music is a part of everyone´s life in Argentina. I have witnessed many forms of music since i dove into the rich culture of Argentina 13 days ago.

I first saw the importance of music in the culture at the lunch table. Everyday, after we pray, The Argentine students break out into song. For the longest time i couldn´t quite figure out why they would always start singing. Then i really listened and noticed that this song was actually a prayer. Everyday the students bless the food they are about to eat with a Cancion (song).

Music crept up on me again when i was sitting at home reading. Pablo came in and asked me if i wanted to go to Orquesta (Orchestra) with him. My brother is a phenomenal Fagot (Bassoon) player. Pablo´s younger brother Santiago plays the Oboe as well. The Orchestra was filled with talented musicians. This was the second time that music emerged as an important medium in Argentina.

On a saturday night, music can be found easily. Just head to one of the many Boliches (Night Clubs) around town. You walk past and you hear pop and reggaeton music... and continue to hear it until you are three or four blocks away. Music feeds into another form of entertainment in Argentina, dancing.

The next event convinced me that music was a very special thing to the people of Argentina. After a long day on the Campo (countryside), we all stopped and took a break. We circled up and the Argentine boys began to sing songs. They began to play guitar as well to accompany them. It seemed like every boy knew how to play at least one song on the guitar, as they passed the guitar around the circle.

Colegio Inmaculada developed a presentation for us about Folk music in Argentina. This was a fantastic event. I learned about the different kinds of music specific to certain regions of Argentina. I found it amazing that each region had its own twist when they played the guitar. Many different men played beautiful folk songs on the guitar from the many regions of Argentina. There was always a different way of picking,strumming, hitting and utilizing the guitar to produce that region´s effect. We learned about the importance of the drum, and that many instruments are made out of fruit. The accordian is also an instrument that is utilized in cultural songs.  

Teachers, Alumni, and current students of the Muscial Arts program at Colegio Inmaculada perform a cultural song.

 

Zach Jesberger ´11 shows everyone in the audience his ability to play the drum during the folk music presentation.

I am convinced that music is a crucial part to everyone´s day in Argentina. Whether you are sayign a prayer, dancing in a club, driving to work, or performing in the orchestra, music is cherished and valued in Argentine society. Im glad I have been able to witness such a rich culture and their array talented musicians.

by Brandon Blair '10

by Andrew Anderson ´10

Seven pages of Circe, a short story by prolific Argentinean author Julio Cortázar, sit before me. Book 10 of the Odyssey is open on the computer and my Spanish Grammar book is dog-eared in countless places as my hair is slowly being pulled out at the thought of the approximately 459 Verb tenses I don´t know. I have to read it by the next day for my 5^th Course Literature class with a focus on Classics; although it is unlike any classics course I have ever been in.

Tommy Williams ´11 and Jake Steffens ´12 enjoy some light reading

     The tenet of the class is to read a classic, such as Antigone or the Odyssey, and then a rendition of that myth by a contemporary Argentinean author. For example

Leopoldo Marechal´s story Antígona Vélez, in which the classical story of Antigone by Sophocles is given a modern Argentinean political rewrite. Cortázar takes the character of Circe from book 10 of the Odyssey and puts her as a normal girl in a modern context.

Naturally I was intrigued by Latin American authors´ seeming fascination with the classics, and rewriting them within the context of Latin America. This interesting idea, which seems to me to be unique to Latin America, or at least exaggerated in the region, led me to do some research in the Latin American Boom. This is the group of authors who wrote from roughly the late 1950´s to the 1970´s. Hemingway called the post WW1 expatriates ``The Lost Generation´´ but the title more aptly refers to this generation of Latin American authors, they were an ``orphan literary generation, without a Latin American father of influence.´´

Thinking back to my instructions from the great Mr. J.T. Danforth, we as United Stateans have received our literary history from the British. However the Latin American Boom was literally a new creation, before this few Latin American authors were even considered in discussions on literature; however authors like Cortázar and Gabriel García Márquez (of One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera fame) are now part of the Western Literary Canon.

These writers had an interest in classics, and rewriting them, because it was seen as a way of creating a unique Latin American mythic and cultural narrative, something that had failed to exist before. The Greeks had their myths, their start of civilization, and the authors of the Latin American Boom realized that the New World needed that as well.

The perspective of an ``orphaned´´ Latin America made me realize the power of novels in forming how we think about our country. I remember how Mark Twain and Herman Melville are so crucial in creating a national identity; I also give a little shudder for Twilight. To fully understand a culture, we are lost without knowing its origins, how it thinks about itself. So those seven pages were the most grueling, difficult seven pages of my life, but perhaps we might consider the countless countries that are just waiting to be written.

 

Brophy students go on a quest for cultural narratives

by Andrew Anderson ´10

by Tommy Williams '11

 

Santa Fe has an amazing array of architecture, most prominently the Baroque styles of la Casa de Gobierno (The Government House), built from 1908 to 1915 by architect Francisco Ferrari. La Casa de Gobierno features massive, awe-inspiring columns and its sheer size makes you feel miniscule if you ever walk through the Plaza Mayo. It's a building of mixed descent, from both French and Italian origin. It embodies the old style of the architecture in Santa Fe, the ideas of the immigrants put into action.

 

Residential areas are very mixed in architectural style. From the neighborhood that I live in, there are many distinct styles. Pedro's house is a new and white modernistic house, whereas the house directly across is an older yellow building from around the 1950's made from ladrillos (bricks). All around the residential areas there is a mix of both styles and costs, as you see many larger house with lawns and fences next to smaller buildings in a worse condition.

 

In the non-residential areas all the buildings are cobbled together, making a mesh of both new and old. The new skyscrapers of brick and cement tower over the older edificios (buildings). The groupings of stores show the diversity of the city. A new sports store sits next to an older ferreterìa (hardware store). This is common throughout the city, as there is no real grouping of specific buildings, except in el centro (outside shopping mall).

 

The pride and joy of the people in Santa Fe is the Puente Colgante (Suspension Bridge). It's a massive red suspension bridge, much like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It was originally constructed in 1921 in the place of another bridge to cross the Setùbal Laguna (Setùbal Lake). It broke in 1983 due to a inundaciòn (flood) and was reconstructed in 2001, integrating much of the past elements that were previously used.

El Puente Colgante

 

 

Skyline of Santa Fe 

La Casa de Gobierno

by Tommy Williams '11

By Max Gaynor ´11

I found myself, in the first weeks of the Intercambio (exchange), in a small cafe in the center of town.  Juan, Brandon, and I were enjoying a cup of cafe con leche (coffe with milk) and a snack, a common practice in Argentina.  At the time I was talking with Juan and Brandon about how good the food was, surprised by the freshness.



An Argentine Snack

I have noticed over the past ten days that all the food in Argentina is a lot fresher than that in the U.S.  It seems to me that more fresh, local ingredients are used in the making of everything I eat. 

Everything in the U. S. is processed, and full of preservatives and dyes and all sorts of unnatural things.  I found that everything I´ve had here that is fresh is much better, no surprise.  Don´t misunderstand, there are plenty of candies and things like that that are completely artificial as well, but compared to the way it is back home nothing is artificial.

I have gathered from talking to people here that everything, such as what we were eating at the cafe here, is made fresh.  If it sits for even a day it is thrown away, this is quite the contrast from us buying potato chips that have been sitting on a shelf for months, or any other food that´s so unnaturally package and preserved. 

Even the fruit here is fresher, as compared to the farm grown, wax covered fruit we have in the U. S. which is genetically altered to be big and flavorless.  For example, the orange juice that I drink most of the time here is delivered every week and it is fresh squeezed.  This orange juice is better than ANY orange juice you can buy in the U. S.  All of the fruit here is fresh, when bought and used. 



Fresh Fruit

Overall, I think that it must be healthier eating in the fresh and natural fashion that I have been in Argentina, rather than eating all the unnatural ingredients of processed foods.  I think that there would almost surely be less weight problems in the U. S. if Estadaunidenses (United States Citizens) ate more fresh foods and less processed foods.  

By Max Gaynor ´11

John Christ '11

As I sat, eating my eggs at the breakfast table, I was bombarded with glares of contemplation and confusion...I was eating EGGS in the MORNING! The people of Argentina, including my host family, eat their eggs for dinner.

Suddenly, it was time to go.  Andrea, my host mother, hurried to grab her mate (traditional tea of Argentina) cup and get out the door.

We had a 45 miunute drive ahead of us. With the sun on the ascent, we drove down the freeway at speeds I am not comfortable with my mom knowing. After getting lost once, we finnaly arrvied at el campo.

I was greeted with the smell of cowpies and dust, and i suddenly felt very at home.  I ran to find the entrance of the corral to get closer to the action.

What action, right?

The Argentinan Cowboys (Los Gauchos) were in the process of branding and castrating the bulls that numbered in the 40´s.

Filled with amazment and anticipation i plunged into the arena.  First thing i see- an angry brown/white bull running franticly around me.  One of the men asked if i wanted to mark a cow, and i just couldnt say no.

The smell of burning cow hide and hot blood penetrated my senses.

Though branding 3 cows that day made me feel so very manly, i soon learned in more depth about what and who a true Gaucho really is.

As we all gathered and sat around the sound of the guitar, I learned of the traditions of the cowboys through song. 

A verse from an old Gaucho narrative reads as follows...

Los hermanos sean unidos

Porque esa es la ley primera...

This translates roughly to a meaning of...

Brothers must stay together

Becasue this is the first law [of a Gaucho]...

When i heard this I found it to have a lot of meaning.  I had woken up that morning feeling alittle out of place in this culture and life style. I felt as if my culture and the culture of Argentina differed so much before I heard this. 

We listen to different music, eat different foods at differnet times of day, we drive differntly but we are the same in the end.  I felt a connection with the people of el campo. This feeling stood out to me. The feeling of brotherhood and friendship among strangers is like nothing else. 

I left that day very full and satisfied.  On the ride home, I came to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what we eat in the morning or at night, or how fast we drive.  What really matters is what we, as humans, share.  

 John Christ '11

By: Brandon Blair '10

I often find myself pondering why i cant seem to remember what day it is in Argentina. Besides the fact that my biological clock has been smashed from the 30 hour travel day and a drastic change in lifestyle, there are many reasons why i find it hard to remember what day it is. The general reason is in Argentina, the lifestyle for a teenager is one of relaxation and socialization.

When I am in Arizona, I feel like life moves at 100 miles per hour ( or approximately 166 kilometers per hour). You rush from class to class at school, stumbling to find your english book that you forgot at home because you woke up late. You forget you lost it because you didnt have a sufficient breakfast due to waking up late. This may be a slight exaggeration but the point is life moves quickly in the United States.

After school people are off to their sports teams or clubs, their jobs or their homework. Life in Argentina is much different. I wake up in the morning and have a cup of coffee while preparing myself for the day. Pablo and I leave the house and begin our 10 block walk to school. We stop at a friends house and talk about yesterdays activities. We all arrive at school and casually head to our first period class.

At 12:40 pm school ends and we walk home with friends to eat lunch with the family. Everyone shares stories about the day and talks about what they are going to do with the rest of their day. You can go out with friends for a bite to eat, head to the Centro (centre) to do some shopping, or head to the pitch and play a game of futbol (soccer for those in the United States). You can even choose to have a ciesta (rest) after lunch. When i am in Arizona, I can barely find time to think let alone find time to take a nice relaxing nap. Sometimes during the week i feel like a drone, or a mindless zombie,

going from place to place. In Argentina, I can take a breather, relax, and think about what i need to do that day. Everyday in Argentina could be a Saturday. This is why I still wake up, puzzled, reaching for my school calendar to find out what day it is.

By: Brandon Blair '10 

Andrew Anderson ´10

Sitting in a panadería outside the college early on Friday night, only around 10:30, I frantically try to look up what in the world I had for dessert last night (zapallo en almibar for your information, which is delicious, its pumpkin in sugar, anyway alas this is a tangent) after God only knows how many coffees, I look up to a few kisses on the cheek from several girls. I give up on explaining the dessert and step outside to mingle with the 20 or so students outside saying goodbye to Amelia, who works at the panadería (to give you an idea of how much coffee I´ve been drinking, yes I do already know her name). Outside it is a bit chilly, something I haven´t really gotten used to yet, so I tighten the scarf tied around my neck (yes a scarf in June!!!). Ahh more kisses and attempts to explain field hockey to Americans along with discussions of the Hand of God (just Google it) make the conversation flow easily, but we have to rise early in the morning to go to the campo. We say our goodbyes and the crowd begins to break up. Several begin a walk to the centro (or downtown shopping-esque area), Others take the bus to some party or in our case home. No one drives. In Argentina you have to be 18 to drive a car. Something we take for granted in Phoenix is the ability to go somewhere, and you parents not having to pick your kid up and drive them to the middle of nowhere/some kids house in North-North Scottsdale. But with the ability to drive 45 minutes to school, we also lose something. We lose the ability to all go grab a coffee and danish in the middle of the night together. Gone is the neighborhood aspect that comes with everyone being able to walk to school.

 

 

Imagine that, hanging out because we don´t live 2 hours apart

 

Maybe what I am awestruck most by is the sense of community. I mean Brophy has community and brotherhood like no other, trust me I know that, but there is something about living within walking distance of everyone, or at the very most a short trip on the bus that we miss out on. So from now on, I´m walking to North-North Scottsdale, it´ll just be a weekend trip.

Andrew Anderson ´10

By Max Gaynor ´11

This question was probably asked more than once on a beautiful Argentine Saturday afternoon.  This paticular Saturday morning was when we had our trip to "el campo" (the countryside). 

Still having to wake up early, even on the weekends, we left for the countryside around 8 A.M. on June 6th, 2009.  Caravaning across the country, all in separate cars, I was reminded vaguely of the farmland to the West of Phoenix.  Although this land was a bit greener, it bore a resemblance to the endless fields and sparce livestock. 

Argentina is known for it´s leather, it´s largest export, and it´s beef.  Since this was the case I was not too surprised when we arrived at a "yerra" (the event of castration and branding).  As I approached the home made fence of wood and wire, I saw around ten "vaqueros" (the Argentine of cowboys) all swinging lassos above their heads. 

Cattle were let into the pen of vaqueros from an adjacent holding pen a few at a time.  Vaqueros, lassos at the ready,  tried to snag the "vacas" (cows) by anything they could get their lasso on.  Grabbing legs by the one and twos and sometimes even a neck, cows went sprawling, sliding, and occasionally flipping.  Once the cows had been roped, they were wrestled to the ground by multiple men.  The cows were held down, once on the ground, and had to be kept in place by at least four men. 

After administering vaccinations to the subdued cow, it was time for a brand.  The searing hot metal brand was applied to the left flank and after much mooing and the creation of smoke smelling like burnt cow backside, the cow was released into the general population. 

A cow being branded

These cows are kept in a much more natural fashion than those in the U.S., these cattle are grass fed and kept in large fields.  A sharp contrast to the small feed lots in the U.S. beefing cows up (pun not intended) as quickly as possible using corn.  The U.S. method is much more industrious, the Argentine method is much more healthy and natural. 

Another very...natural thing we experienced was the barbacue after the work was done.  This was "asado con cuero"  (barbacue with leather).  In far from a wasteful manner, the chefs utilized a lot of the cow.  The meat was in large chunks, each was literally the side of a cow, hair, skin, and everything.  On top of that there was home made chorizo sausage cooking, and last but not least "criadillas" (bull testacles)! 

After sitting and having a delicious, though slightly hairy, meal; I was sure that U.S. citizens could benefit from the fresh and naturally made Argentine diet.

by Tommy Williams '11

On July 2, 2009 my Zebra mechanical pencil was forcibly taken from me by a ladrón (robber). Here is the epic tale of this occurrence.

At about 1:30 PM, I left Colegio Inmaculada with Pedro and his friend José. It was a new experience walking the streets of Santa Fe for the first time. We went down to the bus office to procure a ten peso ticket for el colectivo (the bus). This went off without a hitch, and we went down to the bus stop. There we waited for about ten minutes all the while talking about our day and our teachers. Our light blue bus, Line 4, pulled up and we got on.

The buses in Santa Fe are a lot different than those in the US. Pedro jokes about them, saying they are extra buses left over from World War II. They are the behemoths of the road, massive Mercedes that don't stop for anything. Each one is a different color, ranging from bright yellow to the baby-blue one that we took. The bus drivers are very intent on doing their job, which means their stops to drop off or pick up new passengers rarely lasts longer than four seconds. You have to have lightning-fast reflexes to jump off in time, or risk getting stuck for another stop. For these reasons, the buses are very fast in reaching their destinations.

Pedro, José and I took the bus for about twenty blocks and then José got off a stops before us. With a customary "Chao", he stepped off and Pedro and I rode to our stop. There we disembarked, and while I was on the last step the bus started moving again, and I almost fell down. After regaining my balance Pedro and I started walking the seven blocks to his house.

We were walking back to Pedro's house at about 2 PM, telling jokes and having a good time when two men on a motorcycle pulled up alongside us. In the blink of an eye, the man on the back jumped off and put Pedro in a headlock. I thought that it was one of Pedro's friends who was a little too physical, but it quickly turned sour. The robber yelled at Pedro, "¡Dame tu teléfono!" (Give me your phone!). Pedro had no chance but to give the robber his cell phone in case he had a concealed weapon. The robber then turned his face towards me saying again, "¡Dame tu teléfono!" (Give me your phone!). His dark brown eyes leered at me, menacing under his bushy unibrow and leathery face. I quickly replied, "¡No lo tengo!" (I don't have it). Desperation and disappointment showed on his face, and he stole my mechanical pencil which was in my hand. They left as quickly as they came, the robber hopping on the back of the waiting motorcycle, and the driver gassed it and they rode off a cell phone and pencil richer.

Right after, a woman came out of the house we were in front of and told Pedro in Castellano that she was robbed as well, an hour before. Pedro and I slowly walked back in shock. At his house we talked to his two brothers, Tomás and Felipe, about the robbery. When Sr. Cabrero came home, he and Pedro talked to the police about what had happened, and that they would keep an eye out. The chances of catching the robbers are low because robbery is a fairly common crime, and there is no way to really catch them. The Great Pencil Robbery is an expericence that I will never forget.

Skylight in the Primary School

by Karl Heiland ´10

We´ve all heard about those San Francisco nights, New York nights, Paris nights, even Queen Creek nights; but what about the Santa Fe nights?  Well ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, when the sun goes down in Argentina, the spirit of love, mystery, and milenesa (fried steak) comes out.


One of the more calm streets of Santa Fe

On one of our first days in Argentina, I recieved a unique introduction to the city not soon to
be forgotten. It was the early evening and my host brother, Guillermo, and I were passing around the mate gourd. Mate is a loose-floating tea that is consumed with a uniquely-shaped cup and a special metal straw. My first impression of the taste was green tea with a pinch of dirt; however, as I write this sentence, my body trembles in anticipation for my next cup. Park benches, the halls of Immaculada... this drink pervades all of Argentina. We were relaxing when Guillermo received a call from a friend who was having a small, impromptu birthday celebration. Donning jackets, we began our walk to this friend´s house. The sidewalks of Argentina are anything but uniform; one minute brick, the next marble tiles. However, it´s not the sidewalks that drew my attention, it was the streets, asphalt canvases of compact cars, buses, motorcycles, and bicycles. Stray dogs are very commonplace, and on one of our walks, we made a friend out of one that enthusiastically hopped alongside us using three legs. At dusk, there is a slight chill in the air that you feel through your sweatshirt and on your cheeks.


Our biggest fan, promised us that he didn´t have rabies

We arrived at Pablo´s house and were greeted by all in attendence. Los hombres de
Argentina greet each other with a customary handshake that is a variation of the ¨Soul Power¨ shake. It has become obvious to me that the exchange group from Brophy was selected based on attractiveness because all of the women that we meet want to give us a kiss on the cheek. Even some men want to kiss us! The group sat around the table and talked about all the regular subjects. The cake was a large brownie covered in dulce de leche, a special carmel sauce. I given questions about the culture of the United States, from Barack Obama to Lady Gaga. After some more cheek-kissing, we went outside to find a cab.

The air had cooled considerably since we had been in. As a result of Santa Fe´s poverty, there is a relative amount of crime; however, the poor can also be benevolent. In one instance, a homeless man found our group to return a warm hat that we had left behind. Just as the cold was starting to make my nose run, Guillermo spotted a cab a block away. We hurriedly opened the door and got inside of this French compact, plastic seat-covered sanctuary. The driver, who looked like a leftover from the Cuban Revolution, greeted us with a customary ¨Ay che,¨and proceeded to fill the cab with pungent ciggarette smoke. It was the perfect carriage for the situation. Looking out the windows, the city was a bittersweet mosaic of life. Buildings that have stood for centuries, profane fútbol graffiti, the poor collecting garbage in horse-drawn carriages, a young couple kissing up against a department store, and a vast collection of cars lining the street that you would be just as apt to see in Paris or Rome. These are only a few elements. Such a dense concentration of life is something that we aren´t accustomed to seeing in Phoenix, and it had a strange intoxicating effect. Either I was getting light-headed from the driver´s ciggarrette or the nights in Argentina really are something that you can´t quite get across in a radio-friendly 1980s love ballad.

By Zach Jesberger '11

Argentina is famous worldwide for their beautiful women and their deliscious food.  Though it may be impossible to discern which one is more important, I will just talk about the latter in this entry.  Every single time that i told someone that i was going to spend the month of June in Argentina, their first respose is always something like, "You're gonna love the food down there!"  And i do, down here it is like heaven for a teenage boy.  Almost every meal has beef or some sort of meat in it, and their empañadas are delisciously addicting.  They also have amazing dessert with many different tyoes of brownies, and almost everything with dulce de leche.  Although these snaks and t¡desserts are very pleasing to the taste buds, the best meal that i have had by far is Asado, Argentinian barbeque.  If you love meat, than this is a meal for you. 

For this meal, Bryce Welborn  and his host brother Ignacio came over to enjoy this famous Argentine meal.  Enrique, my hosty father, was cooking outside for at least an hour, so very much effort is put into preparing this meal.  Also, they don't use gas stoves for this; instead, they buy Charcoal (Carbon) and cook all of the food over an authentic grill to preserve the flavor.  Now, the start of the meal.  First we got tomatoes with some type of oil, along with bread that would later go together to make sandwiches.  Next, Enrique brought in the Chorizo.  This is very different from the spicy Mexican chorizo that we are used to at home.  It isn't spicy at all, and is more like a regular sausage.  Along eith this came a thick piece of provolone cheese that was cooked over the grill as well.  With thiose two ingredients, plus the bread and tomatoes, we made sandwiches which were very tasty and juicy. 



Bryce Welborn '11, Ignacio Llapur, Zach Jesberger '11, and Bruno Barnaba enjoy the Argentine Asado together.


Next, he brought in something that i believe was a type of blood sausage, but I'm not sure.I was soft, and kind of tasted like Iron, and was also a very dark color.  I was told not to ask what it was and just eat it, so I did.  For me, that was probably the only semi-bad tasting part of the meal.  Next, he brought in strips of pork, ribs, and more cheese.  This cooked provole seemed weird to me at first, but tastes very good.  The ribs, like all ribs, were fantastic.  The strips of pork, known as Matambre, wasby far my favorite part of the meal.  These were extremly juicy, and the taste was unbelievable.  The word Matambre actually comes for two words fused together, Mata + Hambre.  This literally means to kill one's hunger.  After learning that bit of information, we finished our meal, and then had some dulce de leche flavored helado.  This ice cream was very rich, and anyone that likes caramel would love this flavor.



Matìas Barnaba, Ignacio Llapur, Bruno Barnaba, Bryce Welborn '11, Mariano Barnaba, and Zach Jesberger '11  are very satidfied with their Dulce de leche flavored ice cream.


This is Argentina's most famous meal, and for a good reason.  Afterwards, we followed the meal by watching The Simpsons in Spanish.  It is very funny to us how different their voiuces are, especially Homer and Flanders.  Anyways, if you ever get the chance to eat Asado, i strongly recommend  it.



Bryce Welborn '11, Ignacio Llapur, Zach Jesberger '11, and Bruno Barnaba laugh at the Spanish version of the Simpsons after their meal.


By Zach Jesberger '11

By Bryce Welborn '11

By: Jake Steffens ´12
As you probably guessed Argentina is very different than Arizona in many ways. One of the memories i have already had on this trip is when we were in the classroom at the Collegio. the highschool is like a fortress that changes every time you return. But some parts are unique and unchanging such as the classrooms. Theres only a chalk board, a teaches desk, and tons of students´ desks. The students arrange them however they want and have time to work on the assignments they have to do. But the first day they all crowded around me and just asked me questions. The questions were the most typical tings that people would see about The United States. Like if i like Obama, ACDC, Bush, soccer, what sports do i play, and things like that. I have heard these tons of times. But it just seemed different to me becuase the teacher just sat there grading some papers as the students tried to get me to answer their questions in spanish. It was actually pretty cool in a way. That the students were interacting and not grinding away at their work for the next period. Just little things like this make me look at how the world differs from one place to another.
By: Jake Steffens ´12

by Jordan Brewer '10

            One main difference I have noticed during my time in Argentina is the prevelance of weekday activities after school. After school in the United States, most students go home, do homework then maybe go to club sports practice or a youth group. Very rarely would a student do what we have been doing in Argentina. After school the boys from Colegio participate in many activities from going to their friends houses to play video games to having a coffee and a factura (danish pastry) at a local paneria (bakery). Yesterday for example, Miki (my host brother), Pablo (Andrew Anderson's host brother), Andrew and I went to the paneria for a coffee. Upon arriving, I had predicted that we would re-enact a steryotypical Starbucks experience and get our coffee quickly before leaving. But, quite the contrary happened. We got out coffee and facturas in good time, but we sat down and ended up talking over coffee for an hour or so. We talked about what they do on the weekends, how Andrew and I were coping with the adjustment and tons more. I think this is a very civilized way of living and have really enjoyed my time so far in Argentina.

 

 

The outside of Colegio Inmaculada.

The Spanish style government building next to Colegio.

 

by Jordan Brewer '10

 

The twelve of us sit here in our private classroom (from 9:55-11:15am, periods 3 and 4), deep in the fortress of our historic brother school in Santa Fe.  Gathered around our table, we do our pop-up grammar lessons, share our nuevo vocabulario, contemplate the intricacies of Argentine Castellano (español), and relate stories from living with host families and attending a Jesuit high school...5,600 miles (9,013km) from Phoenix!

Starting tonight, each of us will be writing blog entries detailing stories from our experience at Colegio Inmaculada.

"¡Qué bárbaro!" is an Argentine expression that roughly translates to "How cool!"   Our first three school days at Colegio Inmaculada have been bárbaro indeed.  Warm receptions.  Kind families.  Outgoing host brothers.  Lively classrooms.

The school is entering into its four hundredth year of operation under the Jesuits and has a jardín (kindergarten), primaria (primary school), and secundaria (secondary school) on one campus.  Some students spend nearly fifteen years in the all-boys school.  ¡Qué bárbaro!

Monday began with the daily Argentina flag raising and national anthem, followed by the familiar "San Ignacio de Loyola," to which we dutifully responded, "Ruega por nosotros" ('Pray for Us').


Andrew Anderson '10 (left) and Karl Heiland '10 (right) are given the honor of raising the Argentine flag on a brisk Monday morning.


We received a detailed campus tour on Monday, led by Sonia.  The boys are quickly learning the labyrinth that is Colegio Inmaculada.

Left to Right: Karl Heiland '10, Tommy Williams '11, Andrew Anderson '10, Jake Steffens '12, Jordan Brewer '10, Zach Jesberger '11, Brandon Blair '10, Max Gaynor '11, Bryce Welborn '11, and John Christ '11 await arroz con pollo outside the school cantina.

We arrived in Santa Fe on Sunday at 2:30 PM (Santa Fe time) to a beautiful, warm welcome at the Colegio de la Inmaculada. All of the students, their families, Father Gauffin SJ, José Manuel (el Director), Sonia (la Vice Directora) and Gabriela (la Coordinadora del Intercambio) were there to greet us! ...and to serve us a welcome lunch of pizza and Argentine empanadas.

The students were upbeat and focused on our destination throughout the journey, 30 hours door to door!

Max Gaynor '11 and Tommy Williams '11 enjoying the Miami airport.

Swine flu being brought into Argentina from the United States is currently a big concern of the Argentine government. After filling out forms on the airplane assuring our good health we were asked to wear 'barbijos' or masks as we exited the plane
Jake Steffens '12, Max Gaynor '11, Brandon Blair '10, Jordan Brewer '10 and Tommy Williams '11.

Everyone was asked to wear one...even our fearless leader Mr. Damaso.

Mariano Rama, SJ met us at the airport and escorted us onto a waiting bus. His sister-in-law, who works for American Airlines, first gathered us together while waiting for our bags and whisked us through the customs check point, no waiting!

Our last leg of the journey was a six hour bus ride which included some last minute sleep before arrival.

Karl Heiland '10, Zach Jesberger '11, Max Gaynor '11, John Christ '11, Andrew Anderson '10 and Jake Steffens '12 happy to be on their way to Santa Fe.