This site has been developed to share my experiences as a Distinguished Fulbright Teacher in Argentina. The views shared here do not represent those of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Fulbright Commission, the Academy for Educational Development (A.E.D.), nor those of la Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina.

viernes, 27 de mayo de 2011

EL 25 DE MAYO AND OVERNIGHT-BUS DIPLOMACY



Written 26 May 2011 (Warning: This entry is longer than usual.)

At the first university in Argentina (the third in all of Latin America)

Cathedral in central plaza of Córdoba Capital
PART I

Yesterday was el 25 de mayo. Lili and I arrived in Córdoba Capital, the second largest city in the country, located in the Province of Córdoba. We are aptly staying at a humble hotel located on a street named…25 de Mayo!  This is all extra exciting because May 25th is a día de la patria in Argentina, a patriotic national holiday. It is celebrated by taking the day off of work, wearing light blue and white, eating hearty locro stew and fried churros, and donning 19th century costumes in front of your parents for a school play (if you are in kindergarten). We had the pleasure of enjoying the food and also watching three different primary school shows over three days.  If I hadn’t already begun to develop some good ol’ fashioned Argentine national pride, there is certainly no escaping it this week. As I fell asleep last night, the national colors shimmered behind my eyelids.

Guest Book at one school's 25 de Mayo events (lines from national anthem)
Carrying the bandera 
A fifth grade chorus and sixth graders playing the guitar to honor the Patria 

Locro 
Kindergarten students, teachers & parents re-enacting life in 1810
 (yes, some of them are in black-face, playing the role of afro-argentino domestic workers)



A CUTE munchkin in Córdoba!
Mistaking me for a professional photographer, his grandma asked me to take this picture of him and how much I charged. I told her this one was on the house since it was día de la Patria and all. ;-)

Ok, I exaggerate a little, but the history of the holiday is interesting and important to the constructed ideal of Argentinidad, or Argentine identity. It marks the anniversary of the Primera Junta in Buenos Aires in May 1810, the first assembly at which the early leaders of a nascent state decided to throw off the yolk of Spanish colonialism and establish their own national government.  Do not be deceived; May 25 is not Argentine Independence Day (it’s on July 9).  Rather, it concluded the week-long revolutionary summit during which the participants thought about declaring independence.  After all, Napoleon had invaded Spain, France and the United States had both already established constitutional republican states. Wasn’t it about time to fully reject the Spanish Viceroy of the Río del Plata?  The answer was a thunderous .

Libertad! Libertad! Libertad! calls the Argentine national anthem. “What is freedom?” is a major question asked within schools across the nation this week. Amidst the songs and symbols and hoopla, I cannot help but ask, what about nationalism?  In an increasingly globalized world, does nationalism
make us more free, or not? 

What is liberty? Some student responses

On April 4 in the Plaza de Mayo I happened upon another fine display of nationalism. A marching band played in front of the Casa Rosada around sunset, and then the Argentine flag was lowered. A crowd observed and recorded the event on cameras and by video. After the bandera was lowered, a scruffy looking older man shouted 3x, “¡Viva la Patria! ¡Carajo!” (Long live the Homeland! Dammit!) and following each cry the people responded, “¡Viva!” Then they joined in on the singing of the national anthem and other patriotic songs. 
PART II

As an envoy from the United States to Argentina, I am routinely asked about U.S. violence – from gangs, guns in schools and bullying to foreign military policy. Like it or not, it’s a big part of how the rest of the world perceives us. Osama bin Laden is a hot topic right now: “Why did they have to kill bin Laden? Why not try him in court? Is he really dead?” It happens at unexpected hours. For example, as I was about to fall asleep on the bus to Córdoba the other night, my seatmate turned to me and politely asked, “Is it true that people in your country believe Iraq was responsible for the Twin Tower attacks? Why did the Iraq war happen? It doesn’t seem right that 3,000 people died and then tens of thousands more had to die too.”

Diplomacy happens on many levels, and even on the bus at 11:00 pm after a brutally long day, I can’t walk away from such conversations. To be clear, I am under no obligation to neither defend nor defile the United States, but I definitely see it as part of my job here to engage in productive dialogue.  And as my bus friend pointed out, we often have to separate a Government from its People, and listen to each other as people.

Inside a Córdoba high school: People are free, but when we choose, we are responsible for what we do and also for what we do not do. - Jean-Paul Sartre

PART III
This morning at a public high school, Lili and I were sarcastically introduced by the principal to a teacher like this: “Son del Imperio.” (They are from the Empire.)  Indeed, the United States has left a sour taste in the mouths of many Argentines. Why? After all, they love our cultural media production—music, films, Internet, and television—and over time have looked to us as a political and social model in many other respects. In my role as a Listening Ambassador, I have so far collected from Argentines these reasons for their current criticism:

1) Many Argentines have not forgiven the U.S. for our government’s support of torturous dictatorships here and other parts of Latin America during the 20th century, including the military junta that seized and terrorized Argentina from 1976-1983.

2) President Menem was tight with Washington, D.C. during his 1989-1999 years in office. President Menem also made a slew of conservative economic and social policy changes that, among other negative consequences, facilitated the 2001 economic crisis which completely rocked the society and left 40% of Argentines unemployed (more on this later).

3) The Argentine character is just cranky and negative. (this one came from a teenager)

As U.S. citizens we have no control over the “character” of people around globe, real or imagined. We do, however, have a responsibility to demand and support just foreign policy from our government and just business practices from our private sector. As People, let’s not forget that the world watches us always, be it with love, lust, or loathing. Ultimately, how we present our national identity, and certainly how we engage with each other and our neighbors, have profound impacts on us all.



 



lunes, 23 de mayo de 2011

FORGING CONNECTIONS

For those of you who may not know, I am an unabashed postphile. I just made that word up, actually, and it means "lover of the postal service". Postcards, along with handwritten letters, are two of my pleasures, and international pen-palling was one of my favorite activities as a young teen.  Since one of my goals here is to build links between Argentine and U.S. students, it seemed appropriate to incorporate this form of low-tech but oh-so-fun communication.  Recently, I delivered a stack of postcards written by my 7th grade students at Paul Cuffee School in Providence to an 8th grade social studies class at the Colegio Santo Tomás de Aquino in Buenos Aires.  Students in both classes previously had mixed experience with postcards; only about half had written or received them before.  My students took the task of writing to unknown South American counterparts quite seriously -- some even attempting to write partially or fully in Spanish.  Their cards completely enthralled the Santo Tomás kids who eagerly dedicated themselves to writing thorough responses. Many of the messages ended with "Find me on Facebook!" So, while any future correspondence will likely be digital, at least they all now have experienced the joy of writing and receiving postcards at least once.


8th graders (1˚ año) at Escuela Santo Tomás de Aquino     



Love from Providence!
 
 From your friend in Argentina ("Find me on Facebook!")
While I dig the postal service, I also see great value in utilizing newer technology. Today, my Super-Star Fulbright colleague Lili Monk and I facilitated a Skype video conference between Modern History students at Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville, MD (Lili's school) and a senior, all-male informática class (computer programming) at the ORT Argentina school in Buenos Aires.  We actually arrived at the school anticipating a brief test-run with about 6 kids on either side.  But, as life would have it, the plan changed throughout the morning to include many more students at a different hour. We were flexible. To enhance the Wootton curriculum and guide the discussion, we actually ended up hiding away in an administrative office to create a Power Point guide on globalization that included quotes from Thomas Friedman, Kevin Danaher and the World Bank, as well as political cartoons, the first two articles of the UN Declaration on Human Rights, and discussion questions.  Naturally, the plan changed again when we were in the auditorium with the students, and the Power Point was thrown out the window!  Instead, the students just...talked to each other (and sometimes over each other).  The hour was an excellent first attempt at this kind of real-time dialogue--a "time-space compression," in geography terms. Students discussed perceptions, foreign policy, racism, college, and crime, among other topics.  They of course also shared about their schools, activities, and favorite music and food.  Certain aspects could have gone more smoothly, but overall, it was a successful first-try. One Argentine student reflected afterwards that he enjoyed the activity because while students on both sides have general ideas about each other, they are not always right and they learn so much more by actually talking to each other.   That, mis queridos/as amigos/as, was the point. 
"Can you hear us?" Wootton on the screen
"Yes, we hear you!" ORT students listening
"Good, we have some questions about Argentina..."
Me, Laura (the ORT teacher), Liliana
Lili and ORT tech staff Matías setting up
The Wootton kids spoke in English; the Argentines spoke in a mix of English and Spanish with peer and teacher translation help
Lili the Facilitator
Are the parties in the U.S. like in "American Pie"? (real question asked)
Matías, ORT tech staff


Side Note: As you can see, we're working with a couple of Buenos Aires Catholic schools, a secular Jewish school...tomorrow we visit our first regular public school (escuela estatal). And then we're off to Córdoba!



domingo, 22 de mayo de 2011

FIRST IMPRESSIONS of Life in the Big City

written 4 April 2011 while eating a plate of raviolis a la salsa rosa (pink sauce) y una bebida de pomelo (yummy grapefruit soda):

I’m getting the hang of life in Buenos Aires. I arrived to the capital of Argentina on March 25 and was so graciously received and oriented by my old Panama compañera, Leslie MacColman and her partner, Demián Gómez.  Buenos Aires has nearly 3 million people in the city proper and another 7 million in what's considered Greater Buenos Aires. So far, what I love about it and  particularly about my neighborhood, San Telmo, includes: the mom and pop stores everywhere and the resulting ease of buying anything you need steps away from your door (groceries, hardware, printer, belts, great restaurants, hair salon, etc.); the confiterías y panaderías (bakeries) that sell delicious sandwiches de miga, medialunas (croissants) y facturas (pastries) and different panes y bonbones (breads and chocolates); the café and bar culture…when in doubt, have a coffee (or an ice cream or a copita de vino); the cobblestone streets and also the more contempo, wide asphalt avenues; the delightful French-inspired colonial architecture and history; the little parks and plazas; indoor canchas de futból (soccer fields) everywhere (I can see one centro deportivo’s field from my apartment window); the antique and oddity shops (any piece has more value when you know its history, Pamela Biazzi told me today); tango, Brazilian-style batucada drumming, and other street music every Sunday at the San Telmo Feria outdoor market; multiple generations—it’s all ages all the time; the stylish leatherware; the friendliness of people on the street and in my building (I know porteños are known for being fríos but I come from the Northeast, a colder region literally and figuratively); the fact that no one is phased by one more extranjera. Many will show faint interest in my origins but not really in my intentions here—in other words, it appears to be easy to do your thang without judgment from the neighbors. 

Some things I don’t love include the heavy traffic noises, dense crowds downtown, the graffiti that is not artful or thoughtful (though much of it is both), the ubiquitous dog poop piles on the sidewalk, spending a lot of money quickly, incessant ogling by men (sometimes it's flattering since they are generally polite with their comments--nothing outrageously rude yet), and the imposed fear that someone is going to rob you (muggings and pick-pocketing are a problem, as everyone else is happy to remind me). These are mostly the same annoyances that one might experience in any other giant urban center such as Madrid, New York or Rome. The air is contaminated but not as severely as in Santiago de Chile where I had black boogers back in 2000. Santiago is located in a basin surrounded by mountains and did not require catalytic converters for many years. The particle matter just settles over the city like a gauzy blanket. On the other hand, Buenos Aires is a flat coastal city so the winds can more easily clear out pollution. 

Despite some of its challenges, Buenos Aires has very quickly won me over!

La Casa de Gobierno, better known as Casa Rosada (pink President's palace)


San Martín, "Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru"
On a bike tour in the Plaza de Mayo

Chorripan - classic beef sausage sandwich (pork ones are also popular) and the grapefruit soda I love
Argentines love their grilled meats!


Special cups made of wood or gourds with metal straws (bombillas) for drinking yerba mate, a strong tea and classic social ritual

Street musician at the San Telmo Feria imitating Carlos Gardel, the most famous tango singer

San Telmo street corner

Upper detail of Basílica de San Francisco

ORIENTATION IN WASHINGTON, DC

In August 2010, all of the Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching (DAT) fellows from the United States, Argentina, India, Finland, Mexico, Singapore, and South Africa convened in Washington, D.C. We explored the nation’s capital, exchanged information on our respective educational systems, and shared key understandings in seminars on cultural difference and adaptation. We helped each other refine the Capstone project proposals that we were eager to implement in the various countries where we would also study at universities and observe in local primary and secondary schools. I realized my time in Argentina would likely be the most intensive professional development experience I’ve had since graduate school.

After our motivational days together, the international teachers stayed in the D.C. area and studied at the University of Maryland for the semester. We U.S. teachers had staggered departures to all over the world throughout the months to come. Much as I am continually inspired by my colleagues at Paul Cuffee School, I am also inspired by this new network of fun, grounded educators committed to best practices in schools and social justice across the globe. I’ll try to post links to some of my colleagues’ Fulbright blogs. 

All DAT 2010-2011 teachers outside the Capitol Building

Team India in regional saris

(Most of) US-Argentina Exchange Team

The US-Argentina Exchange Team (minus Lili) 

Bon voyage! From the top of the Kennedy Center

HELLO?...IS THIS THING ON?

Dear friends, family and colleagues:

Thank you for waiting patiently for me.  After months of good intentions, I’m finally launching this blog to chronicle my experience in Argentina.  I was without home Internet access for the first five weeks of my stay, which limited my communication and inhibited me from setting up this site. After all, to access the Web meant I had to go outside into the pulsing streets of this vibrant city…and that meant fantastic distraction from all the social and environmental threads that compose the Buenos Aires tapestry.  I finally established a steady connection, but daily life became even more interesting! The blog was always in the back of my mind, and sometimes the front, but the resources and focus lacked… until now.

If you have been to Argentina or to many other parts of Latin America, you will be first to forgive the wait. You already know that here waiting is simply a part of life; things take time. There are steps and processes and protocols to follow, hierarchies to honor, unusual technological glitches to overcome—glitches this young teacher from New England, equipped with her MacBook, simply had not anticipated. You also know, however, that here the wait is usually worthwhile.  So, with some prodding and encouragement from a few key individuals (you know who you are), I re-commit to sharing this journey with you. On this blog I will post current musings, as well as some older reflections and photos from the earlier parts of my stay. Hopefully, it is worth the wait.  

With friends in la Reserva Ecológica, Buenos Aires