Welcome to my Day 5 blog post here in Buenos Aires. Today we did not have much academic activities planned, as many were rescheduled due to the union strike, which is why it was very surprising to see that almost everything was still running today. Instead of going to a university or hospital, we went to IES to have a group discussion on the topics we had learned so far. Afterwards, we had delicious empanadas for lunch. Once lunch was over, we were free to explore the city for the rest of the day. A group of us decided to go to the Ecological Reserve on the coast of Buenos Aires, which is about a twenty minute walk. The area was beautiful, but unfortunately we did not stay long due to large amounts of mosquitoes surrounding us. Afterwards, we went to the March of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. This was possibly one of the most cultural things we could have done in Buenos Aires. It was also very interesting to get to learn about their history today.
The March of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo began during the mid 1970’s to early 1980’s, when Argentina was ruled by a dictatorship. The militia that controlled the country would raid houses owned by working class citizens, who they thought believed in communism, and would kidnap or kill the boys and men. Many of the young boys that had been kidnapped were illegally adopted into a pro-dictatorship family, where they would grow up supporting this government. The March of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo began when the mothers of these boys met in the Plaza de Mayo, where the president works, and protested their son’s disappearance. This was illegal under the dictatorship, but they continued marching and circling the plaza, demanding the boys be returned home. Since the dictatorship ended, the original mothers continued to march in the Plaza de Mayo in order to keep their children’s memory alive, and possibly see them returned home. I thought this experience was so unique because it was so authentic and powerful. Being able to witness such a powerful and heartfelt demonstration that is a part of Argentina and Buenos Aires’ history is something I am so grateful for.
After attending the march, we went to the San Telmo Market again. I was able to take more time walking around, looking at the shops, and enjoying the food. I got a lemonade and another empanada. I also got a painting of La Boca made by someone on the street nearby. Overall, I’d say this was a very successful day, full of true Argentinian culture and experiences. I will see everyone bright and early tomorrow, where we will be visiting the main University of Austral campus!
