Today was a bit of an interesting day! There was supposed to be a general strike occurring between unions, which there was, but it was not nearly as bad as it was made out to be. Our tours and sadly the boat tour were canceled for the day. We got up in the morning and headed to a cafe before meeting at IES at 10:30. We had a super enjoyable discussion with the entire group, not just about what we have learned, but what we thought of Buenos Aires so far. Everyone joined in on the conversation and was adding their own two cents. I really liked this because it felt like we were connecting as a group by politely sharing our own thoughts or beliefs. Afterwards, IES was kind enough to serve us lunch which was empanadas! They were so delicious (empanadas are my favorite food) and the beef was the best. We left IES around 1:00 and we had the entire day free due to the supposed strike. So, a group of friends and I decided it would be nice to walk around the city because the sun was out. Unfortunately, we did go on some trails and got attacked by a few mosquitos. Regardless, it was a fun walk around to sight see! We planned to go to Plaza de Mayo around 3:30 to see the mothers protest. This was definitely the most interesting part of my day.

A few days ago when we were touring the Plaza de Mayo, our tour guide mentioned that a group of mothers come around the circle to protest every Thursday at 3:30. Historically, this group of mothers have been doing this walk since April 30, 1977. Their human rights association is in response to the military dictatorship by Jorge Rafael Videla to find their children that “disappeared”. When I heard how real and cruel this story truly was, it broke my heart. I still do not understand how a government leader, who is supposed to be for the people, can kidnap, torture, and kill innocent children. Besides the depressing history, it was beautiful to watch the mothers sing and walk around with their banners. Everyone following and clapping behind them showed their support. I am so happy to have been a part of that and I hope the mothers never stop fighting for their children. 

Strike day is over! See you tomorrow at the University of Austral Pilar!