Today we got a walking tour through the city of Buenos Aires to learn about the rich history and culture of the place. It was so interesting to hear about the families that “built” the city, and getting to see all the people out on the nice Saturday morning. We then took a trip over to Recoleta Cemetery. We got to see all of the different tombs including many prominent figures. One of the most interesting stories that caught my attention was about Eva Perón, and especially the story about her body. 

Later, we went to lunch at Museo Evita Café, the lunch was very good. This then led to our next adventure of walking through Museo Evita. We got to hear about the impact that Eva Perón had during the 1900s. One thing that was especially interesting was learning her role in the women’s suffrage movement in Argentina. She was also the first ever women to vote in Argentina after women gained the right to vote!

Juan Perón obviously also had a big role in expanding healthcare in Argentina. During his presidency, labor unions became extremely powerful and helped workers gain access to healthcare benefits through union based insurance systems called obras sociales. This helped many working class families receive healthcare coverage that they may not have had before. It was interesting seeing the connection between politics and healthcare during this time period. Many parts of Argentina’s healthcare system are still influenced by the union based structures that developed during the Perón era. 

Overall, today was a very interesting day because it focused more on history and politics, while also tying it clearly to healthcare. Visiting the museum and cemetery and hearing all these stories made me better understand how historical leaders and political movements can shape healthcare for many years.