As
we have almost reached the half way part of our stay here in Buenos Aires, what
I have come to realize is that it is not so much the actual city that
captivates me, but rather the people who walk its streets every day. Do not get
me wrong, I do find the cobble stone streets and the European architecture very
appealing. However, the people and the way they carry themselves through their
day to day existence truly enthralls me. They are a people living life with
much passion, whether it is a soccer match, a dinner time conversation,
politics, or relationships. They are all in on life. With that being said, I
find Argentinians to be a very content group of people. I noticed this while
hosting Pato Bradley. He never seemed bored nor rejected anything. I noticed
this about the other Colegio del Salvador guys as well. Now let’s take a trip
to Buenos Aires.
Monday the 25th started out like any other
Monday, except we are all in Argentina. As my host Pato and I made our twenty
five minute journey through the still dark streets, down into the subway, and
into the welcoming doors of El Colegio del Salvador, I was relieved knowing
that I was not the one taking exams or having homework due for that day. Sorry
Pato. As Pato departed my side and headed towards classes, I eagerly made my
way to the cafeteria where my fellow Eagles and a nice warm croissant waited my
arrival. After crumbs were the only thing that resembled my croissant, and
small chat began to sound repetitive, we made our way to our classes, which are
mostly all in Spanish. Although often difficult to understand and follow, being
in these classes allows us to not only visualize another culture, with a
different student-teacher relationship, but also see our Jesuit identity in
action thousands of miles from Morrissey Boulevard, which to me is pretty
remarkable. Once the bell sounds, a stampede
of eager boys race to the gym for soccer. I occasionally join them, but more
often stay on the side lines chatting with my new international friends. Like
Trevor Schramn said in the previous post, these guys are all extremely
welcoming and warm, a feeling not typical to BC High. It will definitely be
difficult to leave them.
Later in the day, we had the opportunity to visit Colegio
del Salvador’s future leaders. We met students of six and nine years of age.
After the group said a Hail Mary in front of all these little niños, we made
our way to the class room, where we truly were treated like celebrities. Being
bombarded with questions, high fives, nouns, adjectives, and verbs, this
experience brought on feelings of nostalgia back to my early elementary days
where life was so simple. I remember the feeling of awe looking at an older
student, wondering what lay ahead in the future. Once the bell rang, and the
day ended, leaving was not an easy process. Five minutes of giving every kid a
high five, and double checking to make sure I did not miss anyone. We then met
with our host brothers and departed to home.
At home, once I awaken from my lengthy siesta, I feel
more than welcome sit down, and participate in a Spanglish conversation with
any of the family members. There is the mother, Pato, and Patos two sisters
Lucia and Dolores. They all have very bright personalities and seem to
constantly have a smile on their face. No joke. I have become more accustomed
to their eating habits, usually not eating dinner until 9:30.
As I reluctantly awoke, it was the morning of June the 26th,
I rushed into the normal routine of the morning walk and bus ride. Today, the
group started the day out with Eugenia, the head of the English department here
at Buenos Aires, to learn about Argentinian culture and history. I was
captivated by the story of the military conflict between the local Montoneros and
el gobierno. Afterward, the group boarded a bus and headed to La Casa Rosada,
Argentina’s version of the white house. It is a melting pot for much political
tension and turmoil, as the current president of Argentina is doubted by many
of her fellow Argentinians. Always politically-interested Trevor Schramn was
enthralled in learning about Argentina’s president and her credibility. He
found similarities in Cristina to that of Barak Obama. To how much I agreed
with him, I am not sure. However, it was
interesting in seeing some members of the group compare and contrast the two
governments. La Casa Rosada is painted with a salmon, pink color, with a
waterfall and statue guarding it from the front. The surrounding area is
decorated with amazing European architecture. From there, we made our way to
the Catedral, a jaw dropping church with prominent gold pillars and walls.
Through the many churches we have visited during the trip, it is clearly
evident that religion, especially Christianity, is deeply ingrained in Argentina’s
culture. After the Catedral, we made our way to the Manzana de las Luces, one
of the most historical spots in Buenos Aires. Although looking at the building
one would not believe it is one of Argentina’s most historical buildings,
behind the brick walls the Jesuits made their first presence in South America.
Underneath this building are elaborate tunnels used as escape for the royal
family. It is indeed a very ominous building that never seems to end with
secret doors and hallways. We then returned for to our host brothers and made
our separate journeys to our homes away from home.
Today, June the 27th, it was an average day at
school. However, we once again visited our six year old friends in the
elementary school part of the building. We are making friends of different
nationalities and ages here in Buenos Aires! Sometimes I wish I could go back
and have the same amount of energy that these kids have. Truly an inspiration.
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| Speaking to an English class. |
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| In front of La Casa Rosada |
-Teddy Patsos
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