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9/3/2001 - Spaceship to Argentina: Observations Upon Landing by Martha J. Farmelo

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Joseph Battat Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler William F Foote Kitty Hempstone Pramila Jayapal Peter Bird Martin Ann Mische Dasa Obereigner Paul A Rahe Carol Rose Chandler Rosenberger John Spencer Edmund Sutton Dirk J Vandewalle HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A MJF THE AMERICAS Martha Farmelo Institute Suzanne Ecke McColl Fellow udying gender issues Argentina Her email georgetown Spaceship Argentina Observations Upon Landing By Martha Farmelo SEPTEMBER BUENOS AIRES The purpose first newsletter share initial impressions first Argentina describe contra dictions jumped However story begins several months earlier Sunday December When partner Alan handed phone I ICWA Ex ecutive Director Peter Martin His I willing suspense mighty cranky Hello I Congratulations Peter I almost dropped phone I awarded chance spend years based Buenos Aires immersing myself writing about changing gender roles women Argen society My crankiness turned abruptly pirouettes around living yelps About Author In application Suzanne Ecke McColl fellows gender issues Martha Farmelo wrote In addition exploring particularities Argentine gender dynamics I greater contour clarity vision gender equality Indeed I suspect Argentina I stumble universal truths about nature relation ships between women rapidly changing societies I ticipate quite difficult harder traditional women issues quite exciting This partly because I fully expect fellowship world Somehow I suspect Argentina I discover I necessarily asking right questions I learn closely maybe favorite beliefs rethought perhaps relinquished This especially given I Northern developed society particular women equality different cultural contexts third world L American country Martha hopes readers newsletters respond their comments asked Institute include address Here georgetown I quickly realized three Camilo information about I kneeled looked bewildered brown Mommy excited because I found I fellowship something I wanted worked He paused asked Is fellowship spaceship Mommy Overwhelmed aptness analogy I could Yes sweetie could A months later Camilo blurted Alan Mommy going drive fellowship because fellowship And fellowship pilot At first blush I thought clever Upon greater reflection I realized immensely insightful comment This fellowship unique emphasis fellow flexibility study questions throughout And while Argentina Alan native country project brought basic parameters I reminded Camilo I Washington expressed surprise driver woman It appears children quite tuned their literal minds driver whether violates prevailing gender roles I suspect Camilo observations plore changing gender roles Argentine society Over years I learned things about empowering women world learn about changing relationships between women think about gender equality socialize I learn about makes gender namics uniquely Argentine How factors political legacy Peronism memor digit inflation explain particular contradictions plexities Argentine gender dynamics On Saturday August Argen Washington National Airport wearing sweat lugging winter coats despite brutal percent humidity I carried purse electronic address single entry Buenos Aires On overnight flight Atlanta I finally chance write journal reflect marathon those weeks before leaving I thrill I after years gruel effort discipline gantic suitcases Alan diploma PhD nomics He received Friday morning exactly eight before I little green Honda Civic picked rental truck began empty apartment meticulously stacked boxes furniture It difficult odbye friends especially parents I excitement right Although I visited Argentina before I never stayed I hunch these years Argentina whole number different dimensions Shortly after Sunday watched outside Buenos Aires houses bigger bigger Camilo asked riding plane fellowship For reason I finally wherewithal explain fellowship chance place write stories about He Hmm seemed satisfied About later wheels Ezeiza airport yelled We Argentina Thank goodness My sentiments exactly The Contradictions Immigration Comings Goings As approached lines migration silent young waved empty served diplomats presumably because I woman pushing stroller At customs traveler passing through woman perched stool pushes button attached pillar lights square above This light supposedly randomly turns green questions sorry going When pushing Camilo skipped button waved directly airport interior Given surprise after I scooted I deduced Alan pushing enormous realized Among throng faces outside customs Alan mother Betty father Zeke brother Mart girlfriend Isa We about minutes Burzaco where Alan quiet about people barking piles burning leaves occasional crowing rooster Burzaco train Buenos Aires Capital Fe deral federal district Washington DC It forms greater metropolitan located Buenos Aires train running south capital To Alan Burzaco changed little years lived U S The weather uncharacteristically winter We outside under eucalyptus trees towering higher story building while Alan father cooked asado typical Argentine barbecue sausages meats quintessential social gathering About conversation English since Alan mother Anglo Argentines maiden Elizabeth Shaw father lover English United States It bittersweet reunion unlikely While smelled cooking slowly joined Alan sister Cristina taking flight night Australia where relocating indefinitely I harbor about leaving Apart Argentine couple months friend Buenos Aires Unlike Argentine motive finances It until I spoke after I realized leaving about gender roles Argentine women conduct their intimate relationships element fellowship topic I often wondered Cristina would Argentina would healthy tional needs connection We talked about boyfriend interests biking healthy foods But really willingness relationship The Contradictions Language Inclusion Exclusion Actually Cristina comment Span Most afternoon conversation Spanish exhausted effort understand ubiqui Argentine slang They slang slang Lunfardo everywhere expressive You sleep dormir might apolillar If lazing around fiaca If mufado And favorites untrustworthy deceptive hypocritical chanta It seems I learn another language There entire dictionaries lunfardo And beware think simple memorizing vocabulary Like slang Colombian street lunfardo often latin syllables reversed rearranged For example might invited listen gotan tango tryst hotel motel It I recognize I already syllables dered Lunfardo changes continually genera tions contribute terms Political slang common clearly erage Argentine politics important For example someone calvo slang pelado peeled Radio announcers often comment indirectly dolape pelado syllables mixed reference being Domingo Cavallo Argentina controversial finance minister When served under Carlos Menem stabilizing economy though found social dislocation unemployment Today making desperate attempt three cession securing massive bailouts abroad attempting reduce federal deficit nificant social programs social security benefits government wages And sticker nounced Nenem Bordo bordo board reversed letters Menem While I appreciate humor cleverness lunfardo sometimes feels secret language designed exclude Argentines Alan naturally lighted surrounded whole society people quite literally speak language Trying I cursed reversing syllables which literally means whore Thank goodness Alan around It turns inverted certain secret which However I later entirely redeemed making great Spanish While talking Alan brother Mart about magnificent sleep soundly overnight flight I course volando flies The Contradictions Economic Crisis Hardship Plenty My sister Cristina thousands Argentines leaving country trying Almost economic refugees Before parture articles Washington Post New York Times describing desperate plight middle class families living shelters their breadwinners their their extended families friends could longer We articles profiled dreds Argentines spend night Italian Spanish U S embassies getting number solicit And friend pediatrician Arlington County Virginia reported seeing small stream cently arrived Argentine Who would thought Spanish learned assist Central Americans Mexicans would families fleeing Argentina In context mixed reactions Washington Buenos Aires The Anglo Ar gentine woman Washington translated ments visas wished terrified about South Pole On other lawyer refused return Ar gentina since exile years lighted assured would The gentle something refrig erator could under stand anyone would Argentina right lowship As drank coffee cluttered office The bearded character Now And mariachis Oh doctooor please leeeave And frame I therapist another country Pagina August director school visited seemed excited about arrival Sometimes feeling there going going alone smiling looking Inside Argentina Econom often first section newspaper Topics include recent increase official unemployment percent percent assessments prevail policy pegging Argentine dollar daily analysis IMF plans Argentina country index foreign investors From conversations I overhea impression poorly educated Argentines better handle economic concepts terminology North Americans studied economics university There signs crisis I prepared haven short lines kitchens inordinate numbers people begging eralized feeling gloom On other there signs I lines people around block I deduce The reason always women I surprised female security guards waiters I believed Argentina One lunchtime I asked young female waiter about She hiring women because accept lower waiters longer sustain family general there women Meanwhile federal government broke which directly affects services peoples lives Like airports highways passports privatized When I headline declaring their suance suspended I assumed about politics economics So I learn ernment millions company provides materials passports coincidentally former U S ambassador Argentina nificant share company The province Buenos Aires broke international issuing bonds called patacones cover expenses essentially printing money All signs announce We accept patacones elaborately produced sketched sheet paper McDonalds prize being among first accept patacones their marketing bonds bargain Patacombo cheeseburgers fries medium And patacones crisis there Spanish women clutching large brightly striped nylon joined eleva Buenos Aires apartment building They hello other kissed cheek asked other How Fine reply I If I truth story We hanging there doing They going shopping about places anymore I stand There there No money spend I flabbergasted I first glimpse inside brightly Jumbo Lomas Zamora other suburb southern stores appeared Buenos Aires years Jumbo contains enormous grocery store massive Target Walmart selection clothes household goods Just short hallway entrance Easy another store similar Home Depot which found Buenos Aires In prices quite reasonable particularly Ar gentine goods More other moment since arrived I experienced perverse culture shock Simply I I transported United States Further place jammed gills It seemed people elbowing other through aisles trouble navigating their shopping carts through throngs people In adjoining shopping hallways filled people These scenes seemed belie possible buying power Later realized first weekend month families received their monthly paychecks We noticed surprise checkout counter computer plies single payment without financing Granted levels poverty considerably worse interior outside B uenos Aires But human crisis I street children Alan astonished children coming restaurant begging money table We asking money subways trains street We child seven tattered sweater sitting piece cardboard breathing fumes buses blocks Casa Rosada Executive offices This child slowly squeez small bandone accordion instrument whose swooning melancholic melodies hallmark tango Meanwhile calle street children household People debating wisdom constitutionality order issued chief officers province Buenos Aires organize continuous operation detain child loitering asking money And grams being announced street children I major daily Clar August accord government percent children Argen under poverty In Buenos Aires metropolitan million children living poverty million indigent The Contradictions Appearance Images Women Men Like other newspapers Clar pricey At about weekday people struggling simply inaccessible For those right after section Econom Pol which dedicated politics economic crisis upcoming elections October At first glance I impressed number women positions power I tribute Ernestina Herrera Noble director Clar Pho caricatures Patricia Bullrich Labor Minis papers conflicts unions piqueteros large groups mostly working class unemployed Argentines become political players through their organized protests This section dominated reporting Elisa Carri dubbed hurricane Carri lawyer dissident Radical party congresswoman province Chaco courageously effec tively investigating government corruption cases These cases involve money laundering level officials Menem administration lated bribes government ficials foreign domestic nesses A prominent federal judge investigating corruption prominent human rights cases woman Mar Servini Cubr Carri creat party Alternativa Rep blica Iguales Alternative Re public Equals ARI She repeatedly appears photos candidates attracted major women Common wisdom group former supporters governing coalition called La Alianza tattered alliance centrist Radical party gressive FREPASO coalition Carri prohibited ARI candidates receiving funds businesses which U S major source campaign funding Whatever opinion comes across influential political forces Argentine right In contrast images photo Soledad Silveyra several television actresses running Congress October showed silly smile wearing short miniskirt tight skimpy lavender Although quiring women comprise percent electable candidates apply Senate first October applied lower house since I mentioned passing supple women And weekly supplement major dailies women history ratio women When looks newspaper images women anything empowering After short riding I entirely pictures Susana Gim fairly attractive tress super blonde serious cleav She looks about someone whose mother school least And asking Who beautiful woman telligent markets permanent removal laser wrinkle treatments chemi peelings Even worse uitous products eliminate cellulite All stops pharmacies newspapers pictures perfect naked women butts It strange since markable number places specialize healthy products natural foods classes massage Several years I realized reading magazines Cosmopolitan caused I should immediate improve things I I zines As result I boycotted since Being Buenos Aires though reading Cosmo I notice especially about The majority women under their their backs often length sometimes In seeing hundreds thousands women I dozen above their shoulders It makes below length until least reaches shoulders I mistakenly jumped conclusion singer Mar Martha Serra Lima short white pounds cancer On other I clothes Before arriving I Argentine women dress nines prepared dowdy daily basis However Argen style prevalence informality While Argen tines dressed business night picture perfect majority people I dressed casually jeans sweaters shoes sneakers This seems economic crisis since Argentines longer afford brand conscious This partly though entirely issue class And speaking class I confess before arriv I harbored I would dislike major porte residents Buenos Aires Argen tines fierce reputation being arrogant annoying I U S snobby irritating especially women For tunately after short I concluded upper crust Argentines fulfill reotype course And images So pretty remarkable except picture actor Hugh Grant caught Alan In sized Miramax Diary Bridget Jone theater downtown actress Ren Zellweger standing camera flanked Grant Colin Firth Grant squeezing This unlike Washington three their faces facing forward innuendo implicit their expressions Is really still appealing women movie about woman getting pinched This least pincher Hugh Grant Or perhaps presump women movies decide movie On other couple books I kiosks inside subway stations would indicate Argentines thinking about maybe think gender issues One Busco hombre marido Looking Man My Life I Already Had Husband which billed conveying women looking their intimate relationships Others address changing periences billed guides women understand opposite The Contradictions Personal Security Danger Safety As woman I usually keenly aware sonal security streets In Buenos Aires women careful attention security Alan I cautioned laptop being stolen leaving We taxis radio taxis request phone When Cristina apartment after picking things Alan mother confused talking nonsense about until I realized benefit painting A group professors offer continuing educa courses behave kidnapped delin quents As looked apartments found intercoms front entrance longer people downstairs On other women their purses backpacks exposed little theft And Alan mother stories children kidnapped tried insinuate claiming So I thought It context mixed messages Alan rather casually cautioned special Camilo playground along Julio billed world widest avenue because people might speaking English To surprise I responded grade panic It thing clutch purse It possible clutch playing child In space about minute raced bizarrely someone snatched I would And I couldn I thought I rather I couldn uncer tainty where might might suffer Immediately I thought friends whose loved disappeared Guatemala their agony learning their whereabouts having closure confirming their deaths Within moments I recognized thoughts irrational I worked myself Just I heard series explosions first distance suddenly close Camilo terrified I confused I smiling pushing little granddaughter swing Fi nally I asked It strikers I remembered Peronist labor federations joining forces massive against government policy prioritizing fiscal austerity payment foreign I Camilo workers trying attention people would listen something A driver stupid people scare birds pollute environment He liked latter explanation better In Alan brother Mart common sense Look phone night things happen anywhere You should alert times I careful I changed style Finally I remembered story friend London friends moving Washington DC Are crazy asked You moving murder capital world And finally Contradictions Relationships Family Before leaving Washington Alan I imagined would spend Burzaco Cristina apartment until moving I vaguely worried about every thing Camilo around mostly concerned about offending Alan parents staying Ha We could never gotten through without least another Camilo delighted spend Granny Granddad second practically pushed apartment On providing needed child Alan mother laundry otherwise freed could place school other details needed attending In addition Betty Zeke Camilo Zeke first arrived They acquainted Granddad taught grandson tools asado veritable history books lunfardo dictionaries convert temperature Celsius Fahrenheit other useful information I think important Camilo grandparents I better cially Alan father I years One night stories father childhood He recounted father alone young dinner hours stepfather He struggled contain emotion while describing youngster sitting alone table staring candle later religious conversion young I admired courage willingness feelings And I appreciated depth faith I before Earlier supper while Camilo still their round mesquite table Hey And quietly I In again sentiments exactly September Post script On September anniversary Pinochet Chile Alan I succulent olive pizza lunch pizzer Palermo neighborhood Next table Camilo building tower legos McDonalds Part Buenos Aires skyline R Plata supervised young woman training dergarten teacher Florencia asked I heard about happened U S When alized I knowledge events reluctant stranger I begged When seconds I thought It possible But unprepared accept I finished lunch thinking Aw Argentines really gullible We When arrive I turned radio heard commentator wonder thing How longer U S government think could operate world serious repercussions Later afternoon cable TV hooked gruesome images The young climbed tenth floor windows cable We problems Argentina I prefer there Just At least alive I agreed though later I asked myself forgotten Argen tines systematically tortured killed disap peared years Argentines following events closely From conversations I overheard feeling U S bully always getting taste medicine At personally people continuously expressed horror sympathy worry about future The erage press expresses similar sentiments though range opinions wider U S Here political spectrum includes generally respected range leftist parties activists commentators There leftist daily newspaper P whose founder Jorge Lanata household Reac attacks consistent condemna However opinions about occurred U S Argentine response appropriate widely A public opinion province Buenos Aires published P September vealed percent Argentines agree tacks represent catastrophe which there justification I intrigued remaining disagree Sixty percent those polled believe attacks consequence U S foreign policy percent agree attacks predictable given world current economic configuration Furthermore percent Argentines reject President Rua pledge participate whatever U S military response takes place Apparently Argentines loath another military intervention Argentina participa alongside U S Gulf War I confessed I dered where would funds Finances aside rejection likely related percent those polled likely likely there another terrorist attack within Argentina In people killed least injured Israeli embassy Buenos Aires destroyed Then suicide bomber destroyed AMIA Asocia Mutual Israelita Argentina Buenos Aires Jewish Community Center leaving injured No brought justice these attacks though Buenos Aires police accused collaboration AMIA bombing scheduled stand trial beginning Monday My Argentine friend Marcela feels people U S because tendency immune events People countries Argentina chaos uncertainty feeling anything happen anytime But U S people aware It things worse It terrible shock Frankly relief Washing though friends family process happened Mean while I appreciate sympathy expressed people I getting perfect strangers The warmth concern these individuals welcome INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS FELLOWS AND THEIR ACTIVITITES Shelly Renae Browning March AUSTRALIA A surgeon specializing hearing Dr Browning studying approaches traditional healers among Aborigines Australia hearing problems She B S Chemistry University South studied physician patient relationships China Australia Thomas J Watson Fellowship M D Emory University Atlanta Before ICWA fellowship Fellow Skull Base Surgery Montreal McGill University Department Otolaryngology Wendy Call May MEXICO A Healthy Societies Fellow Wendy spending years Mexico Isthmus Tehuantepec immersed contradictory trends attempt industrialize develop along proposed Caribbean Pacific containerized railway desire indigenous peoples preserve their Mexic remaining growth forests With B A Biology Oberlin Wendy worked communications coordinator Grassroots International national campaign director Infact corporate accountability organization Martha Farmelo April ARGENTINA A Georgetown graduate major psychology minor Spanish Master Public Affairs Woodrow Wilson School Princeton Martha Institute Suzanne Ecke McColl Fellow studying gender issues Argentina Married Argentine economist mother small focusing genders which immensely important Italo Latino machismo Martha involved Latin America professional having worked Catholic Relief Services Inter American Development Bank Costa Rica Human Rights Watch Ecuador Inter American Foundation El Salvador Uruguay UN World Conference Women Beijing Gregory Feifer January RUSSIA With fluent Russian Master Harvard Gregory worked Moscow political editor Agence France Presse weekly Russia Journal He Russia latest failures economic political reform continuation failed attempts Westernization began Peter Great failures succession behind scenes elites Russia behind mythic facade strong rulers centuries He plans assess continuation these cultural underpinnings Russian governance Gorbachev Yeltsin succession Curt Gabrielson December EAST TIMOR With Missouri background MIT degree physics Curt spending years East Timor watching nation create education system ashes Indonesian system Since finishing MIT Curt focused delivering inexpensive culturally relevant hands science education minority income stude Based Teacher Institute Exploratorium San Francisco worked youth teachers Beijing Tibet Mexican American agricultural Watsonville California Peter Keller March CHILE Public affairs officer Redwood National Park planner Yosemite Na tional Park before fellowship Peter holds B S Recreation Resource Manage University Montana Masters Environmental Law Vermont Law School As John Miller Musser Memorial Forest Society Fellow spending years Chile Argentina comparing operations parks forest reserves controlled Chilean Argentine governments those trolled private persons governmental organizations Leena Khan April PAKISTAN A U S lawyer previously focused immigration Leena looking ranging strategies adopted women movement Pakistan starting earliest nationalist struggle independence present She exploring myths realities women living under Muslim Pakistan through women experiences identity religion customs implications activism Born Pakistan immersed Persian Urdu literature grandfather raised States holds B A North Carolina State University J D University San Diego Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experi promise They young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues ICWA Letters ISSN lished Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operat foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers subscription Phone E Mail ICWA valley Fax Web Site Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Assistant Brent Jacobson Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The formation contained publication reproduced without writer permission Author Farmelo Martha J Title ICWA Letters The Americas ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia Sub Saharan Africa Mideast North Africa South Asia Europe Russia