A one man class

the teacherWalking down the streets of Buenos Aires, I see an array of skin colors, hair colors, heights, etc. Based upon these observations, it would be difficult to create a stereotype of what the typical Argentine person looks like. The people of Buenos Aires call themselves Porteños because they are people of the port. Their ancestors came from all over Europe and Africa, with mass amounts from Spain and Italy. Perhaps it is from all of this European influence that Buenos Aires is famously nicknamed the “Paris of Latin America.” Argentina has always tried to overcome this illusion that it is European. The great Argentine author Jorge Borges describes Argentina as a “land of exiles,” a place in which Europeans came to prosper. Yet, Argentina is one of the most paradoxical nations of Latin America in that it used to be one of the richest nations in the world but entered the twenty-first century with its economy in shambles and a legacy of corruption and dictatorship. The Argentina Reader: History, Culture, Politics by Gabriela Nouzeilles and Garciela Montaldo provides a rich insight into the complex history of Argentina.

The 536-page book is useful for anyone, student or traveler, that has the desire to learn about the Argentine history and culture. It is a collection of poems, songs, short stories, articles and essays that help paint a picture to describe the rocky road the Argentina has come down. The Argentina Reader covers important historical topics such as Argentina’s independence from Spain, its rapid economic growth, dictatorships, military regimes, and the much talked about Peronism. But it also touches on topics such as guachos (cowboys) and sports. Most of the pieces are from Argentine authors, and it even includes excerpts from Juan Peron, Jorge Borges, and Julio Cortazar.

This book more or less represents the classes I am taking here in Buenos Aires all wrapped up in one. It discusses the politics that I am learning in my Latin American Democracy and Dictatorship class, and it also covers the human rights issues such as the disappearances of the Dirty War that my journalism class focuses on. I have enjoyed reading many of the excerpts and stories. I find it interesting learning about the backdrops to the places that I am visiting while here. Many times, I just look breeze through a town without knowing a single bit of information or history about it. I have enjoyed reading this book along my travels. It is almost like I am taking a one man class where the book is my teacher and I am the student traveling around Argentina taking it all in with some first hand experience.

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