Córdoba is by far the most politically active city I have ever lived in. The hat march (Marcha de La Gorra) is one of, if not, the biggest march in the city each year. Its aim is to stop police brutality. I tried to write a piece on my thoughts on the event, but I came to no conclusions. This years focus was in opposition to a law that allows police to stop anyone based on appearance alone. Although very far from home, so many of the opinions expressed were the same issues we are dealing with in the states.
Here are more photos http://www.lavoz.com.ar/galerias/la-9a-marcha-de-la-gorra-en-fotos
We went with La Luciérnaga, an organization very similar to StreetWise in Chicago. Below are some photos of a group of students I have been blessed to learn from these past months.
La Luciérnaga photos:
Since my arrival I had been waiting this day. To see La Mona Jimenez. There are few things more ‘Córdoba’ then La Mona. The usual line of question here goes as follows: where are you from? Do you like Argentina? Do you drink Mate? Asado? Have a girlfriend? and then, Have you seen La Mona?
He is the king of Cuarteto, a genre invented in Córdoba. He is over 60 years old and has been at the top of his game since the early 80’s. He performs 3-5 nights a week. From around 1 a.m. often until well past sunrise. The venue pictured is one that is exclusively his. The night we went there were thousands in attendance; it was just a normal Friday for him. We went with my buddy Pablo, for his brothers’ birthday.
Thanksgiving. The first time hosting thanksgiving was with three of my best friends, and housemates: Catherine, Amanda and Dan, for a bunch of Argentines (and a Spaniard) who had never celebrated the day. So if nothing else, they had no standard which to compare it to. But in all honesty it went really well. Traveling, particularly in a country that speaks a different language, is a constant experience of humility and gratitude. No better way to say thanks then sharing culture and food.
Earlier in the day I also participated in a old thanksgiving tradition: Juicy Lucy’s. I made them at Nuestro Hogar III with Lore, Irma, Ale, Rosi, Paola, Tomás, Lourdes and Martina. We had a great time. Any feelings of missing home were soothed by sharing it with this group of woman. Its going to be hard to leave them.
To Be Determined 