aburns
Ashleigh Burns Joined: June 25th 2009
Logged in: June 8th 2010
Logged in: June 8th 2010
Travel Blog Posts
So now that my eight required blogs for class are completed and published I can blog at my whim, chatting aimlessly about whatever it is that catches my attention. Don't get me wrong, this country is amazing but I am getting the sense that Argentines, Or at least people from Buenos Aires have a tendency towards the dramatics. Nearly the entire city is shut down because of the swine flu (excuse me, H1N1, or as they call it here Gripe Porcina). And I am not talking about older people or children, young, (assumedly) healthy people wearing masks on the subte, buying up all the anti-bacterial hand gel and abandoning the traditional Argentine kiss hello. I completely understand that the flu is bad here and that they have had supposedly an unusually high percentage of mortality, but ... read more
Drunken Voting? The market at San Telmo is bustling, crowded and over flowing with tourists and locals (ok, mostly tourists) every Sunday. Every Sunday except this Sunday. While not exactly a ghost town, Buenos Aires was definitely a few notches lower on the volume and density, including the San Telmo market. Stores and cafes were all closed because it was Election Day. In the States the Presidential elections don’t cause this much of a change, especially not in such a large city. But this was only a congressional election and it looked at if the entire city had locked itself away. For a country with such a riotous political history, or maybe because of it, elections are a very serious issue. I was informed by one of the few venders who were open at San Telmo ... read more
Favellas, Brazil
Somewhere In Between Latin America is a 2nd/3rd world continent. False. PARTS of Latin America are 3rd world. Absolutely, undeniably true. But strange that other parts are very 1st world. No one would deny that the Hotel in Buzios, Brazil was first class: pool, sauna, the functioning plumbing and everything. Modern high-rises in Rio de Janeiro, and the Copacabana Palace with prices my fat American wallet couldn’t dream of affording. And all of this is in stark contrast to the Favellas not a mile away. Even better, driving to our boat tour of the Buzios beaches in a Mercedes van, next to a vegetable cart being pulled by a donkey. These are the things I will remember, specifically about Brazil, but also about Latin America in general. Argentina has its fair share of contrasts: clean, bright-eyed ... read more
Taxis: Part Two If I had to make a list of my favorite things in Argentina I would include things like the Market at San Telmo, Buying fruit or pastries on the street, futbol games and probably most strangely, Taxis. My first time in a taxi was in Argentina and I wonder if these are a good representation of taxis around the world. What I do know is that they are a great way to explore both physically and theoretically a country that I continue to struggle to wrap my mind around. First would be that Argentina is a country of contradictions, and interestingly this trend of contradictions continues into the culture of taxis. The drivers honk their way through intersections with out stopping, lanes are more like suggestions and less like rules, and god forbid ... read more
Perceptions in Latin America and the United States I saw a film at LASA about censorship in Cuba that actually talked very little about censorship in Cuba. Instead it explored the very nature of censorship, including the idea of self-censorship. This corresponded quite nicely with a conversation I had with Jake over dinner the night before about perceptions. I believe overall the film, Jake and I agreed that some degree of self-censorship occurs and should occur to maintain a balance within society. What we didn’t discuss was that perceptions are very much culturally based and therefore the degree and manner of the self-censorship is going to be dependant on the culture in question. The stereotypical perception of Americans is that we are loud and have a tendency to blunder around, especially abroad, not knowing how to ... read more
DSCN0023
A People Behind Bars Two things, soccer and politics, have appeared to shape the culture and city of Buenos Aires and seem to inspire passion and frequently violence among the people often leaving tangible impacts on the city. It should be noted that there are character traits of large cities that I am generally unaware of, and as such my ability to compare is limited to my brief time in Atlanta and years of suburbia. Visually what struck me first about the city was the jailed look of the buildings. There are bars on the windows, bars on the doors, even so far as bars across the balconies on third and fourth stories. What did this mean that the people who choose to make this city their home and place of business are so distrustful of ... read more
Fireworks
A new kind of Equation: If Fireworks=pride and pride=sense of identity then the Greater the fireworks the greater the sense of identity “Fireworks take many forms to produce the four primary effects: noise, light, smoke, and floating materials (confetti for example).”-A simple and effective definition taken from the ever-reliable Wikipedia, fireworks are just that and provide entertainment to people of all ages. Further more they are a nearly universal symbol of celebration, from China to the United States and yes finally to Argentina. For most Americans it is safe to say the idea of fireworks inspires first and foremost memories of Independence Day. To the Chinese fireworks would be associated with the Chinese New Year. Now, for myself and for many Boca Juniors fans, the idea of fireworks will forever be connected to Boca Games. What ... read more
June 26th 2009
Montevideo
Taxi: Part One We talk about the lack of confidence the Argentine people have in the economy and the government all of the time. To the point that sometime we forget to recognize how far Argentina has come as a country. It would be easier to talk about tourism or exports as a sign of confidence and growth of the country. However it is my guess that most people, unless directly involved in said industries don’t know or care very much about these topics. Instead I think it would be interesting to do a study of something that relates to the people and their daily lives: Taxis. “And the money Kept rolling in (and out)’ mentions how Argentina’s taxis during the period of hyper inflation, would charge according to a scale of numbers. These numbers would ... read more
The "Fans" section
Soccer as an Identity: Good or Bad This is a topic that deserves far greater coverage than a 300 word individual blog. However, my discussion of this question will be based purely on my personal observations or conversations and as such is inherently under informed. The club Ferro is not the most well known team and nor was their rival that day, and neither team was vying for a title r award. Rather this was an ordinary team playing an ordinary game. But you would not have known that from the fan’s section of the stadium. They sang and jumped and cheered quite literally the entire duration of the game. You would be hard pressed to fine a fan of American Football with that kind of endurance this one team, a team that contributed to their ... read more
