Emily’s rose/bud/thorn suggestion at dinner last night inspired me to write a sweeping reflection on the past 18 days. To say this was a profound experience would be an understatement, and I’m truly so grateful to have been a part of it.
Rose: Friends and Fun
Argentina was a culture shock for most of us. Between the dreadfully long food service in Córdoba and the “hard water”, adjusting took some time. Initially, communication was completely humiliating. In retrospect, I appreciate that and am grateful that I was not alone. We bonded over our novelty in this country, and I think it helped bring the group together.
Javon featured trying Mate for the first time. I only captured the initial reaction, but he came around to it and actually enjoyed it (after some sugar)…
Laura was an angel, and one of the best days was her cookout for us. The hospitality of her and her family to mostly strangers was incredible.
Thorn: Not really a thorn, but certainly upsetting
On Saturday we visited Parque de la Memoria and tossed flowers into the ocean to honor those who were disposed of in the ocean. There is a special type of pain in knowing these people lost their lives in the middle of nowhere, and are out there somewhere.
Every single visit to detention/killing centers was tough. Each time we learned more and more, I had a harder time digesting the information. Unfortunately, these visits were critical to our understanding of the dictatorship, and I wouldn’t have the same understanding of Argentina’s history if I had just taken a class in the U.S. The trauma the survivors endured and still deal with today is unimaginable. As Sources of Expression of Resilience in Trauma Survivors notes, a cross-cultural approach to trauma research is paramount to understanding and treating victims like those who were imprisoned in Argentina.
Bud: Lessons
Despite how emotionally exhausting it was to study the dictatorship, it was critical to our understanding of specific social issues and phenomena. As Americans, our knowledge is limited when it comes to social issues outside of our country. I feel like this is probably tactical. But when people like us- college students with the capacity to make real change- can take information back to the U.S, we can educate others and move towards a better world.
Ellie, I love this post so much. I think your bud is such an excellent point – in the U.S. we tend to sequester ourselves in our comfortable bubble and shield ourselves from social issues outside of (and sometimes even within!) our own country. We as students absolutely hold power and our voices are important. I so look forward to seeing the way in which you educate others and move towards a better world.