Córdoba, Argentina
In the Fall of 2023, I studied abroad in Córdoba, Argentina for more than 5 months at Blas Pascal University, a private institution located outside of the city center. The program was divided into an intensive month of linguistic, cultural, and historical study followed by the start of semester-long classes and an internship placement at a local public clinic. My experience in Córdoba was life-changing. Even beyond my academic, linguistic, and professional learning, I gained cultural insight and built relationships with local cordobeses that will last a lifetime. ​
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The original town hall of Córdoba, completed in 1786, served as a center of operations for Córdoba's Police Department of Information during the last military dictatorship in Argentina.
This tree stretches towards the sunlight in the courtyard of El Archivo Provincial de la Memoria, a former detention and torture center during Argentina's last military dictatorship. Today, El Archivo is a museum. The tree's adornments are transient like the ever-evolving collective memory of the events that transpired on the grounds of El Archivo. The tree's presence reminds us that good things can flourish even out of the most terrible of circumstances.
A throng of families takes the train into the mountains (las sierras chicas) of Córdoba for the weekend to enjoy the lush greenery and clear rÃos. Siblings and friends share mates, and when the train passes through a tunnel, everyone screams with terror and delight!
Facturas filled with membrillo were and will always be my favorite pastry. Facturas are reasonably priced and commonly eaten for breakfast in Argentina. I often stopped by a bakery during my walk to school in the mornings.
One of my dearest Argentinian friends had an apartment with a balcony. Sharing mates in silence and watching the sunset with him while Argentinian soft rock played from his TV will remain in my heart one of my fondest quiet moments in Córdoba Capital.
An Argentinian friend studying political communication accompanied me to the center of the city the night of the presidential election of Javier Milei on November 19, 2023. We spent the night people watching and speculating about the future of his country.
I made a trip to Buenos Aires alone and toured El Congress Nacional de Argentina. I was even more struck by the protests outside the building than the building itself – I learned about the fight against lithium mining on indigenous land in Jujuy.
Visiting la ESMA was heartbreaking. I learned about the young men and women who were forcibly disappeared and detained there without due process, lined up in rows in the attics of former educational buildings like cattle, blindfolded, assaulted, and numbered. Every Wednesday, an ESMA plane passed over nearby lakes and rivers to discard the bodies. Before studying in Argentina, I had no idea of the sheer horror of the last dictadura militar (1976-1983). Nunca más, ojalá.
I love bookstores, and this converted theater is one of the coolest ones I have ever visited!
The mineral-colored peaks of Purmamarca, Jujuy are spectacular. It was a privilege to visit and hike here with my study abroad cohort!
See the poems I wrote about El Dante, the best choripan truck in Córdoba, to learn more about my love for this staple Argentinian street food.
The Obelisco was installed in the center of what used to be the widest road in the world to celebrate the 400-year anniversary of Buenos Aires.
I visited Villa General Belgrano twice during my time in Argentina. My friends and I hiked to the top of Cerro Wank, the entrance to the mountains that tower above the village.
My friend Sarah and I made a morning hike in the dark to watch the sun rise over Villa General Belgrano.
Lucas is one of my dearest Argentinian friends. He and his parents treated me like family. We met at a language exchange event and struck up a friendship. A few weeks later, he invited me to eat lunch in his home with his family and attend his neighborhood fútbol game!
Truco is one of the most popular Argentinian card games and can be played individually or in teams. University students often play outside in Parque Sarmiento on nice days. Some friends kindly taught me how to play, although I can't say I'm good quite yet!
Though this church looks old, it was actually built less than a hundred years ago! It was one of the first places my cohort visited during our tour of the city of Córdoba.
In Argentina, Sunday is a sacred day reserved for asado (barbecue) with family.
