Thursday, March 26, 2009

observations

I´m here writing on my blog at the moment because I took a sick day. Still have what a friend from home would call walking pneumonia. Yesterday I had such little energy and the children see this and take advantage of the situation; a very hyperactive boy threw a pencil at a girl´s eye. I felt it best to stay home before someone ends up in the hospital.

Lately there has also been quite a bit of trouble between the farmers and the government. The government is killing the agricultural industry by increasing export taxes and taking one-third of the profits for their own use. I simply don´t understand how this country will be able to work - agriculture is Argentina´s main industry. From what people say, it sounds like things are getting worse everyday. Farmers have been on strike and blocking roads. The Easter holiday is coming up and people don´t know if the roads will be clear to get through to their vacation destinations. It´s possible that I could face a situation where I can´t get to work due to a roadblock. Crazy!

I´ve noticed that the caretakers and shop-owners in my neighborhood, mostly men, like to stand in their doorways and say hello to people as they go by. They often congregate together on the sidewalk and socialize. I´ve started to say hello to these people as I walk by and often see my building´s caretaker among them. I am realizing that this is what a true neighborhood is like, people say hello, talk to each other, and in a way look out for each other; you get the sense that people would notice if you didn´t walk by for a week and wonder where you are. I don´t think I´ve ever felt this way living anywhere else.

I have also noticed that some people ride their motorcycles on the sidewalk. I´ve had to get out of the way several times in order to not be plowed over. I´m not saying this happens all the time, everyday, but it happens.

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