Ok mi querida gente, that shocking moment has arrived. The one where I realize that I have spent the last 3 and half months of my life in Argentina (with a few jaunts to Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. All the MERCOSUR countries? check. yessssss). Erm...where did all that time go?
Anyway, I'm sorry that I have been cyber-absent the last month, because it really has been an interesting experience. For my final project, I ended up sticking with a yerba mate theme, but instead I traveled (solo!) to Misiones, the north-eastern province of Argentina that might as well be Paraguay. In Misiones I got to hang out with some viejos in two agricultural cooperatives, interviewing the presidents of the cooperatives and chatting with some members, touring the yerba-processing facilities, visiting one of their organic farm projects, as well as go to a farmer's market, chill in a cute little town, etc. (Tangent: for those of you unaware of yerba mate, it is one of the other natural sources of caffeine, aside from tea, coffee, and cocoa. The yerba leaves undergo an intense drying/stationing/milling period, until they are sold in a state resembling loose-leaf tea and prepared in mates [hollowed out gourds] and drunk with bombillas [metal straws with a filter at the bottom to not suck up the yerba]. It tastes kind of a bitter, leafy tea. It's an acquired taste, but pretty much a staple in Argentine/Uruguay/Paraguayan/Southern Brazilian culture.) My project revolved around the alternative commercialization strategies available to small producers of yerba, because the big yerba mate companies have a pretty tight strangle hold on the market.
Load of hoja verde (the green yerba leaves) coming into to be processed
Anyway, the last few weeks have been a blur, as I finished writing my paper, gave my presentation, tried to get things wrapped up here, etc. In the meantime, I've been trying to enjoy the city as much as possible in these last few days, because I leave for my solo travels tomorrow and then I'll only be back in the city for 2 days or so before flying out for good in July. One highlight: last night I went to my first (and only) big-deal, big-name concert at Luna Park. We went to go see Arbolito, which is a famous Argentine group of rock-folkclore fusion. Basically awesome. I have never seen people moshing to flutes before. A perfect end to this crazy semester.
When I try to summarize what this all has meant to me...I come up extremely short. There is no way to do it justice. The program itself had it strong points, as well as the things that drove me bonkers. But the act of being here and seeing all of the issues up close, with my own eyes...I know this is where I want to be and where I belong (sorry, parents). And the people I've met - other students in the program, outside contacts - have already changed me.
So now, a new chapter begins. One with substantially less work but possibly more levels of hectic. Tomorrow I leave for MACHU PICCHU (ohmygod can we all just take a moment and enjoy that statement) and then I'm thinking of sticking around in Cusco for a bit to enjoy the Winter Solstice festival there (I know, South America is seasonally-confused), as it's supposed to be a pretty big deal. Then onto Chile to see Gina and then more wanderings in Argentina.
This is my grand sign off, as being an uber-cool, independent South American traveler does not quite jive with bringing my computer and blogging about it. So y'all will just have to wait to get stories in person.
I'll leave you with one of the (sadly over-used, sorry) greats, because he says it so much better:
"And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress , adventure."
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