"Eat, eat, eat!"

Yesterday I returned from our rural homestay in Wheelwright, a town four hours northwest of Buenos Aires. We were divided into pairs, with two people assigned to one family. I was paired with Katie, the most energetic one in the group. My host family was wonderful: they were welcoming and funny and encouraged Katie and me to eat, eat, eat. I probably ate more this week than I have in my month in the city. My family lives on a farm (or campo) – husband and wife Ernesto and Elena, a grandmother, and various relatives and friends – and raises pigs and chickens and produces soy, wheat, and corn. Recently, soy production has become an enormous part of the Argentine economy. Katie and I helped feed the pigs (who have the most frightening eyes of any mammal I’ve seen) and even drove the tractor for a few minutes (though under incredible supervision). I know, that part is hard to believe, let alone me running around a farm chasing chickens. I had a fantastic time and spoke non-stop Spanish for three days. Upon our departure our family gave Katie and me some gifts: a mate cup (mate is the communal tea of the country), a jar of marmalade, and some candy. Elena even shed a few tears! What a sweet lady. I’m considering a visit to the family during May if I have the time.

Incidentally, this was the perfect time to visit the campo. The government recently raised the export tax much to the dismay of the nation’s farmers who found their income decreasing. This spurred protests in various cities including Buenos Aires and Wheelwright. In lieu of attending the protests, my family watched them on TV. President Kirchner spoke twice this week about the taxes though offered no solutions for the farmers. Protests are ongoing; we encountered several on our drive back to Buenos Aires. Farmers are blocking roads and not allowing milk and meat to pass, resulting in a nationwide shortage. It was a great experience to see the real effects of the export taxes on the farmers, rather than be a bourgeois tourist and attend the protests in Buenos Aires.

In other news, this week marked the month anniversary of my arrival in Argentina. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been here for a month… though I have yet to put any pictures in an online album. I’ll try to be more productive this week.