Berkley Center

Although I’m less than a month into my semester abroad it has already proven to be an incredibly interesting and exciting time to be in Latin America. The politically charged atmosphere is captivating, especially among the highly involved university students. During classes at the University of Buenos Aires, professors allow students to interrupt class to announce protests, rallies, petitions, and hand out flyers with information on upcoming university or government changes and legislation. The hallways are lined with images of Che Guevara, graffiti calling for revolution, and posters demanding student involvement and protest (just a little different from the Georgetown norm).

The public response to two major events, Chavez’s death and Cardinal Bergoglio’s election to the papacy, perfectly captures the passionate and politically charged nature of Buenos Aires.

After the announcement of Chavez’s death, a mass of supporters gathered at the Venezuelan embassy to publicly mourn and honor the leader. At home with my host family we watched a series of photo and video montages of the late president’s life and work. The emotional response and media presentation I witnessed were completely unexpected; they revealed a stark contrast compared to US reporting. While Obama was discussing a new future for Venezuela, many here were worried about what would happen to the people without Chavez.

Just a short time after, I once again saw an outpouring of emotion with the election of an Argentine as pope. Walking by the cathedral just hours after the announcement, I saw a crowd gathered in front cheering, beating on drums, and waving flags. On the subway ride home, local musicians played religious music while everyone sang along. Surprisingly, the crowd that gathered to celebrate included more than just the Catholic population (while the majority identifies as Catholic, the percentage that practices is fairly low). It was not just a religious celebration of a new leader, but also a matter of national pride. Everyone was waving Argentine flags and wearing blue and white t-shirts, while others cheered, “We beat Brazil!” Plaza de Mayo, the city’s historical hub of political protest and demonstration, is still filled with signs and posters of Pope Francis (and if you’re interested, any sort of souvenir with his face on it: mugs, pins, shirts, and all).

However, while my initial impression was that the entire country was celebrating, I quickly realized that like everything in Argentina, Cardinal Bergoglio had been a politicized figure in the past, sometimes at odds with President Cristina Kirchner. Many cited his opposition to the same-sex marriage bill as their reason for not supporting him. The various responses to the Pope’s election highlight Argentina’s intense political dynamic. The inauguration was projected on a huge screen outside the cathedral. When President Kirchner appeared on screen the crowd was mixed with cheers and criticism—everything here is political.

Interacting with other students and families of different backgrounds and different perspectives has been the most fascinating part of study abroad thus far. The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far: You need to have opinions. On everything.