Drugs and Prostitutes

Those of you that know me must have known that this post was coming at some point....I mean its me....

Yes a post all about drugs and prostitutes everyone's favorite topics. Let me start by saying if you like Sara Palin, are an administrator at Northeastern University, or have found any of my previous posts offensive you will probably NOT like this post. I am sorry for that, but what are you going to do?

So let me start with why I would ever create a post about drugs and prostitutes. Is it because I enjoy recreational drug use and paying people to have sex with me....NO....its because from a public health perspective those are two of the things that I find most fascinating. You cannot possibly tell me that they aren't interesting...and I think medically/academically they are both fascinating because of the intricate health problems that they pose to themselves and to the general health of society. So without further ado some of the information I have gathered about drugs and prostitution in Argentina, but more specifically Buenos Aires.

Let's start with the prostitutes, or to use the politically correct term, the sex workers. Argentina has a very interesting stance on prostitution. It is legal, but only if you are a free agent. Basically if you want to be a prostitute in Argentina you must work for yourself and all alone on a corner. If you choose to be part of a brothel to have protection and support from other prostitutes to avoid issues of violence which are so common in your line of work you are SOL. That is illegal. That really makes sense doesn't it. 

In terms of who the sex workers tend to be the population much like that in the US is varied. However, a disproportionate number of the sex workers in Buenos Aires are immigrants to this country who really have no other means of supporting themselves and their families here in Buenos Aires. 

As far as sexually transmitted infections go, which is of course my main point of interest here, there is actually very little data available from the government of Argentina. Because so many of the sex workers in the city of Buenos Aires are immigrants it really is a challenge to gather information regarding their health. HIV/AIDS is not as prevalent an infection here or as big of an issue as of right now. According to the Argentine government the national use of condoms is much higher than that of the US. To me this means one of two things. Either the Argentine people are much more responsive to public health initiatives, or the government and reporting bodies are not as honest with their numbers as other countries. Based on my short time here I can honestly say I am unsure what the exact answer in this situation is. I think because of the different systems put in place it is probably a combination of the two. In my dealings with some of the sex workers here they all seemed very responsive to outreach initiatives, but I think that there are probably a lot of issues with the government reporting systems as well. 

Where can you find the prostitutes in Buenos Aires? That is an interesting question that I do happen to know the answer to. Basically they can be found on the edges of many of the villas, or the equivalent of what people from the states would call a shanty town. The other two main places to find sex workers are pretty interesting sociologically. The first place is at Constitucion.....which many locals will derogatorily refer to as Prostitucion.  The plaza specifically is called Miserere Plaza....which, if my Latin is not failing me, means Have Mercy. I just find it very interesting that one of the main areas for prostitution in Buenos Aires is in a place that is literally titled Have Mercy....just some food for thought I guess. The other place where sex workers are found in large numbers is in Retiro. Retiro is actually a wealthier part of the city right near the bus and train stations. I think this is interesting for a few reasons, but most because of its similarity to the US. In the US I think you would be hard pressed to find a really busy bus or train station where sex workers did not find work. Its funny how some things, like the infidelities of the traveling businessman are transcultural.

Earlier I had said that a lot of the sex workers in Buenos Aires were actually immigrants who were looking for a way to support their families. That is true. The other large majority of the sex worker population is the number of women who are trying to feed an addiction. Yes this is how I am making the segue from prostitutes to drugs. Its seamless isn't it?

Okay drugs in Argentina. What can I say?? Well basically I think its probably the same as drugs in California. Pot is decriminalized, but it is still illegal. That being said I have on many occasions been walking down the street and gotten a noseful of weed from someone who simply appeared to be smoking a cigarette. There is also a lot of graffiti devoted to the full legalization of pot here. Its all pretty interesting. 

Now lets move onto the drugs that I actually care about. That's right heroin and crack. Simply put, I wouldn't say that Argentina has a real issue with either of these drugs. Actually I think there are very few countries besides the US where crack is a huge issue. Heroin exists, and I would say that I have definitely seen a few people high on it here, but I wouldn't say it is anything like the number of people I see on a regular basis who use heroin in Boston. 

The major drug here is called Paco. Now I said crack was basically a US thing, and I think that is true, but if there was a South American equivalent of crack it would be Paco. For lack of better words, Paco is sort of like a cocain toothpaste that people can freebase. As you can imagine this is not good. With Paco you see many of the same issues you see with someone who is a crack addict in the US. The skittishness, the hallucinations, the fidgety behaviors, the excessive picking, and the complete and utter tunnel vision in needing to obtain and use their substance of abuse. Paco was not always an issue in Argentina. It was far more prevalent in other countries in South America, but with crackdowns in other countries and the economic turmoil that Argentina experienced in the early 2000's the poorest people of the country were perfect candidates to become hardcore Paco addicts. 

In reading about Argentina, many people come across articles or reviews that talk about the high crime rate here, with specific indications about robbery. This is almost completely the fault of Paco. People addicted to Paco become severely dependent and feel they need a fix, but because of the fact that they are an addict and often times poor and/or homeless they resort to stealing and robbing in order to get the money necessary to support their habit. This is why everyone in Buenos Aires will tell you to just hand over whatever you have if someone chooses to rob you. Many of the addicts are hallucinating and suffer so severely from addiction that they would do anything, including stabbing or shooting a foreigner, to get enough money to get more of the substance.

This is just a picture of some Paco so you have an idea of what I am talking about. 

There is actually a very well done movie about the Paco problem here in Argentina. I have seen it and thought it gave an excellent insight into what drug use in Argentina was like. The movie also sort of gives light to some of the less than perfect parts of Argentina and the people that live here. The name of that movie is actually called Paco and it was only put out in 2009 so it is a fairly recent movie and definitely worth the watch if you are at all interested in the subject.http://www.alluc.org/movies/watch-Paco-2010-online/193864.html That is a link to the movie just in case you are feeling ambitious. 

The health problems associated with Paco are basically the same types of problems you would see in the United States in regards to a crack addict. In short they experience all of the same issues as any addict, strained social connections, fixation issues, a dependence(which is still argued because some scientists feel cocaine does not create a dependence), and lack of interest in self care. The other issues that arise are basically all related to the previous mentioned, anorexia, hallucinations, poor skin care, poor hygiene, infectious diseases, mental health issues, depression, mania, all basically stem from the addiction and the use of the Paco itself. 

Well I guess that is really all I have to say about drugs and prostitutes. For those of you who were offended....I don't apologize. Sorry I'm not sorry. I think there are certain things that need to get talked about and this is one of them. I think the way a country chooses to deal with these issues says a lot about the morals and cultural values of any group of people. So let's hope you gained the same insight into Argentina I did from these two issues.

Argentine University System

I thought that since I am a college student here in Buenos Aires it might be interesting to write a quick post about the differences in the University system here in Argentina. There aren't a whole lot of differences but there are definitely enough to make it interesting.

First, the public universities here are really the ones that are the best. Specifically, University of Buenos Aires. All of the public universities in Argentina are government funded and take the best students from the secondary education system here in Argentina. So basically if you say you go to a public school here you are a smarty pants.

Second, and probably most importantly, the public universities here are free. Now when I say free you still have to pay for your books and stuff, but the university itself is free. That's right no tuition at all. So in Argentina, the best students go to the public universities for free.

Now one of the big difference is also that students don't generally live on campus. They live at home with their parents. I'm sure this is a horrendous thought for many of the people reading this blog in the states, but the reality here in Argentina is people live at home with their parents until they are married. This usually doesn't happen until their late 20's early 30's, which explains why everyone thinks that I am 28 and living alone, because the idea of a 21 year old living alone is simply horrendous to the vast majority here.

Another major difference in the university systems is the level of education that one receives or the type of degree you can get. Basically, the idea of a master's degree or graduate degree is non-existent here. They have a degree you get when you go to the university, you are not an undergraduate you are a university student.

Another major difference is the state of the school grounds. In the United States the very best universities tend to be private and have huge endowments with lots of money to spend on general upkeep of the university and the equipment that it uses in classroom teaching. Well because the best universities here are public, and the universities don't receive nearly as much money as those in the United States, the state of affairs in terms of the actual physical condition of the grounds and buildings of the public universities is pretty sad. I have a bunch of pictures later so you can see what I mean.

The final major difference between the university system in the US and Argentina is the idea of research. I feel like in the United States to even be considered a top tier professor you have to have at least 2 or 3 different major research projects going on with successful results coming from all of them. In Argentina, the idea of research simply does not exist in the same universe as it does in the United States. Whatever research goes on here, no matter how important is fairly minimal. This really does change the entire dynamic in the university. In the states, many students compete to work in certain labs or with certain professors doing research and creating new knowledge. In Argentina, universities aren't really meant to create new knowledge but rather to educate the country's people at a higher level. That I think is the real difference between the two systems.

Now time for some pictures of the University of Buenos Aires, or how everyone here refers to it, UBA:

This is the hospital that the medical school does all of its trainings and practicals at....very different than the US huh?

This is a picture of the security guard that yelled at me for taking pictures of the school. Apparently it is not allowed. I  of course sneaked around to another entrance and took them stealthily and left. Yes I am risking South American imprisonment for this blog....you readers better appreciate that.

Typical of any college campus anywhere....the two people who are so madly in love with each other they feel it is okay to be completely sexually inappropriate in a public place.

The sign depicting the best medical school in Argentina.

Argentine Musicians Part 2

Part two in our installment about Musicians here in Argentina. Hmmmm....well truth be told this one isn't going to be about particular musicians at all. Rather I am going to talk about two big music festivals that occur here in Buenos Aires. The first is the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival and the second is a festival known as Creamfields.

At first I was really surprised the Buenos Aires even had a Jazz Festival to be honest with you. I mean when you think of the capital of a South American country the first thing that comes to mind isn't exactly the low cool stylings of a random jazz musician in a smoky bar/club. But the Jazz Festival actually had a lot of different both local jazz people, others from Latin America, and even some from the US. Most of the events for the jazz festival were free, but the really big deal people tended to perform in theaters. The tickets weren't expensive, but you know my cheap ass so we went for the free stuff.

Last night I actually went to the final performance of the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival. It was held at the Cultural Center in Recoleta outside on the terrace. It was actually really really beautiful, crowded but beautiful. What I think was most exciting for me was I actually understood what the performer was singing. It was great! The woman's name was Roxana Amed....see a video of her below....

She is basically a Spanish blues/jazz singer....which reminds me a little of Portuguese Fado music....

So here are some pictures from the jazz festival.....

This is how far away we started.

This is how close we got.

Okay so those lights just twirled in circles but that giant light up man had a giant light up heart that blinked red like it was actually beating.....really cool!

Now the other music festival that is a big deal here is called Creamfields.....it is an electronica music festival. I personally have no interest in going to it for several reasons, the primary one being electronica is not really my jam for a concert necessarily. But to each his own. Since this one hasn't actually happened yet I am posting a video about the line up for this year....

Basically the vibe I get from everyone here is that Creamfields is really like an Argentina sort of version of Woodstock. All the people there tend to take some sort of drugs, drink a lot, and then just zone out with all of the electronic music. There is no seating just standing room in front of multiple different stages each with different artists throughout the day. To give you an idea of what it is like there is a video below of the end of last years and what it looked like and the type of beats that are bumping out(there is really no other way to describe it) all day and night long.

So I guess that's all I have for this one....pretty short and sweet. Hope you enjoy it!

Being a Tourist- Part 7

The next installment of my Being a Tourist series is a place called Puerto Madero. Literally translated this means "Port Lumber". First of all I did not mean to actually go here the day I took all of these pictures so I tried to get the best I could on what little information I knew. 


Puerto Madero is actually one of the wealthier parts of Buenos Aires....NOW~! Traditionally Puerto Madero is where that whole porteño and Lunfardo thing actually began if you have been reading and following along. If not I strongly encourage you to go back and read....Spanish or Something Like it......yes I am shamelessly plugging my own blog in my blog.....don't judge me!


Anyway, there is little to know recognition that this place has ever been anything but immaculate. I actually got a picture of one of the original buildings so we will throw that up so you can sort of get a frame of reference. Let's start with some pictures then I'll write a little blurb about the buenas ondas of Puerto Madero and then I'll finish with some more pictures....

One of two older buildings that I saw.

 

Now for some thoughts. I instantly thought of two things upon seeing the bridge leading from one side of the river to the other. Here is a picture of the bridge.....

First I was reminded of the Zakim bridge in Boston. Then I was reminded of the bridge in Singapore that went from one side of the river to the other and connected our hotel with Clark Quay. This design of a triangular type rise and the coils going down to the bridge below. I realize this seems like something very weird to point out because well a bridge is a bridge after all and they are all bound to share some similarities. It just struck me as funny that upon seeing the bridge to Puerto Madero I had not only one but two different bridges come into my mind.


I digress. Puerto Madero really did give me some flashbacks to Singapore. It was I think more of what I was expecting from Buenos Aires. A huge modern metropolis with parks and free space that still had a very Latin American soul. Clearly the city uses Puerto Madero as its model for the future and all I have to say is that if this is the future then I could definitely get on board. 


Let's continue with some more pictures:

A statue commemorating one of Argentina's naval ships.

A huge grassy park in Puerto Madero.

Along the river.

The next few pictures are of people who were hanging out on the streets and parks of Puerto Madero. This is the first time that I ever really felt like an outsider in Buenos Aires. I really think I was the only tourist on this side of the river and I definitely got some weird evil eyes for it and well the fact that I was also taking pictures of people may have had something to do with it....but I mean....no okay I guess I was pretty sketchy but still.

Dancing on a spot along the marsh of the Rio de La Plata.

                                                       

                                                                           Playing fútbol not even a few feet away from the dancers.

A bunch of kids playing in a fountain, with their beautiful Golden Retriever.

More fútbol.....per usual.

There was one unfortunate and disappointing part about my accidental trip to Puerto Madero. A few weeks ago I received a comment on my blog about the dangers of swimming in the Rio de la Plata, one of my ten goals for the trip. I was told that it was filthy and I would be crazy to swim in it. I confirmed this with many people but still had the thought that I would swim in it anyways. I mean how dirty could it really be. Well in order to get into Puerto Madero one must cross the Rio de la Plata and let me assure you I will not be completing all ten of my goals : (


The river really needs some help. I don't even understand how it could be so dirty honestly. I think the next project of the Argentine government to help stimulate the Puerto Madero area should be to clean up the river. Directly along Puerto Madero of course there is little actual polluting that goes on, unless it happens at night, so the problem definitely lies more inward. Perhaps with the fact that everyone washes all the trash on their sidewalks into the sewer and drainage system here in the city. I think that in order for a city to truly be a  cultural center a sort of pristine water supply is best. Whether that be a river, a lake, or an ocean there is just something about a clean body of water that seems to give life to everything around it. Well I will let you decide for yourselves about the cleanliness of the river.....here are some pictures.

This guy thought is was nice enough to row in.....and then I saw the picture below.

YUCK!!

And because I refuse to end my blog with a picture of a nasty polluted river....A statue of an anchor!

Being a Tourist- Part 6

Every tourist who has ever been to Buenos Aires no doubt has done two things....See those pretty colored houses(which I have yet to successfully do).....and go to the San Telmo Street Fair. The San Telmo Street Fair is actually a lot of fun. You find it by going down this small alley right off of where the Casa Rosada is located so it is perfect to see the house and get a glimpse at some real touristy culture here in Buenos Aires. 


The fair is basically a big conglomeration of all of the street vendors in Buenos Aires that occurs every Saturday and Sunday. I actually was able to buy quite a few souvenirs there, but I do suggest shopping around as some are really good quality and a good price and others are cheap and made to just gouge the tourists. The hint is to walk the whole thing. Yes it is enormously long and you will be tired when you are done, but you will undoubtedly find what you were looking for in the best quality at a good price from a really friendly local. 


Hints to the San Telmo Street Fair:


1. Don't pay more than 6 pesos for a glass of jugo expremido. No doubt you will see lots of people peddling fresh OJ but don't give in just because you are thirsty give it two seconds and undoubtedly you will find someone at the right price. Also, the concept of ice here is foreign so look for someone who keeps their oranges in a bath of ice water!


2. Pay attention to make sure you don't get pick pocketed. It is a very busy area and there are always people in any country looking to steal from you....I realize that is a fairly pessimistic view of the world, but whatever.


3. Do not hold on to your bag like you are trying to kill a wild animal. Yes I said to watch out for pick pockets but this does not mean that the 6 foot tall blonde lady needs to grip her bag like Rose holding onto Jack after the Titanic sank. Not everyone with an accent is trying to rob you! Calm Down!


4. If someone is trying to sell you their product be wary. There is a word here in Buenos Aires, called a chanta. For lack of a good translation think smarmy used car salesman. People who make and sell quality things at this fair are not trying to sell you anything because they know there stuff is good and will get bought eventually.


5. Don't wander too much off the beaten path unless you really know where you are going. Because the fair is so big and closes off so many streets I think the bus schedule and where the buses stop changes so it is best to just leave the same way you entered, like most things in life.


6. Bring a bag. This may sound stupid because everyone will give you a little plastic bag for you stuff but trust me your own bag is always a plus. Two reasons I suggest this: one is that its hard to carry all of those little bags and two is that if you are carrying a bunch of little bags you are a prime target for any chanta with a brain to take advantage of, no matter how smart you think you are.


7. Be prepared with small bills and centavos. There are a lot of street performers and if you take pictures they will expect some sort of payment. Also a lot of the vendors are not going to have change for a 100 pesos, so just better to be prepared.


8. Last but not least, wear comfortable shoes. It is definitely a hike from one end of the fair to the other and on cobblestone street. If you have a pair of running sneakers it is definitely the day to put them on your feet.


Now for what you have all been waiting for.....Picture Time:

This is a church/school you will find
in the midst of the fair. Awesome statue!

 

The next set of pictures that I have are actually of some of the many musicians you may see on a typical trip to the San Telmo Fair.

Come on this kid is sooo friggin
cute right...his father used him to clear a path
throughout the fair...Genius!

                                                     

                                                            They were playing some Tango music.

San Telmo Fair is also swarming with all sorts of different street performers. They are everywhere....seriously....here are just a few to give you an idea of the different types of things you can see!

 

That's right it is Capt. Jack Sparrow...in Argentina...whatever its an easy costume I guess....

This man did amazing acrobatics on his balls. That orange one and the silver one...really really impressed with his ball skills.

This is by far my FAVORITE street performer at the San Telmo Fair. He is there every single time I have been and literally is what you would expect and Argentine clown to be like. He is handsy with everyone...male, female, and those who are somewhere in between by the looks of them. He is also really just sort of a goofy clown with kids. Gets a laugh for a peso from everyone.

Argentine Musicians Part 3

And the music continues.....


I actually have two singers this time one female and one male....I personally like both of them and it is sort of an accident how I found them. So let's start with the first one.


Her name is Marcela Morelo. She is an Argentine born singer and does a lot of American covers. Her picture is here...


Now that you have seen her let me tell you how I found out about her. I was working at one of my co-op's, Ciudadanos del Mundo actually when I started to hear really loud music coming from my boss's office. This is not at all uncommon and usually it is all Spanish and I don't know any of it really. Well this time I was sure I knew the song, it was Believe by Cher. Then it got to the chorus and I started to sort of hum/sing-along and I realized what I was singing and what was playing were not the same. The song was in Spanish. I didn't realize at first because I don't really know all the words anyways until you get to the chorus part that EVERYONE knows....do you believe in life after love....I know you just sang that in your head.....


It was actually a really weird experience. Luckily, I was not in the office alone and didn't get the silent joy of enjoying my mistake along but rather get to show it off for the other two people I was working with who proceeded to laugh at me. Realizing the song wasn't in English I of course stopped and when my co-workers were done laughing they explained to me that this Argentine singer Marcela Morelo does A LOT of covers of American songs in Spanish. I then went home and youtubed her....(I don't know if that is a verb yet but googled is so I assume youtubed must be too).


Now I present you with the version of Creer that brought me to Marcela Morelo....see if you get confused too....you probably won't, I'm just an idiot.

In listening to her music I have found that I do like some of her covers...not all of them, but some are pretty good. But I have also found a few original songs that she sings that I really enjoy so I thought I would share one of those with you too!

Now that is Marcela Morelo. While watching some of her videos on youtube I found this next singer. He is fantastic and actually had a concert where he sang with Marcela. So without further ado to help make the transition I provide you with a video of both singers Marcela Morelo and the male singer I will write more about after the video, Abel Pintos.

Now Abel Pintos is a singer that is more traditional Argentine in terms of his music. While Marcela is as close to a pop star as I think Argentina really gets....Abel Pintos is sort of like a John Mayer(minus the racist penis) meets Josh Groban kind of singer. What I find really funny is this guy's hair....I know that sounds ridiculous but he had really curly very Josh Groban like hair and then I guess he just shaved it off.....and was completely bald...here are pics of before and after....
                     


There are a lot of songs that I really enjoy by him. They tend to be a little more laid back and mellow which is great when I am trying to write the blog or am working on something else like my embassy presentation (hint hint nudge nudge to the future blog post and what I have been busy doing). I guess I will end this one with a song that I found and played on repeat the first time I heard for at least a good 15 minutes....