Boludos, Gauchos y Demas

It has been one week since we started getting a feel of the environment at the office. Although we did not officially start until almost Wednesday, first impressions obtained in the meeting on Monday have been consistent with the reality of what working in RACI is like. Like I said, RACI (Red Argentina de Cooperacion Internacional) is as NGO that serves as the financial provider for about 40 different NGOs in Argentina. I think this is really important because these types of organizations thrive on a group like this to be sustainable in the market place. So it is important to know the work you do makes a difference out there.
I have to admit, my excitement the first week of working is not as fresh today. Especially because we have to work in a room with no windows. Nevertheless, I still enjoy the idea. Still, I think that more important than the usual research we do in the office, are matters outside of it that seem like the most relevant for my experience in Argentina. For instance, this weekend I had to move home stays because the family with which I was staying had complained about me. Why, you might ask. Well, because I wanted to do my blog outside of my room on Tuesday, and actually use the dining room when no one else was using it. The coordinator told me that it was better for me to move because they did not have the right disposition to deal with me. This is code to: They don't want you in their house because you are Bolivian. Yes, discrimination to Bolivians has been a fact for many years now in Argentina. I personally had never lived it, but now that I am a part of the discriminated group, I can tell you it sucks.
This is a very sensitive subject for me, because it goes back to the reasons why I began to study Global Affairs in the first place. Bolivian relationships with every other country have always been shaky. For a really long time, I have to admit, I have not been proud to call myself Bolivian, and now that I was exploring our neighboring countries, that desire seem to diminish even more so. This is kind of painful, in fact, this might just be the first time the feeling surfaces outside of my head. The problem is that when you have such negative connotation with the world when you share your nationality, obviously it will have some sort of impact on your patriotism.
This country is really beautiful and so are the people in it. I guess that actually depends on what you consider beautiful. There is a lot of racism, discrimination, and segregation here. There is also a lot of crime, which is scary. Everyone talks about how careful you have to be when you go out because someone they know, or themselves, has been mugged. Some in a more peaceful way than others, but mugged just the same.
Wine is really cheap here, and also really good. They are the country with the best steak in the world, too. Food is so great and relatively cheap.
I have many books here in my room, and I am really happy in my new place of home stay. I live with just one lady and she is wonderful. Although she admits that if she had known before hand that I was Bolivian, she probably wouldn't have taken me. This is funny, because the one thing that I specifically asked for in my housing preferences was that the people with whom I live do not discriminate against Bolivians. I guess the coordinator in charge of the matching did not even bother to read that request, in fact, she decreased her communication exchange with me once she found out I was Bolivian, too.
It's crazy to think how one little fact can affect the desire in someone else of getting to know you. I want to change that, so I don't tell people I'm  Bolivian anymore. Somehow I feel like that is not me, I would never deny who I am in order for someone else to like me, but I have to silence it for a bit for someone else to give me the chance to speak up and communicate my identity. This is sad, but it is the world we live in and we must deal.
That's all I have on my end. I am happy here, but it is a bittersweet happiness because of the things I sacrifice for it. Still, it is happiness just the same.