Known as the location of the Casa Rosada (where the president works) and for its weekly demonstrations by human rights groups, the Plaza de Mayo is at the heart of the city. This statue, the oldest monument in the city (1811), stands tall (more than 60 feet) in the center of the Plaza as a commemoration of the May Revolution of 1810 which began the Argentine War of Independence.

From 1946 to 1952, Eva Perón was the First Lady of Argentina. With large murals like this and a recently minted 100 peso bill on which she appears, her influence and popularity are still evident today. Notably the first politician’s wife involved in campaigning, her charismatic and sympathetic personality gained her and her husband, Juan Perón, much popularity. She was born in the rural parts of the country as an illegitimate daughter of Juan Duarte’s second family, left for Buenos Aires at age 15 and rose to fame in radio and cinema before entering the political world with her husband. After 6 years as First Lady, she passed away at the age of 33 to cancer.

I realized I had not shown a photo of my school yet! So here it is, la Universidad Torcuato di Tella in all its glory! The former automobile plant is now a modern university. The school is named after the Italian immigrant of the same name who earned his wealth inventing a bread baking machine. I am taking three classes this semester about Argentine literature, the dictatorships of Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, and Latin American cinema.