A year in a Slum

[tomdesigns]

I decided as part as part of my experience in Argentina that I would spend a year in a slum or chantey town. When I came here the first time, the poverty so shocked to me it was breath taking. What intrigued me more is that I could not understand it.

Sure you can look them over as the poor, but coming from the first world I wanted to understand this. Partly to understand them and also to understand why we the prosperous would let such thing as poverty prospers around us.

My 4rth day here I was walking in the street and some large garbage bags were on the curb, as I stepped over one, it started moving. Scared I jumped to one side.. Oh God.. what is that? A few seconds later second later an obviously handicapped child crawled out of the garbage bag with returnable bottle one hand and eating the meat off of some chicken bones from the garbage bag in the other hand.

To be honest with you.. Everything in my world and understanding changed in that moment, as I stood there in shock. But in the same moment I realized this is something I do not understand I cannot comprehend. And this was in the center of the city. Sure I could have just written off and walked on with the day.

That night in my hotel room I was overwhelmed thinking about this event. How it is that humanity could tolerate this. How is it that so many can walk past these things day in and day out and do little or nothing about it.
So I thought the best place to start to understanding was to live among the most poor. Granted, I am not poor but the only place to understand poverty is with the poor. Take a premier first world education and put in slum for a year. Most of you could not bear this and I certainly have not handled it well.

Hot water is very limited here.. The first thing I had to get used to was cold showers no matter the temperature. In the summer, that is not a problem but in winter it is pure suffering. So much so, that I would avoid bathing when it was cold.

So you start to get covered in filth not because you want to, but because you do not want to freeze for a few minutes. For me this was very depressing, I knew I was filthy but I did not want shower because I knew I would freeze my ass off. And I even started shaving less for the same reason. So here I am dirty cold and wondering. Then you start forcing yourself to shower in the cold only because you know you have to.

I did not let my nutrition go and I have eaten well here, because of my age that is not a risk I was willing to take here. But.. I see the poor with diets that are so sad and the inflation dragging their diets down. Bread, eggs, potatoes and not much more, it is rare that they eat meat, because with the inflation they simply cannot afford it.

I have been surrounded by suffering for almost a year. They suffer lack, nutrition problems and have metal health problems. The mental health problems are the most significant challenge they face. I believe most of that comes from a combination of lack of nutrition and lack of education and opportunity.

Now let’s step over to the dark side…

At about 1 AM on several occasions I have seen the young men and other men heading to the center of city dressed like women coming from to the poorest areas here. I will end this here.

I have seen my best friend’s father trained in or bye the USA arrested for crimes against humanity relating to the Juntas in the midst of all this poverty and suffering.

I have seen my country invade other countries bringing about the deaths of hundreds thousands. But nothing has changed my thinking more than a year in slum.

It has angered me that we with our educations and understanding would let these things go on. It has made me question what we first world people are. And you have seen it my posts here. If I offended you in my posts, I am not sorry, frankly, I am ashamed of us.

Soon I will leave this place, but I will never be the same after a year in slum in Argentina.

 

[Mitch]

I decided as part as part of my experience in Argentina that I would spend a year in a slum or chantey town. When I came here the first time, the poverty so shocked to me it was breath taking. What intrigued me more is that I could not understand it.

...

Give your new homies money and social standing and they will be as big or bigger scumbags than those you speak of. If you are searching for a pure loving creature, get a dog. This is their culture, you think your lecturing will change their society? When was the last time you heard the word philanthropist in South America?

Ok then Raise money, start a company and hire them. Then you will really learn about their culture when you have a string of bogus lawsuits drowning you in the hurt only known to those who take it in the back. Loyalty as we know it does not exist here. You need to think as to why the seventh largest landmass in the world almost all fertile, with a great infastructure of Medicine, universities built by Europeans with a literate population is perenially 4th world and bankrupt. Maybe it is because: They can´t work together unless it is to shaft you, they can´t trust each other, and they are on a world scale provincially simple, singing haughty fuck yous to the rest of the world.

 

[kurtdillard]

Tom;
I respect your choice, I think I could survive in a situation like that if I had no alternative but I know that I couldn't do it if I had more comfortable choices. Quite a sacrifice and I believe I understand your thinking. I hope you write more about your experiences.

 

[JoeBlow]

Very intersting (if not a little pompous sounding). Where are you from?

What do you make of it all?

 

[steveinbsas]

This is a fascinating story.

Did you spend the entire year in deprivation?

Did you ever have to live without electricity for significant periods (days, weeks, months)?

Was potable water available?

 

[steveinbsas]

I decided as part as part of my experience in Argentina that I would spend a year in a slum or chantey town. When I came here the first time, the poverty so shocked to me it was breath taking. What intrigued me more is that I could not understand it...

Did you document any of this with photos?

Which city were you in?

If this slum is in center of the city are there better barrios surrounding it and were you ever able to slip across the border to avail yourself any of the comforts/advantages of those who have a "higher standard" of living... if only for a day or two?

 

[trennod]

Wow Tom, what you have done sounds amazing.

I too am interested more, where and who did you live with? In which Villa? How did you get to be in there?

Did you have support while you were there? (from people outside etc).

I think you should at the least make a web site / blog (if not already) and share your experience further. I would love to see some photos and hear more.

 

[arlean]

Tomdesigns, this was a fascinating post. I did not detect a vestige of pompousness in it, incidentally. I would really like to know more. This is a subject of interest to me. My lawyer told me that these people are born in the streets and die in the streets, that it is all they know. He did not say it with arrogance but with compassion.

I love Argentina and the Argentina people. It irritates me no end that there is so much suffering in this country that is WEALTHY in natural resources. I am NOT in favor of the public dole, providing them a house and everything that they don't work for. I believe that destroys people and does not help them. But I do believe in giving the children a chance.

And yet I used to volunteer at the Montana Rescue Mission where they did provide all kinds of help, but very few had any desire to come out of it. Most just wanted someone to provide for them with no effort on their part--but then the poor in the US have been made to feel that is their due, so it could be cultural.

See what I mean? It is a mystery and any light you shed on it is appreciated. We assume they want out, but the fact is that often they don't. Everyone does not think like we do.

Incidentally I grew up poor. Many people my age did, at the end of the depression. We did not have hot water and did endure the shower and even hair washing in very cold water. I understand exactly what you describe. We are horrified today, but at one time that was the way of life. We are pretty spoiled and don't even know it.

 

[Mitch]

Color me dubious of Dudley Do-right with a chip on his shoulder..

 

[steveinbsas]

Color me dubious of Dudley Do-right with a chip on his shoulder..

Oh, Mitch, how can you be so negative?

Tom is trying to shed some light on the plight of the poor in Argentina!

Go buy a lamp!