Yesterday, I went to interview a professor from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is a professor from the faculty of humanities and has helped in the research area of INADI. I heard from people outside the INADI about his expertise in indigenous topics. I was really excited
I was supposed to get there at 7:45pm, but I was an hour late! I didn't meant to be so late! Anyways, I finally talked to him. It was an unsuccessful conversation. Maybe it was because I was so late that he didn't have a good attitude towards me. I was very frustrated. I am sure he knows a lot, but he was pretty reluctant to talk.
I am interested in knowing his perspective regarding the discrimination and exclusion indigenous people from Argentina face. I was mainly interested in his opinion because he is white and belongs to the academic community. So far, I have mainly interviewed indigenous people. I also want to interview non-indigenous people to better understand how the "other side" (non-indigenous people) thinks.
He just didn't get the point of my study. He asked me what was the central theme of my study. I explained him that because of personal reasons I was interested in learning about the ethnic discrimination and exclusion Mapuches, Aymaras and Quechuas face in Latin America. He still didn't get it. I didn't know how to explain myself!!! He thought that I wasn't nothing new. He said something like "ok, indigenous people are discriminated, so what?"
I tried explaining him that this project wasn't my master's thesis. I unsuccessfully tried to make him understand that my project is more about the experience and the exposure than about doing a complicated survey. Then he tried to give me advice of how I should do my project. He suggested I should stay in one city for the whole year. I guess from his academic point of view, I lack the "skills" and "methods" to do this project. I had prepared some questions too. He made me read him the questions, but didn't answer any! My project might be too "generic," and maybe that is why he was reluctant to help me.
This experience, however, made me realized that I like that my project is so "generic" and that I am not staying in one single place. Of course, there is trade of! However, in this way, I will be able to have a general perspective of this social issue in South America, which is what I want. Later on, I can go into depth...later on!
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About Me
- Vale
- I am very contradictory sometimes....maybe like every woman. Sometimes, I mean one thing, but I also mean the opposite. I am very sensitive, but also very practical. My mom always says that I am too sensitive. I disagree…sometimes. Recently, I have discovered that I love adventure sports. At least, I want to go sky diving once in my life! I like adventure quite a lot and traveling to new places. I like change, but when I decide I want that change. It is a lot harder to accept change when it just happens without notice. I am optimistic, energetic and outgoing. I love my family and friends and I miss them very much because I usually move quite a lot. I tried keep in touch, but sometimes I take too long to reply. I consider myself very lucky! I like to do things that make me happy and I am lucky that I have been able to live the life I want. I think that life is one and short...there is no second chance. So you need to do what you like, what makes you most passionate. That is why I am going into development and I am quite excited! I want to help to start making a difference. I want help others to have the opportunities I had.
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2 comments:
Heya Valeria,
Your blog is nicely written and devoid of the plentiful grammatical errors that mark mine.
It seems like your project is quite cool. Don't be intimidated. Porteños (especially academics) really seem to enjoy asserting they know everything even though they may be behind a few years on current trends. Says me anyway.
Speaking of which, there is a teacher at my school whose specialty is indigenous experience and he seems to be a knowledgeable dude and not an asshole. I can get you his contact info if you{d like.
Nathan
(I´m not creepy, I linked here from gulsun´s blog)
Hey! thank you so much for your comment. I wanted to contact you mientras que estaba en BS As pero los dias se fueron volando! ahora ya me encuentro en Rio Negro una provincia al sur! estoy muy emocionada porque estoy viviendo con una senora Mapuche y creo que voy a viajar a bastantes comunidades! keep in touch and I hope that you are having fun in Bs As!
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