W elcome to Perspectives from Latin America, a newsletter by university students for

elementary, middle school and high school students. Through this newsletter we hope that
you gain new perspectives about the countries of Latin America from the experiences of those
who have lived or traveled there.
Perspectives will contain articles written by students of the University of Notre Dame. These
students are from Latin America or have studied, interned or traveled to the region. Their articles
will cover unique experiences they have had in Latin America and will inform you about the
culture, people, and politics of the region.
Because the authors are students at Notre Dame, they are available to visit your classrooms.
If you are interested in any particular article and would like to meet the author, let us know and we
will arrange that meeting.
Perspectives will also include upcoming local events related to Latin America. Once you begin
reading and learning about Latin America, we hope you will want to participate in as many
activities related to the region as possible.
Enjoy the articles and we look forward to seeing you at our events!

PERSPECTIVES FROM BOLIVIA

Kathy Monticello, Senior
Department of Political Science

This summer I had an internship with the

Foundation for Sustainable Development in
Cochabamba, Bolivia. I lived with an inspiring
Bolivian family of volunteer firefighters and
worked with a non-profit organization called
Infante that promotes human rights for
women, children and families.
When I arrived in Bolivia in early June and
began my internship, the political situation
was extremely tense. Demonstrations and
road blockages that among other things
demanded the nationalization of the natural
gas industry eventually resulted in the resig- Monticello with children in Bolivia
nation of President Carlos Mesa. For me, that
Bolivians and their country: the many amaz-
meant a few days at home with my Bolivian
ing family gatherings and festivals I went to
family and a bit of uncertainty about the rest
on the weekends, dancing cueca and drinking
of my summer. Finally there was calm and a
chichi (a traditional drink made from ferment-
temporary president was put in place. I was
ed corn) with my coworkers for the national
able to return to work, but the issues and ten-
independence day, giving offerings to the
sions still lingered heavily.
Pachamama, or mother earth, deep within a
At Infante, national politics took center
mine in Potosi, staying in a salt hotel in the
stage. I helped present workshops to women
desolate Salar de Uyuni, and playing with
leaders and adolescents in the community
monkeys in the coca rich Chapare.
about the resignation of the president, the
In the end I learned how extremely compli-
issues of nationalization, autonomy and coca,
cated the situation in Bolivia remains.
and most recently about the distinctions
However, what I saw beyond the discouraging
between the political candidates for the elec-
divisions and challenges is that Bolivians
tions set to occur in December 2005.
have great pride in their country and are
Although there was great concern in the daily
hopeful for what it may one day be. I learned
discussions I had in the office and in the com-
that one of the greatest hopes for the future of
munity about these issues and the political
Bolivia is in education in every form, but espe-
squabbles surrounding them, there was
cially in the type of education that Infante pro-
also a remarkable sense of hope for the
vides to the community, that empowers peo-
possibilities for Bolivia.
ple with their rights. I feel extremely fortunate
Amid great uncertainty and despair I found
to have been able to experience such an
an incredibly vibrant and thriving culture that
amazing culture and people during such a
affected all of the experiences I had wth
momentous point in their history.
 BARRIO PUDAHUEL
Pablo Manriquez, Senior
Department of Political Science
I walk down the Calle San Francisco with Juan, my
father's closest friend as a young man. We stop on the
corner at Calle Santa Victoria less than a block from my
grandparent's house to light a cigarette. I look around to
take in the tin, plywood and concrete houses, stray dogs,
barred windows, neglected children, drunks, drug
addicts and graffiti that mark the grassless, hopeless
Barrio Pudahuel.
Barrio Pudahuel
Juan turns to me and says, “We used to barricade
this street so that the 'milicos' couldn't pass. This corner
used to be a choice spot for throwing rocks at them when
they had to proceed on foot.”
“How did the soldiers respond?”
“With bullets and tear gas. Gas meant run. If they
caught you, you were in for a rough couple of nights.
They caught your dad and uncles a few times.”
“What do you mean 'a rough couple of nights'?”
Juan shuffles nervously and lets out the half chuckle
that can only accompany the flash in the mind's eye of
one's most painful reminiscences. With his eyes blankly
transfixed in the direction from which we had just walked
he replies, “Tortura.”
Torture. This is yet another piece of the mysterious
puzzle of my father's history that has been placed for me
during my return to Chile by those who were once
closest to him.
I press Juan for more information. One cigarette
becomes two and more pieces are revealed…starvation,
domestic abuse. And three…protest marches, arrests,
imprisonment. And four…friends “disappearing”, waking
up to the bullet-riddled corpses of classmates in the
street, going to sleep on dirt floors, counting the
gunshots that pierce the night air. The puzzle begins to
take a shockingly disturbing shape.
My father was forced to flee Chile in 1985. His
Missouri license plate reads “85-STGO” and in the back
window is a bumper sticker that reads “Mi Corazon esta
con Chile.” Every night he sits in front of the television
glued to the nightly news and soap operas on the
Chilean Televisión Nacional. While he has little interest in
the themes of soaps he has always told me, “I watch to
hear the language. When I watch, I get to hear 'Chilean'
again.” Having been brought up in the US, I have never
understood how much these expressions and actions
mean to my father. However, this summer, I have been
given a glimpse of what Chile means to him by
experiencing what he means to Barrio Pudahuel.
Everywhere I go, people go out of their way to receive
me with the utmost kindness and hospitality. They tell
me, “Nancho fought with us, suffered with us and would
have died for us had you not been born.” Because I am
Nancho's son, I am also their son.
There is much to be gained from interning abroad.
However, I would venture that rare is the case that an
intern is given the opportunity to return to Notre Dame
with something as valuable as their family history and the
solemn pride in their family name.

Latin America Events

8/28 - 11/20 Photographs by Sebastião Salgado 11/1 Day of the Dead Celebration, 7:00pm
Snite Museum Annenberg Auditorium, Snite Museum
9/11 -11/27 Caras y Mascaras: The Art of Zarco Guerrero 11/2 Thunder in Guyana (Film), 8:00pm
Snite Museum Hesburgh Center Auditorium
10/2 - 12/4 The Human Figure in Mesoamerican Art 11/16 Los Rubios/The Blonds (Film), 8:00pm
Snite Museum Hesburgh Center Auditorium
For more information see http://kellogg.nd.edu/outreach/events.html

Holly Rivers Juliana de Sousa Solis

For more information, Academic Coordinator Assistant Program Manager
or
contact: 130 Hesburgh Center 201 Hesburgh Center
(574) 631-6023 (574) 631-8523
hrivers@nd.edu jdesousa@nd.edu