Submitted by Sara Bixler on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Argentina sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
This past weekend, we took a trip to Iguazú Falls, which is located in the northern part of the country. This region is much different from Buenos Aires (where we are staying). Buenos Aires is a well-populated, urban city, while Iguazú Falls is a small town that is surrounded by a tropical forest. The area was originally inhabited by a tribe of indigenous people known as the Guaraní. On Saturday, we had the opportunity to visit a Guaraní village, and I found their way of life particularly interesting. Despite the fact that the area is now a tourist attraction, mainly because of the incredible waterfalls, these people continue to live largely as their ancestors did. Their homes are small huts that are made of materials found within the forest, and they provide their own food by growing crops and catching animals in traps they create from raw materials as well. Even though it was blazing hot here, I found this trip really interesting and I really enjoyed meeting the people from the tribe and visiting the village. It was a nice change of pace after spending the week in a busy city. The picture I have chosen to include is not of the village, it’s of the waterfalls, because I think the falls are too incredible not to include.