My Life in Argentina and Beyond

October 12, 2006: The Hospital Frances has been having difficulties and now activists are making trouble. Fights broke out the other day when reporters were attacked. It was like a free for all especially staged for the cameras. No way to fix what needs fixing. And sometimes the patients seem to have no rights. Where will they go if the hospital can´t keep its doors open? >It´s an institution that´s been around since the early 1800´s--too long to be taken lightly.

Thursday, April 20, 2006: Is this the time to get depressed in Argentina? It is a seasonal thing, something that happens in the fall and winter. Everyone talks about it, but they push on, push on. They distract themselves by going to the Buenos Aires Book Fair or the Independent Film Festival. They do things to not think about what is going on.

Saturday, March 4, 2006: There´s a new drug on the market, a new drug for very poor people. It´s called Paco and it´s made from whatever is leftover after they´ve distributed cocaine. Villas de emergencias in Buenos Aires have plenty of customers for Paco--very young kids, too. Some are 9, 11 year-olds.

Saturday, February 4, 2006: Going to the public hospital here is not a bad thing. You have to wait a few weeks for them to see you(most of the time) but the attention is, for the most part, very good. Even people with health care plans go to the public hospital. Sometimes it is because they have a favorite doctor, because it´s more convenient. It´s usually worth it. Emergency service is throrough as well.