Corruption Map

I have been getting a little tired, after 6 months, of writing about the type of stuff I do on a daily basis, so I think I will continue to use this blog to post interesting, not-necessarily-related-to-Study-Abroad stuff. Although I will say that I have midterms these next few weeks, I just baked my first batch of empanadas ever (they were delicious), I am drinking a hot mate, and I am about to start studying again. Dad is coming in 2 weeks, I am pumped. I went to the horse races down here this weekend, and while I was scared to bet, I picked the first 2 winners. My horse scratched for the third race, I guess, and then we left.

Anyways, I am going to post an image that I found that was put together by a bunch of political scientists who study corruption. Judging from how dark Argentina is, it is probably accurate. My globalization teacher constantly talks about how the U.S. is less corrupt than Western Europe, which is much less corrupt than South America. I think this is interesting to keep in mind when you hear people whining about U.S. current events -- people are going to take advantage of what they can, everywhere in the world, but the U.S. seems to do a pretty good job of controlling it, instead of more or less encouraging it, like Argentina seems to. Our teacher uses this example: if you get pulled over for speeding here, you pull out a 20 dollar bill and drive off. If you get pulled over in the U.S. you pull out a 20 dollar bill and drive off ... in handcuffs, in the back of a cop car, for trying to make a bribe.