This wasn’t the first time Musik’s family lived through a period of political volatility. Her parents were originally from Poland, in a part of the country that is now western Ukraine. When the Soviet army entered the country toward the end of World War II, the family was deported to Siberia before moving to Iran and then Lebanon, where Musik was born. They arrived in Argentina in 1948, and in 1963, when Musik was 16, the family immigrated to the United States in hopes of finding a more stable home. 

“Argentina — that’s my home country. I’m Polish, but I didn’t grow up there. We spoke Polish at home, but I’m very Spanish in many respects,” Musik said. 

Forty years later, Musik returned to Buenos Aires for the first time, leading a group of 11 students. The program had originally been scheduled to run in January 2002, but was canceled due to safety concerns after the “Argentinazo” events in December 2001. That month saw the worst economic crises in Argentina’s modern history, with violent riots throughout the country. When the program ran in 2003, students witnessed the aftermath of the crisis while also learning about the country’s volatile political history, including the lasting impact of Peronism. 

“I never felt unsafe,” said Victoria Hamrick, who participated as a senior political science major. “Learning about the politics of developing countries was fascinating.” 

Hamrick remembers another incident when Musik had zero tolerance for someone giving the students what she considered false information. The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Association was formed in 1977 by women whose children were “disappeared” by the military dictatorship that ruled from 1976-1983. For nearly 30 years the group held regular protests demanding information about their loved ones and justice for the culprits.

Musik agreed to meet with Mercedes Colás, the association’s vice president, believing it would be good for the students to hear about the estimated 30,000 “disappeared,” but she became impatient and frustrated when Colás refused to answer questions and spouted anti-American propaganda. 

“Senora Musik wasn’t having any of it. She said, ‘Kids, we’re leaving!’ and pointed at the door, and we all left,” Hamrick said. 

For Hamrick, it was more interesting than upsetting. 

“People in Buenos Aires are passionate people,” she said. “Any time they start talking politics they get all animated. It’s like a national sport. They’ve overcome a lot as a nation, and when we were there they were trying to move forward to do more for themselves and their citizens.” 

Musik encouraged her students to engage in these conversations whether in class, meeting with representatives or while enjoying Buenos Aires’ cafe culture. 

“I had intelligent students who had strong opinions but were eager to learn and enthusiastic to explore,” she said. “I was very proud of them.”