Stories from the End of The World

There are people who create history. There are people who write it down later. And then there are those who manage to do both - like Julio Rodrigez, a historian from Ushuaia, the very southernmost city not only in Argentina, but in the world as well. Though Ushuaia may seem like the very end of the world, for some it is a beginning of an exciting and adventurous life.

Julio live in the studio in his weekly radioshow, on Radio Nacional.

„I came to Ushuaia from Cordoba when I was 18. There were only 4000 people living here, and the city had only one paved street,” says Julio (63), who has not only been a history teacher for almost all his life, but is also an author of many books and a host of his own program on the national radio - an hour long show about culture and folklore. When we are invited to speak on his show, the hour spent in the studio passes by full of laughter and fun – it is easy to talk to Julio, and his curiosity and positive attitude are almost contagious. Julio’s dynamic energy and optimism are really needed in the place which is located on an island, separated from the rest of Argentina. “Yes, many people feel lonely here. They come from all of Argentina to work here and have a better life, but end up being alone, without friends and family. I see that almost every day,” points out Julio, who maybe better than anyone else knows what is going on in the not-so-little-anymore community of Ushuaia.

Julio has lived in Ushuaia for more than 45 years now, witnessing all the changes the city has gone through. After retiring, he decided not to keep his knowledge and observations about Ushuaia to himself, and started to write books on the history, events and people of the city. Once the ball got rolling, he couldn’t stop – there are just too much to tell! “In 1999 I published my first book, called "Stories about life in Ushuaia". The next one came seven years later. That one talks about the history of Ushuaia and how the gospel was brought here by missionaries from England,” Julio keeps telling, while showing us his books. “Now I am working on a book about the biggest family in Ushuaia. It has more than one thousand members!”

Julio showing us one of the 5 books he has written.

We listen to Julio, and can’t stop wondering how it is possible for one man to go through so many different things in one lifetime! He has been a teacher, administrator, press secretary for the local government, policeman, leader of the hospital of Ushuaia – the list goes on. A light smile appears in his face, when he talks about music – in his twenties, after winning the main prize in the biggest folklore festival in Argentina, Julio and his band played for Argentina’s president Arturo Umbert, bringing tears in his eyes. Julio seems to have a story about every job he has done and every person he has met. When asked what he has enjoyed the most out of everything he has done, he replies without hesitation: “Being a dad. I love my three children, and the thing about being a father is that there is no manual on how to do it. You just have to learn on the way.”

“He has a great gift of speaking with people about anything – life and God, and in between,” says pastor Claudio, one of Julio’s closest friends. “He loves people, and he has got a great patience with them. When his radio show is on, people always want to call and participate. He has a great impact on the community here”. And it is not hard to see, because everywhere Julio appears, people come to greet him and have a little chat. He always finds a minute to talk to them, and maybe that’s how Julio will find the next story to tell. Or the story will find him.