The Carballos do not feel particularly safe, secure, or comfortable. They moved to Bolivia in 1988 and lived well there, but they missed their family and country so much that they decided to come back. It has been a roller coaster ever since. Now they've been robbed twice, are scrambling economically, and have moved around so much that they feel like they have few friends.
The family is not poor--they were able to replace their stolen stereo, TV, VCR, and video-game player--but times are hard. They have had to move in with Marta's aunt. I am from Argentina myself and I know how difficult life has become with the austerity measures, unemployment, and so on.
Juan Carlos pinned his hopes on a Kreonite machine that could develop large transparencies for commercial use--the only machine like it in their town of Salta. But demand for it was low, and later I was told that he was thinking of selling it and moving the family back to Bolivia.
It was odd for me, a photographer, to end up working with a family of photographers; I hope things work out for them.
