Argentinians
Clearly there are going to be some differences in social interaction and lifestyle after you travel to an entirely new country and hemisphere. I'm going to share with you the top 10 things I have come to notice to be most prominently different in my approximate month here.
Dos de mis companeras me muestran la saludar de Argentina.
Two of my classmates showing me the Argentinian greeting
1. First and foremost, we have the Argentinian saludar or greeting. I absolutely love this and would take a kiss on the cheek over a handshake or wave anyway. The only tiring part of this greeting is that when you come up to a group of people you know (or even don't know, but someone you're with knows them) then you have to kiss the cheek of everyone there. Most of the time, as you kiss or are kissed on the cheek someone will ask "Todo bien?" or "Como estas?", both of which mean "How are you?", however hardly is the question answered.
2. Up close and personal, that's how Argentinians like their relationships. My family is constantly hugging me or looping their arm in mine as we walk while my friends and classmates are quick to lean on or put an arm around my shoulder. It's a lot more affectionate than in the US and some people might find it intolerable, but, like the saludar, I love it!
3. As a result of the warm, desert climate, Argentinians have a very different sleep schedule. Bedtime is no earlier than 11:30 at night, but you can always catch up on sleep the next day after almuerzo or lunch (which is always eaten at home even if it means returning to school or work afterwards). The whole population seems to shut down from 2PM until 4 or 5. Then, as it gets dark and cools down, everyone is out and about again.
4. What do these Argentinians do when they are up and about? Well there are 4 things I've noticed that they are particularly fond of.
1) Getting ice cream. The popular ice cream shop "Grido" must turn a very good profit. I know several friends that frequent it almost everyday! It has an array of flavors, including ones that can't be found at home. But I'll talk more about that when I do my post on Argentinian cuisine.
2) Eating. This is apart from the ice cream they are eating. Argentinians love to stop at one of the many little shops around town and pick up a sandwich, cookies, or facturas, then a Coca-Cola to wash it down. I'd like to credit this habit to the need to keep up one's blood sugar during the summer months. It gets ridiculously hot here and, as my exchange student friend from Denmark discovered, if you don't eat enough on a hot day then you'll most likely pass out!
3) Vueltas. A common time to eat these snacks and drink that Coca is when you park your car between vueltas, random, aimless laps around the city in a car. Argentinians love to drive. They blast the music (it's not uncommon to be walking down the street and have several cars pass you with its music blaring) and drive around until they either decide it's time to go home or stop, buy some Coca-Cola and sit on a curb by a park and chat. I enjoy vueltas, they're relaxing and the people I ride with play good music. However, unfortunately for me, car rides make me sleepy...
4) Watching tv. Yet another common thing to do while eating food. Every house that I have visited has a tv in the dining room. Likewise, every meal I've eaten has had a tv playing at the same time with the exception of when my family hosted a lunch of asado, a traditional Argentinian food. They have many of the same channels and shows that we have in the US, some in Spanish and some with just Spanish subtitles. However, on the shows that are originally from the US the characters are still speaking English, so the words don't usually match up. I enjoy this habit, it makes it easier for me during quiet dinners as I still can't talk conversationally yet.
5. Now Argentina has quite the reputation for its dancing and I can assure you, it's all true. Currently, I am taking tango lessons and will hopefully learn how to be good at that. I could also take lessons for salsa and folklore, if I so desired (and I might!). As for the normal dancing, seen at clubs and parties, I don't think I will never master it. Everyone is so good! This is also ridiculously different from the dancing seen at US parties/balls/proms/clubs. They have cuarteto, reggaeton, rock nacional, electro, and cumbia, a faster paced sort of dancing to Spanish songs that can be danced solo but is most often danced with a partner. With your partner you hold hands and twirl each other and it can't very be explained through writing! I'll have to do a whole different blog entry dedicated completely to the dancing.
6. Argentinian men. They are something. The most culturally shocking difference with the men here is their confidence in expressing verbal approval of a woman's appearance. For example, whenever I am walking down the street with mi hermanita, Cielo, I can expect whistles, cat calls, kissing noises and "oye, linda" from cars of men as they drive by, men in shops that I walk through, and men across the street. I can't go running alone with at least one guy calling out something about my legs. It's just a culture difference, something the girls here are immune to that, though at first was flattering, I can't stand.
7. I have a maid! Her name is Maria and she comes every weekday morning as we leave for school and work. She irons the clothes, sweeps the floor, cleans the bathrooms, makes my bed and has lunch ready for us when we come home. You can expect that when I to return to the US I'll be sneaking Maria back with me.
3. As a result of the warm, desert climate, Argentinians have a very different sleep schedule. Bedtime is no earlier than 11:30 at night, but you can always catch up on sleep the next day after almuerzo or lunch (which is always eaten at home even if it means returning to school or work afterwards). The whole population seems to shut down from 2PM until 4 or 5. Then, as it gets dark and cools down, everyone is out and about again.
4. What do these Argentinians do when they are up and about? Well there are 4 things I've noticed that they are particularly fond of.
1) Getting ice cream. The popular ice cream shop "Grido" must turn a very good profit. I know several friends that frequent it almost everyday! It has an array of flavors, including ones that can't be found at home. But I'll talk more about that when I do my post on Argentinian cuisine.
2) Eating. This is apart from the ice cream they are eating. Argentinians love to stop at one of the many little shops around town and pick up a sandwich, cookies, or facturas, then a Coca-Cola to wash it down. I'd like to credit this habit to the need to keep up one's blood sugar during the summer months. It gets ridiculously hot here and, as my exchange student friend from Denmark discovered, if you don't eat enough on a hot day then you'll most likely pass out!
3) Vueltas. A common time to eat these snacks and drink that Coca is when you park your car between vueltas, random, aimless laps around the city in a car. Argentinians love to drive. They blast the music (it's not uncommon to be walking down the street and have several cars pass you with its music blaring) and drive around until they either decide it's time to go home or stop, buy some Coca-Cola and sit on a curb by a park and chat. I enjoy vueltas, they're relaxing and the people I ride with play good music. However, unfortunately for me, car rides make me sleepy...
4) Watching tv. Yet another common thing to do while eating food. Every house that I have visited has a tv in the dining room. Likewise, every meal I've eaten has had a tv playing at the same time with the exception of when my family hosted a lunch of asado, a traditional Argentinian food. They have many of the same channels and shows that we have in the US, some in Spanish and some with just Spanish subtitles. However, on the shows that are originally from the US the characters are still speaking English, so the words don't usually match up. I enjoy this habit, it makes it easier for me during quiet dinners as I still can't talk conversationally yet.
5. Now Argentina has quite the reputation for its dancing and I can assure you, it's all true. Currently, I am taking tango lessons and will hopefully learn how to be good at that. I could also take lessons for salsa and folklore, if I so desired (and I might!). As for the normal dancing, seen at clubs and parties, I don't think I will never master it. Everyone is so good! This is also ridiculously different from the dancing seen at US parties/balls/proms/clubs. They have cuarteto, reggaeton, rock nacional, electro, and cumbia, a faster paced sort of dancing to Spanish songs that can be danced solo but is most often danced with a partner. With your partner you hold hands and twirl each other and it can't very be explained through writing! I'll have to do a whole different blog entry dedicated completely to the dancing.
6. Argentinian men. They are something. The most culturally shocking difference with the men here is their confidence in expressing verbal approval of a woman's appearance. For example, whenever I am walking down the street with mi hermanita, Cielo, I can expect whistles, cat calls, kissing noises and "oye, linda" from cars of men as they drive by, men in shops that I walk through, and men across the street. I can't go running alone with at least one guy calling out something about my legs. It's just a culture difference, something the girls here are immune to that, though at first was flattering, I can't stand.
7. I have a maid! Her name is Maria and she comes every weekday morning as we leave for school and work. She irons the clothes, sweeps the floor, cleans the bathrooms, makes my bed and has lunch ready for us when we come home. You can expect that when I to return to the US I'll be sneaking Maria back with me.
8. In Chilecito, there are upwards of five different schools ranging from public to private to art to specialized for work (sort of like BOCES). Every school lets out at one for lunch and after eating, some students have to return for a second part of the day, however the schools that Cielo and I attend (two different schools) do not have that second part. Therefore, school is usually only a four hour day for me. School is also a great deal more relaxed, with most of the professors not minding when students listen to music, text or talk while they write notes on the chalkboard as long as the notes get copied down. But more on school when I get that blog entry up!
9. Everyone knows of Disneyworld and Miami, Florida. In fact, two of my most frequently asked questions are "Conoces Disney?" and "Conoces Miami?" (conoces meaning "do you know"). Most girls here have gone to Disneyworld for their fifteenth birthday, or quince, which is as big an occasion as a sweet sixteen (if not a little bigger) and have sweatshirts that say "Club15", which is a special program just for the occasion! I see at least one sweatshirt with Mickey Mouse a day and everyone is in awe when I tell them I've been twice. Unfortunately, I hardly remember my trips!
9. Everyone knows of Disneyworld and Miami, Florida. In fact, two of my most frequently asked questions are "Conoces Disney?" and "Conoces Miami?" (conoces meaning "do you know"). Most girls here have gone to Disneyworld for their fifteenth birthday, or quince, which is as big an occasion as a sweet sixteen (if not a little bigger) and have sweatshirts that say "Club15", which is a special program just for the occasion! I see at least one sweatshirt with Mickey Mouse a day and everyone is in awe when I tell them I've been twice. Unfortunately, I hardly remember my trips!
10. Hablan en espanol aca. Este es la diferencia mas grande que todos otros. En la mes he pasando acá, he aprendo mucho pero todavia es muy dificil comunicar con la gente de Argentina.
They talk in Spanish here. This is the greatest difference of them all. In the month I have spent here, I have learned a lot but it's still very difficult to communicate with the people of Argentina.
Sorry this took so long to get up, folks! I have a bunch more on my agenda, it's all a matter of getting the pictures. Additionally, my trip through the south of Argentina is at the end of this month! It starts October 25th in Cordoba (a city 7/8 hours from Chilecito) and goes as far south as the glaciers! If nothing else, keep an eye out for a long winded post on that 16 day adventure.
As the Argentinians say after a kiss on the cheek, Ciao!
They talk in Spanish here. This is the greatest difference of them all. In the month I have spent here, I have learned a lot but it's still very difficult to communicate with the people of Argentina.
Sorry this took so long to get up, folks! I have a bunch more on my agenda, it's all a matter of getting the pictures. Additionally, my trip through the south of Argentina is at the end of this month! It starts October 25th in Cordoba (a city 7/8 hours from Chilecito) and goes as far south as the glaciers! If nothing else, keep an eye out for a long winded post on that 16 day adventure.
As the Argentinians say after a kiss on the cheek, Ciao!
