What I LOVE about Argentina

Living in a foreign country definitely has it's challenges. I didn't realize quite how different living in a place was from simply visiting or vacationing there until I did. Argentina and I have had a lot of ups and downs. Some days I hated it here and I just wanted to go home, while other days I was in complete amazement at how wonderful it was here. Well though I still have about 6 weeks left I've decided to make my decision on Argentina and the truth is I love it.

I think the relationship you develop with your new country of residency is very similar to the relationship you have with your family members. You love them. But sometimes you just can't stand them. In the end though you always know in your heart that they are special to you. So in light this I decided to share with you what I love about Argentina and will dearly miss when I'm back home in the USA. 

5. Balconies Everywhere!

So this is probably a strange thing to love, but I love it anyway. Every apartment has balconies and many people put flowers and plants on them. When it comes time to water them people don't really have much regard for others that have to walk below them. This leads to the occasionally thinking a rain cloud has happened just over you. So it's important to walk closer to the building to avoid dripping from the edge of the balcony. 

I think I love this because it's just so unexpected and comical. It startles me from my thoughts and usually makes me laugh. I guess it's just a part of city life but I've grown to kind of like it. 

4. Dog Walkers

The dog walkers are the most entertaining thing I think I've ever seen. Usually, they are walking between 10 and 20 dogs at a time of all different sizes. Why so many people living in a city choose to buy large dogs I will never know. The best though is when they run into another dog walker and it's just a chaotic mix of a million dogs barking at each other and tangling in each others leashes. I think someday I would like to do that job just for how hilarious I would look. 

3. Tea Time

At first I totally hated having to wait for dinner till 9PM. Well I still kind of do because I'm starving by then! But tea time makes it so much better. Between 5-7PM everyone goes to take tea with each other either in their houses or the cafes and just catch up on their day and life. 

What a lovely practice! Socializing and making time for friends is very important in Argentina culture and I think it's just a wonderful thing that I wish happened more frequently in the US. 

2. Dulce de Leche

What can I say about Dulce de Leche that hasn't already been said? Basically it's the most delicious substance ever. It combines my love of candy, carmel, and spreading those things on food all into one fantastic treat. I'm bringing loads of this home and I'll be happy to share! Until I get down to my last jar of course... 

Heaven on a spoon.

1. The Passion 

My most favorite thing though would have to be the passion of the Portenos. They are seriously so passionate about everything they do. Of course futbol is a very big deal in their culture but it's not the only thing they get heated about. Ask anyone about Evita Peron, the current President Kristina Krichner, or Sarmiento/Rosas and they will give you their opinion like it they were personally there for whatever happened. 

In the US we are very passionate about our country, our holidays, and yes we get excited or upset about our politicians. But it doesn't come close to the way Argentine people feel. There are Presidents and politicians I very, very much dislike (here's looking at you Todd Akin). But regardless of how much I dislike them I would never wish ill will on them because at the end of the day they're people and it's just politics. I don't think the same can be said here in Argentina. A friend of mine actually heard a Porteno say that he was glad Eva died of cancer. That's pretty crazy to say! Especially about a political figure that wasn't even alive at the same time as him. Argentines are great people, they just get very into what they feel. 

So there you have it. My favorite things about Argentina that I don't feel like I'll find, in quite the same way anywhere else in the world. Of my love/hate relationship with Argentina I've finally decided on love. 

Besos,

Hayley

Lost in Translation: Argentine Culture

Sorry I haven't updated in so long, life has been crazy. This week is also midterms which means I'm halfway done. Crazy!!!

Now having spent over 2 months living the Argentine life there are somethings that are just incomparable to American culture. When trying to explain their significance I just can't think of anything that is as universally important in the United States. So I thought I would share a few of these things with you, because they're really quite interesting!

Mate

Mate (pronounce mah-tay) is a strong sort of herbal tea drink that is a defining feature of Argentine life. As my host Mom says, mate solves everyones problems. Essentially it's a cup filled with ground tea leaves that you pour hot, but not boiling (that's important) water over. Then you drink it through this straw/spoon contraption. Personally, it's a little bit on the bitter side for me. Though I like the dulce mate, which is sweet.

Mate Being Shared: Source

What makes mate so special is that it is a drink to be shared. Typically you make a cup of mate and then everyone drinks from the same one. It's not strange to share it like sharing a group cup would be in the US. You also drink it generally all day long. I think that mate is the reason that Argentines are also able to stay so thin while eating basically all carb meals. Drinking mate curbs your appetite and keeps you from snacking throughout the day between meals, like many Americans do.

It's common to see people walking around caring their thermoses of hot water and mate cup in the smaller towns, though not as common in Buenos Aires. It's a drink that has the power to bring people and families together and though I'm not a fan I think it's a really great tradition.

Soccer

This one is a bit of a dead horse, in that most of us already know of Latin American's passion for soccer, so I won't go on long. But I don't think I realized how different their love of soccer here is then our love of say, American football in the United States. Sure we all sort of know that there are teams and a ball is involved, but chances are if you're not a sports person, like my mom, you don't know players, team names, or any actual facts. 

Lionel Messi: Source

But here you know who the players are like you would know who the President of your country is, regardless of if you like the sport or watch it. The players are treated like celebrities even long after they retire which is something that is pretty rare in the US. We just don't really have a single sport that has quite the same cult following. Even I can identify some of the players, which is more than I can say about most American athletes. Above is Lionel Messi, a player from Argentine who is supposedly the very best in the world. 

Eva Peron

I've briefly mentioned Evita Peron before when I posted about Recoleta Cemetery where she is famously buried. I would highly suggest you look this women up because her story is just extremely weird and fascinating. She was the wife of former President Juan Domingo Peron and has became all but a mythological person in Argentine history. Her supporters have claimed that she's a martyr, though she died of cancer, and said that she performed miracles after her death. 

Evita: Source

People today still have heated opinions on whether or not she was as great a person as they say. I can't really think of any woman that has had the same impact and causes as much emotion in American history. Essentially, she helped her husband start the Peronist political movement which was the party of the labor workers. She loved the people and would personally help all the labor workers with their financial and personal problems. She was loved like an idol by them and that power continued on after her death. 

Basically, her embalmed body was seen as a symbol of Peronism and therefore the opposing military regime that took over tried to dispose of it. But, everyone (no really) kept falling in love with the corpse and obsessing over it. She died in 1954 and was not returned to Argentina and laid to rest until the late 1970s. It's a pretty interesting story. 

But regardless, there is no person in US I can possibly think of that had that kind of influence over people, even after death. The fascination with her physical remains is a macabre, but really interesting part of Argentine history that is interesting to discuss with an Argentine person as they will have mixed opinions. 

So there you have it. Some of the many things that simply don't have equal counterparts in American culture. They're things you can read about, but you can't quite understand until you experience them first hand here in the country and I'm so lucky that I've been able to!

Besos,

Hayley

Say NO to Comfort Zones

So many of us spend our entire life in our comfort zone, clinging to our habits and friends as security blankets. How many of you could claim that you are adventurous, but really mean that occasionally you try a new coffee shop or make a pinterest board of the places you'd like to go. 

This year I challenge you to get uncomfortable in the best way possible. Push yourself to do things you would never imagine you could do, talk to people you would have never spoken to before. At first leaving the known can be a bit intimidating but I can't explain how enriched your life will be after you take that first step. 

Before college I was content with my small hometown and limited world experience. Now I can't wait for all the adventures I'm going to go on. My plans for after graduation are to live abroad for a few years something I never imagined myself ever doing before. 

My real inspiration for this life change and this post have been all the incredible people I have met being an RA (resident assistant) at my school. You don't realize the number of stereotypes that you have let fill your head until you face them head on. Unfortunately, due to my lack of exposure to other cultures I believed some negative stereotypes to be true. 

When I was told I was getting residents from Saudi Arabia my first thought was that's the country with the worst record for women's rights, they aren't going to listen to me. I'll admit I was a bit wary of them. But when I went to introduce myself to them I received the warmest welcome I think I've ever gotten. Not only were they respectful and polite they were so genuinely kind! 

I do realize that making generalizations about a whole culture isn't good but I can say that I have yet to meet a Saudi Arabian that wasn't extremely polite and sweet to me, wanting nothing in return but your friendship also. 

I've since become what I would consider close friends with several of these guys (the only women that come to school out the country come with their husbands so they typically live off campus) and have encouraged my friends, despite their reservations to give them a chance also. To their surprise they loved them also!

Clearly this is just one isolated example and you may not have the same kind of cultural opportunities around you. But the point is that you can't let your opinions or your desired level of un-comfortability hold you back. You have no idea what you are missing out on till you take a chance and see. 

I challenge you to this time not just say you want to do that or are going to be more adventurous but to go out and do it right now! No matter how big or small your adventure I'm sure you will get something worth your while out of it. 

As always, stay classy

Hayley

PS. Let me know what kinds of adventures you go on!