A winter wonderland without the winter

The weeks leading up to Christmas in Buenos Aires bring a set of cultural traditions which many people from the northern hemisphere will find reassuringly (or depressingly, depending on your view) familiar. On the one hand, similarities with the ways in which the Christmas festival is celebrated elsewhere should not be surprising given the particularly strong European influence in Buenos Aires (the origins of which lie in the unprecedented waves of immigration which occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century), as well as the ever-increasing global comercialisation of La Navidad. However, while the decor in the temporary Christmas shops which pop up across the city speak of colder climes, with snowdrops, Christmas trees, icicles, fairy lights and the like, the weather gives the spectacle a wholly different ambience. The start of December brings much warmer and humid weather to the city, encouraging porteños to spend more time outdoors in the plazas, the gardens and terrazas of its countless bars and restaurants. Whilst in colder parts of the world the people tend to hibernate for the harsher winter months, the arrival of Christmas in Buenos Aires brings a summery spirit and positivity. Moreover, this is when the city really comes alive in a cultural sense, hosting numerous national and international music, food/drink, theatre and film festivals. There’s certainly no shortage of things to do in Argentina at this time of year, which can be especially comforting for extranjeros (or foreigners) spending Christmas away from friends and families back home. (www.couchsurfing.org is also a great resource for meeting Argentines and foreigners who are looking to spend Christmas with other people in Buenos Aires; a kind of adopted family Christmas experience!)

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The extensive parks in Palermo, also known as the Bosques de Palermo, are a perfect place to sleep off the exploits of the night before but they also offer much more to the visitor during the weekends. Porteños flock to the gardens with their family and friends to stroll around the lakes, people watch, drink mate or to get involved in the myriad other activities taking place there.

The wealthy northern barrios of Buenos Aires incorporating Belgrano – where AMAUTA Spanish School is located - , Palermo and Recoleta are well endowed with green spaces, large plazas and recreational areas. Delving into the history of the city provides clues as to why the barrios in the north host these large parks, which today cover some 62 acres. The city has been marked by a clear geographical divide in terms of distribution of wealth (and as a consequence, quality of environment) from the mid-1800s, between the barrios in the north and those in the south (namely La Boca, San Telmo and Constitución). (más…)

¿Panic griping the nation?

Arriving in Buenos Aires in the midst of a global epidemic was an unsettling experience, especially in July when Argentina was reported to have the second highest number of deaths attributed to Gripe A (H1N1 or Swine Flu) among countries of the world. Of course, it’s important not to be insensitive about, or underplay the effect that the Gripe has had on many people in Argentina and throughout the world. Although statistics are extremely unreliable, it is clear that this outbreak has caused hundreds of deaths in Argentina alone (totalling 407 by mid-August according to the Ministry of Health of Argentina). Equally, this is a pandemic which predominantly targets the vulnerable within societies, in other words those with inadequate access to healthcare and underlying health problems. Having acknowledged this and the rather cushioned, middle-class position from which I write, there are some more comical observations to be made about life in downtown Buenos Aires in the face of the Gripe.

Firstly, the international media reports about the ensuing disaster affecting the nation and Buenos Aires seem to dramatically differ with the reality of living in the city itself. The medical staff in the arrivals lounge at Buenos Aires complete with masks and suits which look like they could stave off a radioactive disaster, do little to fill you with confidence when entering the country. However, the behaviour of porteños (people of the port of Buenos Aires) and the ‘business as usual’ approach to life soon make you feel much more at ease. The people of this huge city either have collective amnesia, have decided to take a chance or have become bored with the news story of the hour. How quickly the masks appeared and disappeared on the streets of Buenos Aires, as rumours spread about the effectiveness or otherwise of wearing protective headgear. Sales of alcoholic gels must have the pharmaceutical companies quite literally rubbing their hands with glee and small bottles with pump action sprays are the essential must-have accessory of Buenos Aires, winter 2009! Whilst this trend continues, giving the air an alcoholic scent reminiscent to that of an English city-centre on a Friday night, so do the enduring customs of the people of this city. (más…)

SPANISH FOR EXPATS

If you are planning to relocate to Argentina – either temporarily or for good - , learning Spanish is a must in order to get the most out of your experience. The real world – full of Porteños -  is right outside your door and by speaking just a bit more of Spanish you will quickly find life is so much more exciting! If you are buying something in a shop, ordering in a restaurant, or if you need to get something done, or if you are moving to a new home, or when setting up a business… speaking Spanish to local trades people, builders, utility companies, bar tenders, means you will get superior, faster service and you will be in a better position to negotiate if things go wrong.

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Be sure to use your siesta time wisely when studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, because there is no partying before midnight in this town! If you are invited to a party at someone’s house, do not plan to go before 1:00am and plan to stay until around sunrise (unless the cops are called first). Generally, people will get together with close friends in their own homes before heading to a party or a bar. If you’re lucky, they’ll grill some meat for you on a parilla for dinner.

It’s very typical to have a DJ and dance floor, but drinks are generally BYOF (bring your own Fernet). Fernet is technically an Italian liquor, but the Argentines LOVE IT. They drink it with Coke and a popular nickname for the drink is “Fernando.” The taste is similar to that of black licorice, so watch out!

In the summer of 2009, I was studying Spanish and  lived in a great house near the Abasto shopping mall. There were 6 huge bedrooms, a huge open terrace, kitchen and a great living room. Above all though, was the asado (grill) that occupied a corner of the terrace. Within two weeks of living in Buenos Aires, my roommates and I decided to have a party and take advantage of the parilla. Off we went to buy meat, drinks and other assorted party things.
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Studying Spanish in Buenos Aires was one of the best decisions I made in my entire life. Here is my list of The 10 best things about BsAs. And just to be sure to be objective, I also made my list of “10 worst things” about “the city of the cities”:

1. Food – The beef here is amazing! Never pay more than 30 pesos for a bife de lomo, which is the best cut of meat they serve. Chicken is never disappointing either. Anything that’s cooked on the parrilla is always a good idea. Try the ice cream too. Freddo and Persico are the two most popular ice cream shops. My personal favorite: frutos del bosque.
2. Public transportation – Buy a Guia-T from a street vendor, and you’re worry free. The tiny little book contains a map of the entire city on 30 little pages and gives you the routs of every bus and train. Prices are very cheap, and even a taxi won’t burn a hole in your pocket.


3. Cost of living – Anything made in Argentina is guaranteed to be cheap. Expect everything to be about a third of the US price. Fruits and veggies are practically free!.
4. Ferias – Every weekend, every neighborhood has a big open air market. The ones in Recoleta and San Telmo are the largest and most popular. There are always tons of street performers and good live music. The food is good and cheap too. Try the fresh-squeezed juices. (más…)

The game of Truco is truly an Argentine experience. While studying at the AMAUTA Language School in Buenos Aires I had the opportunity to participate and learn the fun and interesting card game, complete with an extremely enthusiastic porteña- one of the AMAUTA teachers.
To set the table, we heated up the water, prepared the maté, found the bombilla (metal straw), and dealt the special truco cards. Nothing would be complete here in Argentina without maté, it’s just one of those things. We all sat down and learned about all the different suits or “palos” (basto, oro, espada and copa) and the order of power. There are also many subtle nuances to the game that can only be picked up over time, such as sneaky moves based on lies and facial gestures to inform your partner of your hand.  The word ‘truco’ means ‘trick’ in Spanish, and the game is very tricky indeed!  We learned the basics of team play and did a couple of practice games, with each one bringing us closer to understanding the full game. (más…)

I can’t believe my time in Argentina is approaching 4 months. No thoughts of returning to my homeland just yet, as its getting cooler which means I can put a jumper over my man boobs and go out with more confidence.

It’s actually taken four months to lose the weight I put on in the first three weeks here. 

I call that period in my life -  BEEF.

More food: Did someone mention meat? I also discovered what I like to call “The Boulevard of Broken Ribs” just near Avenue de los Italiaonos. For as far as the eye can see mobile grill vans offer succulent carcases on the banks of what was probably a river (now just weeds). Just yesterday I stopped for a huge roast beef roll, then walked 100 metres to get a roast pork sandwich, followed by some freshly squeezed OJ. Total price around $5US. Awesome.
Beer: I have found a bizarre (yet tasty) beer company that has its own theme park 30 minutes out of town (http://www.barbaroja.com.ar/). Beer, archery, beer, mini-golf, beer, you get the picture. 
Sport: I’ve started playing indoor soccer on Saturday afternoons in an abandoned warehouse a few suburbs away. The standard is far too high, especiallysince I haven’t played since 1990, though I do bring a bit of Australian Rules grunt to it. Most of the time the guys on my team bark orders at me to start playing defence, but Chris Canty doesn’t play defence. 
Once I had to ask to be interchanged early (lack of fitness) and said “Soy Caliente” (I’m hot). A few days later a mate told me I was actually saying “I’m horny” - that explains the phone numbers. They were also surprised to learn that the Tasmanian Devil was real. 

On Wednesday nights I play PADEL - it’s a game played only in Buenos Aires and is kinda hard to explain (squash meets royal tennis) - better to view it here www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkFL1gSiK8w.
Spanish Classes: I guess the major development is that I started intensive Spanish classes last month. While I breezed through the first week with my “Pub-Spanish” and “watching re-runs of Quantum Leap Spanish” it took me a few weeks more to realize that I was actually losing the ability to communicate. 
Let me explain – usually I would enter a pub, order a beer incorrectly, refer to the barwoman as a man, comment on being permanently randy and then say yes “I egg football on saturdays” (note “egg” and “play” sounds the same in Spanish).
Now I go into a pub, take 30 seconds remembering the correct informal greeting, then a further minute to remember what gender the actual beer is (yes its strange), then take a further 3 minutes to remember the correct terms for permanent/non-permanent “I am”. Talking correctly is time consuming and doesn’t get the laughs I’ve come accustomed to, but I know in the long run. it is for the best. 
St Paddies Day: St Paddies day has always been a fav on my calendar and this year proved no different. I discovered that over 500,000 Irish people lived here and the streets in the CBD were packed with party goers. I went to the local Irish pub where they hired bag pipe players to perform Scottish songs in front of teenage girls doing “lord of the dance” routines. We were the only “foreigns” there so people started taking photos of us as if we gave the event some type of authenticity. I woke up the next morning with a strange green pixie hat on. 
Speaking of “foreigns” take a look at this youtube mock clip. It sums up the stereotypical nature of expats here very well and yes that’s the tune to PERFECT STRANGERS.
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=54937942443&h=jahXD&u=0al-U&ref=mf

1. How did something frozen end up in steamy Buenos Aires?

It is a very poorly kept secret that the beef in Argentina is second to none: this is a tidbit well known to the natives though, as your average argentine will consume a world-leading 62 kilos (140 lbs!) of meat each year. The question you will be asking yourself, however, after your innards have been assaulted by their first encounter with La Pampa prime beef is: what sweet could possibly make this experience any more divine? My first week was a blur of asados (barbecues), but I do nonetheless remember my initiation; I remember endless meat, unctuous Mendoza malbecs, home style sausages– but I also remember my shock upon seeing the decadent spread’s conspicuous absence of dessert. In fact the Argentine after-meal ritual involves less the confectioner’s oven and more the telephone: the main purpose of which is to call for a delivery of ice cream. If the word “ice cream” brings to mind visions of Baskin Robbins or Friendly’s you will not understand why those recently satiated with such sublime beef decide to take recourse in dessert from a third party, but once you have had the smallest lick, it will all become clear: Buenos Aires boasts, in this writer’s humble opinion, the world’s best ice cream.

In my previous travels I would have given that epicurean laurel to Italy, more particularly to the gelati of Italy’s breadbasket, Milan. The strength that the Italians have always had is a thriving tradition of ice cream makers with recipes that descend back generations. Yet the tide of immigration that flooded the shores of America both North and South in the beginning of the 20th Century brought not only Italian workers, but recipe-toting ice cream makers as well. And when they arrived in the Río de la Plata they found something fortuitous for those of us addicted to frozen sweets: the cows of the extensive Argentine Pampa produce a milk particularly suited to Italian gelato. The result: top end ice cream with the bright flavours of Italian gelato and the richness of american ice cream.

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The first thing you will notice when arriving in Argentina is that many people are drinking from strange tea cups with a metal drinking straw. What is that all about?  Why do all people carry a thermos with them and are so addicted to drinking this special tea? Well, let´s find out!

Mate, pronounced as mah-tay, is the essence of Argentina. It is a cultural practice that transcends the barriers of social class, ethnicity and occupation in Argentina. Young, Old, Indigenous, European, Rich, Poor, Modern, and Old fashioned all take up this cultural tradition. This mate is not seen just as a special drink, but as an elaborate ritual. The purpose of this ritual is to share it amongst your friends, family, coworkers or even total strangers.

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