The third dance in the history of dance done with the man and woman facing each other is the Tango. It consists of the man holding the woman’s right hand in his left, while his right arm is around her. The first dance done in this position was the Viennese Waltz, a craze which spread across Europe throughout the 1830s; the second dance was known as the Polka and was the next craze throughout the 1840s. Finally the Tango evolved into the third dance of its kind which greatly varied from anything before its existence because it introduced the great concept of improvisation for the first time.

The Tango soon after had a great influence on all of the “couples dancing” in the twentieth century. Its evolution was due to the great amounts of immigrants coming into Argentina which brought an array of new dancing with shocking new holds. It is, however, unknown as to how and when exactly the Tango evolved from the Viennese Waltz and the Polka into what it is today. This is due to the fact that it was everyday normal people who helped with the evolution of the Tango. They were the poor and the underprivileged that helped shape this phenomenon.

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Do not miss the opportunity to study Spanish in Cusco during the magical time of Christmas and experience a different way of celebrating this holiday!

THE AMAUTA Christmas Program includes extra activities such as a visit to the unique Santurantikuy, the Andean Christmas market. We will also visit several churches where you can observe the impressive, traditional Nacimientos, which are representations of the birth of Jesus. The program includes a Traditional Christmas Dinner with a Peruvian Family, a unique cultural immersion.

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¿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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Next departure July 12th!

AMAUTA Spanish School in Cusco is always coming up with innovating ideas to combine the Spanish language study with the magical beauty of Peru.
If this sounds appealing, participate in our next departure LEARN SPANISH IN THE PERUVIAN RAINFOREST – in the Manu Biosphere Reserve on June 28th.

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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…)

What should a Spanish student in Cusco do during the first weekend off? Indeed: I made it to Machu Pichu yesterday! It was a lot cooler than I expected. We left at 5am in the morning. I was picked up at my homestay by taxi. The taxi brought us to the train station. The train left at 6am. Our ride was 4 hours long to Aguas Calientes. I had splurged for the nicer train and we had a lot of windows to look out of. Also we were served a small breakfast.

We arrived in Aguas Calientes around 10 am and met our very enthusiastic guide, Darwin at the station. Then our tour group got on a bus for the 30 minute ride to Machu Pichu. Being there was actually gorgeous and my pictures just don´t do it justice. Our tour was probably an hour and a half walking around all the ruins of temples, dwellings and agriculture.
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It was a nice sunny day today. I woke up to the sound of the church bells ringing in the distance. As it was Palm Sunday, there was a procession around the main square (Plaza de Armas). A brass band was playing and there were lots of people about. All were coming from or going to mass, holding their palm crosses.
The tradition is here for the families to place the cross (made from palm, leaves and even rosemary) outside their front doors. I decided to buy one and was able to get one for 1 sol from an old lady who was selling them on the side of the street.

Its not unusual to see these ladies selling their bits and pieces here in Cusco. Everything from food, jewelry and even hand-woven belts, scarves and hats (some made of Alpaca) are delicately laid out on blankets for all to come and have a look at on the side of the streets. (más…)

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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Jive, Porteño Style

When I arrived in Buenos Aires a couple of years back, I got off the plane thinking that my experience in other Spanish speaking countries and my rudimentary high school classes would allow me to get by, and they did. But it is one thing to get by and quite another to play truco like a native. This came home to me on my first visit to the market to buy some basics for the apartment. My shopping list, with the words I used to order them:

strawberries – fresas
pineapple – piña
butter – mantequilla
bananas – plátanos
Instead of a basket full of tasty fruits, all I received was a smirk from the greengrocer; all of these words might work just fine in Mexico City or Havana, but here the Argentines pride themselves on being just a little bit different from the rest of the Spanish-speaking world.
Now my shopping basket is full of:
strawberries – frutillas
pineapple – ananá
butter – manteca
bananas – bananas (that one was easy!)

So as you get ready to take a big bite of Argentine culture, here are some a basics on how to talk like a porteño:

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