Hello all. So glad you’re enjoying the posts! This is what I’m thinking--today, I’m going to tell you everything I’ve noticed so far about Argentinian life and culture. I figure I should do that before I’ve been here too long and forget what’s weird. Because it is weird. And I have to assume that in no time at all I’ll have forgotten what it’s like to be a visitor to this confusing country (I mean, if adjusting has been this easy so far, I can only imagine the simplicities that are to follow). Once that inevitably occurs, I won’t be able to make these deepened and descriptive observations. I’m just saying, my complete assimilation is right around the corner, trust me. So for your benefit, I’ll explain the unfamiliar nuances of Argentina. Spoken like a true outsider, here are my findings:
1) I’m learning multiple languages. Spanish, first of all, which I’m killing by the way. You should see me when I’ve had a few drinks--I’m practically fluent! I’m sure Spanish speakers think so too. And secondly, I’m being forced to study the entire set of hand signals they use to shorten requests, or send a very clear message. Let me explain. In the U.S., (which will henceforce be referred to as the “normal” place) if someone does something stupid, we give them the finger. But here in Argentina, there are 8 ways to get the same point across. And as I’m sure you can imagine it’s been quite fun trying to distinguish between them. Also, in restaurants back home in normal-town waiters come to the table and take our orders. But here, there are separate signals to notify the waiter when you want the check, need another coffee, etc. Very confusing. Which brings me to my next observation (and yes, they’re all going to be this profound, so get excited).
2) Restaurant etiquette is wack. And also non-existent. So everyone here likes to take their time doing everyyything. Which is great, I understand that we all need to take a minute to slow down and appreciate life, etc. etc. And I really am adjusting to the no coffee-to-go thing, or at least I’m trying. But this is different. So here in Rosario, we come into the restaurant, cafe, whatever, and sit down, expecting a waiter to come over with menus or something of the sort. But no. They, too, like to take their time. We, the customer, have no choice but to participate in this ridiculous back and forth game where we attempt to get their attention, and they, the wait staff, ignore us. Repeatedly. Eventually they give in and take our orders (and as you may have guessed, our broken Spanish is welcomed with open arms). But at every restaurant, and at every stage of ordering (drinks, food, getting the check), this waiting period is fascinating. I truly have no idea how people here get anything done. Luckily for my fellow study-abroaders and me, we have all the time in the world. So we just sit back, analyze this strange way of living, and wait.
3) Every day, when I walk down the sidewalks and am eventually forced to cross the streets, I feel as though I’m holding my life in my own two hands. Driving here should be illegal. We were told on our first day that cars don’t stop for people, so we have to be careful. We sort of snickered at this advice, thinking it was a crazy idea. Of course cars stop for people, they wouldn’t want to kill pedestrians, right? Wrong. I think the drivers here have a death wish for anyone who gets in their way. If that’s you, or me in most cases, that means they honk repeatedly and refuse to slow down. They also use those handy-dandy, and ever so friendly hand signals that I’m becoming so familiar with. They really don’t wait. You wait, or you run. Sprint, in fact, to get out of their way. No one uses blinkers, or stays within the lanes. They speed like bats out of Hell, careening around corners and running red lights. Oh and get this--I’ve seen one stop sign the entire time I’ve been here. The most common form of an intersection is a no-way stop. Please recall that you all get the luxury of frequenting 4-way stops all the way back in Normal City, USA (or Canada for the Sommers and Josh). But no, not here. Instead, at these no-way stops, everyone plays chicken with each other, speeding forward until one car is forced to slam on its breaks for the faster car (enter hand signals) and then hurry forward, making everyone around them stop, thus continuing this dangerous and crazed cycle. I’m telling you, it’s a shitshow.
4) I’ve never been stared at this much in my entire life. This is by far the strangest thing I’ve encountered and the most difficult adjustment I’ve had to make. At any point when I’m out in public, specifically when I’m with 1-10 others from the U.S., we are physically on display for all to see, and openly ponder. I realize that this is not New York City, or even Buenos Aires, but in a city of over a million people, I assumed that the people here would have stumbled upon a tourist at one point or another. But shockingly enough, I was wrong, yet again. I’m truly not sure that these Argentinians have ever come into contact with an English speaking foreigner before now. I’m struggling to figure out how to explain how weird it is. I can only compare it to the movie Mean Girls, when the four girls are walking down the hallway, strutting their stuff in slow motion, as everyone moves out of their way to stare at their beauty and profound popularity. Except for it’s not like that at all because here, no one moves out of the way, and that’s not why people are staring. The other night, for example, I walked into a bar with a friend (everyone, meet Shelby, she’s the friend that will be making guest appearances in these posts. Maybe you will recall her from the watch/Hunger Games/iPod shopping experience). Anywho I’m not exaggerating when I say that every person in there whipped their heads around to stare and turned to follow us as we walked by. I sort of imagined everything going silent and only being able to hear our creaking footsteps as everyone’s eyes widen in confusion. (Again, much like a scene out of a movie). I don’t even know how they can tell so fast that we’re out-of -towners. But somehow, they know. Or the other day, we went on a walking tour around Rosario and had stopped to take pictures of a monument (aka a normal example of a photo-op.), when I notice two guys who have stopped to pull out their cameras and take pictures of us! Do you understand how weird that is?? Celebrities, I now know what it’s like. I finally understand your hardships. (I’m sure many of them are reading this and they’d probably appreciate a shout out too. So Jbiebs, Jlo, Jen Aniston, and Oprah--I feel you). Oh and my favorite is when a group of us are walking down the street and someone goes out of their way to point us out to the people they’re talking to. Like we have interrupted their normal conversation simply by passing by and they all feel the need to look, and comment. It doesn’t matter what language you’re speaking guys, the blatant pointing makes the topic of your conversation pretty clear. I’m telling you we’re gawked at like attractions in a museum, with no attempt at discretion. All together, this has lead me to completely give up on trying to obey social norms. Because a) I don’t know what they are and b) I now realize that no matter what I do, I’ll be stared at. I have come to accept that ironically enough, I’m actually the weird one here. Who woulda thunk, right...
So those are the main mysteries (now do you get the title of this post? Clever, right?) that I’m currently trying to unfold and get used to. In addition, I’ve compiled a few extra weird things about this part of the world that I feel should be shared: The sun is hotter here; the stray dogs are smarter than people; mayonaise is used like ketchup, it’s put on everything; there’s next to no recycling--if you know me but at all (wink wink momo), you’ll know this kills me; you can’t just get a cup of water at most restaurants, and it costs as much as soda or coffee if you want to order it; oh and the timing of everything is totally weird. People eat dinner at 10pm, go out at 2am, and stay out until 6:30. On most nights Sylvia stays up later than me, and please remember that she’s 60. Oh and rounding out this fun little list, I’ve probably seen 10 McDonalds restaurants and Starbucks is nowhere to be found (delightfully fitting for the vegetarian, caffeine addict, no?). Alright that’s about it. I’m sure every day will open the door to new, enriching discoveries like these, and I’ll be sure to share them with you. But like I said, at the rate I’m going, I’ll probably blend in with the locals in no time! So I’ll tell you how that goes too. Miss you all! And please enjoy the normalcy of North America on my behalf, would you?
love,
Henya
P.S. if you notice my vocabulary diminishing, and my grammar worsening, please forgive me. It has become almost impossible to speak any language at all. That’s been yet another fun side effect of learning a language.
P.P.S. If the above complaints and confusions didn’t sell you on Rosario and I somehow failed to convey the following message, please know I really do love it here! It’s extremely fun. Please come visit! Or if that doesn’t work, travel somewhere else and try to write a blog that’s as cool as mine.
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