A Cultural Experience

It's impossible to count the kisses on the cheeks of the hundreds of students and colleagues I met during my visit. This traditional greeting came naturally after just a few days, although I continued to extend my hand out of habit. These details didn't matter to the friendly people I met, and greetings became a source of laughter and connection. I found the people in this country to be open and generous. Both of my hosts directed me to some cultural experiences as well as welcoming me into their families for a peak at domestic life in Argentina.

Erica's family cafe became the epi-center of our daily life. The whole family worked there at some point. Now, father, Jorge, runs the restaurant and mother, Norma, oversees the food preparation. I met Erica's sister and niece at the restaurant, and Jorge and I enjoyed the struggles of conversing in only our native languages - and managed to communicate! Good thing we can draw. Many of Erica's friends and family extended invitations to their homes or restaurants, and I enjoyed meeting their families and eating delicious food. Villa Maria is in the middle of the Pampas - a Nebraska/Kansas scape of ranches and flat soy bean fields. Beef and dairy products abound, and most meals feature beef.

I also visited the city center of Villa Maria for some shopping and a walking tour of stores, the train station (a colonial gift from the British), a winery, and a multi-media library. The town has a distinctly Italian flavor - well mixed with Spanish influences. The tall french doors, tile floors, wrought iron gates, and stucco walls reminded me of Europe. I was also treated to a museum exhibit featuring the controversial photograph of Marcos Lopez (Asado en Mendiolaza).

A word about the dogs. There were stray dogs everywhere - all shapes and sizes. I must say they looked better than any of the street dogs I've seen elsewhere. I didn't see ribs or scabs or mange. When I went downtown, I discovered why. People fed them scraps from their lunches or cafe tables! They often stopped to give a dog a friendly scratch behind the ears or say a kind word or two. Erica explained that Argentinians often adopt a street dog, and I noticed that several dogs became the pets or mascots of schools and businesses. But this is not the most interesting thing about the dogs. I found them to be extraordinarily street wise. They crossed busy streets with a skill I came to envy. In fact, Argentinian traffic (worthy of its own blog) is precarious, so I found myself following the dogs across the streets. They were very useful and I'm indebted to them.

In Villa Allende, I found myself in golf country. Popular sports - after soccer, of course - are golf, rugby, and handball. My hotel was actually a guest house - a roomy house converted to paying guests with beautiful grounds on a world class golf course. Anahi took me to Cordoba, Argentina's second largest city, many times. There we toured a cathedral, the university (the oldest in Argentina), city squares, a convent, and a traditional art market. At Anahi's home, I was treated to asado - Argentinian barbeque. If you eat meat, this is the country for you. Everywhere, there is a wood fire burning and meat roasting. (Even the schools had BBQ pits!)The smell permeates the air, and I found it intoxicating. I was in a state of permanent salivation. Anahi's family also took me for a day trip into the hills where we visited a Jesuit monastery (1622), a hostel (1616) and a large reservoir that marks the center of Argentina. This man made lake reminds visitors of The Disappeared. These are the 30,000 people who disappeard during the military takeover during the late 1970's. It is believed many of their bones lie at the bottom of this lake.

I found Argentina complex. It is both rugged and sophisticated. It's European chic is often challenged by a rough, country spirit that keeps pretentiousness at bay. This is a genuine place, filled with genuine people who gave me two weeks of insight and pleasure.