Argentina: Living in Argentina
See as Comment: Argentineans Make the Most from Life
Add comment February 2nd, 2008
Argentina: Argentineans Make the Most from Life
Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world with a population of 38 million of which nearly half live in Buenos Aires. It can be characterized as an urban population that has managed to coexist with the well-to-do and the working class in a state of “live and let live.”
The majority of the population remember the economic collapse prior to the 2001 Peronist era of the Kirchner Presidency and do not trust the banking institution. They would prefer to keep their money under a mattress or convert it into property than place it into an account that disappears. This perspective is by no means unjustified, since one incident of money placed into a charitable savings fund for children simply vanished. And yet there are many accounts with huge balances in banks (it would be impossible to construct buildings or conduct international business without the services of major banks). Banks must exist for the controlling individuals and those connected to power.
Despite all the hardships, Argentineans have endured, they are incredibly friendly, calm, and carry on long conversations with strangers. They love to dance the Tango, and enjoy socializing for hours with friends in cafes. They are easy going with respect to timeliness and work obligations. American friends living in Argentina experienced endless frustration and delays remodeling their home, often faced with shoddy workmanship that had to be reworked. Perhaps there is more emphasis on the arts than on business efficiency. Many in Buenos Aires have university degrees that are not being applied in productive fields. There is an impression that Argentina lacks a good dose of American business management and supervision.
Argentina is predominantly a Catholic country. Adoration of the Virgin is still a dominant part of life; a simple illustration is the number of times one will see taxi drivers cross themselves driving past a church. Unlike most other Latin American nations, European descendants make up the great majority of the population, which is primarily of Spanish and Italian heritage. As a result of disease, exploitation and attempts at racial purity by the military, the native population was decimated; and the blacks who had survived working in the fields chased out of the country by the mid 1800’s. At present the indigenous population of Argentina stands at approximately 1%.
General Jose de San Martin is the national hero for liberating Argentina, Chile and Peru from the Spaniards and declaring independence in 1816. Numerous statues are erected in his honor, streets and villages are named after him, and an honor guard surrounds his monument in the main Cathedral in Buenos Aires.
Family relationships are important. Sundays are reserved for church or family gatherings and going to the numerous parks for recreation is a major part of their pleasures in life. The Rosedel in Buenos Aires is an impressive park of roses, lakes, boating and walk ways, while most other parks are comprised of monuments to heroes, trees and un-tended grass. The soil in Argentina is so rich in nutrients that one of the pleasures of walking in Argentina is seeing a variety of very old, large and awe inspiring trees in parks and lining residential streets.
One can not describe Buenos Aires without commenting on Argentineans love for dogs. There are few cats to be seen, but plenty of dog poop on sidewalks in most parts of Buenos Aires, to remind one that dogs reign supreme.
Buenos Aires boasts many unique buildings from the glory days of 1880 - 1916. Talented iron workers continue to produce beautiful works of art in gates, railings and fences. Particularly impressive is the Recolleta Cemetery with its large mausoleums which speak of architectural and sculptured talent that waits to be unleashed in the present era. Buildings in the tourist neighborhoods have been maintained, but many do not have the resources or talent to rehabilitate to their original condition. Shopping centers in the more affluent areas with wide tree lined boulevards and along the waterfront in Buenos Aires speak of European influence. It is a shoppers paradise. Although most restaurants offer menus at 1/3 to 1/2 the cost in the United States, the selection is mostly limited to beef, sometimes pork or chicken, and rarely fish. Argentineans are known to consume 140 lbs of beef annually per person.
The concept of the “caudillo” strong man is alive and well in Argentina. The President exerts enormous amount of power, influencing the legal system to change exiting laws. This system of governance has no relevance to the American system of checks and balances. It results in an institution of bureaucrats who often disagree with each other as to which law is in effect and a maze that only the well to do with resources can maneuver. Hernando de Soto, a well known economist, describes in “The Mystery of Capital” how “extra legal” institutions become created among groups of people to avoid the legal labyrinth, which puts a damper on growth. It appears this state of affairs is symptomatic of Argentina as well. Equity that is not being recorded as capital can not be used as collateral for loans, and will remain a handicap to growth and economic prosperity for the entire population. Additionally, the economic fiasco of the early 1990’s with Argentina subsequently reneging on repayment of international loans makes them untrustworthy for international corporate investment.
Behind the facade of friendliness there is an element of distrust among strangers borne from experience. Insecurity pervades society both from financial and criminal elements. Enforcement and punishment of criminals is weak and borders on non-existent. A walk through most areas of Buenos Aires means hanging on to your wallet, purse, camera, etc. Women and men maintain a low profile, wearing modest clothes and the most basic of costume jewelry. There is a hope that catering to “personal freedom” as a reaction to the “military rule” of pre-Peronist era will find a happy balance to the criminals roaming the city of Buenos Aires. Needless to say, other parts of Argentina are much safer.
MH
1 comment December 18th, 2007
Belgium Defined (Source Unknown)
Belgium is a relatively new nation. It achieved its nationhood in 1830, after centuries of occupation and invasion by the Romans, the French, the Burgundians, the Spanish, the Austrians and finally the Dutch. Independence was won through a revolution triggered by an opera. Not much blood, if any, was spilled. The Belgian Revolution may lack the heart-stopping panache of the French Revolution, but the Belgians have always opted for moderation at the expense of a place in the history books.
The Belgium population is 10 million, divided into two main language groups with about 6 million Dutch (formerly called Flemish) speakers and 4 million French speakers (plus 67,000 German speakers living on the German border). During the 1990s Belgium was virtually divided into two federal states, Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia, stitched together by national government and the capital city of Brussels - a mainly French speaking bubble surrounded by Flemish territory. A common complaint is that there are no Belgians any more - there are only Walloons and Flemings (totally wrong because there are some one million North African and Turkish Moslems). This is a country that is neither rooted in history nor defined by language. Today nationalism refers to a fervor not for Belgium, but for Flanders or Wallonia. Emotions can run very high, especially at the muddy interface along the border - their respective emblems, the Walloon’s cock and the Flemish lion, could well be pictured trying to claw each other’s eyes out. At times the very future of Belium seems in doubt. Belgium is probably the only country that wonders if it even exists. There are few slender threads holding the nation together: the royal family, the ‘Red Devils’ (the national football team), Catholicism, Tintin. The big question is whether Belgian nationhood will be preserved and if so for how long.
The Belgians have the reputation of being dull. The curious and endearing characteristic of the Belgians is that they do not rise to the bait that this labeling imposes. Let other nations crow; the cock that crows loudest will be the first for the pot. Those who scoff should beware: Belgian things are becoming fashionable, and not just the chocolates and the beer. Visitors to Belgium are discovering with surprise the genius of Belgian cousines, the genuine welcome of Belgian hospitality, the brilliance of the art, the odd chateau tucked away in the countryside, the fashion designers who have risen to international stardom,… The Belgians in their quiet, undemonstrative way seem to have got many things just about right. Reports published by the United Nations have rated Belgium the best place to live in the European Union, and the fifth most prosperous country in the world (after Norway, Australia, Canada and Sweden), facts which came as a shock to the Belgians who claim such accolades are not justified.
The Belgians are ready to belittle themselves as a nation. They tend to describe their country as being flat and small - in fact, it is neither that small, nor that flat. Even Leopold II, the towering 19th century King of the Belgians, once famously dismissed his nation as ‘petit pay, petites gens’ (small country, small-minded people).
The French-speaking Wallonia of the south, with its heavy industries was, not until a long time ago, the undisputed master of Belgium. However, as the old heavy industries collapsed, the boot is now on the other foot. The Dutch-speaking Flanders, after centuries of being kicked around by the French-speaking Belgians, are now, with their new light industries and the ports facilities in the north, as well as tourism, the undisputed masters. Flanders is now ranked as one of the most prosperous regions in Europe, a leader in information technology, pharmaceuticals and electrical industries. To the Flemish they are now the stars and do little to conceal their glee. On the other hand, the French-speaking Belgians are passing through troubled times, …they have lost power and they have lost the initiative. The Flemish think of themselves as hardworking, honest and dependable, while the Walloons see themselves oppressed, as being between a rock and a hard place. The French-speaking Bruxellois see themselves as even more threatened. Encircled by Flanders, they find that the Flemish want to make Brussels the capital of Flanders, despite the fact that the majority of Bruxellois are French-speaking.
In contrast to the complexities of intercommunal strife within their own country, the Belgians are admirably tolerant of other nations in a most natural fashion. They are remarkably magnanimous toward those who conquered and overrun them. Nevertheless, the French-speaking Belgians would hate to be French and the Dutch-speaking Belgians to be Dutch. For the Belgians, who are happy to holiday in France and would not dream of drinking wine from anywhere else, consider the French are not just haughty and disdainful, but they are particularly haughty and disdainful about the Belgians; as for the Dutch, they are considered unforgivably mean and puritanical, eat poorly, dress eccentricly, culturally inept when travelling abroad and drive badly.
1 comment January 6th, 2007
Japan - (2 of 2 Articles) Key Aspects of Japanese Culture
Buddhism and Shintoism are the two dominant religions, although the latter is actually more a “cult of nature” where supernatural beings are born, live, die and are reborn. This karmic cycle allows for the explanation of the Sun Goddess as an ancestor of the Imperial family. Buddhism, Japan’s dominant religion, was introduced much later (6th Century, A.D.) and teaches a moral life of mercy and compassion, and coexists and is reinforced by Shinto beliefs. Starting in the 17th Century, western missionaries introduced Christianity to the Japanese. All three religions are practiced freely in modern-day Japan. (more…)
Add comment July 3rd, 2006
Japan - (1 of 2 Articles) The Fascinating Duality of Japanese Society
If you want to experience a country of social contrasts, then visit Japan. Or, better still, live for a while in Japan. I know of no other society that has created for itself so many dualities. Japanese culture is rife with contradictions and inconsistencies. To the perceptive observer of Japanese society, this duality is both intriguing and puzzling: it begs the question, “What cultural imperative and subtle socialization processes have led to such anomalies?” (more…)
1 comment July 1st, 2006
Israel - Getting Acquainted With Its People
Israeli culture is a mix of European and Middle Eastern customs, music and food. In the past 20 years American influences have made significant inroads into the culture. Although Israel started as a social experiment with collective farms, kibbutzes, and Zionist idealists, it has evolved with strong capitalist organizations and individualism motivated with materialism. (more…)
1 comment June 24th, 2006