First impressions and RITA

OK, first of all for all the Slovenian readers, Rita is a name and not an ass! :)

It is the third day of my stay in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. In one way I still cannot imagine I am actually situated in South America, continent I always wanted to travel to. In the other way I am already grounded and ready to fulfil my mission of travelling to Argentina (I wrote about it in the previous post).
The line between both feelings has a common feeling, called excitement! Until now I already experienced many things and had loads of good start-up talks, that opened a little bit the location and the heart of Argentina.

in the park

I am staying (for four days, but two are already almost gone :) with a girl called Rita (I found her on couch-surfing). She is originally Argentinian, 30 year old woman (I would say girl - she looks very young) with a big apartment situated in a quite calm area of Buenos Aires. For the period of staying at her place I had some goals; to see some of the areas, to learn Spanish and to talk to some people, particularly with her (as I am staying in her apartment) in order to get a little touch of Buenos Aires and its life. Until now, things are going better than expected. To the "sightseeing part": I have explored the area around, went to parks, ate pancakes on the street, went to see the central area. If I put a full-stop here as a common conclusion:

streets of Buenos Aires

HUGE city with millions of things to see, do and experience. A rich architecture, crazy traffic that causes tones of excuses for people of being late, loads of churches, parks, markets, little shops. Not as expensive as in Denmark, but more expensive than I would actually imagine (lets say it is comparable with prices in Croatia, maybe a little bit less?). Tones of meat, sweets, salty food and people with a cup in their hand - mate (a traditional bitter tea, that everyone drinks all the time, everywhere, at any occasion). Poor and rich people, but basically three stages of middle class (higher, middle and lower middle class). A city with passion, joy, colours. A melting pot (loads and loads of different people from all around as a result of migrating, world wars...) with a cosmopolitan out-look. I dare to say it is similar to European capitals, but of course being unique on the other way as Buenos Aires as such. Old, wooden insights of subways, that create a charm of driving to the centre of Buenos Aires with very fashionable and sophisticated people. Crowded streets with people everywhere, but still more silent as in India. Quite a lot of crime, drugs and robbery, but people from Buenos Aires say that makes them keep their eyes open and to take care of their belongings... and more and more.

To the "getting to know the people and their culture part", a common conclusion applied from the talks with Rita, small talks on the street, observation and staying with Rita's family at their house and on a salami-festival (quite some things experienced in such a short time):

The Argentinian people are very warm-hearted people and helpful in any case I experienced until now (on the streets asking for directions or language bonderies for example). The family plays a big role as a part of people's daily life fulfilment. They are very touchy people, greeting with kisses, hugs, smiles and openness. They are patriotic and in love with their country, habits and culture. Argentinians take the life easy, they enjoy drinking their bitter mate in parks, gatherings or even at the working places. They love to sit in bars or cafe's for hours meeting their friends and family and talking amongst some topics about politics, national sports, love and other happenings that form their daily life. They are applying a lot of hospitality, acceptance among themselves and foreigners. I caught them some times singing in the middle of the street, on the subway or in a shop while putting the goods on the shelves. The population of Argentina is very colourful, from Europeneans to communities from other countries of South America to Korean and Chinese people... They are tolerant towards each other, though the Argentinians many times say they do not like Chile (because of its people trying to own Argentinian Patagonia - the southern part of Argentina). Their "big bro" is Uruguay, as it was separated from Argentina (do not know why, but I will find out.. :), though the Argentinian people didn't agree with it...

Education plays quite a big role in Argentina and it has a big importance for the youngsters (especially in the high and middle class) in order they would get an opportunity to get a job/profession. There are many religions in Argentina, but the major one is Christianity (for example: Christian schools). They are having a big faith for somebody "out there" as they would name it and that gives them hope for "walking the steps of life".

Another section I would like to go deeper into is: RITA

Rita and her cat, Mine

As I told before I am staying until Wednesday with Rita. She is an amazing girl, very open minded and critical at the same time. She is living her own life, working for her own life, having a boyfriend from Switzerland, loves to travel and meet new people. She is simple and open towards new things and choices that she needs to take in order to survive or better said, to live in a good way. She has a lot of patience with me, answering all my questions and sharing her knowledge about her country and its people in a very social way. She has a lot of facts and knowledge in her head and she is open towards new inputs and experiences.
Right now she has problems with her leg, so she cannot really show me around but I admire all the energy she puts into me-having a nice time in Buenos Aires. Tomorrow we are going to see Tango lessons in a nearby place as a finish line of the four days I am spending in her place.

together with the "MAMA" at the salami festival

Yesterday I had one of the best moments until now, as she invited me to join her going with her family to a salami-festival. The salami-festival happens every year in a place called Mercedes. It is kind-of a festival with a lot of salami and other foods, combined with Argentinian folklore music and families, friends and individuals gathering from all around mainly the parts of Buenos Aires province. We were picked up by her mum, that is about 60 years old woman. Her mum is indeed a kind of person I have never met before (in comparison of her age for example). Full of energy, jumping around, arranging everything, controlling that everyone are fine at the same time, very generous and independent strong woman with a history and stories to tell. She is a crazy but safe driver, cursing on the driver's seat, when somebody tries to take her over or if somebody is horning in case she is too slow. She has an enormous feeling for love and she characterises a happy and proud person.

Than there is Rita's sister and her boyfriend, that are a cool and funny couple. Sister's boyfriend has a huge sense of humour and was "annoying" me the whole day with speaking Spanish to me and making jokes about ESLOVENIA (as the Spanish speaking people would call Slovenia). Everyone knows him around and his girlfriend said to me: "You know, if he would travel even to Spain or Slovenia, he would always find somebody he knows."

Before we went to the salami-festival we were staying at Rita's family house. It was a small, but lovely place with a feeling of home. When I entered the house I immediately felt comfortable. We were eating FACTURAS (as they would call sweet breads or salty breads that they usually eat for breakfast) and joking here and there. It was a good start up and breaking the ice as a start of an unforgettable day.

The salami-festival was great. I was eating loads of good sausages and salami, listening to a great folklore singer Theresa Parodi, meeting other people and exploring the Argentinian way of being and living. One of the things I noticed with being along all these people was I didn't feel like a tourist at all, as the population is multicultural in many ways.
Anyhow, I am attaching some pictures to broaden the view and to share my first experiences of Argentina.. :)

Claudio in the middle of salami's and sausages

The other thing that was pretty amazing to hear from Rita, was about tango. I thought it is a very common and traditional thing of the everyday of Argentinians, but she told me later it is mainly located in Buenos Aires and not so much in other provinces. Folklore plays than a much bigger role in people's life. That basically meant it is more a tourist thing than something else. Of course that doesn't mean they are not proud of it, but they just do not practise it as people maybe think they do.


If I conclude, I have learned a lot in this few days being in Argentina. It is just few days, but much more will come in the rest of two and something months of being in South America. I am completely into it, anyway. Struggling with Spanish, contacting people, making plans and setting goals that I want to achieve as an efficient travel with a reason. I love it. I really do.

The further plans are set but that doesn't mean they cannot be changed. Basically, I am already in contact with some Slovenians and I am going to meet my family on Friday. I want to travel to other provinces as Patagonia, Mendoza and Cordoba (where are also some Slovenian communities or individuals) plus pass by Buenos Aires again in order to explore some more things (and visit Rita again:) I didn't have time to catch "more than something" in these few days of being here. It is a 13 million city, my god! :)

Tomorrow will be again a full day, meeting Daniela (a friend of my relatives) and going to see a tango lesson workshop for dummies (people that want to learn the basics and dance for themselves without being a burden for professional dancers :). I do not know if I will attend it, but I will surely sit somewhere in the corner and cry of excitement :) On Wednesday I am going to visit a Slovenian woman living in Buenos Aires, that will start with lunch and further things that will go on until Friday, when I am moving towards the coast of Buenos Aires province, Miramar.

Basically, so many things to look forward to and time is so short... Luckily I can take it as much as possible - in my own way. That is what is so nice about this period of DNS. 

And yes, I am still on a search for a possible candidate to marry :) Latin boys particularly :)  (uf, now the girls from my team of DNS 2008 would hold their heads :=)

Greets!