1) Quite unlike several eastern cultures, going shoeless inside the house is extremely looked down upon. The reasons vary...some people have told me that if my feet are cold, I will get sick. Others simply seem to think its inappropriate to be barefoot in front of others. Whatever the reason, Morgan and I quickly got tired of our host mothers comments and reprimands, :) so we caved, and bought the cheapest pantuflas we could find. My slippers have become my best friend..I don’t remember the last time I went barefoot, or even sock-footed anywhere.
2) You order a tortilla, and what you receive does not even remotely resemble your average mexican-american burrito or quesadilla tortilla. In this part of Latin America, a tortilla is something more like a quiche/omelette. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am very serious about my weekly tortilla intake...this eggy crap is just not gonna cut it.
3) As Morgan would say, you know you are in Rosario when you feel like you are cheating death every day..multiple times a day. The traffic situation is just unlike anything I have ever come across in the U.S. Obviously cities like L.A. and New York put up a bigger fight than Eugene, but still, I think the driving in Rosario is truly the worst I have ever seen. When drivers decide it’s their turn to go, it is their turn to go. My favorite habit of the taxi drivers is how they start honking, without slowing down, as they approach an intersection. As long as everyone knows they’re coming, no one will get in their way, right?! Right. As Aniela would say: “Peaton primero!!!”
4) Recycling is non-existent. I have yet to see a recycling contraption of any sort in Rosario...just tons of garbage cans overflowing with paper and plastic. The other day, my host mom tried to tell me that they separate all the recyclable products from the garbage after they pick it up. I’m pretty sure I don’t believe her.
5) About 1 out of every 5 women you meet, has had some sort of plastic surgery done. Okay, maybe thats an exaggeration..I don’t know the actual statistics. But face lifts, nose jobs, and boob jobs are unbelievably common...for young, and old women alike. Apparently it’s bastante comun for girls to receive a boob job as a gift from their parents on their 15th birthday, their quinceanera. (similar to the 18th birthday in the U.S., in much of Latin America, the 15th birthday is traditionally considered the start of adulthood.)
6) Let’s just say, you won’t be able to tell if you are in Rosario or not, based on the music you hear. With the exception of inside milongas, (tango bars) truly almost all of the music I have heard in Argentina has been in English. When I asked Belen why they are so obsessed with English music here, she just shrugged and answered: “globalizacion”. And the icing on the cake is that in Argentina, the ever-changing wave of what’s popular within pop culture, is just a little bit behind the U.S. In other words, the songs that were unavoidable this summer, the ones that were circulated over and over amongst radio stations, are the same ones that are currently popular in Argentina. Ay ay ay.
7) Very unlike home, the national language of Argentina is extremely universal, it is very rare to hear other languages besides Spanish being spoken while walking the streets...but much like the U.S., diversity within ethnicity and heritage is extremely common. Argentina has a very strong sense of European influence -- in their architecture, and in their food, but also in their physical aspect. In the U.S., the vast majority of Spanish-speakers are Mexican, and their physical appearance often shows that. Never in my life, have I been surround by a group of Spanish-speakers that has varied so greatly in their physical appearance! I have seen everything from flaming redheads, to really pale blondes, to africans, asians, and indigenous south americans, all natively speaking Spanish! In the U.S., it is so incredibly normal to know people of various ethnicities that all speak English natively...the concept of Asian-Americans and African-Americans is not hard to comprehend..but I was surprised to see this same concept within the realm of the Spanish language, completely catch me off guard. Please do not misunderstand, I have absolutely no problem with the diversity in Rosario..I guess I was merely unaware of it. It is all just so interesting... ;)
8) In regards to the fact that it just took me 800 years to write #7, because I was trying to be so incredibly careful to maintain adequate “political correctness”...you know you are in Rosario when everyone says verbatim what is on their mind. Compared to home, this culture is exceptionally straightforward, blunt, and uncensored. Porno revistas are sold on the street, directly next to children’s coloring books. The “Bikini Open”, an annual contest where girls in thong bikini swimsuits are judged for who has the best-looking behind, is televised all over the main news channels. Physical appearance is a very eligible part of any daily conversation -- if you’re a little overweight, you may (lovingly, of course) receive “Gorda, or Gordita” as a nickname, from both friends, and strangers! If your skin is a little darker than average, (what is “average” here, anyway?) than you will probably earn “Negra, or Negrita” as a term of endearment from your close friends. It’s all very confusing for a well-trained “P.C.” American...
