On my daily morning walk, my head in the clouds, I was crossing the street. As in many places in Capital nowadays, the pedestrian traffic lights didn’t work. I looked up : red light for the cars, so green to me. I started crossing the street and when I was at 3/4th, just in front of the 2nd car, the light switched to orange. Orange, in Argentina, means “GO! Whatever obstacle is in front of you!” so the cars started driving. I looked at the driver in terror. Hasn’t she -yes it was a she- seen me? Obviously she had. We were looking eye to eye. She was driving, I was walking. I had only 3 steps to go until safety. She seemed to be in a hurry. Me, I just wanted to be safe. She seemed to be expecting that I would just vanish into the air. In the end, just in time, she pushed the break. Back on the sidewalk my heart was pumping. Jack Sparrow would say that this day will go into history as the day I ‘almost’ got run over by a car. How amazingly fast one gets used to a country’s traffic. In just a few weeks I had gotten used to being able to cross the street in relative safeness, even if the lights turn red on your way, but now, in less then 3 seconds, I am used to Buenos Aires traffic again. Never lose sight of the cars.
Yes. I’m back. Nevertheless, it feels good to be back.
Archive for the life in Argentina Category
Orange Traffic Lights
Posted in life in Argentina with tags almost run over by a car, Dangerous traffic in buenos aires on February 19, 2012 by kattiGrey, Dark and Gloomy
Posted in life in Argentina, travel with tags Dark winter weather, why did I move to argentina? on January 31, 2012 by kattiIt was my son who drew my attention to it. Was that the landing gear that came out? About to land but still above a thick pack of clouds? Ouch! That did not look good!
In the car I kept my eyes closed as much as possible : after a long night, a long day was awaiting me, and of course I was trying not to notice the darkness in the middle of the day. But driving into the neighbourhood that used to be ours, in the forrest, the dark- and gloominess got me right back into reality.
The monotonous grey sky, the dark brown trees-without-leaves, the mud. Even the bushes and the grass looked dark green brownish. I felt like I got struck by a hammer.
The streets were full of pedestrians, going out for a nice sunday afternoon walk. We were stunned. These people must be desperate to go out for a walk in this weather, but the mud pools on both sides of the road proved that this is probably the first day without rain. And again I wondered how people can actually live in this disagreeable climate.
We immediately started our family visits. I dressed like an eskimo, we put the carheating on maximum and we left. Although it was really nice and warm inside the living rooms, I didn’t bother taking my coat off. I was frozen to the bones. It looked like my family had made a bet, how long until Katti complanes about the weather? They asked me what the weather in BA was like when we left, and I said that it was actually very nice and cool. When the figures 28-29-30 (degrees) start dancing in my head I decided not to tell them. They would not understand, that is not their idea of ‘cool’.
They just nod. And then I knew that if I would ask these Belgians to make a choice between -let’s make it easy- Belgium with Argentine climate or Belgium with Belgian climate, I just knew they would chose the latter. Again it is confirmed that it is just me who has a weird twist in her brain. In case I had forgotten : this is one of the reasons why I moved, and I am so happy I am only here temporary. Meanwhile I will just have to deal with the dark- and gloominess. But not for long. Thank God for this!
Don’t pack!
Posted in life in Argentina, travel with tags to pack on January 26, 2012 by katti
Did it ever happen to you that, by postponing packing, you hope the day of your departure will not come? Unfortunately it is all just an illusion, and you will only be stressed out at the last minute, as your plane does not wait.
Now that the weather gods have answered my prayers and have cooled the earth off, just a little bit, my desire to leave my beloved city is about nil. It is an unpleasant trip that is awaiting me, as I have to install my first born in an apartment at the other side of the world. He has decided to trade the 3th world for 1st world again, leaving his mom (and father and sister) behind. I know, it is the normal flow of life. It is not unusual for an almost 19 year old to chose his own direction in life, different -and in our case, very far- from that of your parents. But still, for the last 19 years this boy has been a non stop part of my life, we have never been apart for more then 2 weeks in a row, and now we won’t see each other (in person) for at least 7 or 8 months. That is a definitely big change.
I have picked out 5 days to do it all : buy furniture, do all the “tramites” like apply for ID, get health insurance, enrol in university, get drivers license and a lot more. Living in this inefficient slow country that Argentina is, I figured that would be enough. But well, I realise (much too late, of course) that life in Belgium isn’t that magically fast either. And it starts off well : the first day of the 5, there will be a national strike.
In Belgium there are no piqueteros, but we have national strikes. In general this means that all the state run offices and companies, and a lot of big (multinational) companies and factories, don’t work. The most important being the public transport. The strikers don’t go out on the street with drums to molest the people by blocking the roads. That is forbidden. They just stay at home to watch tv all day while the rest of the world is forced to take his car out and drive to work, thus paralysing the already congested roads and highways. It is a day that people are recommended to not leave their house, if possible, to avoid complete chaos.
Meanwhile I am still not packing. Any excuse is good to leave the house and walk through the streets of this city that I love so much, and I think about my son. How he will not be able too see all this for a long time, and I realise I couldn’t exchange this city for any other yet, I would miss it like crazy…
And my son? Well I guess it’s just time for me to let him go. Isn’t that what a mom is suppose to do eventually?
Paralysed
Posted in life in Argentina with tags empty city, hot, paralysed on January 21, 2012 by katti
I have been receiving complaints for not having posted anything lately. It is just that not just my body, but also my brains seem to have been paralysed. Paralysed from the constant heat. The weather has been “exceptionally stable” (read : hot) for the last few months, and it’s even becoming boring. For the first time ever I am happy I have AC, which I gladly put on. Still, I am praying for a good thunderstorm to cool things off a bit. But nothing so far. I guess I will have to fly up north to winter, to find some real relief…
Now I know why all the Argentines leave the city in January. The streets are empty, you can cross the streets even when the lights are red as there is no traffic anyway. Many restaurants are empty. Apartments are locked up. And when you want to organize something with your friends, you must wait. Until when? February? Probably better until March, when life will slowly get back to normal, and when temperatures get bearable again.
Now, one should be by the pool or on the beach… Will put that on my to do list for next year.
Gauchito Gil
Posted in life in Argentina with tags antonio mamerto gil nunez, Gauchito Gil, gaucho gil, mercedes corrientes, red ribbons on January 8, 2012 by katti
Today is Gauchito Gil day. Did you ever wonder who or what those red ribbons at the side of the roads are for? Well, they are places to worship this saint, to ask him for favours and to let him know what you will do in return. Although he is considered a saint, he isn’t recognised as one by the catholic church, but that doesn’t have any influence on his popularity here in Argentina.
Gauchito Gil was a real person. There are several legends about his live. Some parts are facts and others are uncertain and, made up? This is one version :
Once upon a time there was a gaucho called Antonio Mamerto Gil Nuñez, who had a love affair with a wealthy widow who was engaged to a policeman. When her brothers found out, they accused him of theft and wanted to kill him. He ran off and joined the army to fight the Paraguayans. After the war he went back to his town as a hero, but still he wasn’t wanted, and was forced to go back into the army to fight in the civil war, against his own people. But he was tired of fighting and he deserted, and thus became an outlaw and had the reputation of being some kind of Robin Hood, helping the people in need. When the police finally caught him they hung him upside down in a tree, and just before they cut his throat, Gil told the police agent that his son was seriously ill, and that if he would pray for him, he would cure the child and it would live.
When the police officer arrived home he found his child seriously ill. He got scared and started praying for gaucho Gil, and his son recovered.
This was on January 8, 1878. Since that day it became popular to pray for Gauchito Gill to cure one of your beloved ones. There are hundreds or maybe thousands of little chapels or praying places alongside the roads. Some big, some small. Easy recognisable at the red ribbons. But the main chapel is in Mercedes, Corrientes. Where every year thousands of people go to pray.
Here is one of the prayers for Gauchito Gil :
OH! Gauchito Gil
Te pido humildemente
Se cumpla por intermedio
Ante Dios, el milagro que te pido:
Y te prometo que cumpliré
Mi promesa y ante Dios
Te haré ver,
Y te brindaré mi fiel agradecimiento
Y demostración de Fe
En Dios y en vos Gauchito Gil
Amén
This must be it!
Posted in life in Argentina on January 6, 2012 by kattiYes. This morning, just for a second while preparing for tennis, I panicked looking at the weather forecast. For a second I considered feigning sickness as an excuse to cancel my class, but then quickly dropped the idea. In order to have my hour of tennis I had kept my family -against their will- an extra day in Capital, so cancelling now would have had unforeseen consequences. And, I really wanted to play!
My husband said I was crazy. Said I should be careful. ‘Does your teacher know how old you are?’ What the heck??? If my teacher thinks I am 25, I will certainly not be the one helping him out of that dream!
My kids on the other hand, from out of the sofa in the air conditioned living room, would probably be calling me a pussy. And which mom wants that, right? Not me anyway!
I started having some doubts when arriving at the tennis club : 30 degrees and it wasn’t even 10 am yet! I looked up at the sky, desperately praying for relief, a cloud? A drop of rain perhaps? But no answer, the sky was deep blue. As always.
And when I saw that 2/3th of the always-full courts were empty, really serious doubts came up : what was I doing here, if even the few Porteños that are still in town, give up???
Upon entering the court I knew that even my last hope -that my teacher would call it off- was in vain : the first thing he said was “don’t tell me it’s hot!”. And when I told him that it looks like only crazy people play in this heat, he just smiled and said that only the real sportsmen don’t hide from a little bit of warmth. Besides, he said, it’s all in your head!
And I suppose he was right, it is in my head. So I just kept my head cool by putting it under the waterhose, and I played… and for the first time this summer I had to agree with my teacher : your body does get used to playing in the heat!
So this must be it. This is what they call summer. How I love summer. I just loove summer!!!
Dakar in Argentina…
Posted in life in Argentina with tags belgian team, Dakar, Koen Wauters, Mar del Plata, Paris, paris dakar race, Pascal Feryn, Toyota on January 2, 2012 by katti
Dakar, formerly known as Paris-Dakar, is a off-road rally for cars, trucks, ATV’s and motorcycles. Originally it went from Paris to Dakar, but in 2009, after security problems in Africa they moved the race to Latin America. The location changed, the name remained the same. It was good news for me to see that Dakar, literally, came to my doorstep 4 years ago. I have always been intrigued by either fast cars or adventurous races, such as the Camel Trophy and the Paris-Dakar race. But actually seeing these cars driving past my house, made me want more.
It comes as a big surprise to see that there is hardly any publicity in Capital, and that many people have never heard of the race, although this is the 4th edition that starts in Argentina. It was only when I checked the internet to check when the technical controls took place that I saw that this years edition does not leave from Capital but from Mar del Plata. So that is where we went, this time with a specific goal : to meet the Belgian team. Not that I am so Belgium-minded, as you probably might have guessed (hehe). But our guests had brought the press kit and knew all about the team, had already been in contact with them and even had their contact details, so there was no way around it. Off we went. All 8 of us in the car, heading 400 km south, together with the thousands of other Porteños who were starting their holidays at the seaside. We were not alone…
We met the Belgian Feryn team by coincidence when driving into the city of Mar del Plata -they have an easy recognisable truck- and we were able to have a nice and interesting talk with them. Nine really nice guys, going for their passion, full of energy to start off this tiring and exhausting race, that is so much fun that they will put up with about anything. Driving for hours and hours without stopping and without changing drivers. Having to shovel, shovel, and shovel even more. Lack of sleep. Heat (they have no air conditioning and drive through the desert in the midst of summer). Are they crazy? They probably must be, at least a little bit.
Anyway, my admiration grew, the race now has a face to me. I will follow them through Facebook, twitter and their website, but besides that, I think I will stick to the dunes of Cariló. With an ATV. For a few hours. Maybe once a year. That will do for me.
this is the official site , as all the Feryn-sites are in Flemish 
It’s Christmas time…
Posted in life in Argentina with tags christmas in the southern hemisphere, christmas lights, northern hemisphere on December 21, 2011 by katti
What exactly does Christmas mean to you? Apart from the family get together and the (religious or not) celebrations?
When you live in the northern hemisphere, things are definitely different then here in the south. When I saw the first signs of christmas a few weeks ago my first reaction was, ‘OMG!!! They put Christmas decorations and it’s still summer!’, bit I immediately realised my mistake. Here Christmas is in mid summer. At times (well actually, very often) the difference of season still confuses me.
In Europe, the Christmas period (which in Belgium, officially starts on dec 7, the day after Sinterklaas) is the darkest period of the year. It gets dark even before 5 pm and the sun rises around 8am. Nights are long, days are short, dark and gloomy, so putting on lots of Christmas lights and candles was a great way to chase the darkness away. The decoration made the house extra cosy which made it easier to spend whole weekends inside, escaping from the weather and the darkness.
Here it is so different! The tree looks weird and out of place in the sun lit living room. No need to put on the christmas lights as you barely see them. You hardly spend time inside anyway, unless you have air conditioning…
Right now I am still wondering wether I will put the tree out and Christmas is already next week. Next week?!! But I didn’t buy any present yet! (panic oh panic) But I know I still have time though. I suppose that, just like last year, the shops will be open until late on the 24th, giving extra last-minute-reductions. Causing all the cash machines to be empty though.
Where did this well organised Belgian woman go, who had all her presents ready under the tree about 3 weeks ahead. I wonder!
So to me, being here in Argentina, Christmas is just about the celebration. The family dinner (this year we are having some extra family to join us in celebration), carefully prepared by all of us, as every member of the family has it’s speciality. And of course the presents. Tiny little, and preferably fun presents. Just for the fun of opening them.
And if I want the “real” Christmas atmosphere, I will have to fly up north. But I am not yet that desperate… Christmas in mid-summer is fine to me!
Maria
Posted in life in Argentina with tags annunciation, assumption, candlemass, Immaculate conception, Mother Marie on December 8, 2011 by kattiToday is another national holiday, the last but one of this year. For those who would like to know, it is the remembrance of the immaculate conception of Mother Mary.
This comes a bit as a surprise, because weren’t all the Christian holidays, apart from Christmas and Easter, abolished in Argentina, and changed into bank holidays? This must be an exception.
To me, the only day to celebrate mother Mary is August 15th, the day she ascended to heaven. My mom, who is over for a visit, knows all about Christian holidays, having had a super Christian grandmother, immediately named a few more. Fortunately the details are found on the internet and I don’t really have to go 3 generations back. And this is what I found.
8th of december
The immaculate conception of Mary took place on the 8th of December, which is 9 months before Mary was born (September 8). This is one of the catholic dogmas, which were ‘necessary’ to state that Mary was she is not ‘contaminated’ by the original sin. The conception took place before her birth!
September 8
birth of Mary
25 th of march
Annunciation. The Lord tells Mary she is pregnant, this is 9 months before Christmas.
2nd of February
Candlemas
40 days after Christmas. Mary is purified in the temple. This is a day you should bake pancakes…
August 15
Assumption day. Mary goes to heaven…
According to Wikipedia, Mary is celebrated by the Catholics, Anglicans, Kopts and orthodox. But not by Protestants.
Catholic or not, we in Argentina, intend to enjoy this wonderful summer day!
Egresados
Posted in life in Argentina with tags cena de egresados, Egresados, Fiesta de egresados, graduates, viaje de egresados on December 6, 2011 by katti
Egresados, viaje de Egresados, fiesta de Egresados, ceremonia de Egresados, cena de Egresados. Last year I was still wondering what an egresado was. Now I know. My son has graduated, he is an egresado. My Belgian son has graduated in Argentina. He couldn’t be happier.
I suppose graduating is a big thing everywhere in the world, although I really can’t remember mine. I do remember that it wasn’t such a bit deal. All I remember is that I was happy school was over.
Here egresados have a special status. Their uniform defers from that of the younger years, many of them are ‘prefects’ and have some kind of “power” over the younger. And the celebrations don’t seem to end. Sounds like fun!
But my son has decided to go back to Belgium to study at the university there, and I have to admit that he just wants to get over and done with all these ceremonies and parties. He just wants to leave. It is not that he does not like Argentina, he just doesn’t not like the nightlife. He wants to dance all night long on techno-house music, and the mere sound of Cumbia and Reggeaton is enough for him wanting to go to bed. He is definitely not living in he right country then.
So the Egresados trip, where nightlife was most important, was just OK. The fiesta de Egresados was fun until they changed the music. The ceremony, where everyone had to go on stage, one by one, to receive his diploma together with a big hug from the teachers, he wanted to skip. And then last but not least. The big official dinner. This turned out to be lots of fun.
This last party reminds me of a wedding party, with a huge reception, after which we were all seated at round tables in the theatre of the school. It was touching when the graduates all entered the room, with loud music and a light show, after which they started dancing, all embracing each other, more like a rugby team then like a group of class mates. Argentines, especially boys, are very physical. They were like team, where even my son who has only spend 2 years in this group, was accepted. “Hay un Belga”, was said in a presentation.
The whole night there were people dancing, and it was only around 1am that we got out main course. In belgium a wedding party is considered bad if dessert isn’t served before midnight… Here the nights seem to last forever.
Very soon the bow ties and the jackets were removed, the sleeves rolled up and out of the pants. And boys wearing a tuxedo was just a mere memory. They (and we) had a ball. They are now ready to start a next stage in their lives. That of my son will be in Belgium…
