In Buenos Aires, it is extremely difficult to find a place where you can watch the Cubs play baseball. I looked all day. Everyone of the Punte family helped out. They called friends, searching through the internet, the newspapers, and called local restaurants/bars.
I finally found a place that had the game on and had the privilege of watching the Cubs lose their first post-season game in four years. (I think that is the most positive spin I can put on the situation… that way I don’t have to admit that they haven’t been to the post-season for four years.)
While watching the game, I struck up a conversation with Romina, an Argentinean woman who has spent time working for a consulting firm based in Chicago.
“I loved my experience of traveling.” She tells me, “I didn’t realize how much about my own culture that I didn’t even realize until I was out of it.”
“Tell me about it! Sometimes it requires a person a period of time to step outside… ouch! 3-2 strike out, two men stranded… Sorry… a period of time to step outside of one’s self in order to see who they really are.” I reply trying hard to focus on both the game and the conversation.
“I know! I didn’t realize that Argentineans were until I left Argentina.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve discovered that Argentineans think we are the best at everything.”
I returned her comment with a glance of disbelief, wondering if she remembered that she was talking to an American. American’s are generally not so humble about our place in the world, and we tend to act as if we are better than everyone else in the world.
The attitude of which she speaks comes from a culture that tried to imitate European culture in South America. When Argentina achieved independence from Spain, Buenos Aires left with the fact that it was a culture neither European, nor South American, but definitely situated in South America. Like Hong Kong, which is neither British nor Chinese, it is hard to place exactly where Argentina, but Buenos Aires in particular, fits in. For my part, I will simply add that Buenos Aires has some of the nicest dressed beggars, anywhere in the world.
Today, I visited the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Santo Domingo. If you have download Google Earth onto your computer, you can view my pictorial of the Basílica by clicking here.
The Dominican Order runs the Basilica and it was a delight to talk to some Dominicans again. I haven’t spoken to any for awhile. It was also nice to be with the Dominicans on a feast day of one of their friars, St. Martin de Porres. Of particular importance in this church is the image of Mary that resides there. This church was a sort of fortress of hope against the British occupation of Buenos Aires in 1806. The commanding officer of the Buenos Aires militia made a pledge to Our Lady of the Rosary to commemorate the victory to her honor if they Argentineans won in battle against the British. The Argentineans won, which is a second aspect about Argentineans that I found similar to Americans today.
The British flags from the battle that once hung from the roof top of the Church now hang in a place of honor around the altar attributed to Mary. At the same time, there is also a net which hangs above the congregation to keep pieces of plaster from falling on unknowing pilgrims.
After today, I am down to my final week in Argentina, which is a shame because I have finally figured out the culture. First of all, you give everyone a kiss on the cheek, even if you don’t know them. This is a custom I find wonderfully friendly, but also makes my hygienic sensibilities go on panic mode. The other major discovery is the pronunciation of words. In Spanish the sound for “y” and “ll” are the same. In most of the Spanish speaking world, these letters make a “yuh” sound. In Argentina however, they make a “juh” sound, and if you are lucky, some parts of Buenos Aires makes a “shuh” sound. It is enough to throw a person off.
Which is probably why the Cubs lost… but the world may never know.