Everyone can agree that love is the universal language. However, I would like to argue that dance is too. I don’t just mean solo dancing, I also mean partner dancing. No matter where you travel to in the world, there is a dance that connects communities and cultures. To me, dancing has been one of the main things that has bridged many gaps I’ve come across while on my trips. It’s become a comfort thing for me to find the places to go dancing as soon as I reach a new destination.
To give a little bit of background on me, I have been partner dancing for 5 years and I am from Austin, Texas. I dance every style you can think of, from salsa to swing and from tango to the country two-step. I go out social dancing regularly (at least two times a week) and since I knew I would be spending quite a bit of time in Buenos Aires, I took a few Argentine Tango classes before coming, hoping I could get a jump start in understanding the culture here. Before my arrival to the great country of Argentina, I asked the Tango community in Austin if they knew of any places to go dancing while I was here and unfortunately, they gave me names of people, not the names of places.
Long story short, I did some research and have decided to chronicle my dance adventures because I know that I can’t be the only one who comes here with an itch to dance.
In honor of my temporary residence, the first class I decided to go to was an Argentine Tango class. Another volunteer and I attended a class at La Viruta in Palermo. It was 100 pesos to attend and included the practica afterwards. They had a beginner, intermediate and advanced class and they were all well-attended. Although this was not a milonga, the atmosphere was very similar to my expectations and what I have become used to at home. For example, everyone is polite and switches partners, we say thank you after we are finished dancing with a particular person, etc. Even my expectations of how a tango class would be were met; the women were dressed in skirts and heels, making eye contact was an invitation to dance, etc. All in all, it was extremely newcomer friendly and the tango-ers there were very willing to help a new dancer with whatever we were confused about.
With that being said, there were also a few new customs that I was not used to. Towards the end of the night, it was like the floor had become a show. Only advanced couples were dancing and they stayed with the same dance partner the whole time instead of switching for each song. It was intriguing, watching the ladies do their flares and kicks, accenting the music. I had never seen such musicality with this particular style of dance. Nobody tried to make small talk during the dance. Instead, they keep quiet, not even acknowledging any missteps. The embrace is close, so this is not surprising. However, I have always apologized after I make a mistake and when I did that the first time during class, I was told that was a really American thing to do.
I left La Viruta wanting to take more classes and to attend a milonga. This dance culture is unique to this country and through it, I am hoping to learn more about the social norms and make a few Argentinian friends.
It all started with the concept of bringing together chefs, farmers, cheesemakers, beer brewers, bakers, and many more to the same table. However, since they couldn’t find a table that would fit them all comfortably, they started this food festival called Feria Masticar. In it’s fifth year, Feria Masticar boasted its biggest numbers yet at the heart of Palermo, in a place called El Dorrego. Their tagline loosely translates to ‘Healthy body=Happy heart,’ and here, they take pride in the reunion between the urban chef and the rural geniuses we like to call farmers.
We could literally smell the festival at least from a mile away and were really surprised by the crowd that we found when we reached our destination. Masticar had a very lively atmosphere and everywhere we turned, we saw people holding food that almost looked like pieces of art yet delicious enough to inhale. Since we had waited to have lunch at the festival, we began scouting out our choices. There was a really long line at el Choribondi de La Cabrera (a food truck) so decided to have their signature ‘bife de chorizo’ and I’m happy to report that it was the best one I’ve ever tasted. For the dessert lovers, there were countless of stands filled with cookies, brownies and scones. We had a dulce de leche brownie from Sugar and Spice which was unlike any brownie I had ever tried.
This family-friendly event provided me the chance to see that there is a really big foodie community in Buenos Aires, much like the one in my home city, Austin, Texas. When I came to Argentina, I came with the misconception that all they eat is meat. I had no idea that their cuisine was so diverse and that chefs were dedicated to join the clean food movement. I saw people walking around with everything from craft beer to aprons and we saw stands dedicated to the discussion of wine and cooking techniques. With the growth of Masticar and other food festivals in Buenos Aires, I would not be surprised if this became a destination event in the coming years.
With only 3 published novels it may seem curious as to why Ernesto Sábato is considered one of the literary greats of Argentina, however his personal life and activities make his appeal more unique than that of a standard author. Born in Rojas, a province of Buenos Aires in 1911, he was involved with politics from his youth, a member of the Argentine Communist Youth Federation. After gaining his PhD in Physics, he later moved to Paris, France for a research position where he experienced the European surrealist movement first-hand, later to influence both his own work and that of other Latin American authors. After leaving science for writing he produced many essays in addition to 3 novels; many politically charged. Most notably, Sábato was the main author of the report Nunca más, on the atrocities committed in the Dirty War of Argentina which led to the prosecution of the responsible military leaders.
His first published novel, El túnel, came out in 1948 and tells the story of Juan Pablo Castel and his descent into an insane obsession with a woman named Maria. This obsession finally pushes him to murder her, and the events recounted in the novel are written from his jail cell. The two first meet at his gallery, where Maria is struck by his painting entitled ‘Maternity’, and Castel feels a connection to her, one he struggles to find with most people. He wanders the streets of Buenos Aires desperate to bump into her, which he does after many months. They start a relationship despite her being married, but Castel’s jealousy and irrationality causes the affair to break down, though he is still obsessed with the notion of fate, and the two being together, enough so that he eventually murders her for leaving him.
This short novel is concerned with existentialism to the extent that it has been compared to Albert Camus’ The Stranger, the character Castel laments the futility of existence: “A veces creo que nada tiene sentido.”, and takes pride in his solitude, while still longing to be understood. The name Juan Pablo is even a nod to Jean Paul Sartre, the philosopher who constructed existentialism. The story is also interesting when read psychologically, as Castel can be read as having an Oedipus complex, and his obsession with Maria is simply his search for a replacement mother figure - which makes the name of his painting over which the two bond, ’Maternity’, stand out, coupled with the fact then when he kills her he stabs her breasts and her stomach. Buenos Aires as a setting is important to the story, especially with its juxtaposition to the country ranch in Mar del Plata. While walking through the busy streets of the city you can almost feel as Castel did, desperately searching for Maria among the thousands of faces.
If there’s anything international it’s the love of books and classic films. April is a pretty busy cultural month in Buenos Aires, Argentina, especially concerning these popular pastimes.
This year was the 18th year of BAFICI, the Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival. Movie-goers were able to catch at least one featured film daily from April 13th-April 24th at 27 different locations all throughout the city.
Not only is BACIFI an important vehicle to showcase local Argentinian talent, it also serves as a diverse channel to learn about cultures all over the world. Five continents were represented in unique ways and awards were given in categories such as Best Feature Film, Best Children’s Film and a UNICEF human rights award.
Bacifi is an opportunity to get to know Buenos Aires and the Argentinian culture as well! Among the list of theaters was the historic Teatro Colon and a few films featured live concerts, and food trucks.
Throughout the years, this film festival has become well known and reached well over a million spectators! Film aficionados have the opportunity to attend workshops and discussions with the cast and crew of specific films.
If you’re a book lover, never fear! The 42nd Annual International Book Fair in Buenos Aires is the place for you.
Held at La Rural, Predio Ferial, this enormous book fair is considered one of the five most important in the world. It houses over 2,500 stands and features books by over a million international authors.
Although the fair is a great place to stock up your book selection for the next year, it also provides an opportunity for small businesses, non-profit organizations and other governmental entities to have a presence and educate the public about their organization.
From new reads to classic fiction and interactive activities, to open discussions and workshops, there is sure to be something for everyone.
There aren’t many people who can come to Buenos Aires, even for a week, and not leave with the sense that they’ve fallen in love with the city. There are so many small and huge reasons to become enamored with this colourful, bustling and friendly city, and I have listed a few of the smaller things I’ve noticed which act as telltale signs that I too will leave Buenos Aires with a lingering sense of rapture, infatuation and many blissful memories.
1) You know you have fallen under the spell of Buenos Aires’ fashionable culture when you find yourself admiring rather than scorning the huge array of platforms and flatforms which adorn the shop windows, and you even consider whether you have enough space in your backpack to take a pair home with you! (The answer is always no!)
2) Another aspect is to take delight in watching the people’s passion about politics and the constant protests and marches which take place outside your window and have now become a part of your daily life. Something you know you will miss when you get home to your quiet town or city.
3) It’s easy to fall in love with the food in Buenos Aires. You will find yourself addicted to alfajores and there comes a point when you have tried every single style and every single brand, with the ability to reel off their names just as easily as you can say the alphabet
4) Speaking of food, if you truly love the food culture of Buenos Aires, you will find that you can give advice on the best restaurants, cafes and bars within the entire Capital, and direct someone to the best Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Italian, English or Peruvian eatery without having to give it a moment’s thought.
5) The amount of time spent trying to practice your (pretty poor) Castellano on local shop owners shows when the Kiosk owner and workers in the nearest pizza shop all wave at you as you go past and like to play tricks on you about your usual pizza order. The friendly attitudes all around Buenos Aires are what make it truly special.
6) Something which can at first seem alien, but soon seems logical are Argentine timings. Leaving for the club at 2am, having a large and late dinner at 10pm… when you discover that these have become your normality and you are constantly perplexed at why your friends and parents back home eat, go out and sleep at such strange and early times, it’s clear to see that you’ve fallen in love with all aspects of Porteno life.
7) When you can sit on your usual bus and notice the small changes along its route that help add to the jigsaw puzzle of this crazy and wonderful city; the old lady who usually watches from her balcony isn’t there today, or the family who usually gets on at the stop after you are already on the bus when you sit down. Watching these little aspects of life change can be captivating.
8) Right from the start you will notice yourself falling in love with the web of history linked so tightly to this city. You will become enchanted by the history and always try to find out as much as possible about the stories behind the buildings, the people and the events within Buenos Aires.
9) The people you meet along your journey are what really give Buenos Aires a very special place in your heart. Having friendly faces dotted all around the city from numerous different countries and backgrounds, of varied ages, who you hope to come back and visit or travel with in the near future can create strong connections between you and Buenos Aires which will never fade.
10) Of course, the best way to tell that you’ve fallen in love with Buenos Aires is the fact that you really don’t want to leave! Nowhere can quite compare to the people, places and lifestyle you will encounter in this city and it will always take up a little space in the back of your mind, like a past lover who you will one day return to visit. (Or maybe even to live here for good!)
Thank you, Buenos Aires, for everything!
The recent and inspiring launch of Radio Soldati 91.3FM by the organization El Hormiguero has been closely followed by the equally inspiring release of their evening show ‘Mujeres en Accion’ (5pm-6pm daily).
For the last two weeks, one of Voluntario Global’s kindergarten projects has been blessed with the presence of our lovely volunteer from the UK, Ranj. Even though she was only with us for a short time, her sunny personality made a great impact on both her project and the other volunteers. The kindergarten is large, with classes split up by age groups; the youngest group being the under 2s. Even though Ranj's Spanish was limited, it was easy for her to help out in the class. After all, the children only want to play and occasionally need to be comforted. Hugs are a universal language!
Though she has done other volunteer work before, Ranj has said she was previously not a huge lover of children, but wanted to challenge herself. And what better challenge than helping the other two carers take on a room full of lively under 2s! There are generally around 15 children in the class, but due to their age they can be very demanding and so an extra pair of hands never goes amiss.
By the end of her two weeks in the kindergarten, Ranj's face lit up when talking about the children, and we even spotted her comforting one child with another in her arms... looks like her mind has been changed!
Thank you for all your help, Ranj, and good luck on your further travels.
Walking into a small green-painted room, on the third floor of a nondescript building in a barrio on the outskirts of the city of Buenos Aires, a sign on the wall reads:
"Voces organizadas crean historia"
Organised voices make history.
This is certainly true for FM Soldati, a small radio station set up and run by members of the community.
El Hormiguero is a new project where Voluntario Global is helping. An inauguration party that was held in March where members of the community and of Voluntatio Global all the celebrated the launch of such an important aspect for bringing about change and improving life in the neighbourhood.
Claudio, who helped to make the dream of the station come true, showed us around the building and explained how the organization El Hormiguero had started four years ago, with the aims of fighting for the rights of the people in the neighbourhood. For example, they wanted the government to give the streets of Villa Fatima official status and name them on the map as a way to start bringing the neighbourhood out of separated poverty and make people aware of its existence. El Hormiguero also set up other projects in Villa Fatima and the surrounding neighbourhoods such as school groups, football sessions and apprenticeship skills training.
Claudio then explained that it was not until two years ago that his friend Mathias suggested creating a radio station in the neighbourhood, to work alongside other successful stations already creating positive changes in neighbourhoods such as La Boca and Barracas.
A few years before there had been a big problem with police conduct and interference in the Villa, which eventually resulted in the government cutting off water and electricity supplies to the neighbourhood. The events were broadcast on the mass media, but the problem was distorted and the real cause of the government's action was not explained. This left the people in the neighbourhood feeling cheated, and gave reason for El Hormiguero to aim to broadcast local news to its community as it actually happened, thus bypassing the biased and unfair accounts which are spread by the mass media.
At this point, Claudio's sister, Soli, tells us that right from the beginning, people were asking How can we have a radio station in this neighbourhood? How can it be possible?
It took two years to organize the station and one year to build the location. They had to build and paint and rebuild, constantly finding problems and having to overcome them. Soli describes how one day the whole room was flooded with rain and they had to wear boots to walk around. It took a lot of time to repair the damage.
We thought we would never make it and everyone wanted to quit.
So of course, Soli explained, everyone cried when the radio station finally opened.
The station broadcasts not only specific news to the neighbourhood, but also current affairs and events going on the rest of the world. They have regular shows about music, food, and local happenings and often invite people from the community, as well as special guests and occasionally local bands to appear on the show.
Sitting in the broadcasting room, watching Soli, Claudio and other members of the group chat over mate and biscuits about their next show, with the enormous Radio Soldati antenna on the roof towering above Villa Fatima, it's easy to see why the organization was named El Hormiguero (The Anthill). Built piece by piece by people from all around the neighbourhood working together to create the seemingly impossible. Each bringing their small contributions to help create a powerful and inspiring tool to help shape a more positive future for the Villa.
You can listen to Radio Soldati 91.3FM online here.
In any new city or country one goes to, the first instinct is always to Google for things to do, places to see or even which restaurants to dine in. Before coming to Buenos Aires, I did an extensive Google research on nearly all the touristy activities I could do. From the colourful array of houses in Caminito to the beautiful city of the dead in Cementerio de la Recoleta, Buenos Aires is without a doubt an exciting city waiting to be explored. But what Google doesn’t show you is, in the simplest of terms, the non-touristy aspect of Buenos Aires. Volunteering with Voluntario Global provided me that opportunity and more.
I came to Buenos Aires hoping that I could be one with the city. I wanted to see all the city had to offer. Give me a year and I still wouldn’t be able to see everything this city is made of. But in the few months that I’ve been here, I’ve grown so fond of this city that it’s now home to me. It feels like home because I don’t feel like I’m on the outskirts. Volunteering has allowed me to interact with the locals in more ways than one.
Picture yourself getting on a Ferrovia train, a train with no doors, a train that makes your heart skip a beat each time it gets on an overhead bridge or even when it goes through a tunnel. Picture yourself taking that train for almost an hour to get to a shanty town on the outskirts of the city, occupying your time with a book while trying to ignore the loud voices of the man trying to sell you biscuits, chewing gum, highlighters or even a portable sewing kit. You get to the shanty town and it is pretty much everything you pictured it to be. Stray dogs lazing on the streets, men pulling carts in the middle of roads, rows of single story houses with children playing on the streets. What I didn’t expect were the cheery voices of people in these homes, singing as they worked the stove, the welcoming environment they provided to just about anyone who walked through their doors.
I instantly felt comfortable despite being completely out of my element. Toddlers, being the joyful innocent little beings they are will come up to you and look at you with bemused expressions and wonder off only to return with a toy for you to play with. The women entertaining these children give you a kiss on the cheek along with a warm hug and invite you in. It made me feel right at home. Each time I was given the task of visiting a kindergarten, an orphanage or even a soup kitchen, I couldn’t wait for the chance to interact with the locals. I would never have been able to gain such an experience had I not been a part of Voluntario Global.
Even after a long day of work, it is always a joy coming back to the Voluntario Global house. Catching up with other volunteers and coordinators who have now become family. It isn’t a house, it’s a home. The coordinators in the house have been nothing but wonderful and incredibly understanding. Always there to cater to your queries or doubts and never failing to make you feel like you belong.
There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude towards Voluntario Global. The experiences I’ve gained and the lessons I’ve learnt are irreplaceable. If you’re thinking of volunteering, do consider Voluntario Global. Take it from me, you will get what you are looking for.
VOLUNTARIO GLOBAL
Voluntario Global helps local communities by being available to discuss anything that local organizations need, and offering ideas for further change and development.
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CONTACT
Location: General Pacheco. Buenos Aires. Argentina
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