Author: Damon Wilson

Today I present a few random likes and dislikes regarding life in Argentina. Espero que disfruten!

LIKES

1. Perception of engineers

I studied Industrial Engineering from the University of California Berkeley. One culture difference that I love is the image that the engineer title carries here. In the US the level with which people lose interest when you tell them you’re an engineer is amazing. While I was in Chile I was chatting to an American girl who asked me what I did. Upon declaring I was an engineer she yelled “Borrrrrrrrring” in my face. Meanwhile at the same table the local Chileans had a higher level of respect for engineers and wanted to know what kind I was and what I was doing with my degree. The status of engineers in Latin America is much more akin to US doctors or lawyers.

This past Saturday I took in my first futbol game during this current trip in Argentina. A superclassico – River Plate vs. Boca Juniors friendly match played here in Córdoba. River won 2-0 with both goals coming in the 1st half in the goal behind where we sat.

This post is a quick recap of the day along with a few thoughts of mine on Argentina soccer games and finally a story about my first superclassico that I went to.

Pre-Game

My friends picked me up from my apartment, handed me a River jersey to wear and we headed out.

Córdoba, Argentina is a great place to study Spanish.

The city is home to 7 undergrad universities so in many ways studying is what this city is all about.

When you decide to study Spanish you could opt to go to one of the Spanish schools here in Córdoba. Here is information on three 3 popular schools.

COINED

During the end of the year in Argentina I had some time off work to drink way to too much fernet and reflect on how the 2013 year went and think about what I want 2014 to look like.

For me, 2013 has been quite the ride.

Argentina

Easily my biggest accomplishment was packing up shop and moving to Córdoba, Argentina. I spent the final 4 months of 2013 enveloped in Spanish, eating media lunas and asado, and drinking mate and fernet. Leaving the comfy life I had established in San Francisco was certainly a gamble but this life move is giving me an experience that I will never regret. Everything here has been a new and wonderful adventure from spending Christmas here, to living through city wide riots, and even mundane things like going to the supermarket or the gym.

I just wrapped up my first Christmas in Argentina.

Rather than Christmas day, Christmas Eve is where the festivities take place.

Similar to the US, Christmas here in Argentina is becoming less about the religious aspect and more about the coming together of family. As such, this year my girlfriend and I went to the parent’s house of her brother’s wife where both families joined. They live in a residential part of Córdoba (barrio Atlantica) in a nice house with a backyard swimming pool.

We arrived around 10:30pm to find a couple large tables setup in the backyard where we sat and chatted. The dinner started with Quilmes and a picada – typical Argentine appetizer of bread, cold cut meats, olives, and cheeses. Then we had wine and roasted pork and pollo a la naranja. After dinner we started in the on fernet and coke and chased it down with fruit salad and ice cream. We also had a local treat – Pan Dulce – a sweet bread with dried fruits and nuts. The food was amazing.

Dec. 4 2013 / There was a riot on the streets / Tell where were you

Yesterday evening the police department of Córdoba went on strike as they demanded higher salaries.

Since moving to Córdoba three months ago strikes and protests have been common occurrences. Different groups take to the main plaza in Nueva Córdoba to peacefully voice their frustration while blocking the busy intersection. And while these protests are a regular occurrence on this occasion the absence of police authority set off complete chaos as looters and thugs took full advantage. Also not helping matters was that Cordoba’s governor De La Sota was in Colombia attending a conference.

No police, no governor, no rules, no consequences.

Part of my 2013 goals is to achieve the best physical fitness level of my life. After moving from San Francisco to Córdoba and getting settled into my life here, nearly a month had passed since I’d been in the gym. I was getting restless and needed to find un gimnasio.

I did a quick internet search and went about trying to locate a gym that would suit my needs. While touring the gyms in Córdoba I quickly found out where all the US gym equipment from the 1980’s went.

The majority of the machines where old and rusty. Some where so old I couldn’t decipher how to use them or even which muscles it was supposed to work. And I’m no spring chicken in the gym. Lending to my theory that the gym equipment here is from the US is that all the weights are still in pounds instead of kilograms.

After a couple days of searching I finally found a good gym within walking distance of my apartment that was decently priced and contained all of the equipment I need for a proper workout.

Ever since I read Emergency by Neil Strauss I’ve had a strong desire for a second passport. Like a modern day Jason Borne who can open a safe, grab a handful of passports, a wad of cash (multiple currencies) and a 9MM and run out the door.

Well maybe I don’t need the gun or the wads of cash but a 2nd passport would be amazing on a variety of levels.

I started researching my ability to get 2nd passports from various countries. A grandparent was born in Scotland, another in Ireland perhaps they would allow me to claim their country as my second home. The instructions seemed unclear as was my right to even claim citizenship of these countries.

Then at a BBQ this summer for my birthday I was theoretically waxing my second passport desire with a coworker and complaining that my options seemed futile.

When I was in Colombia the locals would stare at our pack of gringos as we roamed the streets, even going so far as to request photos of my pale self to accompany their dark faces.

Nothing changed as I went south to Ecuador. And just last year while riding a bus to work in Lima it was pretty clear which one of the riders was not a local.

However the Argentines are an eclectic bunch. Like the United States, Argentina is a multiethnic society serving as home to those with roots from Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, and France. Una crisol de razas – a melting pot.

As a result there is no standard looking Argentine. You’re equally as likely to find a blond with fair skin as someone with dark hair and features.

For the last couple of months I’ve written up a monthly financial review tracking the progress of my financial life. Checkout past reviews – August, July. These reviews help me stay on top of this area of my life.

September Monthly Review

Assets +3.31%, Debts 0%