Visitors from Gringolandia

My dad and his wife Deb made it down here to Necochea for a brief but action-packed visit at the end of October.  They had originally planned to travel in July, but the swine flu epidemic and resulting hysteria here in Argentina threw a monkey wrench in their plans, and in the end they decided that springtime might be a more apropos time for a visit.  Unfortunately, rescheduling the trip meant they would only have six and a half days with us!

Given the short duration of Dad and Deb's visit, we spent most of our time in Necochea so we could show them around the city and the countryside, as well as enjoy time together with Daniel's family.  Our itinerary closely resembled that of last October's visit, when my dad, stepdad and I came down prior to the big move.  We took Dad and Deb on the tourist circuit – the river, the port, the beach, the park.  One day when the weather wasn't quite conducive to sightseeing, we took them shopping in the city center; let's just say they did their part to contribute to the local economy. 

Late Wednesday evening after a filling picada, we said our goodbyes to Daniel's family and boarded the overnight bus to Buenos Aires.  We managed to squeeze in a half day in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay and a walking tour in Buenos Aires before we returned to the airport on Friday evening to see them off. 

Despite the whirlwind nature of the trip that left us all dragging a bit by the end, we still managed to have an unforgettable visit with Dad and Deb.  Besides, you know any trip that involved a photo like this one had to be a good time:

[We encountered a cattle caravan near the beach as we drove along the coastal road to Punta Negra.]

Click here to view some of the other zany and wonderful snapshots from my dad and Deb's visit.

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Bizarre Foods – Argentina Style

Calling all foodies!  Here's your chance to help get Argentina featured on the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.  I was contacted by one of the show's researchers for help in compiling a list of some of the strangest, most unique foods that Argentina has to offer.  Here are some examples of the people, places and grub that the production team is looking for:

1. Markets that have unusual foods
2. Restaurants that serve unusual foods
3. Chefs that specialize in something bizarre
4. Interesting street food
5. Traditional foods that have survived generations
6. Foods that are common for "family meals" at home
7. New food trends that are popular
8. Activities that are popular or representative of the culture that have some sort of food element to them
9. A food that is made in a very interesting way that we could show the process of
10. Interesting people who do something with unusual food

Or any other bizarre foods that might not fit any of these categories but are interesting and can fit in the show somehow!

Also, since Argentina is such a large country, the show will need to focus on just one or two areas. Which areas do you think would have the best unusual foods?

If we round up enough funky foods for Andrew to sample, the Travel Channel will send him to Argentina to film an episode!  So, let's hear it in the comments: what are some of Argentina's most unusual eats?

Photo credit: Travel Channel

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Province of Buenos Aires Says "Chau" to Plastic Bags

In an attempt to cut down on the environmental blight of plastic bags, the provincial legislature of Buenos Aires passed a measure banning the use of environmentally-unfriendly bags in supermarkets.  As of October 15, 2009, supermarkets and hypermarkets in the Province of Buenos Aires must use degradable or biodegradable bags.  Smaller markets were given an additional year to come into compliance with the law.

A few months back, in preparation for the new law, displays of reusable cloth "Eco-bolsas" sprang up at our local supermarkets with a bit of signage explaining the benefits of using reusable shopping bags.  While the plastic bag legislation represents an important step forward, I applaud the modest efforts at raising environmental awareness and promoting green alternatives (even if they are partially [or completely] financially motivated).  

Daniel and I usually bring our reusable cloth shopping bag with us when we run errands around town, and we frequently get funny looks for refusing a plastic bag.  It seems that some cashiers have an instinctive reflex to bag even the smallest item, and sometimes they just won't take "no" for answer.  At least now when customers are bullied into taking a grocery bag, they'll receive a more environmentally-sound option at the supermarket checkout thanks to the new law.

Unfortunately, litter and waste management are real problems here in Argentina.  While the issue of plastic bags may seem like a drop in the bucket in comparison to the country's larger problem of trash and what to do with it, it's promising to see that the province is taking a step toward a greener Argentina.

For more information about the law, take a look here and here.

Photo credit: ThreadBeaur

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A Letter to My Mother

"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." – Thomas Campbell from Hallowed Ground

Dear Mommy,

The weekend following my 28th birthday was the last evening I spent with you before you slipped away.  You had invited me over for a home-cooked dinner and the requisite birthday cake, although we didn't bother with candles that year.  Admittedly, I don't recall what we ate, but I do remember sitting around the table together, enjoying the meal.  After we finished eating, Sarah, Marianna and I giggled as we took silly photos of ourselves making poses like the girls in "Charlie's Angels." 

We laughed and smiled and had fun together as a family; that is the vision of you that I hold in my mind, not the shell of a person that lingered here on Earth just a little longer thereafter.

After you were gone I cried but not much.  I looked for answers but found painfully few.  I silently drowned in the darkness that flooded over me.  Grief made me feel hollow and numb, and for a time I shuttered my heart, keeping out even those closest to me.  Losing you was the most difficult thing ever, and there were times that it was hard to see through to when there would be good times, happy times again, though I knew they were there waiting, shrouded in the mist of an uncertain future. 

While you taught me countless lessons while you were here with me, the biggest lesson was one that I learned through your death.  The clichéd yet sobering truth hit me that life is too short, too unpredictable to not take a few chances, to change even when it means changing everything.  The some-day-I-might-get-to-it mentality no longer seemed like a viable option. 

Losing you gave me the insight to recognize my dissatisfaction with certain aspects of my life and the courage to do something about it.  After all, was I going to let inertia decide the course of my life, or was I going to take charge of my own destiny?

*          *          *          *          *

When I was applying to colleges, I recall that you didn't want me to go to a school out of state because you feared I would settle down somewhere far away after I graduated.  When I wound up going to Drexel – just 40 minutes from home – you still had the occasional grumble.  Admittedly, sometimes I do wonder, She didn't want me to leave Pennsylvania…what would she think of me living in a different hemisphere?!

In general, you weren't a terribly adventurous person.  You once told me that you admired the fact that I am so outgoing and willing to take a bit of a risk.  Although we were quite alike in many ways, you recognized that trait in me as one of the great differences that set us apart.  Starting over in a new place has been a challenge, but I feel confident that you would be proud of the way I am handling all of these changes, even if it's something you wouldn't have chosen for me or couldn't have envisioned doing yourself.

I wish you could have met Daniel, to see how much he loves me, the way he smiles when he looks at me and I at him.  You would have loved Daniel's family, and you would instantly recognize them for the good people that they are.  Knowing that I am in good hands, you would feel at ease with me living so far from everyone else that matters in my life.

Three years later I can say that the darkness has been cast out and the shutters opened wide.  There are smiles and love and laughter here, just like that last night.  Just like you would have wanted.

Que descanses en paz, Mami.

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Intermission

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog to bring you…well, another blog.  You see, I am now writing a guest post every week for Transpanish, a translation blog focusing on the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.

Since this week has been insanely busy with translation projects and preparations for a visit from my dad and his wife (yippee!), I haven't quite had a chance to put the finishing touches on the posts I have waiting in the wings.

So, dear readers, I submit for your approval these two fine articles crafted exclusively for the lovely people at Transpanish: The Use of Neutral Spanish for the U.S. Hispanic Market and English Words with a Spanish Pedigree.

Of course, both posts are riveting, but I particularly recommend the second one where I explain a bit about the origins of everyday words like chocolate, hurricane and rodeo.

By the way, if you’re a word nerd like me, I recommend the book Spanish Word Histories and Mysteries: English Words That Come From Spanish.  This book provides a detailed explanation of the etymology of 150 Spanish loan words found in the English language, and it manages to blend geekiness and entertainment in just the right proportions (and trust me, that's no small feat).

I promise to post something hot off the presses pronto!

Photo credit: 7-how-7

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