If are a native English speaker and have a typical high school knowledge of speaking Spanish, or something similar, you may want to fine tune your phrases before traveling to Argentina. Admittedly, after five years of living in Buenos Aires though I communicate well enough here, I can’t hide my gringo-ness 100%. Still, if you [...]

An article today in the New York Times, though talking a lot about the rise of the beef industry in Uruguay, also says plenty about what is happening in Argentina, where beef production is retreating to make way for more soybean production. This article does not fully explain this is happening. While it points to [...]

I walk outside to find a couple nuts and bolts I need. I have the measurement, so it should be no problem. First of all, I am disappointed to be told that in Spanish there is no word for bolt, just a big screw. I guess that the phrase “nuts and bolts” only works in [...]

Formerly just another gay flight attendant, he endeared much of Argentina. Fernando Peña passed away suddenly on June 17. Even though there remains a lot of machismo and homophobia in this country, Argentines of all walks of life were fascinated by Fernando Peña and mourned his death. I don’t know the story so well as [...]

These photos are from a meeting at Milion Restaurant in Barrio Norte of the online group of IxDA of Argentina. The IxDA (Interaction Design Association) is an international organization dedicated to professionals who want to make digital media (mostly the Worldwide Web) more human and more usable. The challenges in Argentina are more severe where [...]

“Now, let me be clear, just because he handed me a copy of Peter Pan does not mean that I’m going to read it — but it’s good diplomatic practice to just accept these gifts” – Barack Obama, 2009 White House Correspondents Dinner Hugo Chavez gave this book to Barack Obama. It seems as if [...]

Various pebbles always find their way to me, as well as other meaningful objects. Algunas cositas y piedritas que me llegan.

A teen was killed in Córdoba, Argentina a few months ago for having  a page on Fotolog.com. Other Fotologgers (better known as “Floggers”) have been found brawling in the streets with “Cumbieros,” who are fans of cumbia music.  This reminds me of the Mods and Rockers in the movie Quadrophenia, amongst other conflicts between urban [...]

Today is the 33rd anniversary of the most recent military coup in Argentina. It was brutal, and amongst other things 30,000 Argentine citizens were “disappeared.” In other words, secretly tortured and killed in basements, thrown out of airplanes, etc. Dictators are obviously not directly elected by the people, but they still depend on the support [...]

In Argentina, the change you have in your pocket is sacred. That’s because there just aren’t enough coins. Anytime you make a purchase, the merchant will infallibly try their best to wrest that last 50 centavos or one-peso coin remaining in your pocket. Waiters will forgo getting a tip in order to avoid giving you [...]