In light of my travels at the end of July, I failed to provide a commentary on a holiday of great social significance in Argentina, especially celebrated among individuals more or less of the same age as me. Even though it is not formally/legally recognized as a national holiday, this day is dearly revered by many people as an opportune time to gather and have an asado, go out for dinner and drinks, or simply spend time together. Drum roll please ...Yes folks, I'm talking about the one, the only, Día del Amigo, or Friend's Day. In Argentina, this holiday annually falls on July 20th and corresponds historically with the first landing on the moon in 1969 by Neil Amstrong, Edwin Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. The day supposedly commemorates our commitments to the friends that we already hold dear to our hearts as well as encourages an attitude that there are many new friends to be made amidst the population of our planet. Representative of the great importance that this holiday has for Argentines, Wikipedia reports that there was a temporary breakdown of the cell phone network in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Córdoba and Rosario in 2005 [on Día del Amigo] because so many people were trying to utilize their phones to reach beloved friends. Seats in most restaurants, bars and other establishments are already completely booked a week before the celebration; mind you, while it might be normal to make such reservations at a restaurant in the U.S. I've not once made a reservation for a restaurant since I've been here. Día del Amigo is a big deal here and thus, I simply had to experience the day in full; there was no other choice....
Accepting the invitations of my basketball teammates, we all made plans to meet in parque 2 de febrero for an asado on Día del Amigo. I even went with a few of them the evening before to the meat shop to make the meal's most significant purchases (let's be honest, any salads or bread that accompany an asado are just a minor side note to the meat that graces our plates). Then I got home and looked at the forecast for the next day...Before I talk about our Día del Amigo climate conditions, I shall review for you now the general weather patterns of Chaco, Argentina: Always humid. Maybe chilly, or even cold, in winter (especially when there is wind), however if the sun appears, it will probably be reasonably temperate at midday. Two (maybe even three) weeks of sunny days at a time followed by one or (maybe..) two days of rain and then the sun/rain cycle cycle starts again. Returning to the anticipated Día del Amigo weather forecast, while the typical weather patterns might depict odds for anything but, my computer desktop application made it clear that we were to expect RAIN. And without a doubt did it rain on that beloved Día del Amigo, as I woke to find it pouring on that Wednesday morning and only saw the rain continue until after the sun had set that evening. Thus, the asado was moved to my house as we have a covered quincho in the back yard that would serve us well in food preparation.
A couple of my teammates arrived early to begin preparing the fire and the meat. Throughout the morning other teammates trickled into the house as the rain continued to fall steadily. Mate was constantly being prepared and poured to keep us warm while we waited for lunch to be ready. As we were amidst all my things at the house, I had the opportunity to show many of my teammates pictures from the United States for the first time which spurred some great cultural conversation. Bread and salad arrived with teammates. In preparation for post-lunch (indoor activities), a few people went to fetch some rather large speakers for the dance party that would ensue. Eventually we all sat down at my monstrous dining room table to share the asado. As we conversed at the table, I asked questions about typical Día del Amigo activities of years past and my teammates almost wouldn't believe me when I told them that Día del Amigo doesn't exist as a well-known celebration in the United States. The ways their jaws dropped when I shared said lack of celebration only reinforced for me just how important this annual July gathering is. The party was far from over after lunch was cleared and the (majority of the) dishes washed; music blared for a few hours and a variety of dancing filled my living room. Eventually most of the crew crashed to take a mini-siesta or go home before going out again in the evening.
Although it might sound rather cliché, I sporadically have moments of meta-analysis regarding my life here when I feel especially Argentine (i.e. I feel less like a foreigner). I think everything that transpired in my team's gathering on Día del Amigo provided me with an intense dose of cultural integration and a 'wow' moment of thankfulness for the teammates I have who have also accepted me as a close friend. I'll conclude this entry by promising, both to my readers and to myself, that Día del Amigo is an annual celebration that I plan to carry with me when I return to the United States. How can I ignore the possibility of celebrating a day tied so closely to valuing/celebrating the dearest of relationships that an individual has with his/her friends? Or, rather, how could I ignore such a recognized chance to gather and celebrate, period, with friends! ;)
Accepting the invitations of my basketball teammates, we all made plans to meet in parque 2 de febrero for an asado on Día del Amigo. I even went with a few of them the evening before to the meat shop to make the meal's most significant purchases (let's be honest, any salads or bread that accompany an asado are just a minor side note to the meat that graces our plates). Then I got home and looked at the forecast for the next day...Before I talk about our Día del Amigo climate conditions, I shall review for you now the general weather patterns of Chaco, Argentina: Always humid. Maybe chilly, or even cold, in winter (especially when there is wind), however if the sun appears, it will probably be reasonably temperate at midday. Two (maybe even three) weeks of sunny days at a time followed by one or (maybe..) two days of rain and then the sun/rain cycle cycle starts again. Returning to the anticipated Día del Amigo weather forecast, while the typical weather patterns might depict odds for anything but, my computer desktop application made it clear that we were to expect RAIN. And without a doubt did it rain on that beloved Día del Amigo, as I woke to find it pouring on that Wednesday morning and only saw the rain continue until after the sun had set that evening. Thus, the asado was moved to my house as we have a covered quincho in the back yard that would serve us well in food preparation.
A couple of my teammates arrived early to begin preparing the fire and the meat. Throughout the morning other teammates trickled into the house as the rain continued to fall steadily. Mate was constantly being prepared and poured to keep us warm while we waited for lunch to be ready. As we were amidst all my things at the house, I had the opportunity to show many of my teammates pictures from the United States for the first time which spurred some great cultural conversation. Bread and salad arrived with teammates. In preparation for post-lunch (indoor activities), a few people went to fetch some rather large speakers for the dance party that would ensue. Eventually we all sat down at my monstrous dining room table to share the asado. As we conversed at the table, I asked questions about typical Día del Amigo activities of years past and my teammates almost wouldn't believe me when I told them that Día del Amigo doesn't exist as a well-known celebration in the United States. The ways their jaws dropped when I shared said lack of celebration only reinforced for me just how important this annual July gathering is. The party was far from over after lunch was cleared and the (majority of the) dishes washed; music blared for a few hours and a variety of dancing filled my living room. Eventually most of the crew crashed to take a mini-siesta or go home before going out again in the evening.
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| Teammates hanging out on the back porch before lunch |
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| Daniela attending to the asado cooking in quincho behind my house. |
Although it might sound rather cliché, I sporadically have moments of meta-analysis regarding my life here when I feel especially Argentine (i.e. I feel less like a foreigner). I think everything that transpired in my team's gathering on Día del Amigo provided me with an intense dose of cultural integration and a 'wow' moment of thankfulness for the teammates I have who have also accepted me as a close friend. I'll conclude this entry by promising, both to my readers and to myself, that Día del Amigo is an annual celebration that I plan to carry with me when I return to the United States. How can I ignore the possibility of celebrating a day tied so closely to valuing/celebrating the dearest of relationships that an individual has with his/her friends? Or, rather, how could I ignore such a recognized chance to gather and celebrate, period, with friends! ;)
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