Felices 15

What happens when a girl celebrates their 15th birthday in Argentina?  Of course, following the typical course of Latin American culture (as far as I have observed), they throw a HUGE party. 

I was lucky enough to be invited to live the experience of celebrating a 15th birthday party here, so of course I accepted the adventure knowing it was something that I had probably never seen or experienced before.

Setting: a boliche or disco all decorated with felices 15 banners made by family and friends, table settings and desserts and pictures of the celebrated girl (in this case it was Pilar (her name))

 The family typically gets everything ready before and there is a part that is strictly for family and close friends to eat and do whatever they do (I did not participate in that portion).  Then the rest of everyone are invited to come and celebrate all starting at... 1 in the morning.  My group did not actually show up until almost 2, but before that had just been a little bit of dancing but nothing had really started yet.  However, in a short time, the boliche had filled with friends and the real festivities began.  Picture taking, singing happy birthday, lighting giant sparkler candles, and then of course gorging on dessert food.  Then there was dancing for a while and then some live singing and guitar followed by dancing and then a video of the what happened on the actually night of her birthday.

On the actually night of the birthday, the family dug a hole and filled it with water and then they carried out Pilar and first dunked her in the water to get her soaking (this all starts at 12 a.m. on the actual night of their birthday, not on the party night).  Then all her friends and family came out and cracked raw eggs on her and dumped bags of flour on her.  Most of her friends ran about half a mile away to try to avoid getting hugged by the egg and flour monster that was Pilar, but she hugged each of her family members (the dog too!) and any friends who she could catch or were brave enough to breach the stench of the eggs.  It was quite a tradition to watch.

Anyway... we watched the video that they had taken of the egg/flour event of the birthday and then we danced even more.   And throughout the whole event they keeping bringing out things like popcorn, then candy, then glow sticks and crazy hats, and then at about 5 in the morning they brought out something that appeared to me as tacos!  (My ideas of the world were very confused, people eating tacos at 5 in the morning and dancing while doing so..¿?)  My group left around quarter to 6 in the morning, but the party would actually end at 6 in the morning.  I was informed afterwards that sometimes at these parties they even serve breakfast after the dancing ends!  It is like living during the night and sleeping during the day!  So if you happen to turn 15 in Argentina, this is just a little bit of what to expect, for the girls it is apparently an event they dream of for years.  It was quite an experience.

 Crazy candles and yummy fruit (with fondue mmm...)

 

 The dance floor and the family watching the candles.

 

Pilar (white dress) who celebrated her 15th birthday, with her family. 

 

Pilar's mom, Masa the exchange student from Japan who is staying with the family, and the brother Fran.  Everybody looking sharp for the party!

 

What Argentines do at 5:30 a.m.!!!

 

Supermercado Chino

It just so happens that on Sundays in General Pico Argentina the typical supermarkets or grocery stores, along with the majority of other stores close in order to provide a day of rest for the employees.  So, what do you do when you need food on a Sunday but everywhere else is pretty much closed?  Why of course, un supermercado chino!  (Also known as Chinese supermarket).

My host dad (Marcelo) and I went to pick up a few things to prepare lunch and I got the scoop on los supermercados chinos here in Argentina.  Apparently throughout Argentina there are many supermercados chinos that are run by Chinese families and they typically sell many of the same items as other grocery stores for cheaper and are open later into the nighttime and on Sundays.  There is suspicion and an investigation that there are two different lines of these supermarkets and that the families working them have to do something for China, but it is all a bit hazy.  In the city of Buenos Aires there is sort of a Chinese mafia "mafia china" that has caused a number of deaths in the Chinese immigrants.  They apparently force them to pay a commission and if they do not pay it usually results in death.  The things that you never think about when you research a country...  The Koreans also have established businesses around Argentina, but they  typically have clothing stores.

The supermercado chino I visited this morning:

 

It was actually very nice and the family working was very polite and spoke fairly clear Spanish, with an accent, but that includes me too!

It could not be a supermercado chino without some Chinese paper lanterns and small Chinese trinkets. 

 

Many people here joke about the Chinese supermarkets or use them when they want something cheap or when they need something when the others are closed.   It was a cultural thing that struck me as interesting and something I would not have naturally linked with Argentina.

Saturday Stroll

I had the lovely opportunity to go for a Saturday afternoon stroll with abuela Paquita!  It is blessing to have great host grandparent when I am so far away from my own.  I certainly do not lack tender loving care! We peeked into peoples yards and through some fences to check out some of the beautiful flowers that bring color and beauty into the neighborhood!  (Luckily most people were taking a siesta so we had less chance of appearing creepy).  I wish I could recall more of the names of the plants, but there is simply too much vocabulary for the moment.  There was however an oak tree (roble in Spanish) which reminded me of Wisconsin. Nevertheless it was a delightful afternoon with a loving and sweet lady.

Paquita abuela and I on the campus of the Veterinary school here in General Pico!