Hello all! I realize it has been quite awhile since I last blogged. I was busy on a second "spring break" in Peru, but now I am back in Mendoza where I have now been for over two months - about half of my study abroad experience. Already! As I sometimes feel overwhelmed with observations and thoughts and how to communicate them to people who are not living here with me, I decided to write a list of my own personal observations so that you all can get a better sense of what I experience or observe on a day to day basis. Also, stay tuned to hear about my Peruvian adventures.
- High fashion is not the source of inspiration for the attire of the majority of the Mendocinian people.
- jeans and sportswear are favorites for everyday wear
- skirts, dresses and shorts are rare except for going out attire
- there is a peculiar trend between the girls of Mendoza - they love wearing bright, solid-colored platform shoes in suede or leather
- It is completely acceptable for men to make cat calls to girls and women.
- whistling, honking, making kissing noises and yelling various objectifying, gross comments are common among all ages of men here in Mendoza (trust me I know and cannot seem to understand the objective behind these actions as they only turn females off)
- Meals, in general, are very relaxed/casual.
- it is okay to use/talk on cell phones during meals
- napkins are not ordinarily put in laps
- often serving spoons are not used and instead one uses his/her own silverware to serve themselves
- It is okay to be picky and/or say you don't like something at meals (even at someone else's house).
- our housekeeper cooks lunch everyday and often makes one or two separate entrees for people's various likes/dislikes
- it is common to hear someone expressing their disgust/dislike of something at the dinner table
- Families are very tight and large family gatherings happen on a routine basis.
- almost every sunday we have a big "asado" or BBQ with my host-mother's brother and sister and their entire families as well as their parents. Whoever can come comes and often boyfriends and girlfriends come as well
- my host-sister and two of her cousins are in the same "group" of friends, as they call it, and go out together every weekend.
- for one of my host-mother's brother's birthdays, who lives in Córdoba - about 10 hours from Mendoza - their whole family came to Mendoza and every meal of the weekend was a huge 30-50 person ordeal plus a special birthday party for him on Saturday night with tons of food and desserts.
- Punctuality does not exist. Argentinos like to joke about what they call "Argentine time".
- it is common and completely acceptable for students to arrive 10-30 minutes late to class. They greet the professor, the professor greets them back, and class continues as normal.
- at meals it is also acceptable to arrive late
- when one picks a time to meet or get together this usually implies they will arrive sometime within the 30 minutes after the scheduled date
- often there are strikes causing class to be canceled or sometimes professors just simply cancel or don't show up to class without reason
- Mendocinians kiss each other all the time - that is to greet each other.
- whenever you greet or meet someone you know or someone you are meeting for the first time you must give them a kiss on the right cheek (this excludes professors)
- this can get extremely tedious when you walk into a dinner or "asado" late - which is typical as I already described- you have to walk around, maneuvering around chairs and tables to kiss everyone.
- Meals are eaten much later.
- dinner is typically eaten around 9:30-11:00
- lunch is eaten between 1:30 and 2:30
- Staring is completely acceptable.
- this includes full turn arounds, scowls, obvious staring, full up-and-downs, and any other type of intrusive, uncomfortable and conspicuous looks from one person to another.
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