Today is a holiday here, as it marks a very important anniversary in Argentina. On March 24, 1976 a military coup took place, officially putting control of the country in the hands of a dictatorship. This is commonly known as the Dirty War. It is estimated that between then and the return to democracy in late 1983, 30,000 Argentine citizens were “disappeared,” murdered by their own government. Also, many were exiled, kidnapped, unjustly imprisoned, and tortured. When I first came here, it one day suddenly hit me at how recent this was, and the thought still gives me chills. After 5 years of living here, I am well aware of this period of history and see its effects to this day, but I am still learning. Here is what I understand.

It was a dark chapter obviously, but putting specific dates on it is a little misleading. Argentina has a history of several dicatorships, the one that began in 1976 being only the latest one. Also the brutality of the latest dictarorship began a while before the coup and its effects continue today. More obviously, there have been trials very recently against perpretrators in the Dirty War. Eerily, in 2006, at the conclusion of the trial of the head of the federal police during the Dirty War, the chief witness, Jorge Julio Lopez, was disappeared and never heard from again.

In 1945, another repressive dictatorship was ended by the dramatic rise to power of the populist Juan Perón and his second and very famous wife Eva. His legacy is enormous in creating a more democratic Argentina, with rights and support to all citizens regardless of class or race. This has shaped modern Argentina and made it a better place overall. Furthermore, politically, to be a Peronist is often a given, differentiated by being a rightist Peronist, a moderate Peronist, or a leftist Peronist.

The Juan Perón who became president for the third time in 1973 was very different, that time aiding the AAA (Anti-communist Argentina Alliance), a military group that began illegal detentions and killings of leftist Peronists during his presidency. Perón died in 1974 with his wife Isabel taking control and eventually officially handing over the country to the military junta on March 24, 1976. She currently lives in Spain while the Argentine government has been trying unsuccessfully to extradite her back to Argentina to stand trial for her complicity.

But more subtle effects of this live on today. Although the US government during the cold war had a hand in supporting the AAA and the military junta, in its fight against Communism, there was wide support from the public. At the time, the country was both in a severe economic and political crisis, and the public was sold on the dictatorship as a way to bring stability. To this day many people here are overly obsessed with public security and order, so I can imagine this happening. (Similar to when in the US when the invasive PATRIOT act and water boarding were so easy to swallow as tools against terrorism.)

When the dictatorship came to power, many believed that the new government would act in the interests of its people. Even when witnessing the arrest of neighbors, they believed that the police were bringing order and would treat the arrested fairly. Over time the public got wise, but also impatient with the government which did not bring prosperity but instead declared war on the British, leading to another massacre of people. Although not elected democratically, even dictatorships rely on public support, thus this dictatorship finally came to an end. Public support helped bring them to power, and the lack of it eventually removed them from power.

Argentina and Latin America has a history of oppression. But the brutality from the oppression has been woven into all levels of life. Such oppression began from the days of Columbus and continued through the days of the Spanish Viceroys and Catholic missionaries who had there way with all of the territory, killing and enslaving as they wished, and taking whatever resources they needed. In more modern times, the US manipulated Argentina and other Latin American countries, not only to exploit their resources, but as a tool in the Cold War supporting the emergence of monstrous dictatorships throughout. I see a lot of resentment toward the US, both overtly and not so overtly; and on the other hand a lot of enthusiasm for the music, movies, and products from the US. It is a dream of many Argentine people to visit Disney World, or to own an iPod.

After officially gaining independence in 1810, it wasn’t until some years later under the presidency of President Julio Roca, that Argentina really came into its own, and became the modern and sophisticated country it is know for. But on the other hand Roca was also responsible for wiping out almost all of the indigenous people. An example of this contradiction is the train station I see from my apartment, which is named after Roca, but through it commute daily thousands of people who have blood mixed with that of the same people Roca was trying to wipe out.

Today, Argentine people remain proud of Peronism. It is as important a word here as the word “liberty” is the the United States (though liberty is important here too). Even in talking about the Dirty War it is still difficult to talk about Perón’s role. Roca is known for his genocide but there are still memorials and streets dedicated to him. I don’t think this is such a bad practice, to recognize ones roots for the bad and the good. To accept where one comes from and hopefully to grow and not repeat the same atrocities.

Argentina has a well-educated, sophisticated culture. Although many artists and scientists left the country during the Dirty War, there is a high level of intellectualism and artists of all colors are respected. The babies of the Dirty War are now entering their 30’s, but still coming to terms with their dark roots. I have friends who are missing parents, murdered by the state. Others wonder if their family has some dark history that has not been revealed. I cannot imagine how I would feel or be able to function if I were in their shoes, but here you don’t play the victim, it’s just a given and part of coping with life in general.

On top of this the economic environment is very difficult, nearly impossible for many. No matter what your situation, you focus on the day to day tasks of moving along, and look for opportunities to enjoy life and to create. As much as some Argentine people can be xenophobic or overly concerned with crime, they can at times be truly be unusually concerned for the people around them no matter what the social difference, and very outward socially. And when opportunities emerge, you take advantage of them as fully as you can. This may be as simple as spending your last peso to go out at night, or to go on a vacation. But I am also talking about creative energy, with vibrant movements in the arts, design, writing, and music. With music, there’s more than just tango, but also so much activity in rock, folkloric, and electronic music. With all the ugliness, you would think people would shut down, but they don’t. They can’t.

The film industry is big too and does some great work, along with a decent share of trash. This year an Argentine film, El Secreto de sus Ojos, won the Oscar for best foreign film. This was the second time an Argentine production has won an Oscar, both times for films about the Dirty War.

How do you bike safely from the Caminito in La Boca to Plaza Italia in Palermo? Take the Ciclovia the entire way. I’m not so hot on the current neoliberal government in Buenos Aires–which does more to help big business and only cosmetic things for the general public–but I am glad that they’ve added various protected bike lanes throughout the city, formally known as Ciclovias. These lanes are no joke and go where it’s really practical. They are protected by phisical barriers, plus signed well to advise drivers of combustible vehicles, and include dedicated traffic signals to help the bikers drive travel more safely.

Buenos Aires can be a very scary city to bicycle in, where the vast majority of bus drivers, taxis, and car owners have no regard for the fragility of those on bicycles. On the other hand bikes are everywhere here, and are a great way to get around a fairly flat city.  Now with these new protected bike lanes one can cross some of the busiest parts of the city, with much less fear of being mamed.

While the plan is to multiply the Ciclovias and make this an effective transportation system for bicyclists throught the city, still even the existing lanes still have a ways to go to being completely reliable. If you enlarge the map I included here, the part that is labeled for completion in 2009 is still being completed, and I have seen no signs of work started on the lanes for 2010. For the current Ciclovias, there are stretches where they are unexpectedly interrupted for one or more blocks, and there you must venture back into the hairy world of competing with the cars and buses until you discover where it pickes up again. For example in my frequent route from the barrio of Barracas to the bario of Congreso, there is a block that passes by the central headquarters of the Federal Police. Since the Police keeps their water canon trucks and paddy wagons parked there, the work crews have not yet constructed that stretch of the bike lane. Thus, for that one block I cruise by on the sidewalk, which seems to not phase the guards posted with their machine guns hanging.

Enjoy the protection of the Ciclovias, but also be prepared to lose that protection at any moment. I tried the route mapped from La Boca to Plaza Italia, which sounds incredible for its distance and convenience, except it is absent for a long stretch through the busiest part of the city, the Microcentro. Also in plenty of blocks, businesses like to appropriate the lanes for storing dumpsters, parking cars, or just hanging out. Still, a big improvement from not too long ago, before these lanes were built; and the completion of the bike plan should make the city a lot better place for anyone who travels on a bicycle.

Summer vacation just ended here, and it’s a new year as well. As businesses get back to full steam, you notice how everything costs a bit more than it did last year. Everyone here is used to prices creeping up a little at a time, but some things suddenly. Right now there is a big political controversy because meat prices rose 30% in one month. For example, I noticed that one of the most popular cuts of meat had more than doubled in price between say November and February.  The government blames the corporate farmers, and the opposing party supported by those farmers blames the government. It’s a serious problem that threatens the entire economy as do oil prices in the US. Aside from this recent event, inflation has been quite high in Argentina ever since I arrived in late 2004, and it is embedded in everyday life.

You go to a restaurant, and the dish that last visit cost 12 pesos, now costs 14. (The current valuation puts the argentina peso at 3.86 per US dollar.) For weeks we were paying $2.65 for a 1.25 liter soft drink (in returnable bottle), and then one day you go to the store and it now costs $3.25. As in any cosmopolitan city, we collect takeout menus. Most of the menus are out-of-date, meaning that that although the items have not changed, the prices are not accurate. For places for which we have multiple copies of the menu, we look for the one with the highest prices, knowing it would be the most up-to-date. This happens all the time with most everything you spend money on; and though many moan at each increase, no one is shocked and it’s more of a resigned protest.

Tira de Asado, a very popular cut of meat has more than doubled in price over 4 months time.

My boyfriend and I have been wondering what’s up with our favorite empanada delivery place, because they have lagged with their price increases. They kept with 2 pesos per empanada for 2 years, and finally about 6 months ago they raised it to $2.50. Meanwhile, somewhere between 3-4 pesos is fairly common. Are they too busy making empanadas to pay attention to the cost of living? Or could it be a front for some unscrupulous business? It makes  you suspicious more when prices don’t increase than when they do. For reference, when I arrived here the end of 2004, empanadas generally cost 1 peso to 1.50, and you could even find a few places that charged under 1 peso. This reference relates to the 3-4 peso range I see now. That’s a 3-fold increase in what I’m calling “The empanada index.” Empanadas are a staple in fast food here, so this suggests a tripling of prices over 5 years.

You notice the increases most in things that you buy less frequently. I don’t own a car, but occasionally rent one for a vacation. Premium gasoline was 1.90 a liter when I first rented a car 3 years ago, and now it’s around 4 pesos. Argentina ice cream is some of the best there is, and now can cost 60 pesos for a kilogram.

Inflation affects home costs in Argentina a little differently. Though the utilities are completely privatized, the prices of electricity and gas are subsidized by the government and thus have hardly increased. The government is  looking to reduce these subsidies, but has to be careful because the first attempt created a big outcry. Rents however are controlled by the market and are about 2.5 times what they were when I first arrived here. Subway and bus fares are also increased on a much lesser scale, up about 40-50% from when I first arrived, as they are subsidized by the government.

Being early in the year, there are significant but expected cost increases on many services. My medical insurance was hiked about 20% (though still there’s no copay when I see a doctor). My gym about 30%. My shrink, 25%. I was not shocked by any of these, but in the case of the gym I was hoping for a little less of an increase, as I am now roughly paying what I was paying before in New York.

The current rate of inflation is  far the highest level in the history of the country. Friends who lived through the 80’s or 70’s describe times of hyperinflation. You would go to the market to buy a few groceries. If you dilly-dallied too long, the price of that bottle of Coke would be marked up by the time you got to the checkout.

Electronics are an exception, since their price is determnined by unique factors. Because of heavy government import tarrifs, electronics have always been ridiculously expensive here. Argentina is the most expensive country in which to buy an Apple iPod. Cheaper Chinese imports and a few decent domestic manufaturers have actually brought the relative price of electronics down over the past 5 years. It is fairly common today to have a personal computer in one’s home, with a broadband connection, as compared to in 2004  when it was quite rare. Still you see very few Macintosh computers or iPhones. In Argentina, electronics continue to be very expensive relative to other countries, and based on Argentine wages only more well-off people can afford to own both a flat-screen TV and a PC.

Salaries are up for some people, but not all and rarely in proportion to the cost of living. A friend who is programmer at a big company here has not seen a raise in his salary since he was hired 2-3 years ago. I would consider him middle class, as he lives in the subburbs in a house they own with kids. When he began he said it was a good salary, but now he’s having trouble supporting his family.

With all this inflation, for me having an orientation in dollars, Argentina is no longer the land of cheap. I didn’t come here for the bargains, but that has an impact on me, where I now have to think more carefully about spending. I am fortunate to not face the reality of someone completely dependent on earning a living here.

If things keep going this way, I wonder what will have to give. Will the peso go down in value dramatically? It has fallen almost 30% against the dollar since 18 months ago when the economic crisis hit the northern hemisphere. Before that things had stayed fairly close to 3 pesos to the dollar since sometime in 2002. Argentina needs to keep things affordable for the countries it exports to, and a lower-valued peso corresponds with that. This helps to export goods and services to pay off  huge debts from past economic disasters. With inflation continuing as it is, I bet it will only accellerate the fall of the peso this year.

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 follow these few pointers you will avoid appearing fresh off the tour bus.

(A couple of things about the title of this article. First in Argentina and many other countries the language is referred to as Castellano, not Español. Español is an adjective for something from Spain, such as “Paella es un plato español.” A Porteño, in case you were wondering, is someone from Buenos Aires.)

1. LL and Y´s are pronounced harder in Buenos Aires, much like the SH in English. Pollo is pronounced Poe-Show, Ayer is pronounced Ah-Cher (Cher as in Sonny and Cher). Porteños say “Ya!” an awful lot, but pronounced like Shaw! Soy yo is pronounced like ¨Soy Show.”

Real porteño or fake?

2. Also important is that the article for the informal you, “VOS” is used here instead of “TU.” It’s an older form from before “tu” existed. (and, logically, before you existed )

Verb conjugations are the same as for TU in all tenses except for two important exceptions: the present and imperative tenses.

In the present tense, the regular form is to remove the final R of the infinitive and replace it with an S. Additionally, add an accent to the last syllable.

• hablar –> Hablás muy bien.
• escuchar –> Escuchás todo!
• venir –> Venís a que hora?
• tener –> Tenés la hora?

Pretty much like how you conjugate with TU but the accent is different. Of course irregulars are always more difficult. Though with VOS there are fewer of them than with TU. An important question that you will hear a lot is:

• ¿De donde sos? SOS being the VOS form of the verb SER, whereas with TU it would be ERES.
  Note: Any response EXCEPT “America” will do here.

For imperative it is simple, just remove the final R and add an accent:

• Parar –> Pará ahora por favor.
• Venir –> ¡Vení acá! (I say that one to my dog a lot)
• Escuchar –> Escuchá que dice la señora. ; or with the pronoun: Escuchame
• Sentarse –> Sentate, por favor. (different from TU where it’s Siéntate)

3. Don’t confuse VOS with VOSOTROS. VOSOTROS is only used in Spain, thankfully one less form to conjugate. Here and in all of Latin America the plural second person is always USTEDES.

4. When to use the informal VOS versus when to use the more formal USTED is not so scientific. No two people use them exactly the same. With Argentine people, especially from foreigners, they are generally OK if you use VOS too liberally.

5. When you pause mid sentence to think, filling in the gaps, do not say “uh.” Using “es de,” will fool them for a second while you figure out which word to utter next.

6. Learn to roll your R’s like a purring cat. Put your tongue on the top of your mouth for any work that starts with a single letter R or has two RR’s in the middle. If you want to get serious about rolling your R’s, try this out for size:

Erre con erre, guitarra,
erre con erre, barril.
¡Que rápido ruedan
las ruedas redondas
del ferrocarril!

Furthermore, learn how to pronounce the 5 vowel sounds. This is the easiest part of Spanish, because each vowel has a single sound than never varies. This is so much easier than the vowel sounds in English, though many non-native Spanish speakers miss the simple practice of pronouncing these correctly. Practice saying A-E-I-O-U:

• A: as the a in Father
• E: like Hay without the H
• I: like the ee in Meet
• O: as in Oh
• U: like the oo in Boo

7. Words specific to Argentina, that are often different in other Spanish-speaking countries:

• You will hear ACÁ used a lot more then AQUÍ.
• ALLÁ (Ah-Shaw) for Over There
• CHAU (Ciao) is used much more than ADIOS.
• Dale for Do it, Come On, or to just agree on something
• OK for OK
• Remera for T-shirt
• Campera for Jacket
• Gaseosa for Soft Drink
• Soda for Soda Water
• Frutilla for Strawberry
• Manteca for Butter
• Grasa for Lard
• Palta for Avocado
• Poroto for Bean
• Bife for Steak
• Asado for Barbecued Food
• Parrilla for Barbecue Grill
• Concha for Cunt
• Cancha for Playing field (At the Fútbol Cancha you hear the word Concha screamed-out a lot.)
• Torta for Dyke or Cake
• Puto for Fag
• Puta for Prostitute (When angry you can say this at no one in particular: ¡La puta que lo parió!)
• The verb Joder is to bother or to mess with
• Coger is the love act
• Hijo de Puta, in the proper context and inflection, is an effective insult (similar to Son of a Bitch)
• Andá a la mierda: even stronger, like Fuck off
• Boludo for Stupid Jerk (often used amongst friends)
• Pelotudo is similar to Boludo
• Pendejo is not a bad word here, means pubic hair or someone very young, like 14 years old. I once complimented a friend on his 50th birthday: “No sos viejo; ya sos un pendejo.” Still it’s very informal to use.
• Quilombo is a big mess or complicated situation (though literally means whorehouse, is never used in that context).
• Last but not least, Bárbaro is just very beautiful.

And I won’t even get into Lunfardo, which is the slang language here with roots from the glory days of tango. “Che, estos chabones siguen cupando unos novis, aunque no tienen ni un mango.” (Though CHE comes from Mapuche, an indigenous language.)

Coming Soon: Understand Argentina politics en solo 100 horas

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 government price controls and short-term droughts, the lessening of beef production is largely due to the large farm interests converting pastureland to maximize soybean production for export. In the short run this is much more profitable. In the long run, it not only is hurting Argentina’s reputation for beef worldwide, but is bad for the land, the air, and the general population in Argentina.

With much of the land for cattle grazing being converted to high-yield soy production, much of the remaining cattle production is being converted to feedlot production. This high density production is much more profitable because one can produce fatter cows on much less land, as is done in the United States. This type of cattle production is a big threat to global warning, producing much more greenhouse gasses. It also produces inferior beef.

Traditionally, much of the cattle in Argentina feeds off existing grasslands, which makes these cows more environmental friendly producing less greenhouse gas. And the land for grass fed cattle is left in a more original state. With the type of soybean production popular in Argentina they use lots of chemicals, chemical fertilizers, genetically modified crops, etc. While converting huge swaths of wetlands and grasslands to soybean production the land and ecosystem is being seriously impacted. In addition, in the process of converting grasslands for soy production, and I understand in the harvest process too, the farmers set many fires. These fires pollute large cites like Rosario and Buenos Aires, affecting the health of millions of people.

The federal government attempted to thwart this, by raising taxes on those who profit the most from soybean exports. The agricultural interests in Argentina are very powerful, to the point in the past they were instrumental to the rise of the dictatorship in the late 1970’s. This time they have been heavy handed as well, blockading food distribution while manipulating the press to foment a popular taxpayer revolt. This has become a heavy political battle which had a lot to do with the current president’s party losing many seats in congress.

Argentine people consume a lot of red meat and could benefit from turning more vegetarian to include soy in their diet, but that’s not happening. This soybean production is for export, produces unhealthy genetically modified food, severely harms the environment, and puts a lot of wealth in the hands of a few elite farmers.