Argentina: Living in Argentina
See as Comment: Argentineans Make the Most from Life
Add comment February 2nd, 2008
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Argentina: Argentineans Make the Most from Life
Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world with a population of 38 million of which nearly half live in Buenos Aires. It can be characterized as an urban population that has managed to coexist with the well-to-do and the working class in a state of “live and let live.”
The majority of the population remember the economic collapse prior to the 2001 Peronist era of the Kirchner Presidency and do not trust the banking institution. They would prefer to keep their money under a mattress or convert it into property than place it into an account that disappears. This perspective is by no means unjustified, since one incident of money placed into a charitable savings fund for children simply vanished. And yet there are many accounts with huge balances in banks (it would be impossible to construct buildings or conduct international business without the services of major banks). Banks must exist for the controlling individuals and those connected to power.
Despite all the hardships, Argentineans have endured, they are incredibly friendly, calm, and carry on long conversations with strangers. They love to dance the Tango, and enjoy socializing for hours with friends in cafes. They are easy going with respect to timeliness and work obligations. American friends living in Argentina experienced endless frustration and delays remodeling their home, often faced with shoddy workmanship that had to be reworked. Perhaps there is more emphasis on the arts than on business efficiency. Many in Buenos Aires have university degrees that are not being applied in productive fields. There is an impression that Argentina lacks a good dose of American business management and supervision.
Argentina is predominantly a Catholic country. Adoration of the Virgin is still a dominant part of life; a simple illustration is the number of times one will see taxi drivers cross themselves driving past a church. Unlike most other Latin American nations, European descendants make up the great majority of the population, which is primarily of Spanish and Italian heritage. As a result of disease, exploitation and attempts at racial purity by the military, the native population was decimated; and the blacks who had survived working in the fields chased out of the country by the mid 1800’s. At present the indigenous population of Argentina stands at approximately 1%.
General Jose de San Martin is the national hero for liberating Argentina, Chile and Peru from the Spaniards and declaring independence in 1816. Numerous statues are erected in his honor, streets and villages are named after him, and an honor guard surrounds his monument in the main Cathedral in Buenos Aires.
Family relationships are important. Sundays are reserved for church or family gatherings and going to the numerous parks for recreation is a major part of their pleasures in life. The Rosedel in Buenos Aires is an impressive park of roses, lakes, boating and walk ways, while most other parks are comprised of monuments to heroes, trees and un-tended grass. The soil in Argentina is so rich in nutrients that one of the pleasures of walking in Argentina is seeing a variety of very old, large and awe inspiring trees in parks and lining residential streets.
One can not describe Buenos Aires without commenting on Argentineans love for dogs. There are few cats to be seen, but plenty of dog poop on sidewalks in most parts of Buenos Aires, to remind one that dogs reign supreme.
Buenos Aires boasts many unique buildings from the glory days of 1880 - 1916. Talented iron workers continue to produce beautiful works of art in gates, railings and fences. Particularly impressive is the Recolleta Cemetery with its large mausoleums which speak of architectural and sculptured talent that waits to be unleashed in the present era. Buildings in the tourist neighborhoods have been maintained, but many do not have the resources or talent to rehabilitate to their original condition. Shopping centers in the more affluent areas with wide tree lined boulevards and along the waterfront in Buenos Aires speak of European influence. It is a shoppers paradise. Although most restaurants offer menus at 1/3 to 1/2 the cost in the United States, the selection is mostly limited to beef, sometimes pork or chicken, and rarely fish. Argentineans are known to consume 140 lbs of beef annually per person.
The concept of the “caudillo” strong man is alive and well in Argentina. The President exerts enormous amount of power, influencing the legal system to change exiting laws. This system of governance has no relevance to the American system of checks and balances. It results in an institution of bureaucrats who often disagree with each other as to which law is in effect and a maze that only the well to do with resources can maneuver. Hernando de Soto, a well known economist, describes in “The Mystery of Capital” how “extra legal” institutions become created among groups of people to avoid the legal labyrinth, which puts a damper on growth. It appears this state of affairs is symptomatic of Argentina as well. Equity that is not being recorded as capital can not be used as collateral for loans, and will remain a handicap to growth and economic prosperity for the entire population. Additionally, the economic fiasco of the early 1990’s with Argentina subsequently reneging on repayment of international loans makes them untrustworthy for international corporate investment.
Behind the facade of friendliness there is an element of distrust among strangers borne from experience. Insecurity pervades society both from financial and criminal elements. Enforcement and punishment of criminals is weak and borders on non-existent. A walk through most areas of Buenos Aires means hanging on to your wallet, purse, camera, etc. Women and men maintain a low profile, wearing modest clothes and the most basic of costume jewelry. There is a hope that catering to “personal freedom” as a reaction to the “military rule” of pre-Peronist era will find a happy balance to the criminals roaming the city of Buenos Aires. Needless to say, other parts of Argentina are much safer.
MH
1 comment December 18th, 2007
Belgium Defined (Source Unknown)
Belgium is a relatively new nation. It achieved its nationhood in 1830, after centuries of occupation and invasion by the Romans, the French, the Burgundians, the Spanish, the Austrians and finally the Dutch. Independence was won through a revolution triggered by an opera. Not much blood, if any, was spilled. The Belgian Revolution may lack the heart-stopping panache of the French Revolution, but the Belgians have always opted for moderation at the expense of a place in the history books.
The Belgium population is 10 million, divided into two main language groups with about 6 million Dutch (formerly called Flemish) speakers and 4 million French speakers (plus 67,000 German speakers living on the German border). During the 1990s Belgium was virtually divided into two federal states, Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia, stitched together by national government and the capital city of Brussels - a mainly French speaking bubble surrounded by Flemish territory. A common complaint is that there are no Belgians any more - there are only Walloons and Flemings (totally wrong because there are some one million North African and Turkish Moslems). This is a country that is neither rooted in history nor defined by language. Today nationalism refers to a fervor not for Belgium, but for Flanders or Wallonia. Emotions can run very high, especially at the muddy interface along the border - their respective emblems, the Walloon’s cock and the Flemish lion, could well be pictured trying to claw each other’s eyes out. At times the very future of Belium seems in doubt. Belgium is probably the only country that wonders if it even exists. There are few slender threads holding the nation together: the royal family, the ‘Red Devils’ (the national football team), Catholicism, Tintin. The big question is whether Belgian nationhood will be preserved and if so for how long.
The Belgians have the reputation of being dull. The curious and endearing characteristic of the Belgians is that they do not rise to the bait that this labeling imposes. Let other nations crow; the cock that crows loudest will be the first for the pot. Those who scoff should beware: Belgian things are becoming fashionable, and not just the chocolates and the beer. Visitors to Belgium are discovering with surprise the genius of Belgian cousines, the genuine welcome of Belgian hospitality, the brilliance of the art, the odd chateau tucked away in the countryside, the fashion designers who have risen to international stardom,… The Belgians in their quiet, undemonstrative way seem to have got many things just about right. Reports published by the United Nations have rated Belgium the best place to live in the European Union, and the fifth most prosperous country in the world (after Norway, Australia, Canada and Sweden), facts which came as a shock to the Belgians who claim such accolades are not justified.
The Belgians are ready to belittle themselves as a nation. They tend to describe their country as being flat and small - in fact, it is neither that small, nor that flat. Even Leopold II, the towering 19th century King of the Belgians, once famously dismissed his nation as ‘petit pay, petites gens’ (small country, small-minded people).
The French-speaking Wallonia of the south, with its heavy industries was, not until a long time ago, the undisputed master of Belgium. However, as the old heavy industries collapsed, the boot is now on the other foot. The Dutch-speaking Flanders, after centuries of being kicked around by the French-speaking Belgians, are now, with their new light industries and the ports facilities in the north, as well as tourism, the undisputed masters. Flanders is now ranked as one of the most prosperous regions in Europe, a leader in information technology, pharmaceuticals and electrical industries. To the Flemish they are now the stars and do little to conceal their glee. On the other hand, the French-speaking Belgians are passing through troubled times, …they have lost power and they have lost the initiative. The Flemish think of themselves as hardworking, honest and dependable, while the Walloons see themselves oppressed, as being between a rock and a hard place. The French-speaking Bruxellois see themselves as even more threatened. Encircled by Flanders, they find that the Flemish want to make Brussels the capital of Flanders, despite the fact that the majority of Bruxellois are French-speaking.
In contrast to the complexities of intercommunal strife within their own country, the Belgians are admirably tolerant of other nations in a most natural fashion. They are remarkably magnanimous toward those who conquered and overrun them. Nevertheless, the French-speaking Belgians would hate to be French and the Dutch-speaking Belgians to be Dutch. For the Belgians, who are happy to holiday in France and would not dream of drinking wine from anywhere else, consider the French are not just haughty and disdainful, but they are particularly haughty and disdainful about the Belgians; as for the Dutch, they are considered unforgivably mean and puritanical, eat poorly, dress eccentricly, culturally inept when travelling abroad and drive badly.
1 comment January 6th, 2007
Japan - (2 of 2 Articles) Key Aspects of Japanese Culture
Buddhism and Shintoism are the two dominant religions, although the latter is actually more a “cult of nature” where supernatural beings are born, live, die and are reborn. This karmic cycle allows for the explanation of the Sun Goddess as an ancestor of the Imperial family. Buddhism, Japan’s dominant religion, was introduced much later (6th Century, A.D.) and teaches a moral life of mercy and compassion, and coexists and is reinforced by Shinto beliefs. Starting in the 17th Century, western missionaries introduced Christianity to the Japanese. All three religions are practiced freely in modern-day Japan.
The Japanese are abundantly courteous and well-mannered and, in keeping with the Confucian spirit they uphold, they try hard to mask and suppress their emotions - both positive and negative. Thus, emotions such as love, or anger, or happiness and sadness are carefully reined in. The Confucian way of life dictates that one doesn’t burden others with one’s personal feelings and frame of mind. Even in traffic accidents, everyone remains calm. This characteristic of restrained emotions can make communication with others, and even among family members, more difficult.
Exchanging business cards is more prevalent in Japan than in most other countries, especially in business situations. As soon as one is introduced, a Japanese person will present his or her card and expect to receive one in exchange. The cards are meant to establish the person’s position in the organization or the person’s professional calling. Often, but not always, the card will be printed in English on one side and Japanese on the other.
Japanese consumers are fiercely brand conscious. And, while every Japanese will feel a duty to support Japan’s economy, foreign brands have special cachet among the Japanese. Even domestic brands make an attempt to adopt foreign-sounding brand names. Western products and lifestyles are avidly imitated and eagerly espoused; this enthusiasm for all things foreign spills over into music, film, art, style and design.
Japanese men tend to exhibit a degree of male chauvinism. On the surface, women are treated with respect, but there is an underlying inclination to see women as either sex objects or as subservient helpers. In domestic life, a husband will tend to shower affection on the couple’s children, while regarding the wife as the primary home carer or even the man’s “substitute mother.” The younger generation of Japanese women often resents this treatment and the divorce rate in Japan is surprisingly high for a tradition-bound society.
At work, Japanese men and women take their jobs very seriously and this shows in the long and arduous working hours they keep. There is a clear and focused dedication to the specialized job they are given. A mechanic, for instance, may know the details of every engine built by every manufacturer in the world, but very little about the brake systems in a car. This single-minded approach to a job - or even a serious hobby or pastime - generally does not allow most Japanese to acquire a broad general knowledge. This may make it more difficult for others outside the narrow job to converse about non-work related subjects.
As in most Asian cultures, the concept of “saving face” for oneself, and for others, reflects the graciousness that characterises Japanese people. When there is a dispute or disagreement, the object is to avoid confronting a person in a way that embarrasses or diminishes his or her self-respect. In such situations, the Japanese will typically allow an exit strategy of compromise, so that no one’s dignity is diminished. Reaching consensus peacefully reflects the all important desire for harmony in Japanese society.
MH
Add comment July 3rd, 2006
Japan - (1 of 2 Articles) The Fascinating Duality of Japanese Society
If you want to experience a country of social contrasts, then visit Japan. Or, better still, live for a while in Japan. I know of no other society that has created for itself so many dualities. Japanese culture is rife with contradictions and inconsistencies. To the perceptive observer of Japanese society, this duality is both intriguing and puzzling: it begs the question, “What cultural imperative and subtle socialization processes have led to such anomalies?” The Japanese, it seems, have somehow managed to juggle centuries-old tradition with spanking-new modernity and come up with a mystifying cultural concoction that makes the nation unique. Here are some examples:
The quiet, self-controlled, almost self-effacing Japanese man or woman is the image often held by foreigners who visit Japan or meet a Japanese traveling in another land. Yet, this soft-spoken, demure Japanese nature contrasts sharply with their public and personal environments—both visual and aural—which can be gratingly loud and obtrusive. Inside a crowded commuter train in Japan you will see passengers studying a newspaper or book, playing a silent computer game on their cell phones or using it to send text-messages, and catching up on badly-needed sleep (I once observed carriage-full of morning commuters, where two thirds of the seated riders were fast asleep, some even resting against the lap of the adjacent passenger). But the train carriage in which all of this is quietly going on is cluttered with advertising messages, car cards and banners hanging from the ceiling. Every cubic inch of air space, it seems, is shouting its message to bleary-eyed commuters.
If you happen to stumble upon one of the many Pachinko parlors a city has to offer, on a typical weekday evening, a look inside will introduce you to some of the noisiest aspects of outwardly quiet Japanese life. Pachinko is the Japanese equivalent of Las Vegas-style slot machines—the Japanese version of electronic gambling and gobbles up metric tons of metal tokens within each hour. The air inside is thick with tobacco smoke and the din is unbelievable. Row upon row of after-work hopefuls diligently feed these noisy machines and the metallic roar inside the warehouse-sized building rivals that of a mid-20th century textile factory.
Drop into a typical, non-franchise restaurant in Japan to enjoy a relatively quiet and leisurely meal, and you will be offered a visually pleasing and esthetic dining experience. The dish you ordered will come to your table in the most harmonious presentation imaginable. Each piece of food and its accoutrement is painstakingly placed around the plate or small dish with visual balance and color harmony in mind. Step onto the street outside this very same restaurant, and you will find a visual cacophony that offends the senses in the extreme. The street itself, while clean and generally free of garbage, is festooned with telephone poles, power lines, countless wires and cables crisscrossing the sky, railway tracks with overhead high-tension wires everywhere, promotional cloth banners flapping in the breeze and selling everything from massage parlors to new high-rise apartments—visual chaos that even a Japanese Jackson Pollock could not replicate.
In public, the Japanese usually present themselves as neat, clean, even spic and span. Being a crowded country, personal space is considerably reduced and the Japanese have adapted accordingly. Far into the night, after time with children and a favorite TV program have been enjoyed, comes the ritual of the “ofuro”—the personal, in-home bath before retiring for the night (often at 2 a.m.) and facing the next day’s challenges. First a shower, and then a relaxing soaking in the hot tub. There is a certain neatness to the whole procedure. Slippers for the shower area, separate slippers for the ofuro section, and certainly separate slippers for the separately enclosed toilet (which is never located in the bath area). The hygiene is ritualistic but ultimately aimed at not offending co-workers or when riding in close proximity to other commuters.
But it is the home where they can “finally” let their hair down at the end of a long and stamina-sapping day. You will be fortunate, indeed, to be invited into the inner sanctuary of Japanese family life. The home is reserved for family. The Western visitor to a Japanese house will be astonished at the terribly messy and disorganized ambience. The clutter is unbelievable. Every conceivable horizontal surface will be covered with trinkets, laundry, snack foods, souvenirs, gifts from visitors, letters, stationery, electronic gadgets, household utensils and furnishings. And in the living room sits the ubiquitous television set. The TV programming, too, is unbelievably cluttered. Pick any station program, and you will see countless windows opening up all over the TV screen—sideshows to the actual program at hand—side bars with moving messages, writing superimposed on every corner of the screen to add “information,” and mini-cameos of whatever else is going on during the televised segment. Even the commentary or conversation captured in a jumble of back-and-forth sound bites is irritating and distracting. The Japanese mantra is the preservation of harmony: harmony at work; harmony in interpersonal relations; harmony in business dealings. But not, it seems spatial harmony in the personal retreat of the home, nor audio-visual harmony in the TV programming.
The Japanese can master the intricacies of production systems to such a degree that they consistently achieve incredibly high quality standards. It’s as though the supreme goal is flawless design and zero-error tolerance: Give us the original product idea, and we will polish it to perfection. Yet, they can be unbelievably inefficient and bureaucratic in service delivery and regulatory procedures. Apply to open a personal account at a neighborhood bank branch and you will be taken on a harrowing expedition through an ocean of paperwork long before you have access to your own money.
In a nation which takes manufacturing precision to unparalleled heights, you will also find a train system that is so reliable, you can set your watch by the times a train arrives at or leaves any railway station. Yet, you will witness a people who are astonishingly imprecise and vague in interpersonal communication. The Japanese language is a very “high-context” one: the meaning of a word or written character depends on the context in which it is used. Research indicates that the Japanese are able to fully understand each other only about 85 percent of the time. In ordinary conversations, people will often stop in mid-sentence and trace with their finger, in the air or on a flat surface, the intended Japanese character or ideogram to clarify what they mean.
In the suburbs of a Japanese city, you can stroll at leisure inside an exquisitely manicured Japanese rose garden and admire the endless variety of cultivated flowers. You will mingle among other quiet admirers of the gardening touch and barely hear the polite and subdued conversation of passers-by. But lift your eyes to the horizon spreading behind this horticultural extravaganza and your gaze will be jarred by half a dozen tall industrial smokestacks belching thick, fout-smelling pollutants straight into the hazy sky. Nearby, the bridges and overpasses are carpeted with high-speed traffic, the hiss of tires rolling on concrete amplified into an incessant roar.
The Japanese are painfully hesitant about taking any form of military role in the global arena. Yet, when it comes to commercial whaling, they can be aggressive, defensive and blatantly war-like in protecting their right to cull certain species of the mammals that most humans shower with affection and a motherly, protective instinct. In a country that has thoroughly embraced the modern sports of soccer, golf and baseball, they venerate the ritualistic moves of their national spectator pastime, the 400-year-old sport of sumo wrestling.
That’s Japan for you, traditional, thoroughly modern, and maddeningly contradictory.
TEM
1 comment July 1st, 2006
Israel - Getting Acquainted With Its People
Israeli culture is a mix of European and Middle Eastern customs, music and food. In the past 20 years American influences have made significant inroads into the culture. Although Israel started as a social experiment with collective farms, kibbutzes, and Zionist idealists, it has evolved with strong capitalist organizations and individualism motivated with materialism.
They welcome heated discussions on any subject. In addition to Hebrew, many speak English and the language of the country they immigrated from. Israel is predominantly an immigrant nation and retains many different cultural characteristics.
An Israeli is informed about the world and can speak politics to whomever will listen. They welcome a heated discussion on any subject. And depending on whom you are associating with, you could be among artists, musicians, scientists, or farmers. They are represented with a higher percentage of engineers and musicians than most other countries. When a subject is debated, the volume of conversation may get elevated, but you can walk away as friends without hard feelings. Political correctness is not the norm. And freedom of expression is not stifled.
One can start a conversation with a cab driver. You will not be surprised if he has visited your home country. Nearly 10% of the population travel abroad on vacation every year. They will be curious to know more about you, your work, and sometimes even your income.
As more and more Israelis have traveled abroad, one can see how fast they have adapted to international behavioral norms. Many Israelis have experienced harsh lives, and have a tendency to exhibit brashness, or to push their way into a line, but it is best to ignore it as there is much to appreciate about Israelis. As Israel has developed and the people are more confident of defending themselves, this characteristic is moderating. Sabra is the name given to native born Israelis. Sabra is a cactus, which like the Israeli is prickly on the outside, but sweet on the inside.
Nearly all Israelis, both men and women, have served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and few subjects have affected more the psyche of a people engulfed by enemies on all fronts. As a result, Israelis are by and large passionate about their defense forces. Many career ex-military men are promoted to high positions in government and industry. Many acquire special managerial and technical skills during their service tenure.
Israelis enjoy socializing. Cafes take the place of bars in Israel, and many are open very late. On Friday night, some even stay open all night. Although Friday night to Saturday night is the Sabbath, most Jews in Israel (excepting Jerusalem) are secular and prefer to spend Fridays and Saturdays at the beach or hanging out with friends at cafes and other meeting places.
They enjoy family and food and recreation, and welcome people into their homes. If there is a wedding – nearly everyone they know, including close friends of their family members are invited. Weddings are elaborate and often exceed the means of the respective families; so monetary gifts from friends are used to pay for night long dancing and sumptuous feasting. If you happen to be visiting a friend in Israel, and your friend is invited, then you would also be welcomed to the party. It is customary for the guests to drop an envelope with money into a safe box before the reception line.
There is much more to Israelis than what people hear about them in the news. Despite the constant threat of suicide bombings and other terrorist acts, Israelis continue to go about their lives, riding buses to and from school and work, shopping, eating out, and going to parties, etc. The normal things that make up life. They do not let terrorism affect their quality of life, and probably enjoy life even more due to the constant threat.
MH
1 comment June 24th, 2006