Good God, Argentina has a ridiculous amount of public holidays. It seems like at least every other week there is some holiday either devoted to one of the big names in Argentine history (Belgrano, San Martín, etc.) or something Catholic. Tomorrow is Día de la Bandera (Flag Day.) So are there really more national holidays in Argentina than the United States? Yes. Thanks to Wikipedia: The United States has 10 national holidays, while Argentina has 15. The UK has only 8 and Israel, apparently, has 24.I know, you're thinking, that's awesome! Lots of holidays = good! But. First, I get paid hourly, not on salary, so a public holiday means either a day of missed pay or that I have to somehow arrange with my students to squeeze that day's classes into my schedule for the rest of the week. Second, holidays are usually spent with family in Arg, and these are the days that being an expat is kind of sad. Even my friends who have Argentine boyfriends/husbands, and therefore are much more integrated into Argentine family life, say they find these days more or less sad and depressing. On these days, you miss being around people over the age of 25, who have some semblance of stability in their life, and you remember the little miscellaneous comforts of home like having baking ingredients around all time (not just buying them each time you decide to make cookies) and having a newspaper delivered. You know, a real home.
I guess I've been feeling extra transient lately, both because I just got back from a trip home, and because another group of friends has left - the life of an expat is cycling through people who come here on vacation or travel and leave after a few months. After a while, you get a bit jaded and don't really want to invest time into these people, because as cool as they may be, they won't be around for long. And Argentine friends are fantastic, but don't really understand what it's like to live here as an extranjero.
Well. Off to commiserate with a fellow expat chica from Canada. You'll find us drowning our sorrows in locro and Malbec somewhere in Palermo.
3 comentarios:
hey Sarah chica is not sooooooo bad. You have to manage not to get depressed when a national holiday is move to monday (never understood why such as awful day as MONDAY) but I discovered biking is a great option...
Okey... you´re probably right... biking through BA's traffic is probably an original way in suiciding but not on national days when the city seems to be abandoned.
Once upon a time I was an expat in London... that's difficult! Boring and sadness level grows really high when you have none sun at all for six months.
So is not so horrible. Don't complain.
xxx
Jajajaj... Yes I would bike in BA, but I don't totally have a death wish. As it is, I feel like I take my life in my hands every time I cross the street. But you know, it makes life interesting :)
And it's true, I experienced it in Hungary, it's terrible without the sun. Bs As is beautiful even in winter.
and yes, seriously, why monday?? why not keep it on the 20th...
Well... it works about the following. Except "most sacred" national holidays (such as may 25 or july 9) everyone is moved to monday or friday just to make the weekend longer (because of tourism incomings).
But in the end is they always move them just to mondays, never on fridays.
Sad sad sad.
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