Much has been studied about its origin, and although historians and investigators have researched and have entered in heated discussions, the mystery of its origin remains unrevealed.
The word TANGO 's etymological definition has contradictions, some say it comes from African dialects, for example, "Tang" would mean "touch, get close to..", among the Bantus, there are two dialects, one "Tanga" and the other "Tangui". In Spanish, the word Tango is similar to the African "Tang" in its definition of the old Spanish word "Tangir" ot "Tañir", and in Latin "Tangere", meaning "Touch".
The slaves brought it to the River Plate from the "black" continent called their percussion instruments "Tangó", accenting the last syllable.The word Tango appears in the River Plate (Rio de la Plata) in the mid XVIIIth century, and was the name given to a House and Place of Tango, located on a lot belonging to the Concepción (neighborhood) Parish.
Read more on Buenos Aires Times.
ALEMANIA
Consulado: Villanueva 1055
Horario de atención: Lunes a viernes de 8.30 a 11 hs
4778-2500
Fax: 4778-2550
AUSTRALIA
Cancillería: Villanueva 1400
(1426) Cap. Fed.
4777-6580 al 85
Fax: 4772-3349
SUECIA
Cancillería: Tacuarí 147 Piso 6
(1071) Cap. Fed.
4342-1422
Fax: 4342-1697
Cancillería: Santa Fe 846 Piso 10
(1059) Cap. Fed.
4311-6491 al 95
Fax: 4313-2998
UNION EUROPEA
Cancillería: Ayacucho 1537
(1112) Cap. Fed.
4805-3759
Fax: 4801-1594
Cancillería: Av. Las Heras 1097
(1127) Cap. Fed.
4807-3041/40/60/61
Fax: 4807-3050
VENEZUELA
Cancillería: Virrey Loreto 2035
(1428) Cap. Fed.
4785-2226
Fax: 4784-4311
ESTADOS UNIDOS
Cancillería: Av. Colombia 4300
(1425) Cap. Fed.
4777-4533/34/46/40/05
FRANCIA
Cancillería: Cerrito 1399 (1010) Cap. Fed.
4819-2930
Fax: 4393-1235
Ça suffit les folies. Je me mets sérieusement à l’étude de l’espagnol. Depuis le temps que je reporte ce projet aux calendes grecques !
Il faut dire que je m’obstinais à vouloir d’abord maîtriser le chinois (OK, « maîtriser » est peut-être un peu ambitieux… lol). Mais même après un an et demi d’immersion et environ trois mois de leçons intensives, je n’arrive toujours pas à soutenir une conversation dans la langue de Mao (par contre, si vous voyagez un jour avec moi en Chine, je pourrai vous éviter l'humiliation de devoir mimer une poule ou un poisson au resto pour vous nourrir !).
Comme j’ai besoin d’un coup de pied au bon endroit pour entreprendre un projet personnel de cette envergure, je m’en suis auto-infligé un en m’organisant un voyage éclair (cinq grosses journées !) à Buenos Aires. Je pars samedi. J’ai trouvé ce qui me semble être la meilleure manière de me faire entrer quelques notions de base dans le crâne : Bueno, entonces…
Ces 30 leçons d’espagnol peuvent être visionnées à l’aide d’un ordinateur, d’un Blackberry, d’un iPod ou d’un iPod Touch (c’est ce dernier que j’utilise – j’ai acheté les premiers épisodes sur iTunes à 2,99$ chacun plutôt que d’acheter le cours en entier). Des DVD sont également en vente.
La publicité présente Bueno, entonces... comme « the Grand Theft Auto of Spanish Classes ». Plus proche de la série pour ados que du cours magistral, on me promet même quelques gros mots ! Le ton des extraits visionnés me rappelle vaguement celui de L'Auberge espagnole (probablement à cause du personnage masculin, un Anglais qui a une certaine parenté avec William, incarné par Kevin Bishop). Les cours se déroulent toutefois dans la capitale de l'Argentine.
Je n'aurai probablement pas beaucoup de temps pour « étudier » avant mon départ, mais tant pis : les 17 h passées dans l'avion et à l'aéroport de Toronto seront bien rentabilisées ! Pas le choix : les travaux pratiques débuteront dès mon arrivée. Je vous en reparle…
P.S. : Au cas où mon cerveau afficherait les mêmes messages que mon ordinateur en ce moment (« mémoire pleine » !), j’ai aussi téléchargé deux applications de traduction… ;-)
There’s an algae-bloom crisis in Lago Atitlan – one that has affected over 40 countries besides Guatemala – and because people in this community bathe and wash clothing in the lake, it’s a crisis that intimately affects everyone.
The community is responding according to its understanding: huge groups are going into the lake to bail out the algae onto the shoreline; other groups (especially of women) meet to sing, pray and walk in the lake with a statue of the Virgin Mary. (I am surprised at how many people respond with a comment such as “God will take care of us” when I ask them what they think or what they are doing about the crisis.)
As phosphates are a major culprit, fortunately many people are also demanding an end to heavy fertilizer use in fields along the lake shore, and that a community pila, or washing place, be built in the center of town as well as along the lake shore. However, this doesn’t take care of the bathers, unless they put showers in, but I’ve never seen that in any community. It also doesn’t take care of people who depend on fishing. And, of course, the folks in this community who serve the tourists are worried; they have already been hurting due to the long rainy season. The community is also demanding a revitalization of the sewage treatment plant across the lake – destroyed by Hurricane Stan – and that new ones be built in all the communities.
As volunteers, we extranjeros walk a fine line. We are trying to be respectful of all these efforts, for each has its value; trying to impart what information we have, and offering to help in ways they are requesting (like money for buses to take community members to the capital to demand government response). Some extranjeros feel none of these efforts will be sufficient, insisting that the bloom is imminently dangerous and that even boiling or Clorox won’t kill the toxicity. But this is a difficult stance to take. We might have the choice to bathe in agua pura or construct a well, but the average Guatemalan family does not. As usual, delicacy and sensitivity, along with honest responses to close friends, is the rule.
Check out how to help on La Vida Idealist.
I must say that I feel like my grandfather whenever I say, “Yes, I remember the day when a Fernet and Coke was just 8 pesos.”
Unlike my grandfather who is referencing the 1930s when talking about prices, however, I am referencing 2006. For those of you have been in Argentina for a couple years, I know you too have reminisced about the golden days of ridiculously inexpensive prices. While prices in Buenos Aires are still very much a bargain when compared to those in the US or Europe, the average gringo can no longer spend money like Mike Tyson after his first payday. Many of us have only read about inflation in text books, but it is a fact of life here in Argentina, a fact of life to which one is forced to adapt.
Truth is, inflation is as old as paper money. In the 1920s, the German Reichsmark went from an exchange rate of four per dollar to four trillion per dollar. It was so valueless that it was used as wall paper and as fire kindling. In 1981, Argentina had a $1,000,000 note and prices changed by the minute. Argentines have told me jokingly (or maybe not) that they would drink in the morning because by the evening the price of beer would be more expensive. And even more recently, Zimbabwe has been experiencing an inflation rate of 13.2 trillion percent per month.
It’s hard not to let out a chuckle when thinking of people using banknotes for wallpaper and a Coca-Cola costing $1,000,000,000,000 Zimbabwe Dollars. However, inflation is no laughing matter because it leads to serious human suffering. Demoralized Germans fell for a charismatic megalomaniac, an out of control currency which helped provide fertile grounds for a golpear militar in Argentina, and Zimbabweans are currently experiencing a surge in brutal violence.
Finish reading the article on LandingPad BA.
How to eat right, fit exercise into your day and avoid the foreigner 15
Arriving in Buenos Aires can be like arriving as a freshman to college. Promises of big parties, all night affairs and schmorgasborg-style eating that seem too good to be true eventually become reality. It’s all fun and games until somebody puts on 25 pounds. Here are a few ideas to help you enjoy Buenos Aires without needing to buy overpriced new jeans because you popped the zipper on your old ones.
How to eat cow and not look like one!
Buenos Aires cuisine is delicious, but really fattening. From steak with all the juicy fat attached to plump empanadas to salads made of mayonnaise and potatoes, it’s hard to stay trim while enjoying the local delicacies.
Here are 10 tips on how to eat and enjoy in Buenos Aires:
1. Order lean cuts of meat, such as bife de lomo, and avoid too much choripan (chorizo sandwiches). Yes, those are chunks of fat if you were trying to convince yourself otherwise.
2. When invited to an asado, bring vegetables that are tasty when grilled, such as pumpkin, corn, sweet potato and bell peppers.
3. When invited to an asado, bring a big salad with a homemade dressing.
4. Shop at organic markets to support small organic businesses and eat healthy! My favorite is the Galpon Organico located by the Subte B Federico Lacroze at 4171 Federico Lacroze Ave. (and Corrientes Ave.) Be sure to plan ahead, though, they’re open Wed. 9am-1pm and Sat. 9am-3pm
5. Don’t order pizza or empanadas to your house – just don’t make it an option. Don’t keep the magnets on your fridge, no matter how cute the delivery boy is. If you’re craving empanadas go to Cumaná, El Sanjuanino or 1810 Cocina Regional and make it worth it!
6. Share entrees when eating out. Buenos Aires restaurants are (in)famous for their big serving sizes.
7. When you need monedas (coins) to catch the bus, go to a fruit stand and buy a few apples or bananas instead of buying an alfajor cookie at a kiosko.
8. Drink mate! Enjoy this traditional tea drink that’s also a great digestivo!
9. Remember what dulce de leche is made of.
10. Order a café or cortado instead of café con leche (most cafes don’t have reduced fat milk)
Exercising porteño Style!
Porteños love to look good and stay fit. This is proven by a phenomenon I call “that hot chick turned around and she had the face of a 70-year-old.” You’ll be walking down the street and spot a trendy looking young girl from behind. She’s trim and has all the right accessories. She looks like she was born on a Stairmaster and has beautiful shiny hair. All of a sudden, girlfriend turns around. The combination of wrinkles and botox is shocking, but damn! She takes good care of her body. She fills me with hope for the future and a desire to work out.
The men and women of Buenos Aires are very concerned with their appearance, take pride in their bodies and thanks to them, Buenos Aires is full of gyms.
From mega-fashion Megatlon to the rinky-dink Average Joe’s style gym, everyone can find one that fits their style. My style was the overpriced Sport Club (190 pesos per month) until I decided I’d never achieve the buns of the girl with the steal tush implants, so now I’m heading to the dive gym on the corner (65 pesos a month). Most gyms that have a pool are slightly more expensive. Just splurge during summer months. Don’t pay for the pool access during winter, you won’t use it. Those looking JUST to use the pool can also sign up for exclusive pool use at many gyms.
Tip: Many big gyms have “promotional plans” where if you pay with a debit or credit card you have a reduced price. Any special like this has a catch, so always read your contract carefully. I learned this lesson when I signed up at Sport Club a few months ago. Instead of the regular 350 peso a month membership I signed up for the 190 peso a month deal. Soon I realized it wasn’t for me and when I went to quit, the manager said that my contact was for 12 months and to quit I’d have to pay 2-months worth of membership. Turns out, if you drag it out enough, use the word abogado (lawyer) and one other reasonable excuse they’ll waive the fee. This isn’t a country where taking someone to court is a solution, so don’t give up all your money at first. Quitting the gym shouldn’t be an express kidnapping.
Finish reading this usefull article on LandingPad BA.
By James Bracken, Ediciones Continente, 30 pesos, 61 pages Reviewed by Stephen Page
On a recent sunny spring day, while wandering the streets of Buenos Aires, searching for a café where I could sit outside at a table and sip an espresso while looking at the passers-by (a popular Argentine custom), I detoured into a bookstore.
On the very first shelf I came to, I found a pocket-sized book titled Che Boludo, with the subtitle: A Gringo’s Guide to Understanding the Argentines.
I opened the book and discovered it was a dictionary of sorts, filled with words I had never read before. The words were contemporary Argentine slang, and the definitions were in English. “What a great find,” I thought.
After a decade of living in Argentina, I have been missing some of the slang while talking with friends, or at Sunday family get-togethers (they don’t teach Argentine slang at US universities, or in most of the Castellano classes offered in Buenos Aires). I was growing tired of repeatedly asking, “What? What does that mean?”
The title of the book translates to, “Hey Idiot!” or “Hey Buddy!” or “Hey Friend!”—depending on to whom you’re talking and your tone of voice. “Boludo” literally means “one with big testicles,’which does not mean “ballsy” or “brave,” but instead denotes a lack of cerebral functions. In Argentina, the young as well as the old use slang. You might hear an elderly man with a cane standing on the street corner waiting for the green crossing light mutter “¡miercoles!”—which translates to “shit” or “Goddamnit” or “hell”; you might hear a sophisticated woman in a fur coat call her husband’s new secretary a “puta” (whore) or a “babosa” (horny woman) even if she knows bystanders are listening to her; you might hear a teenager say to his brother, “No me hinchés las pelotas,” which means, connotatively, “don’t be a pain”—but denotatively means, well . . . you’ll have to read the book to know that one.
The book also contains drawings of the more popular hand gestures Porteños use—gestures that have risqué yet non-offensive meanings.
To read more go to The Argentine Post
I've been living here in Buenos Aires for the last year and a half. I do free lance work film and tv, mostly advertising and documentaries for abroad. I have been working under the table this whole time, usually borrowing "facturas" from friends ect, or I have the money deposited into my account in the US, but now that I've started to generate a more significant income I am considering getting facturas of my own. Do you know how I would go about doing that? I've been on tourist visas this whole time and it hasn't seemed to be a problem yet, so I'm not too worried about a residency or healthcare or anything, my primary concern is about getting paid legally. What would you suggest?
The
Keep reading about Argentina's football league on Wikipedia.
Photo by John Harris
The dollar might be on the rise, but that’s no reason to overspend while on vacation, studying abroad or living in Buenos Aires. Money saving tips that work in the US are not necessarily going to fly in Buenos Aires, so here are some suggestions to help you make that fat dollar last.
Grocery shopping:
1. Those shopping at the big chains such as Disco, Carrefour and Jumbo are spending almost double the amount they could spend at the little local dive market. The most economical supermarket is called Dia. It is open when everything else is closed on holidays and during the siesta hours. The stores are ugly and the employees hate their jobs, but the food is very well priced. They don’t have a meat counter, but they do have fresh fruit and veggies. You can ask for a “tarjeta Dia” which will offer you extra savings.
2. Canned food is very expensive and can be twice the price of the real deal. A can of corn sells for about $5 pesos and for that amount you can usually buy 3 or 4 ears of fresh corn.
3. Corner fruit and veggie markets generally offer lower prices than the big super markets and can be found every few blocks. Check sidewalk chalkboards for special promotions or sale items.
Eating out:
1. My favorite coffee in the city is sold for $2 pesos by vendors walking the city. You can spot them by their metal cart with steel thermoses and paper bags of sweets. From these vendors, you can order coffee (with or without milk and sugar) and you will be promptly provided with a piping hot cup of joe. Ojo! Many serve very sweet coffee if you ask for sugar. This is also a great chance to try out your Spanish if you’re a beginner. Really, you only need to say a few words, “Quiero un café” (I want a coffee) and be able to understand the price when the vendor replies. They might ask, “con leche” (with milk) or “con azucar” (with sugar), to which you can respond with a simple “sí” or “no.”
2. Sidewalk parillas (grills) are the best deal in town. Are they safe to eat at? If you can see the meat being cooked, it’s safe. No self-respecting porteño would ever cook or sell bad meat.
3. Hot dog huts are hot in Buenos Aires and offer a cheap snack. They are little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that usually have a high counter to sit and eat. Panchos, as they are commonly known, are offered with a variety of salsas, such as four cheese and mayo with various chucks of veggies or ham. These panchos and super panchos are not exactly Hebrew National, but they are safe and quick to eat on the run. This does not go for the sidewalk pancho stands. There was recently a police raid where many strolling vendors were detained for not having changed the cooking water in weeks or months.
Read more on LandingPad BA.
Benefit from the convenience of your own office without the costs of a long term commitment. The Private Room service is directed to those who are looking for the privacy provided by an individual space with a lockable door. These spaces permit a maximum capacity of 4 people. It also includes secretarial support so all you have to do is focus on your business.
Hi to all those venturing forth into the land beyond Oz. If you’re going to be spending some time here, you should know both how to tell if you’re being cussed out and how to do it yourself, if the situation is to ever arise.
Here is part eight of some easy guidelines to help you on your way to verbally express your pissed-off emotions or to understand the emotions of an angry porteño.
| Phrase | Literal Translation | Our Best Actual Translation |
| Me da paja hacer eso | It gives me hay to do that | I don’t feel like doing that |
| Ella es una calienta pija | She is a dick warmer | She’s a cock tease |
| Tiene más culo que cabeza | He has more ass than head | He’s one lucky fucker |
| El no da pie con bola | He does not give foot to ball | He’s one unlucky bastard |
| Me fue para el culo | It went for the asshole | It went like crap |
Now, mix and match them to come up with some of your own to use on that special person.
Paul Perry
LPBA.com Staff
For more translations visit LandingPad BA.
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