Here's a blog post my better half did on 5 lessons of happiness learned during our lives in this crazy country.
I thought some of you might appreciate it, thanks for reading.
I thought some of you might appreciate it, thanks for reading.
Argentina Teaches 5 Lessons of Happiness
- Thread starter soulskier
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I love your Happiness Lesson #5: Argentines drive old cars!
This could also be applied to a lot of their material lifestyle in general. It is culturally common to buy things only that you are going to…gasp…. USE! Only the richest most cheto Argentines in Capital have walk-in closets. The upper middle class professionals I know have a very small professional wardrobe of shoes and clothes they wear over and over.
I have met some hoarders along the way, sure, but mostly I am impressed at the relative simplicity of people’s material lives. And it’s not just a relative income thing; people here generally don’t have this “if only I had X” mentality.
I think often as foreigners it is common to project unhappiness onto folks, like, "oh, if they could only have X they would get it in a heartbeat and be happier." But I have been happy to discover when meeting people, acquiring STUFF was very low on their priority list.
This could also be applied to a lot of their material lifestyle in general. It is culturally common to buy things only that you are going to…gasp…. USE! Only the richest most cheto Argentines in Capital have walk-in closets. The upper middle class professionals I know have a very small professional wardrobe of shoes and clothes they wear over and over.
I have met some hoarders along the way, sure, but mostly I am impressed at the relative simplicity of people’s material lives. And it’s not just a relative income thing; people here generally don’t have this “if only I had X” mentality.
I think often as foreigners it is common to project unhappiness onto folks, like, "oh, if they could only have X they would get it in a heartbeat and be happier." But I have been happy to discover when meeting people, acquiring STUFF was very low on their priority list.
I liked this list as well. I love the part about cars too. Maybe it's my ex-boyfriend's obsession with cars, but for some reason I was never really into them 
I have put a lot of thought into this here. When we finally moved into our first real apartment here it didn't have any furniture. We started with basically an air mattress and a couple suite cases full of clothes and our toothbrushes From there we made of list of the things we need and want for our place. It was a good thought exorcise to decide what are the things a person really needs for a home and what are the most important things? While we slowly check things off our list I feel a little more grateful for the little things like chairs and blankets, and I realize that although there are things I really want, they aren't really that important in the end.
I have put a lot of thought into this here. When we finally moved into our first real apartment here it didn't have any furniture. We started with basically an air mattress and a couple suite cases full of clothes and our toothbrushes
From there we made of list of the things we need and want for our place. It was a good thought exorcise to decide what are the things a person really needs for a home and what are the most important things? While we slowly check things off our list I feel a little more grateful for the little things like chairs and blankets, and I realize that although there are things I really want, they aren't really that important in the end.
HotYogaTeacher
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Old cars pollute more, creating massive green house gas emissions.
Other than cars, using old things is good for the planet and I have learned so much about using things here. Of course, I rarely threw anything away in the states either, I figured if I didn't need it, someone did, I always gave my stuff away to someone who could use it, or sell it, or otherwise pass it along to others.
Any of these lessons could happen anywhere. Americans come here and talk about the "laid back" life or the "cafe culture" but it really doesn't cross my mind because living a laid back life is how I live anywhere. America has country folk too, and farms, and back roads, and poor people, and people who grow their own food, but no one notices. Some people have to step away from their own culture and their own lives to be able to see some things. That is sad. I can't say how many times I've heard people say things about Argentina and the culture here that could easily be said about the States. I grew up in the deep South and we had a life that is much like the romanticized version of Argentine life that many Americans have. Life was cheap, easy and the children were free to play and live out our innocence. All countries have city and country life, have people who live in the city in the "rat race" and people who step outside.
I teach yoga, and most of my students are expats because Argentines who live in the city are too stuck in the rat race to come to class. They send me emails bemoaning their stressed out lives and how hard it is to get to class, how long the hours are that they work and commute and so on. Sound familiar? It isn't Argentina, it's because as an expat you've CHOSEN to step out of the race...
Other than cars, using old things is good for the planet and I have learned so much about using things here. Of course, I rarely threw anything away in the states either, I figured if I didn't need it, someone did, I always gave my stuff away to someone who could use it, or sell it, or otherwise pass it along to others.
Any of these lessons could happen anywhere. Americans come here and talk about the "laid back" life or the "cafe culture" but it really doesn't cross my mind because living a laid back life is how I live anywhere. America has country folk too, and farms, and back roads, and poor people, and people who grow their own food, but no one notices. Some people have to step away from their own culture and their own lives to be able to see some things. That is sad. I can't say how many times I've heard people say things about Argentina and the culture here that could easily be said about the States. I grew up in the deep South and we had a life that is much like the romanticized version of Argentine life that many Americans have. Life was cheap, easy and the children were free to play and live out our innocence. All countries have city and country life, have people who live in the city in the "rat race" and people who step outside.
I teach yoga, and most of my students are expats because Argentines who live in the city are too stuck in the rat race to come to class. They send me emails bemoaning their stressed out lives and how hard it is to get to class, how long the hours are that they work and commute and so on. Sound familiar? It isn't Argentina, it's because as an expat you've CHOSEN to step out of the race...
HotYogaTeacher said:
Gosh this is SO true. I have taught English for over 3 years and just have to smile at some of the pathetic phone calls and emails I have gotten over the years from people canceling classes (mostly private). I have to be honest; the women here are always the biggest problem for me, and when someone tells me about a potential student contact, I often ask if it's a he or she. I have been proven wrong only a few times in countless private classes with women. Of course, this all just boils down to the link between big city life and today's general lack of respect mixed with some selfishness.
