I figured “Project Paper Crane” would have surprises for me along the way and this was one of the first. I gave a paper crane to a country. There was no way that I could do otherwise. I came to Argentina to search for my passions, as cliche, ‘Hollywood Movie’, or vague as that may sound. When I decided that I was going to quit my job and sell my house, car and things to do this, I knew that Argentina was where I would go almost as if there was no decision point, only a discovery of an idea that had been cuddled up in me all along, waiting to be uncovered.
I came to Argentina in particular because I had this innate idea that it is a country that embraces passion to the extreme, not really having a particular reason to believe this. I knew the sexy tango originated here and that Buenos Aires is considered the Paris of South America. I knew the fútbol fans took passion to an other-wordly level. I am passionate about wine and madly in love with nature and Argentina offered the tranquilo Mendocino wine country at the base of the Andes mountains and the wild and spectacular Patagonia.
And all of these things exceeded expectations, blew my mind and lassoed my heart as I wandered through Argentina experiencing it all. This is where the real love affair happened on a much deeper, more personal level.
I have to start with the people, they are truly a special breed. A ‘welcome’ only and always happens with a kiss and this goes for everyone. You are received so warmly and immediately feel invited into being here. There are friends that I have known a short while in Argentina who I feel I could call with the most tiny or massive, insignificant or life-or-death favor and they would be there in a heart beat and this is true across the board.
I don’t know if there is anything like an Argentinian friend. They are so loyal and so flaky in a way that makes complete sense…eventually. They are the warmest and the most chill and the most crazy, also in a way that makes complete sense…eventually. They are some of the most characteristically present people who I have ever encountered. I do not believe they even have a word or phrase describing “to be excited for something”, or rather, “to look forward to something” or even “to wonder about something” because they are much to occupied with accepting what is and enjoying it.
Maybe this is why they can make the moment last longer and longer as if they have extra hours in the day that the rest of the world doesn’t have. “You can sleep when you’re under the ground,” I was told once. There is always time to stay a bit longer or make an unexpected stop along the way to somewhere, responding to the moment as it presents itself. Sure this means that on the receiving end of things, you could be waiting hours for your Argentinian friend to show up, but they will…or they won’t…and you’ll understand. And when they do show up, it will not be empty handed and they’ll give you a big kiss and maybe even say, “La noche está en pañales!” (The night is in diapers!)
Sometimes the ‘embrace of the moment’ presents itself in the art of the asado, the Argentinian bbq, an event that lasts for hours and hours and it is about so much more than the food. There is an extraordinary amount of meat and all different kinds, such that it can be put on the grill over an open fire and caressed with smoke for hours as it slowly ripens to juicy goodness and can then be served in waves and waves of meat. It’s all about patience and intimacy, gently coaxing out the flavor and passing the time together. It’s about taking something as simple as meat and fire and making something extraordinary out of it.
And there is the maté tradition, the loose leaf tea that is poured into a gourd (traditionally) and drunk through a metal straw, community-style. There is great tradition around this simple ritual, as each person takes their turn drinking the maté as it is offered to them, a shared experience. It’s an art. My good friend said, “I love maté because it is doing something without doing anything” and this is so true. It’s the shared, interactive experience, an excuse to hang out and talk; it creates a space. You go to a friend’s house, meet in the park or plaza, or arrive to the mountain hut…and you share maté.
They are emotional and expressive with their beautiful, melodic Spanish and have been so open and patient with teaching me. They are so passionate that calling someone “honey” in an American movie translates to “mi vida!” (my life!) in the Spanish subtitles. They are often creative and artistic to the point that it is noticeable as a cultural trait. They are all about family and relationships and romance and affection and you can see that in any park or plaza where people are gathered, playing guitar (there’s always a guitar), drinking maté or deep in embrace and kisses anywhere, anytime. You hear it too as you walk down the street and there is a chorus of “Que hermosa”, “Que linda rubia”, “Sin palabras”, “Mama mía, mira”, “Mi vida”…basically, your beauty is such that it transcends language.
Those I have met and shared experiences with in Argentina strike me as exceptionally grateful people, accepting things as they are and having deep appreciation for what they have. The economy in Argentina has had a rough go to say the least and I can’t help but acknowledge the integrity with which the people I have encountered have chosen to embrace this and to just love life, whatever the conditions may be. On top of that, they are so generous and they still find ways to travel and be resourceful with what they have.
And then there is the land. It is a massive country, topping out as the eighth largest. The nature here is simply spectacular. Patagonia is easily as stunning as your wildest dreams and more expansive than you can fathom. The Andes mountains flirt with different personalities as they march from the striking south with its gusty wind and dramatic glaciers, through the deep blue lakes and up into the dusty, color-streaked and mineral-rich desert. The nature is such that I have been brought to tears and lost my breath from being overwhelmed by the views in front of me. I could explore here forever.
I do not want to generalize and of course it is not perfect or all roses, my words here just represent my personal experience, which has been a powerful one. I have tried to write this post many times and have found it is simply something that really has to be experienced to get it. And it just so happens that I have discovered my passions and begun falling fully into them while wandering this amazing country. This has not gone unnoticed and I am forever grateful, which is why when I had decided to move on to Colombia for some time, I took a day to go into the mountains and give thanks to Argentina, this place that has captured and taken up space in my heart forever.
I did a simple ceremony and buried a paper crane in the earth and made a pact to always return to my second home.
*I was told at one point that the Argentinian Flag is symbolic of the sky (blue), glaciers (white) and lakes (blue)…so hopefully the picture of Perito Moreno glacier captures that.
Project Paper Crane 