What's your sign?

The U.S. has many laws- some might argue too many. We can sue a person if we slip on their side walk, or if we burn ourselves with their coffee. In fact, we could probably sue someone for just about any reason imaginable. However, I have realized that these laws have come about for a reason- and have been contorted and taken advantage of. However, they offer some protection- protection that does not exist in the organized chaos of Argentina.

While I could point to many things that exemplify this in Argentina, today I was reminded of a particular law that we have in the US to prevent discrimination. Greg and I went to a Spanish school to see if we could trade some Spanish lessons for English lessons. We spoke to the owner of the school for about an hour. At the end, she asked us to email our resumes to her. As we parted ways, she told us to remember to put our birthday- year, day and month- on the resume. She said that people fromt he US never do this, but that it is a must for her.

In the States it is illegal to ask a person to do this or even to ask their age in an interview. It is a law that is meant to protect job applicants from age discrimination. I explained this to the woman at the school- and she promptly replied " But how else can I know what sign you are and if I want to hire you? I know that certain signs make better employees and teachers than others, so I need to make sure that you would be an appropriate fit." I had to bite my cheeks to keep from laughing- but I went home with a new appreciation of the laws in the US- laws that I usually consider to be a bit too much most of the time.

Eanie Meanie Miney Moe

I am not sure a person can realize how difficult it can be to move to another country when you don't speak the language. After several months, Greg and I have found our way around, but there never seems to be a lack of surprises lurking around the corner.

Without speaking the language, your survival skills in a new culture draw on the familiar. In a strange place, you seek out any comforts of home you can find. This is especially true when shopping. Packaging is different, labels are foreign, and you never quite know what you are buying. If you see a label you know, like Dove or Heinz, you snatch it up- as it provides a taste of home and takes the often "not so fun" surprise element out of your purchase. I used this technique when buying laundry detergent as well. I have always used liquid detergent for as long as I can remember- and always have been a loyal supporter of Cheer. So, I chose the bottle that looked most like Cheer. It was blue, great label, smelled nice, and just seemed like it would preserve my clothing in the same way Cheer does. I asked a woman in the store if it was a good product- and she nodded her head- reaffirming what I already had decided was an excellent choice. I soon became a loyal supporter.

So, for the past 8.5 mo, I have been using the same detergent to wash my clothes. Today, the woman Greg and I live with was helping us with laundry (the machines here are quite a bit different than in the US- each needing its own set of special operating instructions). She looked at my laundry detergent and asked me if I had some soap to put in the wash. Confused, I pointed to my excellent pick of laundry detergent. She starts laughing and sprinkles in a powder detergent and shuts the lid. She picked up my bottle of detergent and points to the bottom of the bottle, clearly written in Spanish, advertising a wonderful laundry softener- not soap. And all this time I had been attributing my dingy clothing to the machines. I probably would have never known either...

Be Careful What You Ask For

Greg and I lived in winter for over a year. We had forgotten what is was like to walk around without a coat and and hat- or to wear shorts, dresses (I speak for myself on that one), flip flops, etc.... I can now no longer remember what it is like to be cold.

Webster defines "hot" as "having or giving off heat; having a high temperature". I think I can do better. Real heat- hot summer days- are intense. A shower using only the "cold" knob feels hot, you want to strip down to nothing, it's too hot to eat or cook, and you feel as though there is not enough water in the world to quench your thirst. Your clothes cling to you, and as you stand after sitting for a few mintues, it looks as though you have peed your pants. h This is the definition from Sheila's Dictionary. It has been around 95-104 here- and even at 3 AM it only gets down to 85... if you're lucky.

And it has taught me a few things. When I first arrived in Argentina, there were signs everywhere advertising "ambiente climatizado"- or a good climate- meaning air conditioning. This is a very special- more important than the WIFI sticker at the moment. Lesson 1- we take a/c for granted in the US. Our house does not have AC- and almost no one does.... and if you do it is not central a/c- it is a small wall unit. Fans feel like heaters blowing on you. Lesson 2: while I did not think this was important and actually thought it was funny initially, I now look for the "ambiente climatizado" before giving a place my business.

In case I forgot to mention it earlier, Greg and I are living in Mendoza. It is beautiful, full of tree lined streets, home of all Argentine wines, and it is also a desert. Lesson 3: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the desert. We have entered into more of a summer than we bargained for ...... and now I can't wait for snow!