What is it like to watch Argentina play in a FIFA World Cup football match?
In Buenos Aires, crowds fill the Plaza San Martin wearing their baby blue and white, and Argentinian flags wave everywhere.As volunteers with Voluntario Global, we don't just sit on the sidelines while the crowds go wild, we get in the game!
San Telmo is an area of Buenos Aires that can be best described as being colorful, vibrant, and multicultural. From its crowded Sunday market to its relaxing park, there is something to do for everyone in San Telmo. Watch as our volunteers explore and share a couple of fun facts about this bustling area!
August, 5th, Constitución, the Americas confront Europe in an epic football match destined to be remembered, engraved in the annals of soccer.
It was in an apparently trivial discussion on football that David, Sports Management student, teased Rocio on gender issues in football skills. According to the football manager, women should not be able to play soccer. Nevertheless, Rocio, fiercely supportive of gender equality, did not let him get away with his flaunted sports machismo, and proposed a football match to test Voluntario Global’s girls in the football pitch. Nevertheless, after giving away statements on the male superiority, David mysteriously retrieved from taking part in the match, and claimed to be busy with work.
The idea of the match had arisen with the socially-charged premises above-mentioned, but ended up to be rather different. As a matter of fact, when the teams were gathered in the pitch, they were so badly assorted that a boys-versus-girls would not have been possible. The teams decided thus to represent the two main geographic categories that make up the team of Voluntario Global: the Americas and Europe. Rocio, Ramon, Christian, Mabel and Josh played for America, and Stef, Alex, Arthur and Helena for Europe. The rumor goes that the Americas have won, but no referee can testify the exact number of goals scored by neither of the teams. Player 3 witnessed: “We don’t seem to be able to give an exact account, the winner has been proclaimed according to an approximate calculation.”
A remarkable feature of the match has been reported to be the disastrous physical state of the players, with the exception of just a couple of players. An anonymous American player admits to have been on the verge of being sick for how physically unprepared he was, given he’s always working in the office behind the desk. Moreover, besides the attempts from the south-American boys to give the game some kind of structure, the match has been told to be completely tactic-less, with people running around clumsily in every direction.
Nevertheless, the repressed gender tension, the poor physical preparation, and the improvised nature of the tactic, contributed to a very entertaining game. Both the volunteers and the coordinators, Americans and Europeans, hope to be able to play again soon, perhaps with more community involvement, better preparation, and possibly a revenge on David’s statements.
A cooperative is a firm owned, controlled, and operated by a group of users for their own benefit. The benefits are shared among them, and each member also shares in the control of the firm on the basis of one-member, one-vote principle. It involves mutual assistance in working towards a common goal.
Su Lavanderia is a self-run cooperative started in 2008 with the goal to create an opportunity for young underprivileged students to sustain themselves throughout their higher education. The majority of the members of staff are students facing the hardships of financial instability. Voluntario Global has been supporting the co-op throughout its first years, professionally, financially, and humanly. The choice of a laundry project arose from Voluntario Global’s link with the Responsible Tourism network. This, encompassing a number of young hostel-owners, furnished the young cooperative with its first clients.
Having blossomed in the arms of Voluntario Global, Su Lavanderia has gradually sought its own financial independence, achieved by means of various successful applications to grants, such as the Young Enterpreneur Grant in 2008, the Omprakash Sustainability Grant, in 2011, and the Ministry of Labor and Employment Project Grant in 2012. In 2011 the volunteering association Roadmonkey furnished the coop with a team, in order to create a decent work environment for the workers, accustomed to live in conditions of poverty.
In 2013, the small co-op was wounded by the abrupt death of one of its most dedicated workers and founders, Armin. Nevertheless, Su Lavanderia operated a redistribution of the tasks, doubled the efforts, and changed and inaugurated in a new shop.
For the first time in its history, on the 8th of August, Su Lavanderia acquires a washing machine entirely by itself. The achievement marks the end of the cooperative’s dependence on volunteering associations and national grants. The machine is delivered in the morning. Walter and David help unloading the package and check that it works without faults.
Nadia, 21, nursing school student, explains how a new machine means more work, more income, and, consequently, the possibility of embracing more workers, like her. With a new machine, the laundry can overcome its peak of productivity, and grow. Walter, 25, comes from Peru and studies Management. He explains that, after years relying on bursaries and NGOs, the co-op can count solely on its invoice. They have attained financial independence. Walter also mentions how his job in the laundry’s admin team has tested him on the practical side of his university study, and made him experience what he only knew in theory. As a matter of fact, this job also constitutes the first professional milestone for the CVs of the students. David, 25, studies Sports Management. He confirms the meaning of the cooperative as a professional alternative for young people to pursue their studies and sustain themselves financially. He also claims how their main goal for the future is to create the possibility for this sustainable work format to replicate itself, by means of information and communication. Walter believes that young indigent students should be able to work and maintain their studies, with the efforts it requires.
Among its propositions for the future, the co-op intends to achieve a status of environmental responsibility, the opening of a new branch in the city, and a policy of promotion of the cooperative and solidarity culture.
“Las organizaciones sociales han sido y siguen siendo el pueblo organizado. Muchas de ellas se organizan para avanzar en otras necesidades como el trabajo, el empleo digno, la educación y la vivienda digna y así dan lugar a las cooperativas. (…) Si la rueda sigue girando con espíritu solidario, la cooperativa seguirá siendo una realidad sostenible y replicable.”
“Social organizations have been, and will be, the people working together. Many of them get together to improve other primary needs, such as work, a decent employment, education and a decent housing, creating thus a place for cooperatives (…) If the wheel keeps turning with a solidary spirit, cooperatives will have the chance to be a sustainable and replicable reality.”
I am a sociologist at the University of New Hampshire in the USA. I normally don’t teach in the summer. Instead, I devote most of my time to research and writing. But this summer (winter in Argentina) I did something quite different -- I worked as a volunteer at a community soup kitchen in Buenos Aires.
I had little idea of what to expect when I contacted Voluntario Global, a locally-based organization that arranged my volunteer work. I knew that I would be much older than my fellow volunteers, most of whom would be in their early 20s. Since my Spanish was limited, I was a bit concerned about the language barrier and signed up for Spanish lessons in the afternoons, after my work in the kitchen. These lessons turned out to be a valuable part of my experience in Buenos Aires and in doing so helped me to build close relationships with the people that I worked with in the kitchen.
The kitchen is in a neighborhood where many residents, including immigrants from elsewhere in South America, struggle financially and otherwise. The cooks are an amazing group of women who live in or near the community and provide warm meals everyday to their less fortunate neighbors.
I worked alongside volunteers from North America and Western Europe. All were a lot younger than me. Many were college students, the type of young people I teach in the US. While the soup kitchen is not a formal classroom, I discovered that it is a place where people learn in ways that are not possible in a traditional school.
Of course, we learned how to help prepare large quantities of food, but more valuable was what we learned about the women’s lives, the community in which they live, and the people they serve. This is what educators call Experiential Learning and as a teacher, not only was I enriched by my experience taking on the role of a “student” in this unconventional “classroom”, I came to see that such learning is invaluable and will encourage, if not demand, that my students consider volunteer work in parts of the world much different than their own.
Entender cómo funciona un país que convive entre dos culturas, fue la consigna que mantuvimos con nuestra entrevistada de Puerto Rico, en la cual nos contó que a pesar de la fuerte influencia cultural de los Estados Unidos desde su rol gobernante, los puertorriqueños mantienen sus características culturales propias como el idioma, costumbres e identidad con su lugar de origen.
Su situación histórica de territorio dominado por otro país ha conservado despiertos sentimientos de patriotismo que en la práctica se ven limitados por su condición legal de ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos, esto por ejemplo no les permite tener representación propia como selección en alguna disciplina deportiva, teniendo que siempre adherirse a lo que rige su ciudadanía.
En aspectos culturales como celebración de festividades, es más fácil poder adaptar la cultura impuesta con las manifestaciones locales, como el caso de el Día de Acción de Gracias que se celebra con comidas típicas boricuas.
El marco legal estadounidense puede ser aprovechado como en la educación que funciona en dos idiomas (español, inglés), o la facilidad de residir legalmente en ambos territorios. Sin embargo, algunos derechos otorgados por los Estados Unidos, como el portar armas, consecuentemente ha propiciado problemáticas sociales como el incremento de la delincuencia.
Entonces podemos decir que no se puede convivir con una cultura y ciudadanía impuesta cuando esta se encuentra en un marco legal que no contempla el contexto, las características culturales, ni respeta la identidad patriótica del territorio, en este caso Puerto Rico.
3 temas musicales de Puerto Rico:
Género: Bomba
Intérprete: Los Hermanos Ayala
Título: María Luisa
Género: Plena
Intérprete: Grupo Paracumbé
Título: Sueño, sueño
Género: Salsa
Intérprete: El Gran Combo
Título: Sin salsa no hay paraíso
Escucha el audio del programa completo aquí
Para entender y reflexionar sobre las culturas de diferentes países del mundo, escuche nuestro programa radial “Con Otro Acento”, los jueves a las 8pm por FM Riachuelo.
Sìga las novedades en nuestro Facebook https://www.facebook.com/conotroacento
Cruzar la frontera de La Quiaca desde La Boca, Buenos Aires implicarìa recorrer 1893 Km. Mejor nos trasladamos de inmediato a Bolivia, escuchando estos tres temas musicales que dicen mucho de la cultura, historia y tradiciones bolivianas:
Relocating to a foreign country can be challenging; whether you plan on spending just a few weeks or several months, you want to make your transition and stay as comfortable as possible. Even more, you’ll likely be trying to fit in as best you can with the locals. No one wants to look or act like a tourist, but how can you prepare to best blend in before you leave home? The volunteers at Voluntario Global have created a list of dos and don’ts for assimilating in Buenos Aires!
DON’T: Wear bright colored clothing.
DO: Pack neutrals, blacks, and dark colored clothing.
Much like the fashion of other large cities, dark colors are always in vogue. You’ll be sure to stand out if you’re wearing something bright! Additionally, for women, be sure to leave the heavy makeup at home. Most Argentine girls wear little to none during the day, but a little bit more when going out at night.
DON’T: Eat empanadas with cutlery. Eat pizza with your hands.
DO: Let the delicious empanada juice and cheese cover your face. Pick up the fork for a slice of mozzarella.
Empanadas come in a variety of flavors, from pollo, carne, jamon y queso, caprese, to so much more, they are a definite must-eat in Argentina. But, be sure to eat these juicy treats as a finger food! Conversely, although you may be used to picking up a slice of pizza, be sure to use a knife and fork to eat it when you’re in Argentina. Even more, don’t expect dinner until 9PM or later!
DON’T: Forget to close both doors to the elevator.
DO: Take the elevator to whatever floor, even the second.
You’ll be hard pressed to find an automatic elevator in Buenos Aires. Rather, they are old-fashioned, featuring the dual sliding door. You’ll need to pull both doors tightly closed to ensure you’ll be able to move. Be sure to close both once you’re done, too! And, although Argentines are exercise aficionados, everyone avoids the stairs and takes the lift.
DON’T: Take a cup of coffee to go…especially from Starbucks.
DO: Sit, relax, and enjoy a cafe con leche in one of the many corner cafes.
Starbucks has become a recognised coffee chain all over the world which many people like to frequent to get their caffeine fix on the run. Argentines, however, are more likely to sit down and enjoy every sip rather than take on “para llevar”.
DON’T: Drink directly from a water bottle.
DO: Use the straw you are given during the purchase.
Going to a kiosco guarantees you anything you need. They can be found on almost every corner, so you’ll never have to search too far for somewhere to charge your sube card, grab an alfajor or quench your thirst. Portenos don’t tend to drink straight from the bottle, however. So if you’re picking up a drink, expect the friendly vendor to give you a straw as well as a smile with your new purchase!
DON’T: Cut the line when you’re waiting for the bus.
DO: Queue up patiently with the rest of the portenos.
The bus system, or los colectivos, is the one of the most popular and cheapest ways of getting around this bustling city. It’s extremely expensive with many companies and many lines, so it’s important to stay organised. Locals help by organising themselves in perfect queues that often stretch along the sidewalk. If you’re waiting for a bus, be sure to head to the end of the line instead of cutting in and a bus should be along every five minutes. This rule completely changes once you descend underground; it is more of a free-for-all when you want to hop aboard the underground train.
DON’T: Try to greet someone with a handshake.
DO: Kiss the right cheek of anyone you meet and anyone else in the room both at your arrival and departure. This goes for men, too!
Kissing the right cheek is the accepted greeting in Argentina. You may not know their name, but be sure to give everyone a peck! Leave sticking out your hand behind and enjoy the warmness of an Argentine embrace. Additionally, be sure to adapt to the unique accent and styles of Argentine Spanish; the double L and Y converts to a “shh” sound and the “tu” form is replaced by “vos.” These changes can be somewhat confusing at first but you’ll be sure to catch on quickly enough!
DON’T: Take one sip of mate and pass it on.
DO: Finish it all so the next person can fill it up with hot water.
Mate is a traditional drink of herbs and hot water which Argentines go crazy for! You won’t be able to walk down the street without seeing someone strolling along with their flask, gourd and bombilla. It’s very popular to share a cup amongst a group of friends, but be sure to drink all of the water before passing it on to the next person as it is considered rude to just take one sip.
Every country in the world has its own unique quirks; you can’t be expected to learn them all from travel books and guides. The only real way to drop the tourist persona is by adopting a ‘trial and error’ attitude. As daunting as this might seem at first, just dive right into Argentine culture with these handy tips and you should be off to a great start!
“Hay quienes sostienen que el fútbol no tiene nada que ver con la vida del hombre, con sus cosas más esenciales; desconozco cuánto sabe la gente de la vida, pero de algo estoy seguro: no saben nada de fútbol.”
– Eduardo Sacheri, escritor argentino.
“Some argue that football has nothing to do with the most essential things in life; I don’t know how much these people know about life, but I’m certain of one thing: they know nothing about football.”
– Eduardo Sacheri, Argentine writer.
Every single day, people all over the world watch football and play football. We talk about it at work, we talk about it in school. You can see it on TV, you can read about it in the newspapers. For many aficionados, it is a sport which has the ability to transcend mere entertainment. Football is more than just a game for them, it becomes a way of life.
It’s easy to laugh at this idea if you’re not the kind of person who eagerly awaits the weekend in anticipation of your next footballing fix. But by scratching beneath the green grass surface, it’s easy to see how life can be exactly like a game of football.
Think about it, the aim of the game is to score as many goals as possible. Life is much the same. We set ourselves targets to achieve and we celebrate when we reach those goals. Sometimes we push ourselves too hard and overcomplicate matters, just as footballers add clever tricks and fancy footwork to their game. But this doesn’t always pay off; sometimes it’s better to stay focused and keep things simple. Occasionally, we can suffer unexpected setbacks along the way, just as footballers do when they get injured. But we brush them off, and we work hard to get back to our peak. Whatever direction life takes us in, and whatever the final score, when the referee blows his whistle signalling the end of the game, we want to be able to look back and know that we tried our best.
That said, football does more than just provide a convenient metaphor for life. There are many things we can learn from within the four corners of a pitch. Indeed, the beautiful game produces many beautiful values that we can apply to life itself.
Teamwork
One of the most obvious values, given football’s position as a group sport, is teamwork. No squad of players will win a game unless they work together. In this age of bank-breaking transfer price tags, we often see a club made up of expensive ‘celebrity’ players who are outperformed by a team of players perhaps less individually talented. In life, communication and interaction is vital in our work, in our studies, and in our relationships too. It breaks down boundaries and motivates us all to work for the good of the group.
Discipline and Perseverance
Other key values instilled in footballers are discipline and perseverance. To get to the top of their game, they have to train hard, practise, and remain focused. To have successful careers, people have to adopt a similar attitude. What’s more, everybody seems to have this idea in their heads of how they want their life to be, but reality doesn’t always work like that. We will suffer setbacks and we will come across unexpected obstacles that will require perseverance to get over.
Fair play
Football governing bodies such as FIFA and UEFA often come under a great deal of scrutiny, particularly in the press, but the fair play ethic that they often stress is another value that is fittingly applicable to life. The world is full of many people of different ages, genders, races, and religions. In order to coexist happily, it’s important to treat each other with care and respect even though we are all leading very different lives. Furthermore, pulling all these various groups together through the means of teamwork can lead to greatness that otherwise might have been overlooked.
Fan Loyalty
There’s also something to be said for fan loyalty. It’s quite amazing how football fans remain by their team’s side, win or lose. Many other aspects of life can become quite trivial, and we often lose interest when things aren’t going so well. But applying this kind of commitment to our work, hobbies, and social lives could really reap rewards.
As Eduardo Sacheri suggests, people who think that football is something trivial know very little about the importance of the game. For many people, football runs deep in their veins and is often passed down through families like genetics. As ridiculous as this may sound, it cannot be denied that football appears to have many parallels with life in general. Seriously, it’s more than just game!
One of the most important things about football is its ability to bring people together and to provide an escape from daily life. Almost the entire world has been infected with football fever thanks to the 2014 World Cup, and volunteers from Voluntario Global have been no exception! They’ve made several trips to Plaza San Martín in Buenos Aires to join the many porteños getting behind the Argentina national team! For a city that is often so divided by local teams such as Boca Juniors, River Plate, Racing and Independiente, it’s amazing to see everybody united, jumping up and down, dancing, singing, beating drums, and cheering altogether whenever their beloved country scores a goal.
Last Friday, Voluntario Global hosted it’s monthly meeting where laundry cooperative workers, volunteers, and coordinators came together to discuss a number of topics. On this occasion, local Buenos Aries artist Román, came to the meeting as a special guest to talk about his various art projects that can be found throughout the city of Buenos Aires and the rest of the country.
During the day he works at a cultural center where he both teaches art and engages with the local community by teaching a profession to youngsters in recovery. Román works hard to pass on his knowledge of art on to others, he even gives lessons free of charge. The only thing that he asks, is for people to bring in renewable materials to use for the projects.
During the meeting Román explained the ways in which he creates his art. He does not go to an art shop to buy supplies, instead he uses local scraps or what others regard as trash. Common items such as bottles, scrap metal, and things of a similar sort are all fair game. One of his more remarkable quotes was “Art needs to stop being exclusive, to be more inclusive”
Roman uses past experiences and the local richness to draw inspiration for his creations. An example of this is how he created a llama out of some given material.
A number of pictures where shared that highlighted Román projects in many public places throughout the city. At the end of the talk, all who attended the meeting feasted in what was a very delicious meal. A dish that featured vegetables, chicken, rice, and potatoes was served along with vegetables empanadas. Chef and former coordinator Nadi, was responsible for serving the magnificent meal.
VOLUNTARIO GLOBAL
Voluntario Global helps local communities by being available to discuss anything that local organizations need, and offering ideas for further change and development.
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CONTACT
Location: General Pacheco. Buenos Aires. Argentina
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