By: Naomi Matlow
In the words of our Buenos Aires Location Manager, Vicky Viola, a Spanish phrase everyone should know before they arrive in Buenos Aires is: “‘La ciudad de la furia’ (the city of fury). It is a lyric from an Argentinian songwriter, that talks about how passionate and alive porteños are (that is how we call ourselves – ‘people from the port’).” What makes Argentines so full of life and intentional passion? And what can their outlooks on life teach us while we live Unsettled there?
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Stage and screen actress Marlene Dietrich famously remarked, “Latinos are tenderly enthusiastic. In Brazil they throw flowers at you. In Argentina they throw themselves.” A culture that does not value passion and emotion would never be able to invent the tango, right? Sometimes partners dancing the tango literally spill out into the BA streets. As journalist Rodney Bolt wrote in the Telegraph, “I’ve felt a similar sense of pavement-as-stage in Italy – and perhaps this touch of drama comes from the Italian strand in the tangle of national ancestries that makes up Argentina. You’re just as likely to meet a Stein as a Santos, a Menendez as a Pallastrini.” Cultural diversity makes magic everyday in Argentina. Maybe authentic Argentine passion is a beautiful byproduct of the cultural contradictions that make up her complicated history.
Bolt echoes the sentiment of Unsettled Experience Leader, Clari Mastronardi, an Argentine herself: “I believe BA’s uniqueness is rooted in its contrasts: the European influence mixed with the South American vibe makes Buenos Aires somewhere where you can feel at ease but at the same time, surprised at every corner.” Even watching football (or soccer in American English) is an opportunity to be expressive, passionate, and communal!
In the words of Argentinian artist Elisa Insua, “My favorite thing about porteños is that we are very passionate, very talkative, very introspective, and we have an insatiable sense of humor. I think we are masters in the art of conversation — we don’t have difficulty getting involved in deep and vulnerable talks (which I very much enjoy!).” If you are looking to revive your outlook on life, go deep, awaken your senses, and lead with your heart, Buenos Aires is the perfect place to do just that.
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