A Primer to Basic Argentine Culture

Argentina has always held a strong allure, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to breathtaking Patagonia. If you have your sights set on moving to Argentina, here are a few basic cultural things that you should know to get the most out of your experience:

Maté
It’s a national obsession. An epidemic. Really. If you plan on living in Argentina, get used to it. Maté is a strong leafy herb, (think bitter green tea and you will at least be in the ballpark), that is prepared with much ritual and many rules. Trust me, do not try to prepare the mate until you have been properly trained by a local. I was told on many occasions that I burned the water, which I never even had on my radar as a possibility. It is served in a cup (also called a maté!) with a straw made of metal or wood that has a built in strainer on the end so that you do not ingest the actual leaves when you take a drink. The leaves are covered with very hot water to make an infusion. It is passed around the group of people, with one person being the server and in charge of refilling the water. When it is handed to you, drink ALL of the liquid in the cup quickly, and immediately pass it back to whoever has the thermos of water. If when they hand it to you, you say gracias, they will take that to mean you do not want any, not that you are thankful. Be prepared, the maté circle can last for hours, and because it is a slight stimulant like coffee, take it easy in the beginning!


Asado
Mmmm, one of the best benefits of living in Argentina, asado is the slow grilling of meat over an open fire. Most houses have some type of asado grill outside, but even a grated piece of metal or screen thrown over a bonfire can function in a flash. Beef is the national pride and will always be available at any asado, but you can also asado chicken or vegetables. When the food is served, it is customary for everyone to applaud the person who did the grilling.

Boca vs. River
Choose your affiliation wisely! And if you do not care about soccer, pretend. Boca Junior and River Plate are two club soccer teams based out or Buenos Aires. It is a rivalry that is unlike anything that has ever been seen in American sports. In any taxi, or upon first time meeting someone, they may ask you “Boca or River?”. Be careful, as if you say you don’t know, they will spend much time trying to recruit you to their allegiance. And if you pick the “wrong” answer, you may get kicked out of the taxi or lose a new friend!

Dulce de Leche
Somewhat like caramel, dulce de leche is boiled down milk mixed with sugar, until it has the spreadable consistency of peanut butter. It is sweet, addictive, and is commonly put on bread, crackers, or cakes.

Che
Che is how any other Spanish speaker will instantly know you are from Argentina. It is said unconsciously, like we use “hey” or “um” in English, and it is not used in any other Latin American country. It can also be used to get someones attention, like “che, pass the maté please”. I get the feeling that I could be in this country for twenty years without understanding all of the subtleties of this word, but at least you know it is slang, and you will probably not find it in your dictionary even though you hear it a thousand times per day.

Tango
Tango can refer to either the style of music or the style of dance, and is very popular especially in Buenos Aires. It is known for its passion. You should definitely try to take in some live tango shows, and maybe even take some dance lessons. Tango can bring out the sultry, passionate side of you that you may not even know you had! Many studios offer free trial lessons, and there is often free tango in the parks.

I can tell you from experience that you are making a wise choice if you choose to live in Argentina. The culture is very rich. By understanding some of these fundamentals of Argentine culture, you will go from feeling like a tourist to feeling like an Argentine in no time!

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