culture notes; russians, jews and argentines
Back in the states I often visited my ex-Soviet friends and took a few of our common behaviours for granted. Even if it was a gathering of men who had known each other for a while and owed each other no favors, anyone in the proximity of the sink would automatically wash the dishes when they became necessary. Also, if alcohol was involved, often we consumed copious quantities. Most of my friends there are Russian Jews, but the question of ethnicity hardly ever surfaced, and none of them observed any of the rules.
Here in Buenos Aires I am staying with two self-proclaimed Russians from Ukraine. We also quite often run out of dishes, and any russian-speaking guest also goes for the sink as soon as it becomes necessary. This even goes for people that may be visiting for just the second time, with whom there are no established unspoken bonds of household reciprocity. Argentines, however, do not bother, but instead wait to be serverd their tea, potatos or wine, as the case may be.
Speaking of wine, I have so far not met anyone who drinks to excess. In this respect ex-soviets seem to have adapted to the consumption culture of souther European societies that extend to Argentina. Wine with meat, possibly a serving of liquor on special ocasions, but no drunkennes.
The issue of ethicity, especially of Jewish-Slavic relations is more complicated. Everyone here claims to be either a Russian or a Ukranian and therefore feel the need to express their oppinons regarding jews. Often these are quite benigh statemens regarding population statistics or word origins, but sometimes the wildest theories surface. One of the most entertaining was that Jews invented Christianity so that more people would pray to their god an therefore benefit the people of Israel. In the same vein, another claims that Chistianity was created so that a smaller group of people could practice usury (prohibited by the Christian doctrine) and therefore again, benefit the Jews. The most interesting part, however, is that a few minutes later, the same group of people would derride the atrocities of the Nazi holacaust while listening to Kleizmer music. Argentines also count Jews, but do not seem to know what to do with the number they come up with. Often someone would say something along the lines of "she is Jewish? Who would have thought..." If anything, it is an expression of surprise rather than an immediate categorization of an individual.
Argentines themselves are welcoming of foreigners but draw ethnic distinction lines between their own countrymen. Thus, cultural pecularities are attributed to Argentines of Italian, Spanish, German and Jewish descent. Contrary to what I would have expected (and perhaps this is not a general rule), my former host family does not regard the foreign students they accomodate as a means to make some extra money. Today, for the second time in less than a week, I dined with them. However, I now also have responsibilites, as the grandma expected me to figure out how to hook up cable to her new TV (it was just a matter of making one wire shorter and unscrewing one of the unnecessary adapters). When I was leaving she not only told me that she expects me to come back, but even stressed that I do not even have to call in advance. From one of my former Castellano instructors I learned that host families are not paid much, so they have to be very nice people to put up with the inconvenience. Mine definitely is. However, at their place I only washed dishes once.
I know I have a few spelling errors, but my time at the internet cafe is running out.
Here in Buenos Aires I am staying with two self-proclaimed Russians from Ukraine. We also quite often run out of dishes, and any russian-speaking guest also goes for the sink as soon as it becomes necessary. This even goes for people that may be visiting for just the second time, with whom there are no established unspoken bonds of household reciprocity. Argentines, however, do not bother, but instead wait to be serverd their tea, potatos or wine, as the case may be.
Speaking of wine, I have so far not met anyone who drinks to excess. In this respect ex-soviets seem to have adapted to the consumption culture of souther European societies that extend to Argentina. Wine with meat, possibly a serving of liquor on special ocasions, but no drunkennes.
The issue of ethicity, especially of Jewish-Slavic relations is more complicated. Everyone here claims to be either a Russian or a Ukranian and therefore feel the need to express their oppinons regarding jews. Often these are quite benigh statemens regarding population statistics or word origins, but sometimes the wildest theories surface. One of the most entertaining was that Jews invented Christianity so that more people would pray to their god an therefore benefit the people of Israel. In the same vein, another claims that Chistianity was created so that a smaller group of people could practice usury (prohibited by the Christian doctrine) and therefore again, benefit the Jews. The most interesting part, however, is that a few minutes later, the same group of people would derride the atrocities of the Nazi holacaust while listening to Kleizmer music. Argentines also count Jews, but do not seem to know what to do with the number they come up with. Often someone would say something along the lines of "she is Jewish? Who would have thought..." If anything, it is an expression of surprise rather than an immediate categorization of an individual.
Argentines themselves are welcoming of foreigners but draw ethnic distinction lines between their own countrymen. Thus, cultural pecularities are attributed to Argentines of Italian, Spanish, German and Jewish descent. Contrary to what I would have expected (and perhaps this is not a general rule), my former host family does not regard the foreign students they accomodate as a means to make some extra money. Today, for the second time in less than a week, I dined with them. However, I now also have responsibilites, as the grandma expected me to figure out how to hook up cable to her new TV (it was just a matter of making one wire shorter and unscrewing one of the unnecessary adapters). When I was leaving she not only told me that she expects me to come back, but even stressed that I do not even have to call in advance. From one of my former Castellano instructors I learned that host families are not paid much, so they have to be very nice people to put up with the inconvenience. Mine definitely is. However, at their place I only washed dishes once.
I know I have a few spelling errors, but my time at the internet cafe is running out.