St. Patty's Day

On the ride home from work today, I realized it was St. Patrick's Day. I asked Beto if Argentines celebrate it. I have seen a few ads for it in the Capital. Beto said that the only place it is celebrated is in the Capital. The streets are cut off and there are big parties, but in the provinces, nobody celebrates it. It's another festivity that Argentines have picked up from the States - just like Valentine's Day and Halloween.

Beto asked me why we have these holidays in the States and where they originated. I realized that I've grown up with these holidays my entire live and occasionally in school growing up we would learn about the background of them. Of couse, I don't remember that information now that I could actually use it. They're just holidays that I have grown up with and never thought much about why we have them. After talking with Beto and hearing his questions, they do seem like strange holidays when looking at them from the perspective of someone who is not familiar with US customs. The main point of confusion that Beto brought up today was the word "Saint" and if this is a religious holiday, which he didn't think it was because of all the drinking and partying that takes place in the Capital.

It's crazy how things that I've known my entire life, things that are a part of me, my US culture can be so difficult to explain. Beto's questions allow me to look at my own culture from the perspective of another culture and maybe even learn a little more about myself and my US culture.