el año nuevo / the new year

Feliz Año!

Sorry it has been awhile since I've written, I have been quite busy! I spent the last twelve days at a summer camp in the south of Argentina but first I want to tell you about bringing in the new years in Buenos Aires.

When I think of New Years in the United States, I think of the ball dropping in Times Square, going out dancing and celebrating with my friends and family, drinking champagne, couples kissing at midnight, and counting down the New Year. 

New Years in Argentina is much more family oriented. Families get together for late dinners and watch firework shows like we (in the United States) would watch on July 4th. 

I was invited to spend New Years with my cousins in Buenos Aires and boy did we have fun! I arrived at their house around 9:30 for dinner and after a delicious meal, we filled our cups with champagne and got ready to toast the new year. After the diez (10) second countdown (DIEZ NUEVE OCHO SIETE SEIS CINCO CUATRO TRES DOS UNO Feliz Año!...have you been practicing your Spanish?), we went around to wish everyone a happy new year with a hug and kiss (there were 20 of us so it took a little while). 

After we headed outside to watch fireworks and take part in their family's personal New Years tradition. When we got outside, there were tons of people in the streets shooting off firecrackers and small fireworks and when you looked up, the sky was full of a huge fireworks show. All the cousins were intrigued why we (in the US) don't have lots of fireworks on New Years until I reminded them that most of the US is in winter with lots of snow for New Years. Mario (patriarch of the family) turned on his car and started blasting music while the rest of us starting dancing and singing in the streets.

Next Amalia (matriach of the family) brought out a bottle of cider, plastic cups, and a cake and the rest of the cousins started flagging down the bus that was headed our way. The bus stopped and the cousins rushed on the bus, handed the driver a cup of cider and cake, and wished him a happy new year. What a fun tradition! Apparently they have been doing this for years and flag down all the bus drivers that drive on their street for the first couple hours of the new year to wish them a happy new year even though they have to work. I joined in for the rest of the time in between dancing in the streets. 

Next thing I knew it was 3am and everyone starting saying goodbye and happy new year again. Celebrating New Years in Buenos Aires was a whirlwind and so much fun!