Warts and all

Back in my days working in electoral politics, a familiar part of our job was to seek products and services that fulfilled the Party’s official mandate to prefer Canadian, Union-made products. A number of other organizations have similar purchasing policies, such as unions, governments and schools. Locating promotional products that fit the bill can be tricky, [...]

In my experience, in any language, fluency – or at least the illusion of it – leans on knowing how to wield some basic low-significance words. And sounding like a local means knowing the local slang. Argentines have a litany of their own. Overhearing others’ phone conversations, I’ve gleaned that I can fill awkward phone [...]

Back in Buenos Aires today – it’s a national holiday, the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice. In 1976 on this day, a military coup overthrew Isabel Perón’s government and began an 8-year period of repression that involved torture and disappearances. The city’s quiet (though some are still working, more than on a typical [...]

Well, another week’s flown by as I’ve explored and photographed San Juan. It’s a very different place from Buenos Aires, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s smaller, with a population of 600,000: there’s far less bustle. Secondly, the climate and geography and their consequences. It’s on the opposite side of the country from Buenos [...]

Wow, has it been over two weeks since I last posted? This must be rectified. With the move to the new neighbourhood, I suppose, I’ve been spending more time exploring in the evenings. I’ve also been doing more capoeira – and, in the last week, cycling!