Re: [Tango-L] Tourists, porteños, plata plata pl ata

[Nina Pesochinsky]

Hello, everyone.

Deby has described an accurate picture.  One thing that is different 
in Argentina than in the US is that many people survive on very small 
amounts of money by living together, like the families do (what a 
novel idea!) or groups of friends/roommates. The culture is much more 
community oriented than the American culture that prizes rugged 
individualism.  For many people, it is almost impossible to survive 
in Buenos Aires while living alone and many, many people ended up on 
the streets.  Especially old people who have no families.

With all the modern conveniences, Argentina remains a third world 
country with excellent public transportation.  The economic tragedy 
does not unfold as a national picture.  Instead, it uniquely unfolds 
in each life, wrapped in specific context that often dictates 
conditions where there is NOTHING a person can do to better his or 
her situation.

In regard to money, it is a symbol of energy exchange.  Tango 
tourists do not just go to BsAs and leave their money, which then 
goes into some kind of a vacuum.  They give money to someone and get 
something in return.  This something can be just an experience - 
something you cannot touch or measure, but you can feel it.  What can 
be better than the experience of Buenos Aires?!  And an experience 
that is so rich that it changes and transforms us every time.  I see 
it as an investment in one's own self.

The other thing is that tango cannot be bought or sold.  Only things 
that surround it, things that are not the tango but about tango.

Kindest regards to all,

Nina








At 03:05 PM 12/9/2006, Deby Novitz wrote:
>First and foremost, thank you Caroline for your astute comments.
>Second, how can anyone no matter how you come to Buenos Aires, and in
>whatever manner you choose to spend your money here, compare themselves
>with someone who probably lives on 400 - 600 pesos a month.  At the
>least a person coming here will spend $1700 - $1800.  Money you do not
>need to spend, money you want to spend on something you love to do.  If
>you choose not to come here, you would probably still have a pretty
>decent life in whatever city you live in.  The fact that you can even
>spend the money to come here says it all.
>
>In my original post I was not talking about teachers who market to the
>foreign market.  People who charge in USD and upwards of $100 USD for a
>private lesson.  If someone is stupid enough or desires to pay those
>prices fine.  With regards to the bad teachers who charge $50 USD for
>privates, what about the bad teachers in the US who charge $100?  No one
>is forcing anyone to take those lessons. So why get so upset about it?
>Just because it is here?  Like it is OK to have bad teachers and bad
>dancers in the U.S. but not here?  Nah...it is just a part of life.
>There are opportunists everywhere.
>
>What I was talking about is the reason why there are less people in the
>milongas.  The people who come to dance are not all teachers.  The
>majority are not.  These retired guys live on 400 -600 pesos a month.
>(If that, some do not have even this much to live on.)  The average
>Argentine lives on 800 pesos a month.  Do the math, a room in a pensione
>is 100 pesos a month.  A studio that no one on this list would live in
>might go for 300 pesos.  Can you eat for 10 pesos a day?  With inflation
>it is almost impossible.  Food and a room alone is $400 pesos.  Bus
>fare?  Subte?  How about doing your laundry in the sink?  Medical care
>is free here, but glasses, medication, and hearing aids are not.  What
>about clothes?  Shoes? You wonder why they don't go to dance?  Because
>they can't.  Tango is a luxury regardless of where you live.
>
>Teachers, dancers, and musicians.  You think they all run around getting
>rich off of people who come here?  Most of the dancers and teachers I
>know scratch for the rent every month.  Most have other work so they can
>eat.  Some of the most talented people I know barely earn 1000 pesos.
>Most of the people I know charge 100 pesos or less for private lessons
>and will gladly give you a discount if you take several.  They don't
>speak English, they don't know how to market themselves, but they know
>how to teach and dance.  For these people and the people who make up
>"our" tango community a trip out of the country costing even $1800 pesos
>let alone dollars would be nothing more than a dream.
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