| Author | Message | ||
     Erica Unregistered guest |
Roberto - Hello. I'm also writing a paper for school on the cultures and customs of Argentina. There are five specific questions I need help answering. Where and how do people get married? What is the average marriage age? Is it acceptable not to get married? What is the attitude toward divorice? The last question is...How is garbage collection dealt with? Thanks for the help! | ||
| Roberto Unregistered guest |
Hi Erica, I am far from being an expert and I personally lack any statistics so my answers will be those of someone who has lived there and experienced just one aspect of our culture. 1) Where and how do people get married? Everybody has first a civil ceremony at the courts. Typically, this would be a small gathering of people -relatives and very close friends- and the proceedings are usually short. Later that day, the married couple offers a banquet/party for a much larger group. And that could be it. If the couple has chosen a religious ceremony in addition to the civil one, then, this may take place either the same day or at a later stage with the corresponding party. Depending on which religion is predominant among those getting married, the ceremonies and parties will vary. Argentina is mostly catholic but there is a large jewish community too. So marriages are distinct in these two groups as well as other minorities. With a few differences from state to state, marriage ceremonies are probably similar in structure to what I have described above. 2) What is the average marriage age? I am under the impression that argentines have been postponing marriage for a long time. The economic malaise being the culprit. It is no secret that most men would feel marriage as somewhat of a 'burden' even if in love, because of the deterioration of income. I would not know the average age of couples getting married but from what one can pick up from day-to-day living, I would not be surprised to see that number in the mid to high twenties. 3) Is it acceptable not to get married? Yes. Couples living together without being married is very common. My experience is only from having lived in the city of Buenos Aires so I can't make my comments extensive to all Argentina (there are some cultural pockets -like the province of San Juan- that are a lot more conservative than Buenos Aires). People living in the capital of Argentina are usually a lot more open and in average, morals are somewhat more loose than what you can find in the US. Portenios accept life experiences differently and would not look down to a couple living together that has not gotten married. 4) What is the attitude toward divorce? Divorce is always thought of as a failure, but the vast quantities occurring in the last 5 or 10 years have soften the blow. In other words, we take it as part of life experience. I would not say it is not a big deal, but for the average argentine it is not the end of the world either. At least 1/3 of my friends have gone through divorce, re-married or have decided to live together without ever getting married again. As a side note, not so long ago it was said that Buenos Aires had the second highest ratio of psychoanalysts per capita in any city in the world, tailgating NYC. It's important to note that the economic debacle and the ups and downs of the last 10 to 15 years have eroded people's core beliefs to the point that there has been a noticeable breakdown in values (friendship, family, marriage). This too may have added fuel to the divorce machinery. 5) How is garbage collection dealt with? 'Cartoneros'. That is the word your should research. And I stop here. (Message edited by admin on April 25, 2005) | ||
| haley Unregistered guest |
r there monogramous marriages or polygramy marriages in Argentina | ||
| Roberto Unregistered guest |
Hello Haley, poligamy is not permitted in Argentina. | ||
| ashley buell Unregistered guest |
For a school paper i'm doing I need a little information on argentina households. What are the norms and taboos in the family? How do you choose a mate? What is the function of the family? What promblems are there in the families and marriages? one more. What is the average number of kids in an argentina household and who cares for the children? please mail the answers to me at ipbbpi@yahoo.com. Thank you. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 209 Registered: 12-2004 |
emailed! | ||
| Michelle McCann Unregistered guest |
i'm writing a paper on family/marriage traditions and customs. i have similiar questions! How are women treated? Are women beginning to become more independent? In Argentina, do people judge others? Like say, do they look down on people that divorce, or have children out of wedlock, etc or do they not? email me at roxychelly@aol.com if you have any answers! thanks so much. | ||
| flippydippy Unregistered guest |
well i have to write a report on argentina what is the average famliy size??!!??p.s. i have to write 5 pages!! | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 217 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hello Michelle and flippydippy! I understand your needs for facts and information but we are caught in high season. We are a very small firm and at this time we lack the time to provide you with extensive information... I can only give you some vague answers from my time of living in Buenos Aires (30 years) so whatever I write here it will be partial and subjective. Women are treated ok, in general. Although there are reports of domestic violence here and there. In the circles I grew up this was uncommon and, in general, men are taught to respect women and that they are objects of romance. So men tend to be romantic and consider women as an equal, at least more equal than what appears to be the case in other latin american countries such as Mexico and Colombia. And this is a very general statement so I apologize if anyone from such countries takes offense. In Argentina, for example, more women attend University these days, compared to men. And many women pursue careers and independent life. Unfortunately, the decade long economic turmoil has proven disastrous for families and relationaships in general so the rate of divorce together with 'living together without marrying' arrangements has skyrocketed. We, argentines, are *very *very* opinionated and judgemental. We will freely give anyone our opinion about anything and most of the time, we will do so under a self-righteousness attitude. So our form of communication is not completely welcome in neighboring countries. But the crux of our opinions might be different than the ones you brought up. I can't see too many argentines being opinionated about divorce or children out of wedlock. Quite the contrary. In this respect, we have a more 'liberal' attitude towards life. Call it vanguard, progressive or iconoclast. In all cases, argentines would just shrugg this off for the most part. Yes, there will be some ocassional drama. But that is only because we grew up under the tango influence and some inherited italian manners so somebody may spill a few tears. But within days it is business as usual. What argentines are most opinionated about are of things of daily life. Any theme, event -political or not- will be just fine to trigger a dispute, a quarrel, and argument or just irony and jokes. We just like to laugh at and about others and situations. It is not entirely bad. If you ever make it down here you will have your chance to see how entertaining being opinionated about anything can be... Hope this (personal and subjective) vignettes help. (Message edited by admin on November 28, 2005) | ||
| Flippy dippy Unregistered guest |
Test | ||
| sam meredith Unregistered guest |
i am about to have a wonderful young lady added to my family. i would like to have info about wedding parties in argentina.(decorating,and customs) any info u can share would really help me out. thank you from tennessee sam | ||
| Laura Zurro New member Username: Sapphos Post Number: 12 Registered: 2-2006 |
Sam, My Venezuelan friend married a guy from Mendoza, Argentina last November. We attended the wedding in Mendoza and were serenaded by of all things...a Mariachi band. According to her mom, that's a very South American thing to do and not just reserved for Mexico. We consumed copious amounts of good Mendoza wine, empanadas, fabulous steaks, and dessert was panqueques (crepes) filled with dulce de leche. after midnight there was a second dinner (as if the first wasn't enough) of roast pork leg and various other roasted meats. Hope this helps. Laura | ||
| Chad Esler Unregistered guest |
Hi, I am travelling from Australia with my girlfriend of 12 years. I would like to know if I can legally get married in Argentina, specifically Buenos Aires. I am wanting to do something a bit different as we have been together for so long and thought this would be cool. Also if anyone knows what department or organisation I need to contact, Chad | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 365 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hello Chad, the information (in spanish) on this link might be just a little old but useful nonetheless. It looks as if non-resident foreigners may be able to marry in Argentina. If I were you I would contact the office with jurisdiction where your place of stay will be, very likely, one of the phone numbers in the box 'capital federal'. The "Registro Civil Central" is the central office and you should find most answers there. Bear in mind that you need to request an appointment 28 days prior to the marriage date so you have to spend some time there... After you marry, come back here and let us know how it went  Best wishes. | ||
| wayne Hammond Unregistered guest |
how can I an american get married to a girl in Argentina ? what do I need to do before I go ? is there period of waiting before the marriage ? where do I apply for this, and is it possible to marry while I am there for a week | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 398 Registered: 12-2004 |
Wayne, this link has all the local offices that handle marriages. Most likely, you will have to contact the one at Capital Federal here. Call this number ph. (5411)-4373-8441 or 8445 and they should be able to answer all your questions... | ||
| Lila Herrington New member Username: Insouciantlila Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2007 |
Another student with a paper here: I was wondering if there is any particular, common, Argentinian stance on marital infidelity? Also, are there any areas in particular that have a high population of Jews? | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1037 Registered: 12-2004 |
Lila, welcome! Yes, the city of Buenos Aires has a large jewish community and unless things have changed it is second in number to the one in NYC. In BA, there are specific neighborhoods where jewish people concentrate for business, notably "once". Although it has been popular belief that koreans are now taking over. I would not have an answer to your first question except that it will be seen as morally wrong by most. A few "progressed" minds may view it differently but the same individuals can be found in Paris, NY or even smaller towns that claim some degree of cultural sophistication... and keep all Henry Miller's books on their bookshelves. | ||
| Lila Herrington New member Username: Insouciantlila Post Number: 2 Registered: 3-2007 |
haha, thank you for the help! | ||
| Arial Member Username: Arial Post Number: 65 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hi Lila, and another welcome from here as well! Roberto is the unchallenged authority, but from having lived in Bariloche, I have observed that there is a huge Jewish population there, though I do not have stats for you. There are very interesting people here. I have to add a point of interest, I met the Jewish owner of an olive oil facility outside of Mendoza who graciously offered us a ride back to our hotel in Mendoza. During the ride, he told us about his grandfather who had seen the writing on the wall, fled Europe and established the business before the war. Fascinating story of which there are many in this part of the world. Arial | ||
| Stephen D Ruud New member Username: Stephenruud Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2007 |
For a good article about world Jewish population, go to http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/world-jewis h-population.htm Of the world's approximately 13 Jews, most live in the US (6.5 million) or Israel (5 million). Argentina has the world's seventh largest Jewish population, by most estimates, at approximately 200,000. The Jewish population in Argentina peaked in the late 1960s at 350,000. Almost all Argentinian Jews live in metropolitan Buenos Aires. Like the United States, most Argentinian Jews are assimilated. But, when you go to Argentina, you will notice Orthodox Jews walking to temple on Friday nights. There is a concentration of Orthodox Jews in Barrio Norte (where the Lubavitcher temple is), and in the traditional Jewish areas of Abasto and Once, poorer areas where other immigrant groups are moving in now and replacing Jewish residents who are moving to other parts of the city. Argentian Jews have moved to Miami, Mexico City, Israel, and Spain since the late 1960s peak in Argentian Jewish population, although most people think the Jewish population has stabilized now and is no longer shrinking in Buenos Aires. When I lived in Miami, my next door neighbor and many of my friends were Jews from Buenos Aires. | ||
| Stephen D Ruud New member Username: Stephenruud Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2007 |
"world's 13 million Jews," correction, not 13. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1040 Registered: 12-2004 |
Interesting. Before I left I heard that figure of 300k for BA compared to 600K of NYC. How numbers have changed! In about 2 decades 100k flew away -if numbers are correct-. Considering argentina's large brain exports (the figure at the time was about 2 million residing abroad out of 32 mill (6+ %)) it is still a small chunk of those who decided to try their luck somewhere else... | ||
| Stephen D Ruud New member Username: Stephenruud Post Number: 7 Registered: 3-2007 |
Roberto--Yes, interesting that one-third of Argentina's Jews have left the country since the late 1960s. My Jewish Argentinian friends in Miami gave as reasons both the historic anti-semitism in Argentina and economic reasons. When the economy was opened up under Menem in the 1990s, local industries were hard hit by international competition. Many of the local firms were owned by Jews. (My next door neighbor's father owned a textile factory which had to close. They had placed money in Miami and New York City real estate, but were still very hard hit.) Generally, many Jewish families sent their children abroad to seek better opportunities. | ||
| Jim Jardine New member Username: Kinnaird Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2007 |
Wow Roberto you are full of great info! | ||
| Lila Herrington New member Username: Insouciantlila Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2007 |
hello, me again, and i've got one more question... what are the laws/customs regarding alimony and divorce (when children are involved)? | ||
| MIchael Calero Junior Member Username: Michael795 Post Number: 28 Registered: 4-2007 |
What is the tradition in Argentina as far as engagements to be married? I know that in Brazil if an engagement is called off the lady keeps the engagement ring and doesn't return it. Do men give engagement rings (like in the USA) there or just wedding bands? If so, what are the typical stones, it varies in different countries from rubies to diamonds. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1185 Registered: 12-2004 |
Michael, aren't we moving fast in our conquests? Joke aside, I have seen wedding bands many times but haven't seen much of expensive engagement rings with precious stones. Again, this is just my personal take... I think most men will *spend* on anniversary rings more than anything else, like after 10/15/20/25 years of marriage. Even take second/third honeymoon trips. | ||
| MIchael Calero Junior Member Username: Michael795 Post Number: 29 Registered: 4-2007 |
Thanks Roberto, I just wanted to know how things were there. I agree with you about the anniversary rings that is when it really counts to express those quality years. I just read after my posted that they place the band in the right hand and upon marriage they move it to the left. Is that correct? | ||
| luciano pereira Junior Member Username: Luciano Post Number: 27 Registered: 6-2007 |
Let me tell you how is the tradition in Argentina. At least this is what i do with my fiancée ;) When you engage you use a silver lace in your left hand, you may give a ring with some stone but is considered very old fashion and in any case the fiancée uses the lace and just the other ring in an engage reception for instance, but this is very uncommon and just happens in a very small fraction of upper class for some people is considered snob or at least 'too posh' So the main tradition is wear a silver lace that is replaced with a gold lace when you married. Some people is know using a white gold or platinum ring because is considered more fashionable but again a very small fraction of people use it. | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1186 Registered: 12-2004 |
Oh... someone else will have to help here. I do not know as I didn't marry an argentine lady. | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2008 |
hi... i am a student conducting a study about argentina marriage, family and kinship and i am hoping you can help me find answers... here are the list of the things i needed to know...if ever you can also email me at bhaby19_syn@yahoo.com... i really need your help asap.. tnx... I. Marriage a. Concept of marriage b. Form of marriage c. Mate selection pattern d. Defined behavior between husband and wife e. Termination of marital relationship (divorce, desertion, death) II. Family a. Prevailing familial grouping (nuclear vs. extended) b. Rules on: i. Descent ii. Authority iii. Residence III. Kinship a. Kinship ties existing (consanguineal, affinal, fictive) b. Pattern of kinship terminology | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1562 Registered: 12-2004 |
Bhaby, I have never thought about family matters and marriage (in Argentina) in these formal terms... Is this the way it is in your country? And can you post examples? | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 4 Registered: 3-2008 |
why do people in argentina marry??? is it because of love, economic purposes or political???or is there other reasons for it??? | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 5 Registered: 3-2008 |
how do people in Argentina find for their partners??? are they monogamous or polygamous?? what are the rols of the husbands and wives after marriage??? | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2008 |
how do couples end their marriage? are there divorce in argentina??? legal separation of other forms of separation??? | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 7 Registered: 3-2008 |
what is the form of family in argentina??is it nuclear or extended? where is the authority, to the males or female or both??? where do the family reside??? near the male's family side or to female's family side??? | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 8 Registered: 3-2008 |
who are the people they consider as relatives??? how do they call them??what are the terms that they use??? | ||
| bhaby New member Username: Jb16 Post Number: 9 Registered: 3-2008 |
robert, im sori if i hav so many questions but i really need your answers.... thank you | ||
| Roberto Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1563 Registered: 12-2004 |
bhaby, if you have questions in the future we will all appreciate you post them in one message. There are over 1000 members that have now received 6 different emails. I routinely receive complaints about this... Anyway, this is my view only, 1. Why do people in argentina marry? Love. Argentines have strong feelings and a romantic nature. 2. How do people in Argentina find for their partners??? Are they monogamous or polygamous?? Our society is monogamus and we are used to meet the opposite gender in many different circumstances, including work, walking in the street, by someone's referral (a friend's introduction), by going out at night to places where people meet, school, college, etc. It is common for men to approach women, naturally. And as far as I am concerned there is no such a thing as a 'date' or 'dating'. 3. How do couples end their marriage? Are there divorce in argentina??? Divorce is common and I don't think it is seen as a tragedy. In the last two decades a miriad of economic problems had an impact on the rate of divorce. 4. What is the form of family in argentina?? Is it nuclear or extended? Where is the authority, to the males or female or both??? where do the family reside??? near the male's family side or to female's family side??? Women occupy a central role in our society even though there is still discrimination (lower salary for equal responsibility) and less opportunities for advancement for them. Over 50% of the enrolled students are women. Even when men are the breadwinners women carry their own weight. But there's still a tendency towards 'machismo' so authority lies on men. The last part of your inquiry depends on each family. Sometimes is the mother's side sometimes is the father's side. 5. Who are the people they consider as relatives??? How do they call them?? What are the terms that they use??? You mean blood relatives such as cousins/nephews/nieces and aunts/uncles? If so, then it is "tio" and "tia", "primo" and "prima", "sobrino" and "sobrina"... |
