Comparing Our Cultures

Some of the basic differences between our two cultures arise because of geographical reasons. For example, the fact that Argentina lies in the Southern Hemisphere and the United States in the Northern Hemisphere means that their seasons are opposite from one another; when it is summer in the South, it's winter in the North. Therefore the activities going on in one country and the other vary greatly at any time of the year. Take January for example.

January in Argentina

January in Argentina is mid-summer. For most of the country, this means extremely hot weather. School is out for the summer, and many businesses close for vacations as well. Most Argentines take vacations of approximately one month during the year, and January is the most popular vacation month. In the city of Córdoba, this generally means a business slowdown, except for those businesses related to tourism. The saying goes, "Those who have money, leave town. Those who stay, don't have any money."

January 6 is a big day for the kids here in Argentina. That is the Day of the Three Kings. The night before, children set out a pair of shoes, along with grass and water for the kings' camels. Early the next morning they arise to find that the grass and water have been eaten, and the kings' have left presents alongside the shoes. What an exciting time!

January in the States

January in the U.S. comes in the heart of winter. Cold reigns throughout most of the country. School starts up again after the Christmas holidays. Many businesses hold sales in late December and early January to prepare for their semi-annual inventories.

January 1, New Year's Day, is a day of parades and celebrations. Many of these are in conjunction with the Bowl games, American football games between U.S. universitites. These games mark the end of the college football season and usually determine the national champion. The oldest of these is the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, California.

The only other holiday in January is a fairly new one, the observance of the birthday of Martin Luther King, the civil rights leader. This holiday is observed the third Monday in January.

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