By: Jake Steffens '12
My experience in Argentina was greatly added to during my
first birthday outside of the country. At my birthday party, it was called a "Hamburgeseada
y Choripan." That means that the served hamburgers and Choripan is like a
chorizo sausage in a bun like a hotdog. The food was amazing. When you
celebrate a birthday in Argentina, there are a lot of little things that are necessary
according to the Argentineans. For example if anyone started to joke around a
sing happy birthday before it is your actual birthday everyone yells "mala
suerte!" or bad luck! It is considered bad luck to sing happy birthday before
the actual birthday. Because of this, the party was held on the night before my
birthday but carried over into the next day which was my actual birthday. The
party is a big part because everyone just hags out and has a good time while
the food is barbequing.
Other rituals that they do is when it is a boys birthday, they have to "Golpear" you. Basically they just beat you up. Everyone runs at you and hits you. Another thing that they do is that they pull your earlobes down however many years you are turning. All of their traditions seem to hurt. The cake at the party was called a "Torta de Alfajor." It was amazing. They have deserts called alfajores there this is just basically a big version. It is crepes with something called "dulce de leche" on it stacked up a couple of levels. Dulce de leche is kind of like caramel. Then they have Morang or whipped cream on the top.
This is the cake that they had. It is the Torta de Alfajor. The dulce de leche is the chocolate looking stuff.
At a birthday party in Argentina, there is a lot to look forward to and a lot to learn about. The atmosphere, the people, the food, and the traditions are all unique. A birthday party in Argentina was a major factor that added to my culture experience.
By: Jake Steffens '12
