Cultural note today. Last night at dinner, Nani was telling me about a special holiday here on July 20th. She asked me if I knew what historic event happened on July 20th, and I honestly had no idea. I was a bit ashamed when she said it was the day that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I remember watching the moon landing and Armstrong’s walk on television with my family, but I didn’t know the date. Apparently everyone in Argentina does.
July 20th in Argentina is Día del Amigo (the day of the friend). It is to mark "the giant leap for mankind" that Neil Armstrong took on July 20, 1969. The people in Argentina believe that event linked mankind together forever as friends in one world. There are big celebrations all over the country. Nani even showed me a magazine she had recently received with articles about some of the festivities for the upcoming holiday.
I found it somewhat sad that it was an American who first set foot on the moon and we hardly recognize that historic event. I felt guilty when Nani told me the date’s significance because I was absolutely clueless.
Another celebration here in Argentina is “Gnocchi Day.” There were many Italian immigrants here in the late 19th century. Italian names, food and other cultural aspects are all over. Gnocchi is also the slang in Argentina for slackers or those who don’t have jobs. The tradition is to eat gnocchi on Gnocchi Day and put money under your plate so that you will be blessed with a job and income. Nani teased me because when she told me to bring money to the table I grabbed a two peso bill. She said I wasn’t hopeful for great income! She placed a 100 peso bill under her plate!
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