de acuerdo

The headlines of today's newspapers around Argentina include a smattering of news of statements made by President Néstor Kirchner yesterday during his visit to Mexico. Sounds like the Argentine president made some bold and much-needed statements about the US plan to build a wall off the Mexican border. The whole story can be read by clicking here. Say what you want about Latin American policies, presidencies, and pundits but when they are right, they are right. Kirchner is saying what too many nations are not saying about the US's ridiculous and frivolous plan. I suppose it is more nauseating for me on the heels of an evening where I couldn't make it past the first 30 minutes of Sicko because sympathetic tears turned into a hysterical near-panic attack when faced with some of the atrocities being swept under the rug back home. The fact that my tax money is being spent to build a country-wide fence and not to ensure that our parents as well as ourselves will one day die peacefully in a bed is just... well, sick.

My mind is just reeling. These things are particularly indigestible when faced with the idea of finally having to go home and face them. The point is that, in this case, Kirchner is right. The wall is wrong. It is a hideous affront to the world and must not be tolerated. While Argentina has a long way to go in some respects, it's worlds ahead in others.

i heart julieta

Last night I emerged from a divine mid-afternoon power nap, a week of semi-sick doldrums and insuportable cramps just in time to catch a cab over to Estadio Pepsi Music on Libertador and catch a glimpse of the beautiful, Mexican singer Julieta Venegas in concert in Buenos Aires. The concert, put simply, kicked ass. It wasn't as sweaty as Shakira at the giant Velez football stadium, it was less rowdy than the Beastie Boys down the street, and there were far fewer psychedelic trip outs than Creamfields on the Costanera. The concert hall turned out to be much smaller than expected giving it the kind of intimate feel that those lucky enough to catch her at the Majestic Ventura Theater just a few short months ago must have had. I think Paul enjoyed it too as Julieta dropped some Mexican-isms talking about amores gachos and singing a song about immigrating to the US of A from her querido México de que nunca me olvido. She was beautiful, sweet, hot hands on the accordion, and a general encantadora.

Her music is probably my favorite of all the Latin Music that I try to sing along to in the shower. She sings lovely lyrics with sweet, catchy melodies. Before we went to the concert I read another BA blogger's post about how music in Latin America in general has much more to do with lyrics than anyone else and at concerts you can easily find 80,000 people singing along word for word with their favorite artists. This was certainly true last night and Julieta seemed genuinely touched when the small crowd took over singing duties for her. I tried my best as a gringa to keep up. I recommend her music to anyone taking small, tentative steps into the world of music in Spanish. Her spins on the iPod have gotten me through many a difficult bus ride through Buenos Aires. Enjoy the video and here are the lyrics to my favorite song:

limón y sal

Tengo que confesar que a veces
no me gusta tu forma de ser
luego te me desapareces y no entiendo muy bien por qué
no dices nada romántico cuando llega el atardecer
te pones de un humor extraño con cada luna llena al mes.

Pero a a todo lo demás le gana lo bueno que me das
sólo tenerte cerca siento que vuelvo a empezar.

Yo te quiero con limón y sal, yo te quiero tal y como estás,
no hace falta cambiarte nada,
yo te quiero si vienes o si vas,
si subes y bajas y
no estás seguro de lo que sientes.

Tengo que confesarte ahora
nunca creí en la felicidad
a veces algo se le parece, pero
es pura casualidad.

Luego me vengo a encontrar con tus ojos y me dan algo más
solo tenerte cerca siento
que vuelvo a empezar.

Yo te quiero con limón y sal, yo te quiero tal y como estás,
no hace falta cambiarte nada,
yo te quiero si vienes o si vas,
si subes y bajas y
no estás seguro de lo que sientes.

Solo tenerte cerca
siento que vuelvo a empezar...