Corruption is one of the biggest challenges facing Argentina and other Latin American countries. It’s tougher than military regimes that once ruled these parts and committed outlandish crimes against their countrymen. The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index is an excellent source to measure corruption. Finland, Iceland and New Zealand are the least corrupt with Haiti being at the…
Month: July 2007
To be or not be mestizo
Mestizo is a term commonly used in Latin America to classify a person that has a Spanish and Amerindian ethnic background. There’s been an interesting debate in Bolivia recently that suggests that the country, whose inhabitants are mostly Amerindian, are mainly mestizo. An article published July 1 in La Paz daily La Razón reported that 64% of Bolivians identify themselves as mestizo. Guatemala is another Latin American country…
Returning to where I was once from (Part II)
After tomorrow it’ll be a week since we arrived in Buenos Aires. I’m traveling with my son Martin. The first time Martin traveled to Buenos Aires was about 15 years ago. He’s 18 now so he doesn’t remember a thing from that trip. One of the matters that has struck Martin the most about the country is how cheap it is. We…
Brazil is crowned Copa America soccer king
There was an air of manifest anticipation and a fair dose of dread all day before the final Copa America soccer championship game kicked off between Argentina and Brazil. As far as these two countries are concerned, it’s never a light matter when they face each other on the playing court be it soccer, volleyball, field hockey, track and…
Returning to where I was once from (Part I)
I arrived in Buenos Aires late-Thursday night. The flight was gruelling: Finland to Frankfurt and then a long flight to Rio. After the plane had been delayed for three hours at Rio, I finally made it to Buenos Aires. Argentina is an incredible country. In many ways everything that could go wrong with a country…
Will be posting over the weekend…
…if some are wondering why I haven’t posted anything since Friday it’s because I’m travelling to Argentina. When I get to Bueno Aires, I’ll post something over the weekend. I’m heading from summer to cold winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Ode to the immigrant
Who would write about the plight of immigrants if we wouldn’t? I’ve traveled for such a long time that sojourning feels tireless. So much wandering for so many generations… The former lands of my late relatives appear from afar like strange custom. It’s all time’s fault. It always is because it encourages us to move…
Updated: A summertime dedication to my friends…
…and another warm day where time takes its time. The lake near the town of Mikkeli in eastern Finland looks so comforting, like a liquid bed where you can rest and leave your cares on shore. I dedicate these four pictures to all the nice people I’ve met blogging. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere,…
Geography will save humanity from itself
I’ve been thinking about an interesting comment Savannah made on how do we put an end to the insanity and the culture of violence to prevalent in the world. There is a saying in Spain that goes something like the following: No se puede amar lo que se desconoce, you cannot love something that you…
The moon is down on the war on terror
I’ve been thinking for a while about the S.U.V. that slammed through the door of Glasgow Airport. Fortunately there weren’t any innocent bystanders that were injured nor killed by the horrifically stupid act. Even so, everything must be put in context. We’re talking about one S.U.V set alight by two drivers. The unsuccessful plot to…