Argentina is the world’s most southerly country, known worldwide for its football, but it also has many other areas of life that we could learn from.
Argentina Protects its Native Wildlife
Argentina is one of the most biodiverse nations on earth. It’s home to 400 mammals (including wild giant anteaters, 1000 bird species and 9000 species of plants.
Birth Place to a Simple Living Pope
While most Catholic Popes have gone around in rich robes, our present Pope Francis (named after the patron saint of simple living and animals) used to be the Bishop of Buenos Aires, and is known for his simple living.
He frequently took the bus (until he couldn’t for security reasons), lives in an apartment where he cooks his own meals, and once went missing, as he had returned to the hotel room, to pay his bill!
Birthplace of the Tango.
If you like your ballroom dancing, know that Argentina is where this popular dance was born.
Argentinians prefer radio to TV.
Instead of gawping all day at daytime TV, this musical nation listens to the radio all day long, that’s when they are not dancing the Tango!
It has progressive ideas on same-sex marriage.
Despite being a mostly Catholic country, Argentinians have brought in very modern laws, so that same-sex couples enjoy the same legal rights as most other people in society. It also has very progressive environmental and human rights laws.
What Not to Learn from Argentina
The country is home to 50 million cattle (second only to India) meaning it produces more beef than anywhere, which aside from animal welfare issues, is causing deforestation and global warming.
What was the Falklands War About?
Back in the early 80s, the UK went to war with the Falklands, under the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. The war was due to claiming the Falkland Islands, a conflict that cost over 900 lives, including three local civilians, who died when their house was bombed. Situated 8000 miles away from England, Argentina has laid claim to the islands since 1833, with Britain declaring them an overseas territory. Most people who live on the islands have Scottish, Welsh, Scandinavian and South American heritage.
One good thing about the Falkland Islands is that they are filled with wildlife (lots of penguins) but free from any supermarkets or fast food chains. And the wildlife does not need to go to war, it simply lives peacefully alongside other species like sea lions, elephant seals and albatross birds.
The three civilian casualties were all staying in the same house (Susan, Doreen and Mary who were 30, 36 and 81 respectively). They were all staying with friend John, who had built an air raid shelter with tea chests, covering them with mattresses, concerned for the lives of his children. He later said that Doreen died in the arms of his wife (the shrapnel passed through her spinal column). The Royal Navy later blamed ‘a misguided missile attack’ for the strike.
Most people remember Simon Weston, the soldier who suffered severe scarring from burns during the Falklands War. When the fuel ignited on the ship he was on. He now runs a holiday company specialising in accessibility issues.
