Argentina 4: Chocolate Drops

Black Count: 21

I decided to count the Black people that I pass on the streets while I’m here in Argentina. Now there are a few rules to this game. #1: They have to have my kind of hair (capable of a fro) or relaxed hair that used to look like mine. #2: They can’t be mixed to the point where it’s hard to tell that they’re Black. #3: I prefer to count Black Americans, Africans or English-Speaking Black people, but that’s just a preference.

When I went to Mexico, it took 3 weeks before I saw a Black person. I was looking too!!! I was in an area of cafes where there were probably 500 Mexicanos. I scanned the area to find my next snack and cup of tea at dusk. Lo and behold! Way across the crowd, I spot a chocolate drop! I told my group, “I will be right back!” I weaseled my way through the crowd (with some quite fantastic Jack Bauer moves, I might add) and ran up to this Oklahoman woman. I told her that I had been here for 3 weeks and she’s the first one I had seen. She looked at me and laughed and enjoyed her mono-paparazzi, but that was my experience.

I'm very much interested to see how Blacks travel--and why they do. Statistically speaking, less than 1% of Blacks travel outside the country and even fewer do study abroad trips. I'm not exactly sure why either. It might be fear, because nobody else is doing it or creating a model to follow, or maybe they/we just don't know there are opportunities outside of our comfort bubble. The second reason I'm counting Black people is because even outside the country there is a common bond that we all share and I find that fascinating. In the States, we recognize the common bond using a head nod, a glance, a smirk... Outside the States it's the same--regardless of if you're Black American, African, or mostly one of the former. One of my friends said that it's because we all understand that we're in the same struggle and have the same heritage (roots) although our family trees have different stems, branches, and limbs. There are always exceptions, but this is pretty commonplace.

Here, the people are so well mixed because of their history. Argentines feel like they are displaced Europeans. People have come from all over and their skin tones are absolutely breathtaking. There are Jews, Muslims, French, Natives, Germans, English, Spanish, on and on and on. I enjoy watching the kaleidoscope of the epithelial layer. Family trees are crazy. I talked to one guy who’s grandparents are Italian, Native Argentine, and Spanish. I’m just Black—but I like being Black. Therefore, I’m counting Black people.

That’s all for now.

JLP

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!!!