This is Ariel

Playing Argentine Folk Music in the Botanical Gardens The first week that I was in Buenos Aires we didn't have classes scheduled and I didn't really have much direction or know where I was going so I found myself just hanging around my neighborhood parks and gardens. One of those days I went with a couple of friends to the Botanical Gardens where a couple of NYU kids were hanging out, drinking wine and taking in the sun. I went to go sit with them but then noticed that there were two men on the other side of the park playing the guitar and singing. They sounded really good so I ventured over there to listen to them some more with a secretive motive to ask them about going about buying a guitar for myself. Considering I only have class twice a week I was planning on taking up a hobby of some sort shamefully I guess I had this romantic notion of learning how to play the guitar in Argentina. Anyway, I sat next to them and conjured up a conversation with the two of them. But I ended up speaking to Ariel more. Like most Argentines, he spoke super fast and used a lot of slang and I often had to ask him to repeat the last thing he said. His features as you can see are much more dark and he has long where which he wears in a ponytail, all traits which here in Argentina is associated with indigenous people, or gauchos. He told me he was from the more rural area of Argentina in the province of Salta and that he had moved to Buenos Aires to go to school and enjoys passing time with his friend and his guitar.

He was playing Argentine folk music that I had never heard before and his voice was very melodic. Him and his friend would kind of just look at each other and without saying anything just play a song on their guitars. At one point, Ariel put his guitar down and picked up a flute-like instrument that he considered to be the most beautiful instrument in the world. It was an instrument with indigenous roots and you could tell he was extremely proud of it. He played the flute like a pro and he was able to attract some neighboring people who applauded the little concert. There was a family nearby who also was listening to the music and when Ariel noticed them he summoned them over to sit near us. This is a common occurrence that I notice with Argentine people where, they have no problem going up to someone, introducing themselves to someone or inviting the person over to listen to music. The mother of the family had mate with her and offered Ariel and his friend to share the mate with her and her family in exchange for some song requests. Ariel and his friend seemed real grateful to just get some free mate and they played a song requested by the woman that was a very upbeat, folk song. During the song Ariel got up off of the grass and began to do this folkloric dance complete. The lady had great rhythm and Ariel had insane footwork technique. While they danced the husband was kind enough to offer my friends and I some mate as well and at one point I got up to try to the dance myself.

After they were finished dancing, the park was getting ready to close and I conjured up the courage to ask Ariel where I could buy a guitar. He told me that he would be glad to take me to the store where he bought his guitar and that he'd be even more happier to hang out in the park and teach me a few chords. I was extremely happy that someone would take the time out of their day to help me with something so silly and we exchanged numbers and promises to meet up. A couple of days later Ariel, a friend and I met up at the garden again and we went off to buy guitars. An hour and 250 pesos later I was the proud owner of a new guitar. Ariel was waiting outside for us and within the first step I took on the pavement and looks at me and says in spanish "so...i'm thinking that I could charge you 40 pesos/hr for classes, is that good for you?" Excuse me??? I thought we were just hanging out. He went on to say that he was giving us a deal because he really enjoyed our company. ugh. All of a sudden Ariel was a guitar teacher. You would think that he would have brought that up after I expressed to him that I was interested in buying a guitar and learning how to play. He was no longer a new friend that I had made in Buenos Aires. I was annoyed/disappointed that his seemingly innocent desire to hang out in the park was really just a way for him to make money. My friend, trying to be diploatic about the whole thing, actually entertained the conversation, reassuring him that we will let him know but that we were extremely busy and had to iron out our schedules. I couldn't even look at him. We parted our ways and I knew for a fact that Ariel was full of it after finding professional guitar teachers who were charging 20 pesos/hr. He continued to text me over and over about "ofertas" or sales that he was having and after ignoring his messages over and over I finally sent him a one simple message: sos mentiroso chico. chau.