IMAS is REALLY Big!

No, that's not right. IMAS is really tiny.

But it's a big concept ...and it's something that we yanquis are not very prepared to accept: the fact that we might need to depend on each other to do very essential tasks more efficiently.

The idea goes against our nature.

Our culture ...and we really DO have one, contrary to popular belief ...is very Puritan, Emersonian, independent, and individualistic, not to even mention our volunteerism.

That defines us, among other things. There's no reason to give all that up. It has made us as famous as Coca-Cola and almost as delicious and satisfiying.

But there are many of us US citizens here in Argentina ...that are coping with economic necessities as never before.

Things could get worse before they get better ...or just get better. Either way, it could take a little more time.

The fact that, among all the other immigrant mutual aid societies that populate the history of Argentina, there has never been one for US citizens shouldn't surprise us nor anyone else.

In the meantime, we might want to take a good look around us and see that we here in Argentina are "suddenly" not too different from anyone else that has come to these fair shores to make a better life.

If, at the same time, we can't seem to divorce ourselves from the idea of returning to our native land, well, we might be more Argentino than we think! This nation of immigrants has always had a strong link to possible return to all their native lands... unlike those in the US. Every group here has at least maintained the idea of returning no matter how far-fetched.

Enough of that; only your particular years here will determine whether or not you will remain.

There is, however, a permanency that you can obtain today. It is helping someone else do what you have already done.

You can help a fellow "first worlder" make their way in this new, wonderful, and welcoming land. Once you've shared your knowledge, it gets easy and fun.

If you've just arrived, Buenos Aires and Argentina is a maze of "gittin' it done."

If you have been here for while, you've learned a few things that you pride yourself upon ...and you should. Lessons hard-won are things to be proud of.

If you've been here longer, and are maybe considering staying here permanently, you are certainly in possession of a skill-set that recent arrivals could only envy.

Can you see the inefficiency of this? I'm sure that you can. And that goes against everything that our culture ever taught us.

So... don't you think that sharing that hard-won knowledge would be a good thing?

To take it even further, wouldn't you consider standing in line with someone through some onerous bureaucratic process if it would make it easier for them? Or, at least, encourage other people to do that?

I've done that. But I was lucky. I had the opportunity to do so. There's lots of people that would like to do the same thing ...but they never had the same opportunity. I really liked it. I think that you'd find it just as enjoyable ...and feel just as proud.

It feels better than you can possibly imagine.

Everybody loves being considered an expert, and we all are in our own ways. There's someone out there that needs your hard-won knowledge (even if it's just getting cable connected) ...if you share it, you'll like it.

You don't have to give it to just any jamoke that asks for it ...but you WANT to give it to people that you like or feel a connection with.

That's no different from anybody.

But if you suddenly feel a bond with those that are being faced with the same things that you have gone through ...I think that your might like IMAS.

25,000 yanquis can't be wrong ...this is a very good place to live.

If you help others through the mundane, ordinary tasks that you are so good at now, you enrich your own life and give the people that you help more time for family, friends, fun and living.

If, after all the above, you'd like to lend your "face" to IMAS' facebook page, I'll be proud of you.

Lemme know what you think,
Mike