Orientation
40 basic things to keep in mind about Argentina in no particular order:
1) It's really hard to get change (coins) and you must guard any coins you do have with your life as you'll need them for buses
2) Almost all streets are one way, so watch the hell out
3) Dogs shit wherever they want so watch your step
4) Cross walks are little more than stripes of paint
5) There are rampant stray dogs and cats as Argentinians don't like neutering their pets
6) All keys are big brass old looking ones and I don't understand why
7) There are no black people... at all
8) If you buy something try to use a bill that is no more than double the price of the item. Only in select places can you try to use your $100 pesos notes
9) When you withdraw money from ATM's withdraw in odd amounts so you get smaller bills. For example instead of $200, withdraw $190 so you get a fifty, and two twenties.
10) Tipping in restaurants is more lax, around 10% is fine
11) Only take taxis that have Radio Taxi marked on the backseat doors
12) If you somehow get sprayed with a liquidy substance (mustard, water, ketchup) and someone comes over to try to help you get it off, it is a trap. When you are distracted someone else will come by and swipe your bag
13) Another ploy is moped thieves. One drives, and the other tries to swipe someones bag if they aren't holding on carefully. Basically, always have your shit secured. Internet cafe thieves that grab backs under chairs is also common.
14) The word for excuse me is "Permiso", this is very important for getting off buses/subways as they are often full.
15) 9 o'clock is early for dinner
16) A useful way to think about the costs of things is to assume that all prices are the same as they would be in an expensive place in the United States. Think about what would be a fair price in dollars and the item should cost around that in pesos, maybe a little more. That's how you can tell if the price is fair, as most things will seem cheap to us keeping in mind the 3.4 to 1 exchange rate.
17) The best map of Buenos Aires that includes all subway, bus, and train routes is called the Guia-t, get one as soon as possible and always have it.
18) Many shops and stores require you to get buzzed in and out
19) People put their garbage in the streets and trash people come by to take the recycling, and later city workers clean it up. This can lead to major flooding problems as trash clogs drains. Two weeks ago an entire neighborhood was flooded.
20) You'll be suprised at the general disregard for safety in all aspects of life, no seatbelts, no helmets, reckless driving, and the like
21) Most intersections are uncontrolled and the hypothetical rule is that you yield to the right, it still freaks the shit out of me and cars go speeding though intersections
22) Buenos Aires has one of the world's highest bookstore per capita ratings
23) People kiss on the right cheek to say hi and goodbye (even among men)
24) They "vos" form instead of "tu" changes conjugating words in second person and commands
25) People always try to sell you shit, on the subway, bus, and train
26) Mate is the national drink
27) Smaller cities have siestas between 2 ish and 5:30 ish
28) Guys have long hair
29) Expect delays and unneccary beurocracy for everything
30) You have to have your produce weighed and priced in the fruit area before you go to check out, it's embarassing if you forget and everyone gets pissed that they have to wait
31) You have to say the fare when you get on the bus, it's either $.90 or $1 peso
32) Counterfeiting is a big problem in Argentina. Argentinians will always check large bills for a watermark. You should do the same.
33) No public restrooms
34) No spicy food anywhere
35) All napkins suck, they are made out of a waxy material that is the opposite of absorbant, it just smears around whatever shit you're trying to clean up
36) All elevators are sketchy, and you have to manually open a double set of doors
37) Cheap meat and wine
38) Each residence is reponsible for the upkeep of their sidewalk
39) You greet every single person when you come to a new place, so if my soccer team has 15 people, and ever person greets every other person, how many greetings are there?
40) You'll figure out the rest when you get here.
Later.
1) It's really hard to get change (coins) and you must guard any coins you do have with your life as you'll need them for buses
2) Almost all streets are one way, so watch the hell out
3) Dogs shit wherever they want so watch your step
4) Cross walks are little more than stripes of paint
5) There are rampant stray dogs and cats as Argentinians don't like neutering their pets
6) All keys are big brass old looking ones and I don't understand why
7) There are no black people... at all
8) If you buy something try to use a bill that is no more than double the price of the item. Only in select places can you try to use your $100 pesos notes
9) When you withdraw money from ATM's withdraw in odd amounts so you get smaller bills. For example instead of $200, withdraw $190 so you get a fifty, and two twenties.
10) Tipping in restaurants is more lax, around 10% is fine
11) Only take taxis that have Radio Taxi marked on the backseat doors
12) If you somehow get sprayed with a liquidy substance (mustard, water, ketchup) and someone comes over to try to help you get it off, it is a trap. When you are distracted someone else will come by and swipe your bag
13) Another ploy is moped thieves. One drives, and the other tries to swipe someones bag if they aren't holding on carefully. Basically, always have your shit secured. Internet cafe thieves that grab backs under chairs is also common.
14) The word for excuse me is "Permiso", this is very important for getting off buses/subways as they are often full.
15) 9 o'clock is early for dinner
16) A useful way to think about the costs of things is to assume that all prices are the same as they would be in an expensive place in the United States. Think about what would be a fair price in dollars and the item should cost around that in pesos, maybe a little more. That's how you can tell if the price is fair, as most things will seem cheap to us keeping in mind the 3.4 to 1 exchange rate.
17) The best map of Buenos Aires that includes all subway, bus, and train routes is called the Guia-t, get one as soon as possible and always have it.
18) Many shops and stores require you to get buzzed in and out
19) People put their garbage in the streets and trash people come by to take the recycling, and later city workers clean it up. This can lead to major flooding problems as trash clogs drains. Two weeks ago an entire neighborhood was flooded.
20) You'll be suprised at the general disregard for safety in all aspects of life, no seatbelts, no helmets, reckless driving, and the like
21) Most intersections are uncontrolled and the hypothetical rule is that you yield to the right, it still freaks the shit out of me and cars go speeding though intersections
22) Buenos Aires has one of the world's highest bookstore per capita ratings
23) People kiss on the right cheek to say hi and goodbye (even among men)
24) They "vos" form instead of "tu" changes conjugating words in second person and commands
25) People always try to sell you shit, on the subway, bus, and train
26) Mate is the national drink
27) Smaller cities have siestas between 2 ish and 5:30 ish
28) Guys have long hair
29) Expect delays and unneccary beurocracy for everything
30) You have to have your produce weighed and priced in the fruit area before you go to check out, it's embarassing if you forget and everyone gets pissed that they have to wait
31) You have to say the fare when you get on the bus, it's either $.90 or $1 peso
32) Counterfeiting is a big problem in Argentina. Argentinians will always check large bills for a watermark. You should do the same.
33) No public restrooms
34) No spicy food anywhere
35) All napkins suck, they are made out of a waxy material that is the opposite of absorbant, it just smears around whatever shit you're trying to clean up
36) All elevators are sketchy, and you have to manually open a double set of doors
37) Cheap meat and wine
38) Each residence is reponsible for the upkeep of their sidewalk
39) You greet every single person when you come to a new place, so if my soccer team has 15 people, and ever person greets every other person, how many greetings are there?
40) You'll figure out the rest when you get here.
Later.
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