Things I've noticed about Argentina - in no particular order and of no particular importance:
The only thing that matters about a car is whether it runs. People here do not seem to bother with fixing body damage on a car - unless it prevents the car from being useful. This includes broken windows, which, if just cracked, are left alone, or, if the entire window is gone, may be replaced with clear plastic. Also, headlights don't seem to be replaced if they don't work either. Many cars seem to have one or no headlights functioning. Of course, that's usually better than tail lights, brake lights, or turn signals. Bald tires seem to be fine and worn-out suspension - who cares? Also, because gas is so expensive, we've had to stop on a taxi ride from the airport so that the driver could put enough fuel in the car to move the needle from empty to 1/4 full. Of course, his gas gauge and speedometer actually worked.
Traffic laws seem to be of absolutely no importance. So long as you don't get into an accident when going between point A and point B, anything is ok. This includes running red lights, exceeding the speed limit, failing to signal, passing where you shouldn't, etc. And all of these things can be done in the presence of police, without any likely consequence. Things that seem likely to get you into trouble include failing to pay a toll on the autopista (where there are lots of cops), failing to have the proper sticker on the window of the car, and getting into an accident. Driving here reminds me a lot of driving in India, with better roads, and less animals.
Toilet paper sucks. Napkins suck. They are thin, not very absorbent, scratchy, and nearly everyplace is stingy with them. If it didn´t take up so much space, I'd pack some Charmin and bring it along with us.
Nobody has change. It seems like nearly every time I go to pay, I get asked if I have either exact change or a smaller bill. This happens even at the grocery store. We tried to pay for a taxi ride that was nearly 10 pesos with a 50 peso bill and we ended up having to go get change at a kiosco. If you have a bunch of 100 peso bills, it really sucks. Also, the bills you get (especially the 2-peso and 5-peso notes) get very worn out. Some are actually taped together. Be careful with this, because some people won't accept ripped or taped bills, while others will try to pass them on to you. Another money-related item is the weirdness with pricing and change here. Just as in the US, prices are advertised as 5.99 or 9.99, etc. However, unlike the US, you can't actually pay 5.99, because there are no 1-centavo coins. The smallest denomination is 5 centavos, which means sometimes you pay less, sometimes you pay more, depending on whether you're rounding up or down.
The exchange rates change numerous times during the day. Previously (meaning in other countries), when I went to exchange money, I knew I would get whatever the rate was that day. Here, banks change the rates multiple times during the day. For example, one morning I checked the exchange rate and found that it was 2.85 pesos to the dollar. When I went back to the bank to exchange money, it was 2.83. By the time I waited in line and actually changed money it was 2.84.
Posted by mike at May 26, 2003 09:13 PMSome years ago, I came across a Web page that had been put together by young missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, otherwise known as the Mormons. It was titled something like "150 things about Argentina that are different from the United States." Your "things I've noticed about Argentina" reminded me of it.
On my first trip to Argentina, some relatives met me at Ezeiza and drove me into the city, where I stayed overnight at their house before going on to Bariloche. I was sure we were going to be killed on the way in, and that my Argentine cousin was the worst driver in the world.
Later on the same trip, in the northwest, another relative was taking me from one city to another by car, traveling at about twice the posted speed limit, passing on hills and curves, etc., and I then became convinced that HE was the worst driver in the world. Now I know that both of them were just typical Argentine drivers. I also never met so many people -- relatives and their neighbors and friends -- who all seem to have had a friend or friends killed in traffic accidents.
And the toilet paper! On my first trip, at the home of that first relative, I thought they must have tried to skimp a little by buying a cheap brand. Then, having used the bathroom in more and more places on subsequent trips, I realized that nothing else is available, anywhere in the country!
Some things made me want to laugh, others made me want to cry. Thanks for letting me relive some of my experiences through your posts.
Posted by: John Cisarik at May 28, 2003 02:58 AMSorry to take up so much of your time, but I forgot something: exchange rates.
If you think it's bad when the exchange rate is varying from 2.83 pesos to 2.85 pesos, try to put yourself in my place on my first trip: the rate was about 600 australes to the dollar when I arrived (the former peso had ceased to exist), and three weeks later it had gone to about 750. A cousin and I were actually running from one casa de cambio to another because we realized that I would get 50 more australes at the one across the street (some changed their rate in the morning, others later in the day). When I was in the country 18 months later, the rate was about 10,000 to the dollar, and not long after that, the peso was reintroduced, on a par with the dollar.
I think of Argentina as one of the most wonderful places in the world -- if only they would get some of those problems fixed.
Posted by: John Cisarik at May 28, 2003 03:09 AMIf you don´t like my country, of course, Argentina the best place to live around the world, why did you go there? We have exactly the country that you had left! Don´t worry about our money, we understand that american can´t know about the problems that latinoamerica has. You seem to be the great people in the world, do you?
Please, don´t talk about other countries that you visit because you could hurt inhabitants who are working for a new life and for a best world!
Claudia… I think we live in an era that the word American no longer means white Anglo. But that’s a can of worms I rather not open right know. Argentina hasn’t changed… Argentina is beautiful what makes it ugly are the people. I can make a long list of things I hate about Argentina and that’s why my family left. One of the things that bugs me the most is the fact that a large amount of Argentinians come to the US. Then it hits them that they have the wrong conception of the word “free”. Then they get a chance to make some money, go back to Argentina. Spend it all!! Talk shit about the US. Then realize Argentina sucks, then sneak into the US again and redo the whole process again. People want to talk about the US being corrupt? Live in Argentina for a couple of months and you’ll see what corrupt really is.
Posted by: Damian at February 27, 2005 08:29 PM