Blank in Buenos Aires

Casa Bell (caution)

2011-01-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

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I just returned from Casa Bell to make a large cash deposit into the account of another ex-pat. With regards to professionalism, this company would not last two weeks in the U.S.

What you can expect if you do business with Casa Bell.

A two hour wait for the simplest transaction (despite no lines and no other customer in sight).
No receipt for your money.
Zero feeling of security.

There are no ATM cards.
There is no way to transfer money on-line (would be more secure in my opinion).

Imagine my surprise when I went in to make a quick deposit for a friend, and I was asked to wait. This would have gone on all day had I not walked out to the receptionist and asked if someone could just write a receipt and take the deposit..

When the guy walked in (I say guy because there were no cards, no introductions, just a hand shake), he took the name of my friend, counted my money, pocketed the money and walked out. I waited wondering if I had just been had. When I asked about the receipt, they asked who I had talked to. I was not able to say anything but, "a middle aged man with a pink shirt and a tie".

Most people know there is a 10,000 yearly limit on how much you can bring into Argentina before the government steps in to get their 40-60%, and most look for ways to transfer money here via off-shore companies or under-the-table banks. Casa Bell should not be considered as a means.

The upside? The guy wore a tie and had a nice desk.

12/24/10 just after midnight.

2010-12-25T22:45:00.000-08:00

It's lucky Santa doesn't get shot down.

So, this is what it looks like when fireworks are legal - As they are here in Argentina.

200 years!

2010-05-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

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Well, the bi-centennial festivities are getting into full swing. The Pink House is all lit up, there are displays and a food booth for every part of Argentina. Below are some of the photos taken yesterday.

9 de Julio and Av de Mayo

Concerts, food, and fun for all. It seems the entire country is here in my neighborhood to party. I wish my camera were better.

Plaza de Mayo: The Pink House (which is the President's home/workplace)

Directly across the plaza from the Pink House is the Cabildo. Watching the changing of the guards complete with the firing of colonial weaponry.

I have not even begun to explore the extent of what has been elaborated to celebrate this grand event, and I'm not sure how much they spent on all this but, for a culture with many problems, people are saying the money could have gone to better use elsewhere.

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Off topic

2010-03-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

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I've had this song going in my head for the last week. So I pick up my guitar - someday I'll post one of me playing and singing. Not today.

You know...

Old School-2

2010-03-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

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In my first Old School post, I had a similar shot on a much larger building - taken in 2005. Now in this post, I am uploading shots taken today. Yes they have modern scaffolds here (they just arrived), and as a matter of fact, I snapped a photo of a safe scaffold sitting on the groung below these workers. But, the police actually walked up and asked me to delete them. This is the HSBC Tower and it houses the Israeli Consulate - "No Photos!"

REmember what I said about Buenos Aires being a very loud place to live? Remember to turn down your speakers before hitting play.

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Here are a couple photos, in case you don't want to play the video.

click for a larger image

To see where these were taken see Panoramio.

It's called the Pimp

2010-03-11T17:37:00.000-08:00

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This is a popular restaurant / cafe by my house. The name, "Cafiolo" means "Pimp" in English.

The word, if used, in Spanish, really carries a stronger connotation though. It's more like someone who traffics in sex slaves - a real scum-bag.

But, nobody gives that a thought as they go in to have tea or grab dinner.

click to see where taken

A bit of talent

2010-03-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

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Just a short clip of an artist in the middle of Florida Street. .

(turn down your volume before hitting play)

There are many very tallented people on the streets of Buenos Aires. I wish I could capture more of them - and I will certainly try.

Weekends without $

2010-03-04T21:05:00.000-08:00

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If you are visiting Argentina, I have a friendly piece of advice. Make sure to break any $100 peso notes before the weekend. If you want a coke or a hot dog, 95% of the businesses will not change a hundred unless you are buying $60 to $80 worth of products.

If you only have hundreds, you can't take a taxi, get an ice cream, buy a paper, or any other small purchase. Going out the door on Saturday with $100 in your pocket is the same as leaving the hotel with no money.

Tip: In an emergency, McDonald's will change your hundred, but they will sneer at you. That is the only business that believes "A sale is a sale and you should make all the sales you can." - a given in the U.S.

Businesses here would rather not make the sale, than run out of change. Thinking ahead is generally not a common virtue.

There's a cure.

2010-03-04T20:38:00.000-08:00

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This was taken at a bus stop in the heart of Buenos Aires. Note the reflection of street traffic.

It says "Breast cancer has a cure - find it before you can feel it." Obviously, this ad will get the attention of both male and female pedestrians. Who could ignore a breast the size of a beach ball.

click to see where this was taken

One of the things I like about Argentina is that nobody freaks out about these displays. Nudity is on the cover of many magazines and all over the tabloids as well. I walk downthe streets with my 5 and 8-year-old boys - they don't even blink. It doesn't turn their heads at all. When a society tries to say "No" to something, that is when people pay attention - especially kids.

One thing that does concern me is that there is no censorship on language broadcast on TV or radio. This bothers me some because of the kids. However, I have never heard a bad word from either of their mouths - in English or Spanish.

Real Hotel

2010-03-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

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This Hotel is real and the others are probably fake.

Real Hotel

Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not the same.

Real or Real

"Real" means "not fake" in English, among other things.

If you want to say "real" in Spanish, use "de verdad"

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"Real" in Spanish means "Royal" and comes from the root "rey", or "king".

Food for thought...

Hi Freaks

2010-03-01T13:41:00.000-08:00

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Just another store front photo. I would also like to meet their web design guru. A lot of work went into that site!!

http://www.hifreaks.com.ar

Graffiti

2010-02-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

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What's new? What just arrived in Buenos Aires? Yeah, graffiti. :(

What I like about Argentina is, well, everything. When I arrived here, I was surprised by the strange new culture and I liked almost everything I saw. There was a list of things that began to annoy me as I became accustomed to my new surroundings. I never got past a count of three things, which are; noise (no law no limit), dog crap on the side walk, and uneven side walks.

There was no graffiti, no gangs, no house fires, no extreme heat nor cold, no tornados, no earth quakes, no hurricanes, no flooding to speak of, no traffic problems, no car accidents, no instant bankruptcy upon getting sick, no doctor bills, no rules, no frills, no rush - just take a siesta and worry about that meeting another day.

I did see some impressive graffiti when I arrived. But, it was only at election time and always painted by the communist party (trying to get into office). That's it.

Most trains have always looked like this.

Guess what has arrived.

And it's starting on walls too.

I hope gangs are not the next American import. I really don't want my kids being subjected to that pressure.

Salute

2010-02-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not well taken.

Salute or Saludo

Not the same.

English has one meaning for this word - maybe two. There is this..

Then there is a 21-gun salute, when someone dies.

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In Spanish there are many.

"Salud" means health

"Le mando un saludo a Juan." means "Say 'hi'to John for me."

Saludar (an action) means: Wave, shake hands with, salute, or greet (usually with a kiss)

When I see my "ex", she always says "Saludame!" because I don't. My first try is the American one. She insists - I next try a wave. She still insists - I put out my hand. What she wants is the normal greeting. . . A kiss on the cheek. The obvious pun never amuses her.

Food for thought...

Barfy Brand Burgers

2010-02-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

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Would you buy this brand of frozen burger patties? It's actually a popular brand here in Buenos Aires. It took a while for me to try them - not bad. The competitor brand is "Paty" (pronounced "potty" in Spanish).

Senior Citizens

2010-02-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not the same.

I'll start this post in a slightly different way. The word for today, sounds offensive in politically correct English. I assure you that it is the most respectful way to refer to a Senior or elderly person. This is one of the surprising cultural differences.

Actuallly, a Senior Citizen can retire quite comfortably here in Buenos Aires. For example, a Social Security check for $1500 dollars would translate to AR $5805.00 here. That's more than double the average wage. Rent food and bills could be easily be covered with AR $2800 pesos.

Ancient or Anciano

In English, this brings up images of pyramids and mummies.

In Spanish, this is the 'politically correct' word for referring to a Senior Citizen.

To prove my point, here are the first three sites that come up on Google within Argentina.

Hogar de Ancianos Juan M. Armbruster

Hagar inteligente para ancianos - Garrafex News

Maravilloso mural en inmediaciones a los hogares de Ancianos y Niños

Things to think about...

Residency

2010-02-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

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I posted on getting work upon arriving in Buenos Aires. Now let's talk about becoming a resident. Once you are legal, you will have a national document or ID here in Argentina, which is called a DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad). There are three ways to do that.

1. Get married or have kids here.
2. Get sponsored by a company (I soonsor individuals).
3. Bring your money here to invest in a business.

Brown for us, green for native-born citizens.

If you want to ave a real job with health insurance, benefits, a retirement plan, and indemnification upon leaving the company, you would need a DNI.

A real job would also allow you to receive the 13th salary, calle "aguinaldo", which is one month's pay extra per year. This is a free gift - required by law. Some companies pay half of it in June and the other half in December. Others pay it all in December - like a Christmas Bonus.

All companies are required to indemnify employees when they lay them off or fire them (nice). That would be a lump sum upon termination. That means, the longer you stay, the larger your pay-off. Actually, people with tenure have job security that can't be beat. I know of people who would receive upwards of AR$250,000 if they were asked to leave.

There are also Temporary Residents who get limited time to stay based on where they are studying and proof that they are continuing with studies.

I am open to comments and questions.

Exit

2010-02-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

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Word for today - covering words that look familiar but have an "o" or an "a" at the end. Meanings aren't even close at times.

Exit or Exito

While 'exit' is a way out and is posted near exterior doors, here the same sign would say 'salida'.

Exito means Success, and Exitado means Excited.

click the image for a more detailed view

When you start speaking Spanish, people will laugh when you silly questions like, "where's the success?" or "does this building have emergency success?"

Food for thought...

Tortoni

2010-02-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

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Just a piece of culture. Since I live three doors down from this famous tourist attraction, I thought I would snap a photo and put Cafe Tortoni "on the map" so they say. At any time of the day, there are lines of people standing there waiting to get in, shooting photos as they wait.

click to see where this was taken

Housed in the same building, you will find the National Academy of Tango. Many times per year, there are stages set up in the streets and people dancing tango to live performances.

Buenos Aires, Argentina is the world hot spot for the tango.

Wait

2010-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words which are not specific in their meaning.

Wait - Hope - Expect or Esperar

Let's say your friend is in the hospital, very sick, and the doctor comes out and tells you...

"Estoy esperando que sobreviva."

This could translate in several ways. . .

I am waiting to see if he survives.

I am hoping he survives.

I am expecting him to survive.

I think you would have some questions for the doc in order to nail down what he is telling you.

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Another example - less life or death...

Nobody likes to wait in line at the bank, but it's quite likely that there will be a line. I say...

"Espero esperar, pero espero que no"

I expect to wait, but I hope I don't have to.

There are examples of words with several meanings in English too. We have fun with them and call it a 'pun'. People here in Argentina are rarely amused by these examples, but I have seen misunderstandings between native speakers. I have learned that it's best not to bring it up.

Food for thought...

Hippies still exist

2010-02-19T20:24:00.000-08:00

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Just a shot of a small store near Belgrano Station. The clothing they sell looks quite normal, and I have not heard of people called 'Hippies' since coming to Buenos Aires. They do usually forget the double consonants when replicating English.

click to see where this was taken

The translation; Happy Spring Time - Hippie Outlet

Fake money

2010-02-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

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Can you tell a fake bill? You may not have even seen an argentine note until you get taken at the airport currency exchanges - let's avoid that...

Here is a real $100 bill AR.

Three things to look at :

the green number 100

the empty white space below it

the up and down 'dash' marks' sewn into the paper.

The number...

click to see larger image

When you look at the bill straight on, the number will be a brilliant gren.

When you turn the bill away from you, changing the angle, it's deep blue.

that's a true bill

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Next...

What appears to be tin foil, sewn into the paper ( you cant see it form the other side)...

And the empty where the red serial numbers are...

click to see larger image

Watch what happens as we hold it up to the light. (as every cashier in town does - you will see upon arrival)

click to see larger image

If you click the above image, you will see enough detail in the picture to see that the dashed silver line now turns solid and says clearly "BCRA $100" all across the bill. (Banco Central de la Republica Argentina $100).

You will also see the face of the president "la sombra" or "watermark" showing through (which cannot be seen from either side, but only when light passes through the bill.

There are a lot of fake bills and many ways to detect them - non are fool proof, but these three will keep you out of trouble. If you get one that does all of this - it's a good fake and you can spend it anywhere. There is no chance of getting arrested for passing fake bills. They just hand it back to you and ask for a different one.

Diversion

2010-02-18T19:33:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not the same.

Diversion or Diversion

One is a deceptive act to take one's mind off the planned objective, and the other means 'fun'.

Tuvimos una noche de diversion = We had a fun night.

Food for thought...

Shocking

2010-02-18T08:07:00.000-08:00

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Just down the street from my flat. I wonder what they want to tell the customers. Most people in Argentina understand the meaning of the word 'shock' in English. Maybe you can get your electo-shock treatment and a new hair style all in one shot.

click image to see where it was taken

Quote

2010-02-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not the same.

Quote or Cuota

Quota or Cuota

The Spanish word "cuota" has nothing to do with its English couterparts.

Cuota = Payment, as in how many payments you will have to make on a car or a home.

Interesting that you can choose to pay for anything on a payment plan, including: groceries, services, dinner, TV's, computers, appliances, etc.

If you want to say, "Give me a quote on painting my house", use "presupuesto".

If you want a quote on your home's value, use "tasacion".

If you want to talk about a sales quota, use "objectivo de ventas" .

Incidentally, most words that begin with "qu" would begin with "cu" in Spanish

quality-calidad / quantity-candidad / quarantine-cuarentena

quarters-cuarto / qualify-calificar / question-cuestion

Food for thought...

Our daily bread...

2010-02-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

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These photos were taken all over the city of Buenos Aires. I have seen this kind of 'Old School' bread delivery method out in the suburbs as well. I thought it strange when I arrived and still today.

Outside the bakery, waiting to get rolling

click image to see where it was taken

A different bakery - another part of town

click image to see where it was taken

Still another right outside my door

click image to see where it was taken

Just so you know, once you get past the fact that the bread sat on the side walk in a bag and that it was brought by a bike in the open air, it's actually some of the best bread I have had.

Preservatives

2010-02-15T05:54:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not the same.

Preservatives or Preservativos

First and foremost, Argentinian food products don't have preservatives as a general rule. The meat here is fresh and very tasty. But, we have to be careful when talking about these qualities in Spanish.

If you are talking about a can of corn, and you ask, "tiene preservativos?"

They will hear "Does this can of corn have condoms in it?"

The right word would be "conservantes".

Preservatives = Conservantes

Condoms = Preservativos

Food for thought...

Getting in

2010-02-14T20:07:00.000-08:00

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Valentines day being over with, I hope you all had a lot of love shared between you and yours. If you had any difficulties in that area, here is a suggestion.

There is a brand of "love" related products here in Buenos Aires that could solve your problems. The words they chose seem to make it clear that you will be successful.

I went into a pharmacy to buy aspirin, and while waiting in line, I snapped these photos. I don't mean this blog to be off color in any way. This is, after all, a different culture.

click to see the map of where I took this

As you can see, I was in line to pay for my purchase. This is where they have the products that you may need - last minute things. These are "preservativos" or condoms. One brand in particular caught my attention.

click to see where I snapped this picture

This is real, as are all the other strange pictures I have taken here over the years. This blog is just a place to put them, so you can see what I see in the streets and in the stores.

Don't have to

2010-02-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not the same.

Don't have to... or No tienes que...

"You don't have to go." (you can if you want - it's optional)

"No tienes que ir." (you shouldn't go - it's not a good idea)

This morning my son, who is a bilingual 8-year-old, was talking about going to the park. He said, "We don't have to forget my skate board." I spent a few minutes explaining his mistake. Now, we are off to have fun with his new friends who are supposed to teach him some tricks!

Food for thought. . .

Acid Bar

2010-02-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

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Word for today - This sign was etched into the glass based on the assumption that "acido" translated to the same word in English. Not so.

click image for map

The translation, in this case, might have worked if English words were to rely on context and lots of assumptions for their meaning.

"Acido" - depending on context, means:

- Acid - Citrus - Sour -

Receipt

2010-02-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not well taken.

Receipt or Receta

These are not the same.

If you want a receipt, you will need to use one of several words here...

recibo (a hand written receipt)

tiquet or ticket (what comes out of the store register)

comprobante (proof of purchases)

factura (a legal receipt)

If you use the word receta, you will be talking about...

prescription (medical)

recipe (for cooking)

Food for thought if you are visiting...

Netbooks?

2010-02-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

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Have you heard of Netbooks? I think they sell them in Buenos Aires, but they also sell last year's model, and those from a few years back.

I took this picture yesterday. Are those Netbooks in the window? What's that on the white table -lower left? Today's Special! (I have a close up below).

click images to see where this store is

close up...

the tape is so that nobody steals this monster

Argentina usually catches up with the rest of the world, oh, 30 years later. Yes, I have seen institutions using these dinosaurs - they also stamp everything. The banks sound like construction zones - as they pound away stamping checks.

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This store is located 1 block from the Obelisco, in the heart of downtown Buenos Aires.

Thus, the name - translated "Obelisco Office Supply"

Sorry about the picture quality - I took them on a whim

Here are some other photos of the same store in case you want to call them and ask for the current prices on any of these beauties. (click the images to enlarge)

Come on!!! - Comments anyone?

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Regular

2010-02-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not well taken.

Regular or Regular

In English, you can say, "I'm a regular customer"
In Spanish, "Soy un cliente regular" will translate back to mean...

I am a scum-bag customer.

If your child brings you a report card, and the comment section states 'regular' - he is a trouble maker.

I blew a job interview once, while trying to be modest, stating, "I'm just a regular guy." The interview was in Spanish. They heard "I'm just a dirt-ball."

There are cases where the word "regular" does actually mean the same as in English, but make sure you know when and how to use it correctly.

Food for thought. . .

Office Space

2010-02-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

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As I stated in my first post most apartments and office are offered for rent with bare walls and no appliances. I know of one place where you can sit down and get to work.

It's run by an American friend of mine, Tom, who does things the other way around. He rents office space which is not only centrally located (in the heart of downtown), but also offers everything you need to start working 5 minutes after you rent.

www.argenesys.com

Rent is all inclusive, global phone service, internet, computer (if needed), meeting rooms, - you name it. His prices are very reasonable as well. Here are a couple photos of his place.

American

2010-02-09T22:17:00.000-08:00

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Word for the day - covering words you may want to avoid, as their meaning is not well taken.

American or Americano

I learned very quickly, upon arrival, that people were quite offended when I told them that I am American. Argentinian people in general will give you a warm welcome as a foreigner, but that can quickly turn to a "cold shoulder" if you say the wrong thing. The conversaion usually goes like this...

Where are you from?

I am an American

So am I.

Not much will be said after that. Anger will be displayed as you claim rights to all three "Americas". The conversation will be quite one sided.

Though the people here are very quick to display the Argentinian flag, suddenly they have a new nationality, that being 'of the Americas' and therefore, Americans. I have yet to see their American flag though.

Actually, there is no way to describe where you are from in conversation. The general terms in common use are "norte-americano" or, much more difficult to promounce, "estadounidense". North American would include Canadians as well. United Statesian may be related to the other countries which have united states. Non- specific, if you ask me.

Food for thought if you are visiting...

La Linda del Kiosko

2010-02-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

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As I stated in earlier posts, I no longer give English classes professionally. I work in the USA now. Beauty is that which we miss if we live too fast. La vida tranquila en Bs.As.

Photo taken in Iguazu Falls area - Argentina - South America. Sometimes you turn your head and see spectacular beauty, far away from home or right outside your door.

Yes, that's what they sell.

2010-02-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

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No need for translation. They finally used the right English word.

Self explanitory... avendina Cordoba 600 block.

click image for map

They didn't mean "Snob".

2010-02-02T21:54:00.000-08:00

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Nearly every day I see English words in advertising. I often wonder how the people here come up with these words when deciding what to place on their store front.

Translation:

"Snob formal wear"
click image for map

This is right around the corner from my flat here. I see it every day. Though the name of the store might cause people shy away, well those who understand the word "Snob" anyway. . .

The business seems to e doing well because it's been there for the 6 years I have lived on this block.

Maybe. Maybe not.

2010-01-30T19:20:00.000-08:00

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Nearly every day I see English words in advertising. I often wonder how the people here come up with these words when deciding what to place on their store front.

click image for map

You can buy a jacket or purse here. Maybe it's leather, ot maybe it's not. This store is located on famous Florida street, near the intersection of Cordoba and Florida. What were they thinking when they made that sign?

Subway Ad

2010-01-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

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I snapped this shot while waiting for the subway train on the platform. Seems a different attitude exists here. (translationg below photo)

The best milk for your baby

comes in this package.

Lobster

2010-01-30T05:31:00.000-08:00

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Nearly every day I see English words in advertising. I often wonder how the people here come up with these words when deciding what to place on their store front. The attitude here is that putting English words on your store will bring success. It doesn't seem to matter which words. Any word will do.

click image for map

Lobster is not a popular dish here. As a matter of fact, seafood in general is not very popular, fresh, nor cheap. I doubt that any native of Argentina even knows what the word means when they see it. The word in Spanish is "langosta", and I have asked many 'Agentinos' if they like it - a resounding "No".

Better than RedBull

2010-01-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

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As I mentioned in my first post Starving Expats, there are a lot of things I miss here. But, they are starting to get it. I live in the heart of 'tourist town', meaning the supermarket around the corner is discovering the right things to import!

Look what arrived today!!

I believe Costco is selling a 24 pack for u$s 5.43 or u$s 0.65 per can. Here, 1 can will cost you $8.00 peisos - or u$s 2.08

Now that they have discovered what we like, they are also discovering how much we will pay to taste these things again.

Frankly, I don't like tomatoes, but I have drunk V8 on occasion and, at these prices, it will be very occasional.

Lock your doors...

2010-01-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

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My pockets don't stand a chance here. Another thing you may notice after arriving in Bs.As. is that you will have to carry a large lump of brass around in your purse/pockets.

We still haven't graduated from the 'old-school' skeleton keys. Oh yeah, if you are staying at a 4-star hotel, you might be given modern set of keys or even a key card. But if you are renting an apartment or staying in a hostel, get set to gain some weight. Here is what I have to carry - and I have to use every one of these to get into my apartment.

They are so heavy that I have to replace the key ring. It gets bent out of shape. Yes, I had to add the handy clip because all my jeans-pockets gave up a long time ago. Now, I jingle down the street like the rest of the crowd.

Old School

2010-01-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

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I currently work in the U.S. and globally from my home office here in Bs. As., but it wasn't always that way. I used to work for parent bank, Bank of America, on the 23rd floor of one of the tallest buildings in the city- La Torre Bank Boston. Does anything look peculiar about this picture I snapped on lunch?

La Torre Bank Boston

Yeah, it looks like people are hanging out the windows, but only on one floor. Maybe it's the Spiderman quintuplets just out saving the day.

Well, this is what happened. I was just about to go on break, and I looked out over the 'Rio de la Plata" and heard a thump. I turned to the other window and saw this...

I had already been living here for several years at that time, yet there is always another surprise just over your shoulder. I had been expecting to see a machine come down the side of the building one day and wash the windows. But, I was surprised to see them cleaning a modern building 'old-school'.

Here are a couple more shots from the ground.

The other day, I was reminded of this photo when I saw a modern scaffold in use on a much smaller building. They were having difficulty figuring out how to use it, and it was the first of its kind I have seen here. I would have snapped a photo, but you know what those look like.

Finding Work

2010-01-23T18:25:00.000-08:00

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Most are surprised to find out that they can get free hospital care, but you will also be surprised that working legally here in Bs. As. is quite simple and can be set up in a few days.

With just a passport, you can get a CUIT number, which is like a Social Security number. You pay your first month's taxes before you start working. Then you take the paid tax receipt to the printers, have a book of legal receipts printed (called "facturas"). You would be registered as a "Monotributista" or Sole Proprietor.

See more at the official government AFIP site (Administracion Federal de los Ingresos Publicos).

Most businesses, including English schools, will not allow you to work without presenting a factura for payment at the end of the month. You can always run an ad and get private students for conversation classes, but getting into a company to teach will not be easy. All employees, contractors and even private tutors are paid monthly here. It's up to you to make your money stretch for the whole month.

For a more permanent position here, you will need a DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad), which is harder to come by.

Free Healthcare

2010-01-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

I said I would mix the good with the bad. Here is something that may surprise you.

Those who rent from me are always surprised when I tell them that they can go to the hospital if they get sick, and it all will be FREE. No hospital bills coming. Say good-bye to health insurance.

I have two kids that were born here, Thomas (8) and Daniel (5), and they were both born by cesarean section. Total cost for the pair? Around AR $50.00 !!

I had to buy a 'gafa' which is an elastic waste band to support her abdomen after surgery. Then there were a couple of things she needed to bring with her.

In both cases, one in Capital and the other in Tigre, the doctors spoke English and were very nice. Both doctors work at private hospitals as well as public ones.

Thomas (5 min after birth)

Daniel (1 hour after birth)

I have gone to have my eyes checked, and I received a prescription for eye glasses, was sent to another specialist for Glaucoma, and am now under medication for that as well.

Ambulance service is also free.

Prescriptions are not covered. If the hospital has the medicine on hand, they will give you your first doses. Otherwise, you will have to pay your own pharmacy bills. Sorry...

#1 Mistake when flying in...

2010-01-19T19:36:00.000-08:00

I have had several people visit me, and they always make the same mistake.

They change their money at the first booth they see, only to find out that the amount of pesos they get for their dollars increases as they move out of the customs area and nearer the door.

The last person to visit me, calculated that his mistake had the same result as if he had thrown 900 pesos in the garbage (about 290.00 dollars).

Before you leave go to dolarhoy.com and check what the current exchange rates are. You should get somewhere between the compra rate and the venta rate. The following should be accurate.

Don't worry. If you can't find a comparable rate at the airport, all taxi services accept dollars, and there are plenty of honest currency exchanges (casa de cambio) in the city.

Just a friendly tip.

Opposite Land

2010-01-18T09:16:00.001-08:00

They say the drains swirl in the opposite direction south of the equator. I am not sure about that, because I can get them to swirl in either direction here in Buenos Aires. But, there are so many things that are the complete opposite of the norms I am used to in the U.S.

Some examples:

Transportation:
-Instead of 4 way stops, we have intersections with a 4-way-go system. Video to follow...
-Instead of seeing several accidents per day - I have only seen 12 accidents in 10 years living here.
-Trains stop for cars (not always but they certainly don't hit them)
-Police cars have their flashing lights going at all times. How do you know if they want to stop you?
-Cars do not use their headlights at night - optional.
-I have only seen one car with an automatic transmission since I have been here.
-Most cars run on propane, not gasoline (yet the air pollution is much worse here)
-Cars are ticketed for moving violations (rarely). If your car has committed a crime, you can't sell it until it has been resolved.
-Lane markings are painted on the street so you can line them up with your hood ornament.

Housing:
-There are no house fires (to speak of) and if they burn, only the contents is consumed. Wash and refurnish. They are made of non flammable materials - imagine that.
-Apartments are to be bought, not rented.
-If you do find an apartment for rent, it's no heater, no A/C, no refrigerator, no water heater, no fixtures (just bare wires hanging out of the ceiling). They do leave the toilet and plumbing.
-Landlords are responsible for getting money. You pay property taxes, association fees, bills, and you have to repaint it when you move.
-The ground floor is 0, if you want the 1st floor, you have to go to the second.

Food:
Eggs, milk and ham are sold warm, they are not refrigerated in the stores.
Oatmeal is eaten with spaghetti sauce.
Popcorn is eaten with sugar on it - not salt.
Same for avocado - eaten sweetened.
Anything and everything can be delivered. Yes, cleaners, groceries, McDonalds, Burger King, even a Ravioli dinner (they come back for the plates and silverware. )

Purchases:
Houses are purchased in cash - usually in dollars. My survey has shown that only 2% have mortgages.
Cars are purchased in cash. Then you wait 3 weeks for delivery, longer if it's not in stock.
Bills are paid in cash at any convenience store (Kiosco).
Tax is included on all price tags. If you have $1 and it says $1, you pay $1.00 (nice).

Robberies:
First and foremost THERE ARE NO GANGS here. (what I miss the least)
Cities are safe, and suburbs are dangerous (comparatively)
Subways are safe, and driving a car is dangerous. You are more likely to be robbed while driving.
Officers will be criticized and sometimes beaten while arresting a thief.
Thieves will neither be pursued nor arrested.

Language: (just a few - there are thousands of opposites)
When someone calls, you say "I'm going" or "voy"
If you would like to cancel a debt, it means that you will pay it off.
"Diversion" is not a redirection, but rather "fun". 'que diversion' = 'what fun!'

More fun and useful information to come....

Starving Expats

2010-01-08T01:21:00.000-08:00

No, don't worry. We all have work. This is more a post related to the foods we miss.

Having lived in Buenos Aires for 10 years now, I have found so many foods from the good old U.S. of A. that were never available here. Supermarkets have been wising up to the over 1 million expats living here, and some imported foods have started to arrive.

Within the last year, Doritos, Snickers, and iced coffee have all arrived. The newest arrivals, this week, were Pace Picante Salsa and Campbell's soup.

A few things still missing:

Smoked sausage

Pepperoni

Breakfast sausage

Italian sausage

Corned Beef

Fried Chicken

Pickles (that don't taste like straight vinegar)

Tartar sauce

Any kind of dip

Any kind of salad dressing

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Cheddar cheese

Again just a partial list...