What not to do in Argentina
There are so many blogs that talk about this. You can look up what not to do in Argentina or Buenos Aires and come up with hundreds of results. Many of those results can be summarized quickly. So first I will summarize the consensus, then give my own take on what not to do. I will also note what I consider to be bad information out there. Unfortunately misinformation is rampant in English because many English-speakers aren’t fluent in Spanish to understand some nuances and because change happens rapidly in Argentina so many blogs are simply out of date. Here are some don’ts.
Safety aka don’t look like a tourist and take reasonable precautions
First let’s talk about safety. Much of the advice given in these blogs comes down to safety. For the most part, so long as you take “big city precautions,” you will be fine. Let’s review.
Don’t travel alone past midnight, get a taxi if you must be out past midnight alone.
Wear your purse cross-body. Make sure all compartments of your backpack or purse are zipped or at least closed fully so that people can’t see what’s in it. Don’t stand out from the crowd. Dress local. Do not, please, I beg of you, do not wear anything that says “I’m a wealthy tourist.” Nope, not your Rolex. Or your favorite Luis Vuitton purse. And do not take videos with your GoPro in the city.
If you must look at your cellphone for Google Maps, do so in the entrance of a store, away from people. Don’t do it while you’re walking down the street. And remember, don’t flash cash. This brings me to my most controversial point of view, which is don’t bring USD cash. It is going to get its whole section as aresult.
Don’t bring US dollars in cash. Ever.
Many people will tell you that you must bring large USD bills and then get them exchanged to pesos in Argentina via what they call an “arbolito.” This is a terrible idea. Let me explain. First of all, an “arbolito” is someone who unofficially changes dollars to pesos, making it a questionably legal exchange. But that’s not even the worst problem. The moment this person identifies that you speak Spanish with a foreign accent, there is a good chance they are going to give you a bad exchange rate. Most likely, you will be none the wiser until they’ve taken your dollars. In order for this sytem to work in your benefit, you need to research who is trustworthy. And frankly, when we’re on vacation we want things to be simple. Now you can use your foreign card to get a good rate in most places, check our instagram post to know how it works. If you want cash, use Western Union.
Social Don’ts
You can read many blogs or watch videos on this topic. For hours. Let me summarize, then give my own take. If you come to a party on time, you might catch the host off-guard. Come at least 30 minutes late. If you’re offered mate and you take it, don’t stir it. Argentinians commonly eat their meat well-done. If you want it any other way, please specify (check out our previous blog on how to order a steak). Dinner time commonly starts at 9 pm in Argentina. Don’t expect a dinner restaurant to be open before 8 pm. Similarly, don’t expect there to be much open in the morning before 10 am. Also, don’t call the US “America” (To them, America is the continent of North and South America) and don’t call the Malvinas the Falkland Islands. Which brings me to politics.
Politics Don’ts
I’m separating this out because while many blogs just say “don’t talk politics because it’s divisive and you don’t want to stir up trouble.” But that’s not really the whole story. For one, their political views are most likely very different than yours as a result of different values and living in a country that isn’t a central power. Additionally, and this is the real kicker: Many tourists who do comment on politics also tend to do so disrespectfully. Oftentimes, the criticisms tourists make are either a misunderstanding or colonial or have a bit of cultural superiority in them. Don’t be that person. It’s tiring to your host. If politics comes up, I encourage you to listen to them and learn their perspective. I took a Master’s in Latin American studies to learn more of their perspective. It really opened my eyes.
Obviously you don’t need a Master’s, but please do listen to your hosts. You’ll learn a lot and your stay will be more fun and relaxing as a result!
