Lifestyle

Transportation

Public Bus "El Colectivo"

  • What: Popular way of travel, with hundreds of routes in and out of the city. Usually seat 30-50 people.
  • Where: Stops are every 2 blocks. Almost every city street houses a 'colectivo' route.
  • When: Colectivos run all day and night. More frequently during the day.
  • How: A digital card system called SUBE. One extends their arm while on the side of the street, gets the drivers attention. When boarded, tells the driver the destination, and the driver puts the amount. The passenger then puts the SUBE card against the digital reader.

Train

  • What: Several lines in and out of the city. Trains are usually 100 yards long. Capital has a subway system.
  • Where: Every 15-25 blocks. It takes about 3-5 minutes between every station . Almost all lines end in capital, and branch outwards, some for a couple of hours.
  • When: Trains come every 7-15 minutes. Sometimes during high-volume hours, they come more frequently, but slower.
  • How: By SUBE. Cars have 2 seats on each side, and wide aisles.
  • Fun Fact: During peak hours, the trains get so full that the people bulge out of the doors until the doors close. Also, salesman frequently walk down the ailes.

Remis (Local Taxi)

  • What: Taxi like service. The difference between the remis and the taxi seems to be that remises are more localized, found in neighborhoods.
  • Where: Everywhere. Even the smallest town might have remis service, especially since cars are more seldomely used.
  • How: By phone or by walking up to the shop itself. You pay a base pay plus a mileage fee.

Local Roads

  • What: Many local neighborhood roads resemble that of the picture. Components are listed below.
  • Gutters: Called "zanjas", on both sides of the streets are dug-out gutters for drainage and possibly sewage.
  • Dogs: It's common to see vagrant dogs roaming the streets. They are almost all scared and not dangerous. You can scare them off by bending down and pretending to pick up a rock, because they are accostumed to having rocks thrown at them.
  • Drinker Danger: On corners, many times younger men will stand together drinking and smoking. Most citizens avoid walking by them. Their bands are called "patotas".

Neighborhoods

City

  • Apartments: Almost all city residences are apartments, althought sometimes there are houses put in between.
  • Modern Style: Among all Argentine residences, the cities are the most modernized. Air conditiong, electronic doorbells, and intercom systems.
  • Street Condition: Even though the streets get quite dirty with litter and stains everyday, the cities have it cleaned by the morning rush.
  • Street Vendor: They are underneath buildings, street corners, and by train tracks. Vendors will frequently be immigrants, and sell a variety of tortillas, ice cream, and jewelry. The Jewelry salesman usually are immigrants from Africa.

Suburbs

  • House Types:Most houses are built from hollow bricks and cement, and are built one room at a time, depending on the financial situation of every family. In most areas, houses have bars at the windows and metals fences around.
  • Soccer Fields/Plazas: Most neighborhoods have plazas with playgrounds, and soccer fields every couple of blocks.
  • House Kiosks: Some residents have small shops called 'kioskos' that branch out of their house. They sell common goods like flour, toilet paper, etc, so that residents don't have to travel to supermarkets.
  • Safety Level: Is higher the closer one gets to a downtown area, usually around the center of cities. As one travels farther out, the streets eventually all go to dirt, and the citizens income level lowers.

Farmlands

  • City Design: Most Argentine rural towns are built like a square, with a plaza in dead center. The blocks are squares.
  • 'Quintas', or Estates: Are popular home-types in rural Argentina. They usually are big lots, surrounding a house and a pool, bordered by shrubs or trees. They are beautiful!
  • 'Gaucho', or Cowboy Culture: The biggest distinction in rural Argentina. Big rounded hats, cowhoof mate, horseback riding.
  • Beef Production: Argentina is one of the world's most reknown producers of beef. Locally, they believe it's the best in the world! They attribute it to the flat, fertile plains that don't demand the cattle to exert strength, which would roughen the beef.

Villas (Shanti-Towns)

  • What Are They? Slum villages created by unsupervised immigration and poor economic conditions. They usually are found in urban areas.
  • What Are They Like? The real world version of Harry Potter 4's maze from the Triwizard tournament. Passages narrow enough for one person, labrynth structured paths, and uncharted danger. They houses drug operations and criminals, as well as immigrants and humble families.
  • Accesability for Americans: Most villas know the LDS missionaries, and won't pay attention to them during the day. However, at night the good disappear, and the bad appear. It is strongly advised not to enter them.
  • Photos: Villa 31, The 'Fuerte Apache', Villa Madero, Villa Carlos Gardel.

Shopping

NOTE: Most stores in Argentina can be found every couple of blocks, and sometimes there are multiple stores per block, due to lax or non-existing zoning laws.

Because of the siesta (a prominent Argentine cultural feature), most stores close between 1-5 pm, and open back up until 9pm.

Bakery (La Panadería)

  • Just like many common stores (fruit, supplies, butcher, etc.), bakeries are found every few blocks, if not more frequently. They have many delicious items, and almost all sell basic types of bread. Many include other items like facturas, cakes, and empanadas.
  • Layout: The bread is located behind the counter, and the specialty items in the glass case below the counter. There are other items on tables usually inside the store. The bread is sold by kilogram.
  • Bread Types: Galleta, pan de mesa, pan lactal, pan Brioche, pan dulce. 'Pan' means bread.
  • Specialty Items: Alfajores, facturas, tartas, cakes, pasta floral.

Fruit Store (La Frutería)

  • Bolivian Owners: Most fruit stands, especially in suburbian Buenos Aires, are run by immigrated Bolivians. They are humble people, nice to talk to.
  • Sold by Kilogram: Most fruit will be advertised per kilogram. The workers will weigh the items to give you a price. Then, they'll put them in bags.
  • Vegetables: Even though they are called 'Fruterías', they also sell most common vegetables.
  • Specialy Items: Select fruteriías will sell blueberry juice, avocado, and spices.

Butcher's Shop (La Carnicería)

  • Sold by Kilogram: all items will be weighed.
  • Milanesa (about per kilogram): sold in all meat types, comes breaded.
  • Asado Meat: locals say quality of meat depends on the location.
  • Chorizo Seco: A dried sausage that is eaten with bread and chimichurri or criolla, favorite sauces.

Food Stores (Los Supermercados)

  • Companies: U.S.A has Safeway, Albertsons, Safeway, etc. Argentina has Dia, Vea, La Anónima, and Carrefour.
  • Chinos: Are common supermarkets run by Chinese immigrants. They are as frequent if not more frequent than the above listed market chains.
  • Personal Item Lockers: All customers are subject to put their items in lockers upon entering.
  • Milk/Yogurt Sold in Bags: Unlike the U.S where they are sold in cups or jugs, in Argentina they are sold in plastic bags. Cut the corners to pour out the contents, and store them in custom made holders..

Kiosks (Los Kioskos)

  • Like A Gas Station Store: They sell candy, gum, lottery tickets, drinks, and packaged food.
  • House Kiosks: People build kiosks into their houses as a source of work. They sell local items like toiletries, bread, and the above listed items. As frequent as twice a block.
  • SUBE: In city kiosks, you can put money on your SUBE card in order to travel.
  • Photocopies: Some kiosks offer photocopy services, usually 1 peso (7 cents) per copy.
  • Panchos (Hot Dog): Some sell foot long hot dogs, offered with mustard, ketchup, french fry chips, and other sauces.

Bookstores (Las Librerías)

  • School Supplies: Is best described being a school supplies shop. They have paper, pencils, marker, etc.
  • Lamination: Useful for area maps (mission tool), some locations offer lamination.
  • Selection: Most major color pencil/marker/crayon brands are carried in Argentina.
  • City Maps: Are also sold there. Buenos Aires is usually sectioned off into distintive part for every map.