Five Bizarre Behaviors In Buenos Aires

If you’re thinking of hopping a flight to Buenos Aires in order to escape the snow or cold, I have some items to point out. I am not writing this to critique Argentine culture, but as a heads-up to travelers. Even though I read a lot about Buenos Aires prior to living right here, it appears that I may perhaps have skipped over these strategies.

In no particular order, the bizarre behaviors of porteños are:

No. 1: Porteños kiss absolutely everyone as a greeting and farewell. No matter if it is woman to lady, man to lady, man to man, just a single kiss, correct cheek to correct cheek will help you blend in. Don´t be frightened if an Argentine leans in for a beso.

No. two: Some days you will be walking down the street and see young men and women covered in a) paint, or b) egg and flour. I have no thought what sort of initiation or ritual this is, apparently it takes place in a lot of Latin American cities and towns. Here, it occurs a lot. (UPDATE: Turns out this has to do with celebrating university.)

No. 3: Dodging dog poop is a reality of life. In reality, scooping poop is the third most important challenge in an election. At present, the government has a campaign, jugálimpio, to attempt and encourage individuals to clean up soon after their dogs. My assistance: scan the sidewalks before you step.

No. 4: Change, coin, centavos are a rarity, but are crucial to taking the colectivo (the bus) anyplace. Vendors, store owners, or men and women on the street are reluctant to make coin. They will even give you far more revenue back if it signifies holding onto their centavos. Just bear in mind to keep your adjust whenever you can. Wonder why? Verify out this bizarre explanation.

No. 5: Last, but not least, ladies be warned, cat-calling and wolf-whistling is everywhere. Even the slightest feminist-sympathizer may possibly get angry or frightened, but do not be, most of the calls are harmless. That is not to say you ought to be wandering around alone at evening in all neighborhoods. Just don´t let the calls bother you, it´s a cultural factor. Let me put it this way, even the buses can wolf-whistle.

By Brit Weaver

About the Author

Toronto born and based, Brit is an avid leisure cyclist, coffee drinker and under-a-tree park-ist. She normally finds herself meandering foreign cities seeking for street eats to nibble, trees to climb, a patch of grass to sit on, or a tiny bookstore to sift by means of. You can find her musing life on her personal weblog, TheBubblesAreDead.wordpress.com.