15 Reason To Hate (Er,... I Could Do Without ) Ba Living...

[Yogur griego]

How could I forget: the fact that so many people here are willing, prepared and anxious to ripe you off.
The very last example: I'm trying to find a place to stay before I arrive next week in BsArs. A lady in San Telmo asked me 4700 pesos all in for her flat, I just saw on the website of couch surfing she told others only 3300 pesos all in. And this goes on all the time every time I'm there.
So how to deal with this?

Since when do people ask for money on CouchSurfing????

 

[Rich One]

Since when do people ask for money on CouchSurfing????

A First, ...... Couchsurfing rents flats...!!

 

[mariano-BCN]

your Griego: there's a subgroup for rent. It's the latest example, of this morning Amsterdam-time, but all these years I've been staying in BsArs every now and then I've been constantly confronted with people trying to charge me more than to Argentineans living there (I'm originally from Argentina, but I've been living in Europe since I was 12 y).
It's a shame that atitude.
And it's not true that this atitude has something to do with poverty. In El Salvador, Colombia I never felt ripped off. In Colombia shop-owners even told me where I could buy things they didn't have at that moment or even where I could buy them cheaper. Colombians are not only much more friendlier than porteños, but also more honest.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

I have found (in general) that Porteños who deal with expats are pretty good at taking advantage of them. That wasn't true in Mendoza. When I fist moved to BsAs I made quite a lot of "friends" quickly - I'm an outgoing guy and will even talk to a fence-post given the chance. I quickly learned that those "friends" were really only looking for something from me. I look very American so obviously I have a lot of money and they wanted some of it. Since then I've gotten pretty cautious and now my only friends are fence-posts. LOL.

Seriously, I've made great great die-hard Argentine friends but in my experience they are the exception when it comes to relationships here in BA.

 

[NYKate]

I don't know how people can even compare NYC to Buenos Aires - unless you never lived there. The subways in NY are safe and do not smell like piss, the city is congested however all cities are and now there are a lot more pedestrian streets. People in NY obey traffic laws for the most part - I have been almost run down EVERY DAY at my CORNER by idiots who have to turn in the 5 feet between me and the corner (did I mention I am 9 months pregnant and it is usually while I am walking my dogs). I am surrounded by schools and parents zoom around with no regard for people walking with their kids or just walking down the street.
I have been physically pushed out of the way (twice) while on the line in Jumbo for pregnant women because this woman was frustrated that the cashier said i have to go first.
The police need to issue tickets, nothing is going to change if there are no consequences for actions.
I am sick and tired of soccer hooligans too. Would LOVE to go to a game however it is impossible.
We clean up after our dogs and always carry extra bags. When I see someone not cleaning up I always offer a bag and always get the finger.

 

[la_guachita]

Wow. Buenos Aires annoys me as much as the next person but there is no excuse for this.

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]'Men who dress up as women. !!! OMG !!! They're a plague !!! Actually I feel sorry for them.'[/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]Why are they a plague? Why do you feel sorry for them? Are they sick, or unhappy?? Probably not. I do however feel sorry for you for being so judgemental and closed minded.[/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]Irresponsible parents who send their young children to beg in restaurants & trains. Shame on them !!![/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]Again, who are you to judge? Yes, it can be quite upsetting, and perhaps in many cases there are other ways these people can make a living. But I'm going to make a guess and say you have never HAD to make the choice of sending your child to work to provide for your family. Count yourself lucky that you have not been in a situation where that may be your only choice. I certainly would not say 'shame on them' to a group of people who have not had the luxury of being educated to know another way out.[/background]

I disagree. There is no excuse for most of those folks who send their kids out to beg and making excuses for them just perpetuates the dependency/lack-of-personal-responsibility culture. I called #108 about the kids who are always on the C line of the subte, the social workers knew the kids well and told me the parents refuse to go into a shelter and keep sending the kids out after receiving help. I got one of the Roma kids who begged on Sunday in San Telmo a coat but the next week there he was out there without his coat. He said his parents wouldn't let him wear the coat because he made more money without it.

How about some compassion for the kids forced to roam the streets instead of excusing the parents?

 

[bseabrooke]

I disagree. There is no excuse for most of those folks who send their kids out to beg and making excuses for them just perpetuates the dependency/lack-of-personal-responsibility culture. I called #108 about the kids who are always on the C line of the subte, the social workers knew the kids well and told me the parents refuse to go into a shelter and keep sending the kids out after receiving help. I got one of the Roma kids who begged on Sunday in San Telmo a coat but the next week there he was out there without his coat. He said his parents wouldn't let him wear the coat because he made more money without it.

How about some compassion for the kids forced to roam the streets instead of excusing the parents?

Maybe you misunderstood me. I am in no way making excuses for the parents. It is horrible, but not all of them can be blamed and shamed.

 

[LostinBA]

How could I forget: the fact that so many people here are willing, prepared and anxious to ripe you off.
The very last example: I'm trying to find a place to stay before I arrive next week in BsArs. A lady in San Telmo asked me 4700 pesos all in for her flat, I just saw on the website of couch surfing she told others only 3300 pesos all in. And this goes on all the time every time I'm there.
So how to deal with this?

Today I had to go to see a dental surgeon who just last week, upon making the appointment, stated that the consultation would be free. Upon arrival, the receptionsit stated that the consultation would be 300 pesos. This was even though I heard her tell at least 2 telephone callers and a walk-in that it would be free or 150 pesos.

Incredously she then tells me it'll be 300 pesos. Her nervous "slightly more than a milli-second" smile that gave away the fact whe was obviously lying to me in yet another cheap porteno attempt to rip off the foreigner.

No point in getting angry anymore...I just shrugged and walked out.

I've long since realized that this country is so screwed and will never be un-screwed. Finally gave my notice and am leaving in July. Thank you baby Jesus!

My landlord mentioned that he wants to have a sit-down talk with me. All I can wonder is how he's going to try to cheat me. Hey, he doesn't want to give me a kiss on the cheek.

What a sad people...

 

[LostinBA]

Every city has its ups and downs. In New York City the subway smells of piss and make porteños look like miss manners.

(also no excuse about talking trash about travesties)

Hold on...no trash talking about transvestites? you mean the same ones who sell cocaine, often hassle runners in the evening and poop and throw used condoms all over the place in Bosque de Palermo? The only nice thing I can say about them is thank god they're not yet using heroin or there would be used needles all over the place. These people are the lowest of the low. They have no respect for anyone, least of all themselves.

 

[PfQ]

San Telmo is, out of all of them, the neighborhood where foreigners get scammed the most.