Argentines are warm; Americans are cold

[Bill]

What about when a poor farmer from Paraguay who visits and has to pay more than a local?

In most cases, anyone from South America will be considered a "national" even if they're from outside Argentina. I'll relate a few examples of what I experienced and I have to stress this didn't upset me and I paid what was asked of me.
At the entrance to the Perito Moreno Glacier park, the mini-bus stops and a girl comes on with a clipboard and asks for our passport or ID. A big sign on the side of the road lists the prices and yes, the price for me is 30 pesos. Next to me were two guys from Chile. They paid 10 pesos each, which was obvious because the girl didn't have enough change and asked me for some. Same with other people from other SA countries. In front of me was a couple from Germany and they were a bit annoyed and asked why there's such a price difference and why anyone getting a discount didn't have to provide a DNI (we were writing our info on the clipboard paper, so it was also obvious). She said that they were "nationals" and made a quick exit from the Bus. One of the guys from Chile apologized to the German couple and said this is "how it is" here.
In Puerto Madryn, the same thing was going on with the big sign showing the different entrance fees. Again, it was only the out of SA tourists paying full price. On the clipboard sheet, there were ID numbers listed but I never saw anyone actually show an ID other than those of us with passports.
Now the interesting stuff. While in Bia Blanca, I was looking for a "free fork" (all you can eat) restaurant and found one listed in my guidebook. It's a nice place right off the main plaza and there's a girl outside holding a menu asking people to come inside. I stopped and talked to her and found out the price is 25 pesos. It's actually on a sign right in the window. While I was looking the sign though, I noticed in small print and in spanish that if you provide a DNI number, you get a discount of 50% per person. I asked her if this is only for Argentines and she got a bit nervous. Well, she said, Argentines and nationals. I did go inside by the way.
The same story in Bariloche, again at a free fork. If it's not in the fine print, most nationals will ask at the door. At least that's what my girlfriend said after I got back and we laughed about all of this. It was great taking her to a restaurant by the way because she'd grab the bill at the end and go over every detail. I would've been double-charged a few times if she wasn't there.
I also saw the same sort of thing at stores in Rosario, where they'd have sale prices for people that can present a DNI. Just like we might have sales in Canada and you get a discount if you've got a member card at a grocery store, so it's not like I was getting upset by all of this. Airline tickets... I don't want to talk about.

 

[auntieapple]

As i have mentioned before on another thread, I am a rather good client at the Sheraton. I use the hotel alot also I check in lots of friends and overseas visitors there. .
Last summer I had some friends staying there as my guests. The managers know i live in Argentina. While I was at the reception one day waiting to attend to a bill I flipped through one of their brochures. Mid week breaks for two with dinner, golf weekend for two, suite and spa weekend for two, blah blah blah. Just as i was thinking.........Mnnnnn thats a plan to escape with the husband from the kids and nanny, I noticed something:
My beady eye saw a minute aterix next to the offers. Following the key to the bottom of the brochure there in "absolutely need a bloody microscope to read" was written," this offer is available to Argentine nationals only."
Now, my response was, hold on, this is a bloody international hotel and it is also doing the same crap as these hicksville domestic airlines and hotels in the south.
But that is nothing,
The year before a girlfriend was staying with me and she plotted to invite this guy for the night at the Sheraton. Anyway to cut a long story short she did not have any credit cards and the hotel required payment over the phone in order to reserve the room for that night. I read all the normal details over the phone from my card, name, card number, expiry date, issue date, 3 digit security number. Then after about half an hour I received a call to say "could you please send a photocopy of both the back and front of your card. WHAT????????????????
I demanded to know why and they told me that it was hotel policy and that even if i was at the hotel they would take a copy of both sides. Well, I flipped I called the manager and told them that what they were doing was in effect illegal, in so much as if someone in the hotel misused the information on my card I would have no claim for immunity from my card issuer as i would have given them this information.
Just imagine some naughty hotel employee with photo copies of the front and back of your platinum master card? how many things could one purchase before you had discovered? I told the manager that as one of the directors of the Starwood group (owners of sheraton) also happens to be a director of American Express, im sure she would be very interested to hear what the Sheraton hotels in Argentina are up too. I wrote off a very informed mail intended for the head of the Starwood group and immediately mailed a copy to the Manager. I said that i would be mailing and then calling Starwood (US) first thing in the morning.
Well, the manageress almost did a double somersault and used every story as to why they have to do this. I told them that they need to get up to speed with the world and know how to use and process cards in the correct and normal manner without doing disgusting underhand tricks with the cards of the clients. Secondly stop treating all their paying clients as filthy criminals and all this for a measly one night which came to about $800 pesos I mean get real.
I told them that for 800 pesos they risked the loss of not only a good client but all the business that I bring them when hunting for digs for my friends that come to BA for the polo season. I also told her that i would be advising everyone i knew that intended on using the Sheraton about the photocopying of cards. Well can you believe the manageress apologised profusely and offered ONE FREE NIGHT IN A SUITE WITH DINNER with my husband for my trouble! I declined the offer but still use the hotel as to be honest i need it. But I now feel that I get that little extra special treatment because They know I was going to ring some big bells with The Starwood Group. Oh, I now get the national prices! and very big absolute vodka shots in my Caipiroska's.
The moral of this long boring story?
MAKE A FUSS! and if that does not work tell them to Fu----------ck off and walk away!

 

[auntieapple]

Oh! Sh---i--t! they probably spit in my club sandwich now!

 

[Bill]

No. I expect they'll start respecting you for what you are... a customer with money that has choices in where to spend it. Something I will say for American business people is that they understand this concept.
Back to the original topic.... I've been around both Argentines and Americans quite a bit. Both have their good and bad qualities although sometimes it seems to be in reverse. Argentines are quick to like you and you're best friends forever during the first night out. If they're still answering your phonecalls after a week, consider it a friendship. If not... don't take it personally.
Americans tend to challenge you to feel you out but make good friends in the long run. Being rated "the hardest working people in the world" gives you a little insight into how they think and behave. Break things down to a business level and you can get along quite well.

 

[rmartinbuenosaires]

First of all....AuntieApple: As usual, LOVE your stories. You sound alot like me. BTW, welcome back.I am sure TatanBS will weigh in on this as she/he likes to contradict me....but two short stories: 1. Awhile back, a friend of mine (American) went into a art gallery and inquired about the price of a painting. At the time, I was not aware of the significance of the Argentine artist, Petrotutti. ANYHOW, they told him $US20,000. A week later, we passed the gallery. He told me the story and told me to go in and ask the price as he waited down the block. I did. They said $US25,000. I asked why it went up $US5,000 since the previous week and told them they had quoted a different price to someone else. Naturally, all I got was that common blank stare of stupidity. 2. Secondly, from time to time, I browse Craig's List Buenos Aires to check out local real estate offerings. Most of the stuff is garbage and the prices are usually way beyond normal/fair prices for the market. Now this is Foreigners ripping off Foreigners as well as Argentines ripping off Foreigners. Well the other day someone was listing a 33 mt studio, renovated (if you mean cleaning the floors, yeah it was renovated in 1965), located near Corrientes somewhere. They were asking $US 88,000!! C'mon. Nearly $3000 a meter in that location? I sent an email to the person posting it and said he should rethink his price because that was outrageous. You would not believe the stream of hate and venom of emails he sent me to the point of saying he hates all Foreigners, particularly Americans, particularly faggots and we are all capitalist pigs. Point is...when you call people on it....they don't like it. I guess I should try to keep my big mouth shut but thats just not me. When I see BS, I call it out....

 

[chris]

I am surprised to read in Auntie Apple's post that the Sheraton has an offer for Argentine nationals only. So far I have only seen special offers for "residents" which includes anyone with a DNI. It is hard to believe that the Sheraton would make a Bolivian national, for example, living permanently in Argentina (I am thinking of a lawyer friend whose family emigrated from Bolivia years ago. He has never asked for Argentine citizenship, preferring to retain his Bolivian nationality) pay the "international price". If they were to do so they might have legal problems. Are you sure you did not read "for residents only"?

 

[Marc]

Surely, if you have a DNI, whether permanent or temp, you should be treated the same way as a national. WTF!
I've experienced this on Tren de la Costa and also trips to Iguazu. It's just bloody shame faced discrimination.
This country, as my Argentine girlfriend so eloquently states is El culo del mundo. Well, it's going to stay that way if they behave like this. Good for AuntieApple I say.

 

[Kayfabe]

could you please send a photocopy of both the back and front of your card. WHAT????????????????

That's interesting I had the same thing happen to me recently when I went to the States and used my bosses card to reserve, just thought it was standard to prove that you hadn't stolen someones card and felt like a free holiday. I'm not trying to take away anything from your story and the awful way you were treated and from now on I'll know to tell them to bite me if someone tries that again