Culture Reality Check

[Ries]

There is a sign in a store on Santa Fe that says:
"No Todos Los Sillas Son Iguales".
And the same thing applies to tomatoes.
there are tomatoes, and then there are tomatoes.
I find many times, in Argentina, a complete piece of crap, and a very high quality version of the same thing, are the same price- but you have to know how to tell, and where to go.
Of course,its true that in the crescent between Recoleta and Nordelta, prices are gonna be higher for some things than they would be in Avellenada.
but many times good stuff is really not much more than wilted spoiled stuff-it just takes the effort to figure out why two things with the same name are not the same.

 

[Big Swifty]

Years ago, in a country with similarly low to non-existent standards of customer service, I saw pretty much the same thing happen on a hot, summer day. The customer waited patiently to be checked out but after a couple few minutes it was obvious the clerks knew he was there but weren't interrupting their new project to come back to check him out anytime soon. The guy eventually opened his can of beer and started drinking while he continued to patiently wait - mentioning to the clerks within earshot how hot it was and that he needed to cool off. Clerk still didn't bother to come back to check him out. The guy finished his beer, gave them another minute or so, left the empty along with his other unpurchased stuff on the counter for an employee to eventually restock, and calmly walked out like it was no big deal - now that the beer hit the spot he was cool with doing his grocery shopping elsewhere if they weren't going to attend to him. Nobody bothered to stop him to charge him for the beer.

 

[Rich One]

There is a sign in a store on Santa Fe that says:.
"No Todos Los Sillas Son Iguales".
And the same thing applies to tomatoes.
there are tomatoes, and then there are tomatoes.
I find many times, in Argentina, a complete piece of crap, and a very high quality version of the same thing, are the same price- but you have to know how to tell, and where to go.
Of course,its true that in the crescent between Recoleta and Nordelta, prices are gonna be higher for some things than they would be in Avellenada.
but many times good stuff is really not much more than wilted spoiled stuff-it just takes the effort to figure out why two things with the same name are not the same.

I have more than ten years shopping for produce in this neighborhood . I check the prices in several Boliviano Verdulerias and can tell the quality of Peritas and redondo tomatoes. I can't see a Big difference in quality in different verdulerias.! Coto quality is good enough for me, cost benefit ratio

 

[Rich One]

I suspect that's something to do with the way that the spending power of the people in your area is perceived by the small shopkeepers local to you and I further suspect that Coto prices don't change much store by store. Way out west, still in CABA but near the General Paz, verdulerias, carnecerias etc are reasonably priced and good but a friend who used to shop in those stores and who has recently moved to Palermo simply can't afford to pay Palermo prices on the street and so shops in Coto instead.

So much wisdom..! Bravo

 

[talbur]

I felt the exact same way as you did when I first got here ,and for a period of time thereafter and then I got used to it, but I understand and commiserate with how you feel….
On the flip side , while on a recent trip back to Boston ( first time in the States in two years ), I felt like everything was moving way too quickly and that I was being rushed all the time, everywhere I went and every line I stood in, and I had anxiety about feeling so rushed actually…it felt alien to me….and invasive somehow ....

Thanks for your reply. I've spend about half my adult life outside the US. -I know what you mean about the speed thing - but that's not quite it.

I understand that things don't always function at the same speed in different places. I don't mind waiting if its for something legitimate.

For instance...Same market...the day before- I would have been happy to wait for the person at deli counter to wash their hands after mopping the floor and before handling my meats and cheeses. I would have been totally cool waiting an extra 30-60 seconds for a nice thorough hand washing.

But in the circumstance at the register...It was the cashier-walking-away-from-the-register-when-I-was-already-in-line...so that she could do busy work and making me wait. Compounded by the fact that that her manager was right there...doing nothing.. and had no problem with the situation.

The local stores are generally quite good....or really, really bad...so I find a few that I like and I stick with them.

 

[on the brink]

San Isidro prices are lower than Palermo's. Around 20-30% lower for some items.

 

[Millie]

I understand what you are saying… it’s relative to the situation at hand ….

 

[talbur]

One thing I do like about the supermarkets is that you get to pick through and select your own produce.

Here in Cordoba -the main city 'market' and a large number of the small produce shops in this neighborhood will pick the produce for you.

In theory I have no problem with this except the nice tomatoes are on display next to the sign with the prices, but when they clerk grabs tomatoes, they come from a separate container.

You think the quality of tomatoes in this container is similar? hahaha

I realize that this is no different than the 'photo' of the burger compared to 'received' burger. But somehow - it bothers me more when I'm looking directly at tomatoes and the price sign right next to it thinking those are the tomatoes I'm going to get for that price.

gawd...when did I get so old and grumpy?

 

[Big Swifty]

One of life's simple pleasures is, or should be, the ability to choose your own fruit. Can give a feeling of being in control of at least one aspect of life to even the most unfortunate in society.

 

[jblaze5779]

Can you have considered yourself a resident unless you've at least once left a cart full of goods in the line and walked out of the store? Got a few of those under my belt, figured it was job security for the workers.