Culture shock when visiting home

[NOLAchef]

biggest differences for me-

-you don't have to constantly look down while you're walking so you don't step in dog shit
-huge EVERYTHING, people, cars, stores
-customer service

 

[Napoleon]

I. I went to a Chinese restaurant with a friend for lunch.
(a) I kept saying "Gracias" & "Por Favor" to the ~24 year old waitress who was Asian and born in the USA.
(b) She had a classic Italian Porteña body with the slim waist/flat stomach/curvy hips & bottom combo, so that didn't help me stop with my Spanish.
(c) We had our drinks AND food by the time a Porteño mozo would have been taking our drink order.

II. WHOLE FOODS!!!
(a) On the way home from the airport I went to Whole Foods, BEFORE going home.
(b) They had fruit OUT OF SEASON and it was DELICIOUS!!!
(c) There were about 30 (yes THIRTY!!) different types of breads in the bakery department and absolutely NONE of them had DDL.
(d) Artesenal Beers for about HALF the price as in BsAs and oh-so-much better.
(e) I bought a water bottle for the gym that didn't scan, so the lady decided to GIVE IT TO ME FOR FREE!!
(f) Something else didn't scan, so she gave that to me for FREE as well!!
(g) This Whole Foods has a Day Spa upstairs, but I didn't stop in for a massage.
(h) I bought a small loaf of Jalapeño Cheese bread for US$2.50
(i) OK, the produce was worth repeating.

III. WHITE ROCK COFFEE
(a) I went to a coffee shop that roasts their own coffee and I bought a pound of "Sweet Yellow Brazil" coffee for ~AR$58. That's 450g for AR$58... from the country that is RIGHT NEXT TO ARGENTINA!!!!!!
(b) The coffee blows the **** out of anything in Argentina.
(c) I got a free cup of coffee with my purchase of a pound of coffee.

IV. HALF PRICE BOOKS www.hpb.com
(a) a warehouse full of books that are marked at halfprice or less
(b) great customer service
(c) clean bathrooms (Well, the El Ateneo on Santa Fe does as well)

V. BANK
(a) No line... NO ONE!!
(b) Awesome sign on the door!!

(c) Bank hours on SATURDAY are the same as BsAs M-F

VI. DRIVING
(a) I was flying on the highway midday coming back from the airport.
(b) Driving 2 miles (3.2KMs) takes about 6 minutes and perhaps requires one to two stop lights.

That's all for now!

 

[starlucia]

A couple of weeks ago in a suburban frozen yogurt place, a teenager left her iPhone on the table next to me and just wandered away. It was totally safe, none of the other customers even noticed it, but after about 5 minutes, I finally picked it up and took it outside to her dad: "Excuse me, your daughter left her phone just lying there." "Oh, thanks, haha -- she does that all the time." (totally non-concerned.)

After being conditioned by BA, I'm now always amazed by the relaxed/oblivious attitude of Americans toward theft: while I can't break the habit of using an iron grip at all times, everyone else has their purses dangling off their shoulders or hanging from a chair, iPhones and wallets in back pockets, car doors unlocked, laptops left unattended while their owners run to the bathroom. It's actually really nice being able to withdraw a large amount of cash (usually from some sweet old teller named, like, Rosemary) and walk out of the bank without feeling like you've got a big red target on your chest.

 

[cbphoto]

Thats what I am talking about... for me...that is such a huge thing to give up...whilst living in Buenos Aires. I like to relax....
In addition .. I was not too worried when I lived in BA..but you could feel the tension all around. The windows with gates, distrust of your intentions.. unfortunately this "lifestyle".. I feel, can reflect itself into so many other dysfunctional aspects of a society.

 

[perry]

Thats what I am talking about... for me...that is such a huge thing to give up...whilst living in Buenos Aires. I like to relax....
In addition .. I was not too worried when I lived in BA..but you could feel the tension all around. The windows with gates, distrust of your intentions.. unfortunately this "lifestyle".. I feel, can reflect itself into so many other dysfunctional aspects of a society.

When I went to the United States for holiday I was robbed twice on the streets once in Los Angeles and the other time in San Francisco by a gang of african youths. In Buenos Aires this has never happened to me.

The big difference with Argentina and the USA is that Porteños are brought up to be super paranoid and the media plays up on that creating this false image of more crime that the reality . Violent crimes in Argentina are much lower than most USA cities this is a fact.

 

[Lucas]

 

[chris]

In decades of urban living in the US I was NEVER robbed but I was twice robbed in BA.