Everything gone to hell, again!

[Jaredberryman]

Today we went to exchange $500 for Pesos at a Casa de Cambio in Belgrano. Waiting in a long queue with locals waiting to buy dollars, we offered to exchange our crisp new $100 bills straight from our Uruguayan bank for their torn, tattered Pesos at a mid rate beneficial for both parties. The Argentinians all refused our offer, claiming the our Dollars were too “new” for their liking, and exhibited a preference to continue waiting in their queue to buy “old” Dollars at a worse rate. Once it was our turn at the exchange window, the Casa de Cambio refused to exchange our Dollars because my wife's Uruguayan passport and Cedula were apparently not sufficient proof of her legal status in Argentina, only the flimsy, white entry document/ receipt issue at the border, which we did not have with us, would suffice to prove our worthiness to exchange our foreign Dollars for their beloved Pesos . Dejected, we went home and were only able to exchange our rejected Dollars at the local “Chino” who apparently had no problem with either the newness of our Dollars or our documented immigration status.

From our experience, I learned several important lessons in Argentine Financial crisis management:
1. The Argentine in the street prefers to waste time waiting in a queue to overpay for an inferior product, rather than take any initiative to work for a mutual benefit.
2.Despite a grave and urgent need for Dollars by Argentina in the midst of a hard currency financial crisis, mindless bureaucracy still triumphs over common sense and logic.
3. There is no viable path to the “gradual reform” of the Argentine mindset of contagious mass panic, mistrust of his fellow Argentine, over reliance on stifling bureaucracy and an inability to compete in a world market of more entrepreneur minded peoples, if only epitomised by the local “Chino”.

I particularly agree that number 2 is 100 percent true. I have asked my Argentine wife so many times, "Why is this actually necessary? And then she tries to convince me whatever piece of paper I am doing is necessary. It's hopeless, they will always be bureaucratic here. She has managed to change a little bit on this, but if you are hoping that will change, it will never happen.

I laugh when once for a brief period I lost my DNI and had to buy stuff with my credit card. They would ask for my DNI, and no way was I going to haul around my passport, so I would show them my U.S. driver's license. Sometimes the person at the cash register would take it. But many times they wouldn't. What are the odds that a six foot five blonde guy has a Texas driver's license in Argentina that is the same name as the foreign credit card? And my name is a very odd one here (I'm not named Diego Calderon). So, obviously being a foreigner, shouldn't it be obvious that this card is not stolen and that I am actually the person using it?

Nevertheless, "it's the law." Which is designed to protect people from stolen cards. But it's the law. Can't take your credit card. : )

 

[nicoenarg]

Sorry, not biting, I have nothing to prove to you. If you want to show me actual stats or studies which backup your assertions that Israel is a good economic model to follow and that the billions in subsidies funneled into the isreal economy are not propping it up, then I am happy to listen and re evaluate my views. Otherwise, have a nice life

Nope, absolutely no interest in holding your hand. I’m sure you’re capable of basic research. If not, likewise, have a nice life. Personally doesn’t matter to me one way or another.

 

[London2Baires]

Nope, absolutely no interest in holding your hand. I’m sure you’re capable of basic research. If not, likewise, have a nice life. Personally doesn’t matter to me one way or another.

Lol, you were the one making unsubstantiated assertions and proclaiming the value of the Israeli economic model with no scientific evidence. So the onus would be on you. But that's fine, let's just leave it here then ;p

 

[nicoenarg]

Lol, you were the one making unsubstantiated assertions and proclaiming the value of the Israeli economic model with no scientific evidence. So the onus would be on you. But that's fine, let's just leave it here then ;p

Similarly, you made dogmatic statements with absolutely no backing or historical understanding. Yup, lets leave it there.

 

[toongeorges]

Lol, you were the one making unsubstantiated assertions and proclaiming the value of the Israeli economic model with no scientific evidence. So the onus would be on you. But that's fine, let's just leave it here then ;p

If Israel does not count...

The Germans had hyperinflation, went to war, lost, were divided, reunited and took on the charges of integrating the former communist part and became the strongest economy in Europe. Could present-day Argentina learn something from present-day Germany?

 

[Rich One]

We survived this wave ... 100 % of LEBACS rolled over... Lets wait for the next one..

 

[gracielle]

We survived this wave ... 100 % of LEBACS rolled over... Lets wait for the next one..

....and this afternoon the INDEC published the official inflation rate for April.....2.7%

 

[bobsnowpuppy]

....and this afternoon the INDEC published the official inflation rate for April.....2.7%

Ha! Hahahahahaha!

 

[Pensador]

....and this afternoon the INDEC published the official inflation rate for April.....2.7%

And I am Peter Pan watch me fly! Weeeiiiiiiiiiiii

 

[garryl]

I particularly agree that number 2 is 100 percent true. I have asked my Argentine wife so many times, "Why is this actually necessary? And then she tries to convince me whatever piece of paper I am doing is necessary. It's hopeless, they will always be bureaucratic here. She has managed to change a little bit on this, but if you are hoping that will change, it will never happen.

I laugh when once for a brief period I lost my DNI and had to buy stuff with my credit card. They would ask for my DNI, and no way was I going to haul around my passport, so I would show them my U.S. driver's license. Sometimes the person at the cash register would take it. But many times they wouldn't. What are the odds that a six foot five blonde guy has a Texas driver's license in Argentina that is the same name as the foreign credit card? And my name is a very odd one here (I'm not named Diego Calderon). So, obviously being a foreigner, shouldn't it be obvious that this card is not stolen and that I am actually the person using it?

Nevertheless, "it's the law." Which is designed to protect people from stolen cards. But it's the law. Can't take your credit card. : )

People almost take my CA driver license as my ID all the time. I told them that this is my ID, that's it.