How Do You Deal With Sellers In Fast Food Restaurants?

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Good man for being optimistic, but I think you've probably more chance of being an English teacher than a Spanish teacher. My teacher graduated from the local university, as will most teachers. At least those who will command a living wage anyway. The chances of anyone wanting to be an expat to learn the local language are, well, zero.

I do believe that at some stage in the next few years the inbound tourism numbers will improve. Maybe think about that, your advantage is that you speak good English for the english speaking market.

Boca....glory hunter!

 

[semigoodlookin]

I never dress down, what's the point to compromise something about yourself and the way you look. I do not wear expensive clothes, but I probably have a style that says I am not from here, I will not change that although I totally get why many would. Isn't it such a shame that there even has to be discussion on the matter.

Some are saying in proper eateries this is not an issue, but I beg to differ as I have been approached in plenty of places from TGI Friday's right through to more up market establishments. I was in a restaraunt once and some dude came by and asked me to buy tissue. Obviously it's really tough when your sitting with your wife in a place that will cost 1000 pesos by the end to say, "I have no money". I looked to the waiter and he just shrugged. I bought them in the end to lose him. There are "honest" ones and I have bought some stuff willingly, but those days have long gone with the way things are. Complete ignorance is best.

Most of them are stupid anyway. One guy wanted me to buy something for a car, not sure what it was. I was walking past with my wife talking english, he heard it and said in English, "from where" I replied "aqui, Argentina" and he believed me yet moments before I was talking fluent accented English. Sadly, you have to assume in this city that if anyone talks to you it is with nefarious motives.

I got robbed by knife point once in Cardiff, asked me for my money, I backed off and said no and he asked again, I said no, and he sort of said fair enough and left. Imagine the crack of gun fire that would have sounded through the air had that happened here.

 

[syngirl]

Yes I think you mean maybe teaching English online? I've been here 9+ years and still would never consider myself expert enough to teach Spanish!

If your Spanish is not great you'll have a much easier time eating at cafes in Recoleta, Las Canitas and Palermo than you will in the centre. And if you're moving here you need to get over a fear of speaking Spanish poorly or resorting to English because it happens to us all. There's a tonne of waitstaff in the better barrios who are dying to show off their few english skills. And the more exposures you have to even silly conversations with a waiter, the faster you will pick up Spanish.

Etiquette at cafes -- people go to cafes by themselves all the time, basics to know are, apart from Starbucks, there is always table service. There are usually newspapers somewhere that you can take to read (can help with a bit of Spanish studying!). There is usually free WiFi but you'll probably have to ask. If you say "Wee-fee" to the waiter they will more than likely spit out a "clave" so fast you can't understand, just gesture for them to write it down, they'll give it to you. After ordering, unlike most of the rest of the world, they will pretty much leave you alone. No one will bring you your bill unless you ask for it, which sometimes means gesturing frequently until they finally see you. The one thing I hate is the laptop situation, if you need to go to the washroom obviously you cannot leave your laptop on the table, or it will be gone in a flash. I have a friend who frequents the same few cafes and has been doing so for years so the staff will watch his things if he leaves the table for a moment, but I personally am not comfortable doing so.

So it depends what you are looking for, a quick feed or a place to set up and work for a few hours. In BA you can stay at a cafe practically all day and as long as you order the occasional water or coffee they will not bother you, in fact the problem is trying to track them down.

 

[BAPaul]

I was thinking that once you have a high level of Spanish then you could teach other English people as you would be able to explain the differences between everything.I guess it would take 5 years or so and for those who have graduated after many years perfecting a language well they should look into teaching online to maybe supplement an income...many of these websites charge $10-$15 an hour...of course it helps if you are an entrepreneur and have a website and marketing skills etc....however this is not my route anyway and I do not wish to teach a language. Maybe if I have ti earn extra money I will teach English here but it is a long shot and not the route I plan to take.

You don't have to dress down Semigoodlookin...just not in a lime green suit with gold rings looking like an American pimp...obviously wise here to not flash jewelry except on a night out with many others in safety.

Thanks for more cafe info Syngirl..I will find some nice places in the future and when my Spanish has improved it will all seem so much easier indeed...and in nice neighbourhood's and safer...only need to call a radio taxi then and run to it with my bullet proof vest on right or that bullet proof pope mobil lol

Oh look the sun has come out here now..no wooly hat needed

 

[nikad]

@ BAPaul funny thing is that in reality if you go to a regular cafe, you do not even need to open your mouth to order an expresso and get your check! There are hand signs for those things, ask your gf to explain it to you if you can.
With these widely known gestures you can now go to more places and Spanish will not be an issue. Moreover, they will think you are local.

 

[nikad]

And a side note, in general it is guys dressing up what gets the most attention, as opposed to women.

 

[khairyexpat]

And a side note, in general it is guys dressing up what gets the most attention, as opposed to women.

Do I have to change my wardrobe now ?

 

[nikad]

Do I have to change my wardrobe now ?

hahahah use at your own risk, it depends on how flashy you look I guess

 

[Girino]

hahahah use at your own risk, it depends on how flashy you look I guess

SPOTTED: khairyexpat, looking F-L-A-S-H-Y at Av. 9 de julio fountains with a bunch of filo-American Argentian friends.

 

[khairyexpat]

Que tiene el que no tengo yo ?

SPOTTED: khairyexpat, looking F-L-A-S-H-Y at Av. 9 de julio fountains with a bunch of filo-American Argentian friends.