Standing out like a tourist...

[Kahretsem]

As I noticed (I do not look at the girls in this direction , hhm) they do not show legs at work. They have pants of some kind. At dinner you are, as a woman, free to wear what you like. This is the only rule I noticed regarding the clothe. Some managers at my work is quite informal when wearing the warmer clothe at these cool months. The rest is relaxed and informal.
I also mentioned that it is depending on how vain you are. Many Argnetines are very vain, especially the women, and this may give you a wrong interception before comming here.

To really blend in you definitly need to drink "mate" and few foreigners dislike the taste, especially in the beginning.

And a little hint. I heard Argentine women like Argentine men, so if your husband stands out from the croud, you have nothing to worry about

Thanks for your helpful post. I'm not interested in blending in so much as not standing out as a tourist for pickpockets, etc. You mentioned long pants - is this true for men and women? Are capris common for women? I assume skirts are...

Regarding skirts. This is a part of the school uniform (for the girls ) so I believe that you are free on this subject. I do though notice at work that everyone aparently wear pants.

 

[bebero]

As an argentinian i can always tell when someone is american because they were far too big clothes for their size. when men were t-shirts, the shoulder line falls well below the shoulder. also, shorts and leather flip flops
women i usually spot because of the hair: bleached (a different tone of blonde than the argentinian bleached women), shoulder lenght and straightened. and tones of cotton sundresses, and sunglasses worn as a hairband

 

[bebero]

oh and i forgot something! aside from the hair and the sundresses i recignize women because of a) capri pants b)tones of make up (especially mascara and black eyeliner)

 

[fifs2]

Plus make sure, if the sidewalk is too narrow, that you let your wife walk through first![/quote]


Oh Amargo that my very well travelled husband who has learnt much from Argentina could learn this. He has learnt ot let Argentine women into lifts before him but still walks in front of me..arrhhhh.
Note: how to spot an expat..by the annoyance on his wife's face!

 

[fifs2]

So far I havent been pick pocketed but my sporran can't take any more surreptitious fondling in the Subte.....[/quote]


Sorry John I cannot help the fondling..it's just after going to Edinburgh Uni I have a thing for men in kilts, especially with a rugby shirt and boots...going to therapy but cannot g'tee you'll be safe...

 

[BAwithkids]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. I've done enough city living to have a good sense of not presenting myself as prey, and all the comments were a good reminder of the need to do that...

 

[PhilipDT]

As an argentinian i can always tell when someone is american because they were far too big clothes for their size. when men were t-shirts, the shoulder line falls well below the shoulder. also, shorts and leather flip flops
women i usually spot because of the hair: bleached (a different tone of blonde than the argentinian bleached women), shoulder lenght and straightened. and tones of cotton sundresses, and sunglasses worn as a hairband

As a foreigner I can always tell that the young professionals packing microcentral are argentines because they are all wearing clothes far too big for their size. You can practically see down to their naval through the gaping hole between their collars and their necks

 

[tomdesigns]

Sho no Tousishta eshta en BA tosho mi vida!

 

[JoeBlow]

Don't smile at people you don't know.
Don't say hi to people you don't know.
Don't say hi more than once a day to acquaintances you pass in buildings/on the street.
Don't eat while walking around the city.
Don't expect free water at a restaurant.
Don't ask for ice in your soft drinks.
If cooking, open windows so the "food smell" goes a away.
If there's "food smell", spray something to get rid of it.
If the "food smell" is tangarines or oranges....well, just eating them in front of anybody but close family or friends gives you away as a foreigner.
Don't say "gracias" all the freakin time.
Don't wear a baseball cap unless you're going to get fully decked-out in yankee paraphanelia.
Don't look disheveled unless it's very well thought-out first.
Don't expect a woman on the street or one you haven't been formally introduced to to look at you (unless you're really hot).
Don't ask out a woman on the street or one you haven't been formally introduced to (unless you're really hot or are prepared to do a mind-numbing amount of bullshitting).
Don't make conversation for no reason with strangers.
Don't act like a big softie.
Brush your teeth 3 times a day.
Plan on of taking your kids to DisneyWorld.
Think people from the US love DisneyWorld.
Learn how to save face gracefully. Not yours, but other peoples'. Giving a blunt no doesn't go over as smoothly as it does in the US.
Be cool and loyal to people you have formally been introduced to.
Don't be anal.
Repeat frequently how cold people are in the US.
Repeat frequently how hard it is to learn Spanish.
Repeat, whenever possible, supposed Argentine inventions: the ballpoint pen, dulce de leche, empanadas, milanesas, public buses, and the latest I heard, telos (pay by the hour motels).
Tell people how good the meat is here.
Consider people from the US culturally illiterate, brain-washed and junk-food eating.
Be trendy.
Like the Ramones, Rolling Stones, CCR, or Beattles.
Put your age and picture on your resume.
Don't be overweight.
Bump into people while walking.
Drive within inches of pedestrians.
Love Brazil.
Talk about how easy it is to understand Portuguese.
Dream of going to Western Europe.
Get your EU citizenship.
If you're a young woman, get a pair of Converse All-Stars.

 

[luismarcos]

just have a grimaced look like you just ate one too many polish sausages and you will fit in