What's your Favorite (and Positive) "Only in Argentina" story?

[MorganF]

An incident that happened to you, that made you realize, "Wow, I'm not in the USA [or insert home country here] anymore, this would just never have happened back home."

Only stories that happened to you, I'm not interested in societal/abstract/friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend story

PS: no bitching in this thread! There are enough other threads for that! Only positive stories!

I want to think of a good one to post, so I'll post one later in the thread!

morgan

 

[MizzMarr]

"Only positive" stories is definitely going to cull the herd...

 

[steveinbsas]

An incident that happened to you, that made you realize, "Wow, I'm not in the USA [or insert home country here] anymore, this would just never have happened back home."

Five years ago today I arrived in Buenos Aires (for the first time). I went for a walk on Avenida Santa Fe from Palermo to Florida in Retiro. Within a few minutes of melting into the masses on Florida I was handed a small slip of paper that offered 30 minutes of intimate services with a "local lady " for 30 pesos (about ten dollars at that time).

Noihing like that ever happened to me in the USA (or even Mexico).

 

[MorganF]

Okay, okay, I'll go with one. This isn't a story that happened once, but one that happens hundreds of thousands of times per day:

The Sharing of the Mate.

This is unique and to me represents so much of what is powerfully amazing about Argentine culture.

It is a living part of the culture: it is not a dead dance form preserved for tourists; it is still an every day part of the average Argentine's life. Drinking, sharing the Mate.

What makes this so special is the sharing. It's not just a drink that you sip all alone, like Coca Cola. There's one straw. You drink, you pass. You don't wash it or clean it beforehand.

You share the same germs, the same viruses. You don't ask any questions. You bond. You pass it around, everyone is equal, everyone shares in everyone else's dirtiness.

I don't know of any equivalent moment in the American culture. Yes, yes, passing the blunt around but we're no longer in college anymore.

They keep this communal spirit alive, and I remember this every time I drink the mate.

Thank you, Mate, thank you!

 

[steveinbsas]

You share the same germs, the same viruses. You don't ask any questions. You bond. You pass it around, everyone is equal, everyone shares in everyone else's dirtiness.

That's exactly why I didn't spend the 30 pesos for 30 minutes.

(I consider this a positive story even though it may have also prevented a positive HIV test result.)

 

[MorganF]

That's exactly why I didn't spend the 30 pesos for 30 minutes.

hahaha hy-ste-ri-cal

 

[French jurist]

That's exactly why I didn't spend the 30 pesos for 30 minutes.

(I consider this a positive story even though it may have also prevented a positive HIV test result.)

You talking GNC ?

 

[steveinbsas]

You talking GNC ?

Are you gassed?

Oh, sorry, that's an English expression...e.g. "Peter O'Toole is often gassed."

(Not that there's anything wrong with it.)

 

[French jurist]

Are you gassed?

Oh, sorry, that's an English expression...e.g. "Peter O'Toole is often gassed."

(Not that there's anything wrong with it.)

Does O'Tool refers to aparato ?!