Culture Shocks from Living in Argentina as an Expat?

[Vince]

My biggest gripe is the way supermarkets operate here. If they operated the same way in the UK they'd either go bust very quickly or be closed down by the authorities for constantly breaking pricing rules. Especially when it comes to 'offers' which are blatantly nonsense.

Amen brother. No matter how long I live here it will always annoy me because I go home twice a year. I think all of these supermarkets collude with one another on pricing. It would be nice if a new supermarket entered the market and offered great service and fair pricing. But if this happened, the others would probably pay someone to torch the place!

 

[Billy Goat]

For me it took a while for it to sink in that it's acceptable for people and culturally accepted to be late to everything. I hate when people are late but had to force myself to adapt. I had to expect that I'd be the first one there and often times wait up to 30 minutes to 1 hour and be frustrated or just get used to them being late. @FuturoBA your comment about spreadsheet keeping track of how late each friend is was probably a joke but I make mental notes of how late some tend to be.

It was horribly frustrating until I learned that the locals are NOT going to change. So I could either adapt or be frustrated all the time. Now I just tell them to send me a WhatsApp when they are 10 minutes away. I will try to do an errand or something in the area.

It also took me a while to get used to the very late dining out. But surprising how you can adapt to that. My local friends would never even think about eating as early as I prefer.

 

[Vero]

My biggest gripe is the way supermarkets operate here. If they operated the same way in the UK they'd either go bust very quickly or be closed down by the authorities for constantly breaking pricing rules. Especially when it comes to 'offers' which are blatantly nonsense.

I am always amazed when I travel how nice the supermarkets are in other countries. Very friendly staff and everything is so fresh. I hope we can have the same in Argentina one day.

 

[earlyretirement]

That's funny about being late every time, but if it's an important meeting, job interview, or finals exam they will find a way to show up on time. I have friends here in the states that always show up late too and it's like I have to keep a spreadsheet of which ones show up when, how late, and who actually shows up on time when making plans. Is there any way to get an approximate time for the locals?? Here, I hate I have to sometimes babysit them, such as sending a text "so are still good for so-and-so time at so-and-so place" before getting ready. Not sure what I'm gonna do when I get down there other than try to arrange everything close to my place so I can lounge around there lol.

Not sure so much a culture thing, but when I was there many places didn't have napkins but instead had this wax paper that was basically useless. Couldn't pick any stains so much as it pushed any mess around. Also I saw another place, a video, BBQ I believe, again no napkins but they give you gloves instead to be tossed afterwards. Probably more a cost thing.

This is my #1 pet peeve that I can't stand when people are late. Rather than adjust to it, I just kind of taught my really close friends and employees that I wouldn't really tolerate it over and over. Naturally some friends would still be a little late within reason but I just always stressed my friends and clients to just show up on time. I know it's cultural but I just respect people's time too much to show up late.

I am always amazed when I travel how nice the supermarkets are in other countries. Very friendly staff and everything is so fresh. I hope we can have the same in Argentina one day.

One of my very close friends and neighbor here where I live I the US owns a company importing fruits and vegetables for big stores here in Southern California like Trader Joes and Sprouts. I am always curious on where he gets a lot of his produce and a lot of it is from Colombia and other places in South America. It boggles my mind that they can't import great quality fruits and vegetables consistently into Argentina.

I always thought if someone can figure out how to open a really great supermarket in Buenos Aires and offer great customer service they would get filthy rich. But it sounds like the current grocery stores offering mediocre product and lousy customer service are already getting filthy rich. It's a shame stores don't step up and it would force all the other companies to improve products and services too. I realize that much of this is import restrictions but it can't all be blamed on that.

I listen to your story @Sunny of Coto requiring you to show your passport each time. It makes me shake my head.

 

[Betsy Ross]

One of my very close friends and neighbor here where I live I the US owns a company importing fruits and vegetables for big stores here in Southern California like Trader Joes and Sprouts. I am always curious on where he gets a lot of his produce and a lot of it is from Colombia and other places in South America. It boggles my mind that they can't import great quality fruits and vegetables consistently into Argentina.

I always thought if someone can figure out how to open a really great supermarket in Buenos Aires and offer great customer service they would get filthy rich. But it sounds like the current grocery stores offering mediocre product and lousy customer service are already getting filthy rich. It's a shame stores don't step up and it would force all the other companies to improve products and services too. I realize that much of this is import restrictions but it can't all be blamed on that.

I listen to your story @Sunny of Coto requiring you to show your passport each time. It makes me shake my head.

Many times companies or stores don't want to change because no one forces them to and I think locals are too used to horrible customer service and don't demand better. Here they don't do things like boycott stores that are effective. You are right @earlyretirement. Typically if one company goes above and beyond other competitors have to step or or die. That concept doesn't exist for the most part here and it's a shame.

 

[Sunny]

Both in retail and not the greatest in restaurants either. It has been like this forever. I don't know if that is something that will easily change.

In the U.S., I often told my husband that I wished we could have waitstaff like in Buenos Aires. Years ago, the waiters there, always men, were proud career professionals. Their service was so exceptional, it seemed like they could read your mind. They never interrupted your conversation, quietly refilled your water and wine glasses, and replenished your bread basket. My father could request the check with just a look, I'm not kidding, and they never kept you waiting. Nice restaurants had great service but inexpensive ones too, and table service charges only applied to large parties, with no extra charge for bread baskets.

There was a wonderful restaurant at the corner of Av. Bullrich and Av. del Libertador, we used to go there quite often; many racehorse owners would have lunch there on Sundays. I wanted to cry when I saw the immigration building where that restaurant used to be.

It's heartbreaking to come back to a city you knew so well and liked so much and so many of the things that made it exceptional are gone or changed for the worse.

I don't believe that kind of service will come back, Vince.

When I tell people how I remember life here, they always say, "Yes, it was great, but that's gone."

 

[Sunny]

I think locals are too used to horrible customer service and don't demand better. Here they don't do things like boycott stores that are effective.

That's right. They just tell you they hate the way things are but I never see anyone complaining at the stores. Same exact situation in Mexico. I don't know, maybe this is a LatAm thing.

Typically if one company goes above and beyond other competitors have to step or or die. That concept doesn't exist for the most part here and it's a shame.

We have to contact La Comer, the company that owns City Market, and beg them to open several stores in CABA.

 

[Sunny]

Not sure so much a culture thing, but when I was there many places didn't have napkins but instead had this wax paper that was basically useless. Couldn't pick any stains so much as it pushed any mess around.

Oh, those waxy "napkins"! They've been around forever and I'd forgotten about them. We went to La Americana and there they were, in all their useless splendor! 😂 I have no idea why they keep using them.

 

[Uncle Wong]

That's right. They just tell you they hate the way things are but I never see anyone complaining at the stores. Same exact situation in Mexico. I don't know, maybe this is a LatAm thing.



We have to contact La Comer, the company that owns City Market, and beg them to open several stores in CABA.

City Market in Mexico. They had anything you could need. Somehow I imagined BA would have supermarkets like that. That would be great if a City Market could open in BA. All the other stores couldn't compete. It was a one stop shop to get anything I needed. Wish they had that in BA.

 

[Cariba]

I think the most challenging aspect for foreigners is the dinner schedule. We're used to having afternoon snacks between 5 PM and 7 PM, which means dinner might start from 9 PM onwards. It must be difficult to adjust to our timing.

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[Melibaires]

Over time, people end up getting used to things, like, for example, the bidet that many criticize, haha.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1807949656300699906

 

[Russell]

I love how Argentinians communicate with gestures! It’s almost like a parallel language. 😄

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