Ski Centers in Argentina

Catedral Ski Center Cerro Catedral is located in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, surrounded by a unique landscape of lakes and mountains, and only a 19 Km paved route away from San Carlos de Bariloche, a city with lodging and food infrastructure at the most demanding international tourism level.

Chapelco Ski Center Chapelco is one of the most attractive places to enjoy the splendor of snow, with the incomparable Andes mountain range in the background, and panoramic views of lake Lácar and the volcano Lanín in all directions.

Las LeñasSki Center Valle de Las Leñas is located in the middle of the Andes mountain range, in the province of Mendoza, and 2,240 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by the mounts Torrecillas, El Collar, Ponce, Las Leñas, Entre Ríos, Martín and Los Fósiles. Read more on Buenos Aires Times.

Embassies List in BA

ALEMANIA

Consulado: Villanueva 1055
Horario de atención: Lunes a viernes de 8.30 a 11 hs
4778-2500
Fax: 4778-2550

AUSTRALIA

Cancillería: Villanueva 1400
(1426) Cap. Fed.
4777-6580 al 85
Fax: 4772-3349

SUECIA

Cancillería: Tacuarí 147 Piso 6
(1071) Cap. Fed.
4342-1422
Fax: 4342-1697

SUIZA

Cancillería: Santa Fe 846 Piso 10
(1059) Cap. Fed.
4311-6491 al 95
Fax: 4313-2998

UNION EUROPEA

Cancillería: Ayacucho 1537
(1112) Cap. Fed.
4805-3759
Fax: 4801-1594

URUGUAY

Cancillería: Av. Las Heras 1097
(1127) Cap. Fed.
4807-3041/40/60/61
Fax: 4807-3050

VENEZUELA

Cancillería: Virrey Loreto 2035
(1428) Cap. Fed.
4785-2226
Fax: 4784-4311

ESTADOS UNIDOS

Cancillería: Av. Colombia 4300
(1425) Cap. Fed.
4777-4533/34/46/40/05

FRANCIA

Cancillería: Cerrito 1399 (1010) Cap. Fed.
4819-2930
Fax: 4393-1235

Find out where your embassy is on Buenos Aires Times.

What could you do at Conviven? Volunteering Programs

What can you do at Conviven?

Centro Conviven is a place in constant development. There are different options and activities one can do while working with us.

Teach English

If you wish to teach English, we have a steady Teach English Programme, taking place every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

But not only – there’s also a constant lack of private teachers who would have private language classes during other week-days. If you want to be a language teacher, but are not particularly interested in English, we could set up a class for some other language. For example in the past we have had people teaching French and German. But we are open to try out something completely different.

Teach math or help children with their homework

Children who come to Conviven have difficulties with learning and understanding. Therefore you could also help them understand math. We urgently need a new teacher since the volunteer who did that left recently. We are also planning to set up a time for children who need help with homework. It is very important to encourage them to study more.

Learn more about these programs on centroconviven.blogspot

J'apprends l'espagnol !

Ça suffit les folies. Je me mets sérieusement à l’étude de l’espagnol. Depuis le temps que je reporte ce projet aux calendes grecques !

Il faut dire que je m’obstinais à vouloir d’abord maîtriser le chinois (OK, « maîtriser » est peut-être un peu ambitieux… lol). Mais même après un an et demi d’immersion et environ trois mois de leçons intensives, je n’arrive toujours pas à soutenir une conversation dans la langue de Mao (par contre, si vous voyagez un jour avec moi en Chine, je pourrai vous éviter l'humiliation de devoir mimer une poule ou un poisson au resto pour vous nourrir !).

Comme j’ai besoin d’un coup de pied au bon endroit pour entreprendre un projet personnel de cette envergure, je m’en suis auto-infligé un en m’organisant un voyage éclair (cinq grosses journées !) à Buenos Aires. Je pars samedi. J’ai trouvé ce qui me semble être la meilleure manière de me faire entrer quelques notions de base dans le crâne : Bueno, entonces…

Ces 30 leçons d’espagnol peuvent être visionnées à l’aide d’un ordinateur, d’un Blackberry, d’un iPod ou d’un iPod Touch (c’est ce dernier que j’utilise – j’ai acheté les premiers épisodes sur iTunes à 2,99$ chacun plutôt que d’acheter le cours en entier). Des DVD sont également en vente.

La publicité présente Bueno, entonces... comme « the Grand Theft Auto of Spanish Classes ». Plus proche de la série pour ados que du cours magistral, on me promet même quelques gros mots ! Le ton des extraits visionnés me rappelle vaguement celui de L'Auberge espagnole (probablement à cause du personnage masculin, un Anglais qui a une certaine parenté avec William, incarné par Kevin Bishop). Les cours se déroulent toutefois dans la capitale de l'Argentine.

Je n'aurai probablement pas beaucoup de temps pour « étudier » avant mon départ, mais tant pis : les 17 h passées dans l'avion et à l'aéroport de Toronto seront bien rentabilisées ! Pas le choix : les travaux pratiques débuteront dès mon arrivée. Je vous en reparle…

P.S. : Au cas où mon cerveau afficherait les mêmes messages que mon ordinateur en ce moment (« mémoire pleine » !), j’ai aussi téléchargé deux applications de traduction… ;-)

Read more reviews about Bueno, entonces... on En Transit.

HOUSING IN ARGENTINA

General

Finding reasonably priced accommodation to rent will be relatively easy in Argentina depending on the area you are looking in. This section gives you information about the Argentinean housing market, as well as a wide range of tips and tricks for your housing search.

Latin America has a high percentage of its inhabitants living in big cities. Argentina is no exception to that. The downtown areas are mainly characterised by apartment buildings. When moving away from the centre a wider variety of housing is found. Argentina is an immigrant country which is clearly noted by the architecture of its housing. For example, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires you are likely to come across English style houses, whereas the downtown area resembles Italy and Spain. Near Cordoba and in Bariloche you will often have the feeling of being in Southern Germany or Switzerland.

Things to bear in mind on your search
Accommodation prices in Argentina are determined by the size and location. This holds for both renting and buying. Accommodation is measured in square meters. Furthermore, and this may come as shock to some, buying a house or apartment in Argentina means most of time that payment in cash is required. With the economy improving this is slowly changing again.

Another factor to bear in mind is that in Argentina apartment and houses are described by the number of rooms or ambientes. This includes the living room and the bedrooms. Take into account that there can be several living or sitting rooms in a house or apartment. Kitchen, bathrooms and toilets are not included in the room count.

Housing in Argentina is either let furnished or unfurnished. The availability of one or the other ranges from where you want to live. In a mayor city like Buenos Aires or Cordoba both furnished and unfurnished are readily available. In a smaller city like Comodoro Rividavia finding a furnished place will be very hard.

The Rental Market

For many foreigners coming to Argentina finding a place will not turn out to be that difficult since prices are still relatively low. Renting a place also means paperwork.

For Argentineans finding a place to rent is becoming increasingly difficult. Since many Argentineans are not in the position to buy property (anymore) the demand for places to rent is high. To get an idea of rental prices, in the most solicited neighbourhoods in Buenos Aires a two room apartment will have an average monthly rent of AR$ 900 in Recoleta whereas in Belgrano it will range from AR$ 550 to AR$ 2000 a month. In the popular neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires a small place to live will hardly be found below AR$400/month. (Source: ReporteInmobiliario.com).

A development that is taking place in the mayor tourist and business areas in Argentina is the increase in short term rentals aiming at foreigners. Places offered in neighbourhoods like Recoleta in Buenos Aires as well as apartments in places that receive many tourists like Bariloche and Villa Langustura, are offered fully furnished at prices lower than the better hotels. Many of these places can be booked online.

Supply and demand can also vary considerably in the course of the year, particularly in cities with a large student population such as Cordoba and Buenos Aires. At the beginning of the academic semesters, which is around February/March and August/September demand tends to be high.

Read mlore on this on Allo' Expat Argentina.

Admission of pets into Argentina (just in case you need to bring some friends)

The requirements to be fulfilled to get dogs and cats into Argentina are the following:
1. Complete information on the owner:
• first and last name;
• country of origin or departure;
• countries in transit (if any);
• address.

2. Information about the animal:
• breed – sex;
• birth date – size;
• weight–fur colour;
• particular signs.

3. Vaccination certificate against rabies for animals over 3 months old.
For animals under 3 months old or that are coming from a country free from rabies and/or where anti–rabies vaccination is prohibited, this situation has to be stated on the certificate issued by the official sanitary authority.

4. Zoosanitary certificate issued by the official sanitary authority of the country of origin that should state:
• that the animal prior to leaving the country had no signs of any infectious–contagious or parasite disease, characteristic of the species.
• if the animal is coming from countries that declare before the International Office of Epizooties (O.I.E.) the presence of african equine pest or Valle del Riff fever, shall certificate that in the area of origin, or where the animal is coming from, and in an area within fifty (50) kilometers of such, there have been no reports of those diseases in the last 12 months or that during that period the animal has not been taken to the affected regions.

5. Quarantine: the animals that fulfill the mentioned requirements will not undergo an import quarantine; if there is a suspicion of infectious–contagious, zoonotic or high risk diseases the SENASA (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Animal) (National Office of Animal Sanitation) will decide on the means to assure the animal’s isolation and the corresponding sanitary measures.

More info on Argentina.gov

Keeping Fit in Buenos Aires!

How to eat right, fit exercise into your day and avoid the foreigner 15

Arriving in Buenos Aires can be like arriving as a freshman to college. Promises of big parties, all night affairs and schmorgasborg-style eating that seem too good to be true eventually become reality. It’s all fun and games until somebody puts on 25 pounds. Here are a few ideas to help you enjoy Buenos Aires without needing to buy overpriced new jeans because you popped the zipper on your old ones.

How to eat cow and not look like one!
Buenos Aires cuisine is delicious, but really fattening. From steak with all the juicy fat attached to plump empanadas to salads made of mayonnaise and potatoes, it’s hard to stay trim while enjoying the local delicacies.

Here are 10 tips on how to eat and enjoy in Buenos Aires:

1. Order lean cuts of meat, such as bife de lomo, and avoid too much choripan (chorizo sandwiches). Yes, those are chunks of fat if you were trying to convince yourself otherwise.
2. When invited to an asado, bring vegetables that are tasty when grilled, such as pumpkin, corn, sweet potato and bell peppers.
3. When invited to an asado, bring a big salad with a homemade dressing.
4. Shop at organic markets to support small organic businesses and eat healthy! My favorite is the Galpon Organico located by the Subte B Federico Lacroze at 4171 Federico Lacroze Ave. (and Corrientes Ave.) Be sure to plan ahead, though, they’re open Wed. 9am-1pm and Sat. 9am-3pm
5. Don’t order pizza or empanadas to your house – just don’t make it an option. Don’t keep the magnets on your fridge, no matter how cute the delivery boy is. If you’re craving empanadas go to Cumaná, El Sanjuanino or 1810 Cocina Regional and make it worth it!
6. Share entrees when eating out. Buenos Aires restaurants are (in)famous for their big serving sizes.
7. When you need monedas (coins) to catch the bus, go to a fruit stand and buy a few apples or bananas instead of buying an alfajor cookie at a kiosko.
8. Drink mate! Enjoy this traditional tea drink that’s also a great digestivo!
9. Remember what dulce de leche is made of.
10. Order a café or cortado instead of café con leche (most cafes don’t have reduced fat milk)

Exercising porteño Style!

Porteños love to look good and stay fit. This is proven by a phenomenon I call “that hot chick turned around and she had the face of a 70-year-old.” You’ll be walking down the street and spot a trendy looking young girl from behind. She’s trim and has all the right accessories. She looks like she was born on a Stairmaster and has beautiful shiny hair. All of a sudden, girlfriend turns around. The combination of wrinkles and botox is shocking, but damn! She takes good care of her body. She fills me with hope for the future and a desire to work out.

The men and women of Buenos Aires are very concerned with their appearance, take pride in their bodies and thanks to them, Buenos Aires is full of gyms.

From mega-fashion Megatlon to the rinky-dink Average Joe’s style gym, everyone can find one that fits their style. My style was the overpriced Sport Club (190 pesos per month) until I decided I’d never achieve the buns of the girl with the steal tush implants, so now I’m heading to the dive gym on the corner (65 pesos a month). Most gyms that have a pool are slightly more expensive. Just splurge during summer months. Don’t pay for the pool access during winter, you won’t use it. Those looking JUST to use the pool can also sign up for exclusive pool use at many gyms.

Tip: Many big gyms have “promotional plans” where if you pay with a debit or credit card you have a reduced price. Any special like this has a catch, so always read your contract carefully. I learned this lesson when I signed up at Sport Club a few months ago. Instead of the regular 350 peso a month membership I signed up for the 190 peso a month deal. Soon I realized it wasn’t for me and when I went to quit, the manager said that my contact was for 12 months and to quit I’d have to pay 2-months worth of membership. Turns out, if you drag it out enough, use the word abogado (lawyer) and one other reasonable excuse they’ll waive the fee. This isn’t a country where taking someone to court is a solution, so don’t give up all your money at first. Quitting the gym shouldn’t be an express kidnapping.

Finish reading this usefull article on LandingPad BA.

Expats Working in Argentina: How To Invoice Local Companies

The following question arrived to me today by way of the Immigrant Mutual Aid Society, which is an organization here in Buenos Aires dedicated to helping expatriates and immigrants with a variety of issues. I'll post the question and then respond to the issue at hand.

Question

I've been living here in Buenos Aires for the last year and a half. I do free lance work film and tv, mostly advertising and documentaries for abroad. I have been working under the table this whole time, usually borrowing "facturas" from friends ect, or I have the money deposited into my account in the US, but now that I've started to generate a more significant income I am considering getting facturas of my own. Do you know how I would go about doing that? I've been on tourist visas this whole time and it hasn't seemed to be a problem yet, so I'm not too worried about a residency or healthcare or anything, my primary concern is about getting paid legally. What would you suggest?

Options For Expats Without Visas
There is no way to issue invoices (facturas) legally as an expat without a visa. As a tourist, you are not authorized to work in the country, so you cannot apply for the monotributo system and you can't enroll as a self employed worker either. The only way you can work and issue facturas locally is to form a company (SRL or SA) with an Argentine partner and then have your company issue the invoices. You will then be able to receive profits from the company in the form of dividends, but due to your expatriate status, you won't be able to work for the company.

Suggestions
My recommendation would be to get residency and start operating as a sole proprietor, either under the monotributo system if you qualify, or under the general system if you don't qualify for monotributo. If you can't get a visa or refuse to get one, you can form a company and start issuing invoices from your company. In this second case, you'll still be an illegal resident of Argentina and still breaking the law by doing work for your company while you're here. Nevertheless, at least you won't be committing tax fraud.

Read complete text on argentinabusiness.blogspot

Job Search can be hard!

Making the assumption that the aim of a successful job search is to secure a position is not entirely true. To be successful in any job search, you must secure a position that suits you and your personal requirements. Define the type of organization or environment in which you choose to work. Consider all aspects of the business that will specifically impact you, i.e. Management Structure, Culture, Location, Products, Services, Size amongst others. Consider the factors that personally influence you and analyze the considerations that would make it a perfect role.

Once all these considerations have been reviewed and you are satisfied with your answers you may begin to formulate and construct your resume in a manner, which allows you to target the correct job market.

Do not be under any false illusions; a job is not just a job. To be successful you must be 100% motivated to perform effectively and to gain the type of job satisfaction you deserve. Bearing in mind that there will never be one specific job made just for you, give yourself the scope to locate a position that meets your needs. Format your resume so that it may define your suitability for a variety of roles based on your skills and personal attributes.

The advancement of the Internet has changed many of our lives and one particular area is access to the Job Market.

The Internet is being used to give job hunters a competitive advantage if they are prepared to put in the time and do the research. As a tool it is becoming more widely used and accessible, don’t discount it, it is now a Mecca for head-hunters, recruitment agencies, job postings and careers fairs. It gives major benefits to both the job seeker and to employers in both it’s speed and convenience.

Think about the old methods of job seeking, rushing out to get the new edition of each paper, trawling through the job adds, placing the all important phone call and drafting a cover letter that specifically targets the information contained within the advert.


Finish Reading the article on Argentina Travel.

Argentina Real Estate

Thousands of homes are sold every year, and the vast majority of these sales involve the work of an estate agent. Here's our guide to getting the best from your agent.

"Real Estate Agent" is just another name for "Salesperson"
Don't ever lose sight of that fact. Their only mission is to sell, sell, sell to you. Don't ever let on that you are in a desperate situation, or that you need to buy a house fast, or that you are in a desperate crunch to buy this house now, because you are being transferred into town this week. It's simply none of their business and as far as they are concerned, you are not in a rush to buy a house.

What estate agents do
Estate agents are the 'arrangers' of the property world, carrying out three main functions: valuing, advertising and negotiating.

• They decide how much a home is worth, based on an understanding of the local property market and consideration of the fixtures and fittings.
• They make sure that potential buyers know of the sale by advertising and providing details, or 'particulars'.
• They act as the go-between for buyers and sellers communicating offers and counter-offers between the two parties.

Getting the best from your estate agent
When you're looking for an estate agent, ask among friends for recommendations, and take a look at the boards in the area in which you're planning to buy. Also, have a look at the local press to see who advertises - it will give you an idea of how busy they are.

Estate agents are self-regulated, working under codes of conduct regulated by their professional bodies. Look for agents who are members of organisations such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the National Association of Estate Agents. Some, although not all, agents are also members of the Ombudsman for Estate Agents (OEA) Scheme which guarantees that if you have problems with your agent, you will have a right of redress. Look for the OEA badge on their details.

Although estate agents are usually working on behalf of the seller, they still have certain duties to all buyers.

• They must not mislead buyers about the nature of the property in the particulars that they provide.
• They must treat all buyers fairly, and should not hold back offers in cases where a buyer has refused to use their services.
• When you make an offer, the agent must pass a written copy to the seller, unless they have specified otherwise (for example, that they will not consider offers below a certain amount).

To get more info, go to Argentina Travel.

Need a workplace? Areatres is your option

Benefit from the convenience of your own office without the costs of a long term commitment. The Private Room service is directed to those who are looking for the privacy provided by an individual space with a lockable door. These spaces permit a maximum capacity of 4 people. It also includes secretarial support so all you have to do is focus on your business.

• Private room with two individual desks + ergonomically designed chairs. Maximum capacity 4 people.
• Wi-Fi 10Mb (simetric - iPlan) & Plug in Internet.
• A fixed personal telephone line (local or international) with discounted call rates and automated voice mail message service.
• The commercial address of areatres for your business and reception of all correspondence.
• Post mail reception.
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) receptionist to personally answer calls, take and forward messages.
• Individual climate control.
• Full use of arealiving and all common areas.
• Free access to all areatres events.
• 24 hour security.

For more info, visit Areatres.

Independent Contractors vs. Employees

We have a question that comes today about hiring employees vs. independent contractors.

Reader's Question
Can a US company that does not have a legal presence in Argentina hire an independent contractor (argentinian national or other national) to do work in Argentina on behalf of a global contract. Client’s client wants some temporary work performed in Argentina. Can client craft an IC contract or insist that the Argentinian national become a sole proprietor and not end up as a defacto employee. This could be occasional work, eg auditing.

I am aware some countries are very strict about IC arrangements and therefore deem IC’s employees and then end up resulting in permanent establishments for tax purposes. I am aware Argentina is fairly pro labor.

How to Set-up an Independent Contractor Arrangement in Argentina
The proper way to setup this arrangement would be to ask the worker to register either as a monotributista or in the regimen general (depending on how much he will be charging). After that, he'll need to register as an exporter with the customs office (since he will be performing services for export). This second step wouldn't be necessary if the company had a presence in Argentina.

Each time he needs to receive a payment, he will issue you an invoice with an "E" (for export) at the top. These invoices are numbered starting at 00000001. You can then wire transfer the funds to his account and he can collect the funds by presenting his copy of the "E" invoice to his bank.

Independent Contractors vs. Employees
Even though you may ask him to sign an independent contractor contract, in Argentina, labor rights cannot be renounced willingly by an employee. The labor courts can very well rule that your arrangement is a simulated independent contractor arrangement and that it was being used to cover up the employee/employer relationship. This is something that happens frequently in Argentina due to the fact that it is extremely costly to maintain employees on the payroll (due to social security charges).

How does the court determine if the employee is actually an independent contractor? The same way they do in the United States. They look to see whether you were the only employer of this person (i.e. checking the invoices). If you are receiving sequentially numbered invoices from the worker, you know that you are the only employer and you're putting yourself at risk. If you are paying monthly invoices that always have the same amount, it looks like a wage instead of pay for a specific work product. They also look to see where the work was performed, who provided the materials to complete the work, whether the worker was directed in his work, or whether he worked independently and was paid for a finished product.

Read more, go to argentinabusiness.blogspot

The Bueno, entonces Formula: Engaging + Interesting + Funny = Retention

1. Make The Classes Interesting & Engaging
Engaging students is crucial to learning and remembering material. Using wit and charm, Bueno, entonces… not only engages; it keeps you thinking about the last lesson and looking forward to the next one. Like your favorite teachers, David & Jimena know learning doesn’t have to be dry and boring.

2. See The Words As You Hear Them
Some people are audio learners, others learn visually – most people need both, absorbing different concepts in different ways. With Bueno, entonces... every word is on-screen so you see the spelling while hearing it pronounced.

3. Color-Coding.
Words on-screen are color-coded in Spanish and English to help you understand word usage and sentence structure. You’ll quickly see, hear, and understand how words in Spanish correspond with English ones, and how they are used in sentences.

4. Symbols & Illustrations.
Verb tenses and grammatical concepts are represented by clear symbols so you quickly learn and understand their usage. Iconic illustrations easily associate images and words, burning vocabulary into your brain.

5. REPETITION - The Key To Languages.

Any teacher will tell you this, and here’s the problem with old audio books and language software – they’re mind-numbingly boring, making them painful to repeat. Bueno, entonces… is engaging, fast-paced, and fun. You’ll repeat all 30 classes over and over, learning more each time – as your Spanish progresses, you pick up more of the humor, making it easier to repeat.

To get more info, go to General Linguistics.

Swearing Translated – Part 8

Hi to all those venturing forth into the land beyond Oz. If you’re going to be spending some time here, you should know both how to tell if you’re being cussed out and how to do it yourself, if the situation is to ever arise.

Here is part eight of some easy guidelines to help you on your way to verbally express your pissed-off emotions or to understand the emotions of an angry porteño.

Phrase	Literal Translation	Our Best Actual Translation
Me da paja hacer eso	It gives me hay to do that	I don’t feel like doing that
Ella es una calienta pija	She is a dick warmer	She’s a cock tease
Tiene más culo que cabeza	He has more ass than head	He’s one lucky fucker
El no da pie con bola	He does not give foot to ball	He’s one unlucky bastard
Me fue para el culo	It went for the asshole	It went like crap

Now, mix and match them to come up with some of your own to use on that special person.

Paul Perry
LPBA.com Staff

For more translations visit LandingPad BA.

Book Review: ‘Che Boludo: A Gringo’s Guide to Understanding the Argentines’

By James Bracken, Ediciones Continente, 30 pesos, 61 pages Reviewed by Stephen Page

On a recent sunny spring day, while wandering the streets of Buenos Aires, searching for a café where I could sit outside at a table and sip an espresso while looking at the passers-by (a popular Argentine custom), I detoured into a bookstore.

On the very first shelf I came to, I found a pocket-sized book titled Che Boludo, with the subtitle: A Gringo’s Guide to Understanding the Argentines.

I opened the book and discovered it was a dictionary of sorts, filled with words I had never read before. The words were contemporary Argentine slang, and the definitions were in English. “What a great find,” I thought.

After a decade of living in Argentina, I have been missing some of the slang while talking with friends, or at Sunday family get-togethers (they don’t teach Argentine slang at US universities, or in most of the Castellano classes offered in Buenos Aires). I was growing tired of repeatedly asking, “What? What does that mean?”

The title of the book translates to, “Hey Idiot!” or “Hey Buddy!” or “Hey Friend!”—depending on to whom you’re talking and your tone of voice. “Boludo” literally means “one with big testicles,’which does not mean “ballsy” or “brave,” but instead denotes a lack of cerebral functions. In Argentina, the young as well as the old use slang. You might hear an elderly man with a cane standing on the street corner waiting for the green crossing light mutter “¡miercoles!”—which translates to “shit” or “Goddamnit” or “hell”; you might hear a sophisticated woman in a fur coat call her husband’s new secretary a “puta” (whore) or a “babosa” (horny woman) even if she knows bystanders are listening to her; you might hear a teenager say to his brother, “No me hinchés las pelotas,” which means, connotatively, “don’t be a pain”—but denotatively means, well . . . you’ll have to read the book to know that one.

The book also contains drawings of the more popular hand gestures Porteños use—gestures that have risqué yet non-offensive meanings.

To read more go to The Argentine Post

Bueno, entonces review on Facebook

I have been a student of languages for many years now, and this is far and away the best language tool of any type that I've seen. It's highly entertaining as well as educational... clearly intended for those who want to have fun while learning a language. You'll be laughing in Spanish in no time...

Waiting anxiously for the next language to be released!

Check out more reviews on facebook.com/buenoentonces

Learn spanish with Bueno, entonces on Facebook

Check out the Bueno, entonces... fan page on Facebook and learn new words, insults, piropos... and anything you need to speak Spanish conversationally!!!

Become a fan and enter to win cool prizes every week (see contest rules in notes section)!

A new way to learn Spanish - developed specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch and now available on DVD or by instant download (visit www.buenoentonces.com to purchase). This new technique combines hard-core grammar and vocabulary lessons with a witty and engaging conversational style.

Become a fan on Facebook.com/buenoentonces

Day 1 in Buenos Aires

I’m here! Finally... by myself in Buenos Aires. My classes start straight away and I walk in the pouring rain from San Telmo across the Plaza de Mayo to my school at 9 in the morning. It’s just me and one other student in the class, a Bulgarian who is based in London. Basically we get to chat in Spanish all morning to our teacher Martin, who is muy fachero, and who answers all our questions.

I still am jet lagged from traveling from New Zealand and am fresh as a daisy at 6 am. I realize this will need to change if I am to get in sync with Buenos Aires because everything happens kind of late here. After class David (that’s right famous DAVID from BUENO ENTONCES) comes to get me and we have lunch. I’m starving after all the grammar, (that’s my own fault.. asked for it) We eat some Amazing Meat from the parilla in a tiny grubby restaurant downtown. David shows me what a fake 10 peso bill looks like. (Easy spot if you ask me, it comes out of an inkjet printer!) and walks me through the essentials of life in Buenos Aires.

Get to know more Vibe's experience on beadventuresinba.blogspot

Maradona by Kusturica (movie)

This is Maradona as the two-time Palme Dor winner Emir Kusturica sees him: the revolutionary, the footballer, the man, the God, the family man, the drug-addict, the legend. Acclaimed filmmaker Emir Kusturica traces the remarkable story of soccer legend Diego Maradona in this documentary featuring music by composer Manu Chao and Sex Pistols. Maradona has a reputation as the people's champion, an athlete who rose from humble beginnings to achieve worldwide fame, and who has overcome incredible adversity to become a living legend. As the director and his subject grow increasingly intimate, Maradona reveals details about his life that have never come to light in the public eye. A tour of the places that mean the most to Maradona offer a unique look at the way the soccer star was shaped by his surroundings, and conversations with the people closest to him offer a unique glimpse into his colorful personality. A conversation with Cuban leader Fidel Castro highlights how even the most powerful personalities become awestruck while speaking with Maradona. This is Kusturica's most expressive in form and the most radical in content since at least Black Cat, White Cat where Kusturica values Maradona not only as a virtuoso player but as man with a political view.

Read more on IMDb.

Andes Air - Cheap Flights

I flew Andes Air during the July vacation period when I had family in town. We flew from Buenos Aires to Salta during the high-season and paid around 800 pesos round trip which was a significant savings from other airlines. (FYI: Taking the 22 hour bus was about 650 pesos round trip.)

Andes serves the Northwest Region, Iguazú and Puerto Madryn. I was initially pretty nervous to fly an airline that I had never heard of before, but after talking to a travel agent friend they assured me that it is a legit company.

Although their website is pretty terrible and they sometimes don´t answer their phone (oh Argentina!) I am satisfied with the service. The plane was much bigger than expected -- 3 seats on each side of plane!

Even better is that they did not charge a different price for foreigners, it was all the same fare! If you travel in low season they had some excellent promotions as well.

Here´s the link: http://www.andesonline.com/

I would recommend going to the agency in person to book the tickets. It is located on Córdoba 755.

To read more go to budgetba.blogspot

Music to help you Learn Spanish - Me Voy (Julieta Venegas)

This is the General Linguistics method to teach foreign languages in action! You'll see the lyrics of the song Me voy by Julieta Venegas in the "Pizarra Mágica" or Magic Whiteboard and will be able to sing along.



Check out more videos to learn Spanish on Youtube.

Uncertainty: The Only Certainty In Argentina Business

Doing business in Argentina means living with uncertainty. Due to the foibles of each government, long-term planning isn't really possible and one could even say shouldn't be attempted. Anyone initiating any kind of business venture in Argentina needs to think about recovering all the money invested (and making a profit) in fewer than 5 years. A few examples I can think of businesses that have been destroyed by the government's administrative decisions:

• Lunch ticket companies (the government began to tax these tickets as normal wages and thus caused their elimination from the market)
• Private pension funds (the government appropriated all "AFJP" funds)
• All producers of products in the consumer price index (price controls)
• Farmers (brutal increase in export taxes)
• Utilities (price controls)
• Airlines (price controls & official interference by the Transport Ministry)
• Public transit (price controls / constantly changing subsidy regimes)
  
• Energy (price controls)

The list goes on and on. These are just some recent examples I thought of in about a minute or two. If I were to put together a comprehensive list, it would be much larger. All these industries have seen their conditions change dramatically through decisions by the government to either impose price controls, increase taxes to confiscatory levels, or in the case of Aerolineas Argentinas, destroy the company outright by fomenting union agitation to a level that renders the company totally inoperable.

"Normal" Surprises
In addition to brutal government changes that can effect an entire sector (such as what I described above), businesspeople should be prepared for more "normal" surprises that can arrive in the form of union negotiated pay raises or government decrees giving pay raises or special bonuses to employees.

read the full article on argentinabusiness.blogspot.

WORK IN ARGENTINA

Find a job in Argentina is not easy, there are many Argentines scrambling for work, although there are plenty work opportunities in Non-governmental Organizations in Buenos Aires, almost always is a voluntary work, by example, in the national parks system. There are occasionally opportunities as a paying volunteer in environmental and archaeological projects with the Earth-watch Institute, 57 Woodstock Rd, Oxford OX2 6HJ,

There are no restrictions or quotas for the employment of foreigners in Argentina, while they fulfill immigration regulations.

Foreigners need to have a valid residence permission, local regulations on immigration establish three sorts of residence: permanent, temporary and transitory. To set up any business in Argentina its necessary to have permanent or temporary residence.

A work visa is required, this visa is issued by the Direccion Nacional de Migraciones de Argentina (National Directorate of Migration), exists a charge for making a visa application.

The main work visas issued are:

• Visas issued for short term work in Argentina (if initial validity of 15 days and can be extended for another 15 days once);
• Temporary Residence Visa, for labour contract, this visa is issued for employees on internships contracted by companies in Argentina, employees will be treated a local employees; by example,a Unique Code of Labor Identification CUIL (Código Único de Identificación Laboral) has to be applied as well, the minimum duration is 6-12 months;
• Secondment-Temporary Residence Visa, this visa es issued to employees send abroad by their companies for at least 6-12 months. A labour contract is not required.

To engage foreign workers the work contract shall obey with current labour legislation in all the national territory.

To apply for a work visa, is necessary fulfill the following requirements:

• Work contract with the company in Argentina.
• Birth certificate, translated into Spanish by a certified translator.
• Marital certification, translated into Spanish by a certified translator (if an application is being made for a spouse).
• Passport with a minimum validity of 18 months remaining (for each family member).
• Three passport photo’s for each family member (4x4; preferably light blue background; ¾ profile right side).

foreigners with previous work contract must fulfill the following requisites to get into the country:

• Labour contract signed by the employer and the contracted foreigner, with the signature certified by public attorney or agent of the National Immigrations Office.
• Statutes or company’s incorporation contract, duly recorded.
• Proof of payment to pension fund by the employer for all employees in the last six (6) months.
• Proof of record in the tax system and compliance of the last three (3) due payments.
• Tax Revenue Office Form stating payroll at the beginning of the company’s activity.
• Municipal authorization to operate (if applicable).

Keep reading the article on Argentina Travel

Che Malambo Traditional Dance

It's a very Argentine dance, not from Buenos Aires though. Look at their feet. They imitate how the gauchos used to dance.




For more videos go to Youtube.

U2 to Play Buenos Aires in November, 2010?

U2 fans across South America have been eagerly waiting to find out if and when the Irish rock band would return to the continent for its 360° tour.

While there has been no official confirmation from the band about any South American tour plans, the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo reported last week that U2 will play Brazil in November, 2010.

According to the report, U2 will do three shows three show in Sao Paolo and one in Rio. If that’s true, it means U2 would almost certainly play Buenos Aires very close to that date.

In other U2 news, in case you haven’t caught U2 ’s spectacular 3D concert movie, you can see it in Buenos Aires at any of the Showcase movie complexes in Belgrano, Marínez, Haedo, as well as in the interior cities of Córdoba and Rosario.

Check out more news on The Argentine Post.

BA Basics: Conversions: Weight, Temperature, and Seasonal Climate Changes

One of the joys of adjusting from life in the US to life here in Buenos Aires is learning how to convert our screwy imperial units of measure (pounds, degrees Fahrenheit, feet and miles) into those handy metric units (grams, kilograms, degrees Celsius, meters and kilometers). Since at first this task can be just a bit perplexing, here are a few quick hints to making these adjustments yourself:

Weight (1 pound = 450 grams)
You will most frequently need to be familiar with the conversion between pounds and grams while visiting your local fiambrería (deli meat seller), carnicería (butcher) or verdulería (vegetable seller). Ordering meats and vegetables are the easiest, as you can just request “dos pechugas” (two chicken breasts), or “tres zanahorias” (three carrots), and be on your merry way. Ordering deli meat is a little trickier, however, as the density of the meats varies by type. As a rule of thumb, I typically buy 100 grams of dense salted meats, such as salami, but opt for 200 grams when ordering the more common sandwich companions, including cheese, ham or turkey. These portions are just right, as they are enough to sustain me through several lunches, but won’t last too long and go feo.

Weight (1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds)
When I moved into my first apartment here in Buenos Aires, I was also pleasantly surprised to see a scale in the bathroom. Only problem? It weighed me in kilograms. If you are watching your weight while you’re here, this simple conversion is handy to keep in the back of your mind.

Temperature (°C = (°F -32) x 5/9)
The conversion between degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit is not only the measure that you will most frequently encounter, but also the one that can be the most perplexing. As you can see, the formula for making this conversion is a doozy!

Thanks to a dear Argentine friend that I met while still in the US, I now know a simpler way to get a ballpark figure for the conversion: just take the temperature in Celsius, double it, and add 30. This figure will always be slightly off from the exact temperature reading, but it works in a pinch.

Weather, Seasons and Average Temperatures
If you don’t already know, the seasons south of the equator are the opposite of those to the north. That means, that when it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter in the south, and vice versa.

Read the rest of the article on LandingPad BA.

Images of Argentina

More of theses pics on Flickr.

Mate-Argentina's National Drink video

How to prepare an Argentine mate!



Check put more videos on Youtube.

Bueno, entonces... Opening Sequence video

More videos available on Youtube.

The Best Language Schools in Buenos Aires

So Many Spanish Schools From Which to Choose in the Capital of Argentina

Article and photos by Dan Smith

2007 was going to be my year away from the working world; having been laid off from my job I was determined to make the best of the situation and use the entire year as a sabbatical to live abroad, learn a new language, and do a lot of traveling on the cheap whenever presented with the opportunity. Having previously been to Buenos Aires, I was attracted by the relatively high standard of living, fantastic rate of exchange, great night life, incredible food, impressive architecture, and multiple travel attractions across the country. In short, I knew it was the city that I wanted to live in while learning Spanish.

After using the Internet to arrange a long term apartment in a suitable part of the city, the most pressing issue that remained was finding the right school to attend. Several hours of research left me with information overload as it yielded dozens of schools in the city–a confusing mix of brand-new and long-established institutions with varying programs and services at prices all over the map. Which, if any of them, would be the best?

As a student-to-be in my late-30s I wasn’t as price sensitive as I would have been years past, although if there were good deals to be had at lower prices, so much the better. On the other hand, I didn’t want to end up being “the old guy” at the school, which was a concern in terms of after-hours socializing and travel. I also preferred schools that were not overrun with students from the U.S.A. or Europe, which would ensure actually practicing Spanish to communicate instead of defaulting to English—as tends to happen among students from those countries.

All schools under consideration had to be reputable, well-established, reasonably priced within the market, and located near the subway and bus lines. After much investigation, the schools that made the final cut were: Comisión de Intercambio Educativo (COINED), Instituto de Lengua Española para Extranjeros (ILEE), and International Bureau of Language (IBL). Generally speaking, all of these schools offer the option of individual or group classes, “intensive classes” lasting five or more hours per day, language specialization courses (medical, business, etc), homestay options with families (including meals if you want them), plus weekly activities.

In regard to pricing, with annual inflation in Argentina running around 12% to 20% in 2007, it’s wise to keep tabs on the prices posted on the listed websites in case rates unexpectedly go up. Also note that June and July are Brazil’s winter vacation months, so nearly every school in Buenos Aires is overflowing with Brazilians simultaneously bent on Spanish language improvement and late night liver damage at the local boliches (discos/nightclubs).

Comisión de Intercambio Educativo (COINED) was the first school selected and, in my opinion probably the best, since I ended up staying there for 12 weeks while originally intending to only stay a maximum of 8 weeks. It was the largest school, in terms of students and facilities, with a curriculum developed at the University of Buenos Aires. The classes also utilized a lot of Argentine culture (novels, cinema, music, etc) to supplement the learning. The majority of the teachers were undergrads (pursuing an advanced degree) although the study materials were probably the lowest production quality (format, legibility, bindings, etc) among all of the schools. The student body composition was diverse: Brazilian, North American, Western European, Japanese, Russian, and an occasional Aussie here and there. 85% of the students ranged from 21 to 29 years old, so those of us 30+ were easily in the minority. COINED has a “residence hall” that the vast majority of students used for accommodation, which not-so-coincidentally made this the school with the most extracurricular partying going on in the wee hours of the morning. Price-wise it occupied the middle ground between the more expensive and cheaper schools, which included two to three activities per week.

Instituto de Lengua Española para Extranjeros (ILEE) bills itself as the only school “where all the teachers hold a University of Buenos Aires Masters degree, either in Literature or Education, and have taught Spanish as a foreign language for 3+ years”. In my experience ILEE was also the smallest school, with the lowest teacher-to-student ratio, as well as the most expensive of all the schools. As such, the student body consisted exclusively of Western European and North American professionals, with an average age around 35-40. Night outings among the students tended to be weekends-only, although daytime excursions in the city were plentiful (however, the school’s planned weekly activities usually involved an extra fee of some sort). I found that the placement tests were not very effective and actually ended up being the poorest of any of the schools. On more than one occasion, an unfortunate beginner was mismatched with higher level students, causing no small level of frustration on both sides. However, the course materials were excellent and probably the most useful of any of the schools. In the end, I moved on three weeks earlier than planned due to the lack of any added value the education offered me for the higher price.

Read more on Transitions Abroad.

2nd Semester of Spanish, Spanish Love Song starring Erik Estrada

This is hilarious!! Check it out one more time on Youtube.

Medicine in Argentina with Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad offers volunteer Medicine & Healthcare work-experience placements in Argentina, in Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nursing & Midwifery, Occupational Therapy and Electives. Placements are for anyone volunteering abroad on a gap year or career break, or a training or qualified doctor, physiotherapist, nurse or midwife.

Volunteering on a Medicine & Healthcare project in Argentina can be done as part of a gap year, a career-break, or during a short break in your studies. As a Medicine & Healthcare volunteer you will gain a great deal of valuable work-experience alongside some of the most skilled doctors in the country. While the shell of some hospital buildings may look slightly neglected, the facilities within and the healthcare provided are generally of a decent standard, on a par with many hospitals in the west.

Our Medicine & Healthcare volunteers work in rotation at different hospitals in and around Villa Allende, enabling them to have a broad and varied experience of different medicine and healthcare departments. You will have the opportunity to experience medical procedures in both the over-burdened multi-disciplinary government hospitals, and the smaller Dispensarios that operate on certain days each in more rural communities. Within the hospitals you will be given the chance to shadow doctors and nurses, help to take patient histories, observe surgery, attend medical lectures with medical students, and perhaps even perform basic medicine and healthcare procedures. In the community you could find yourself giving a child a general health check, assisting in the provision of vaccinations, and giving advice on nutrition or pregnancy prevention for example.

An intermediate level of Spanish is required for this placement to ensure that you can interact fully with both the local staff and the patients. Volunteers should also be of smart appearance.

Volunteer Dentistry in Argentina

Volunteers who wish to work in the field of dentistry can gain superb work experience in Villa Allende Hospital, located in the beautiful Sierras Chicas not far from where our office is based. As one of the largest government run hospitals in this area, you will be learning from staff who are very experienced at providing all aspects of dental healthcare to people who travel here from the surrounding regions. If you wish to have a broader Medicine & Healthcare experience, both hospitals have many other areas, besides dentistry, for you to work in.

Volunteer Occupational Therapy in Argentina

As a training or qualified Occupational Therapy volunteer in Argentina, you'll be placed in one of a number of institutions for people who are mentally and physically disabled. While residents receive the necessary physiotherapy care, staff are limited in number and don't have enough time to spend one-to-one with these individuals. By coming into the home and using your skills to assess and treat the wide variety of physical and psychiatric conditions you come across, you can help these people to find purposeful activities they can participate in, and help to promote independent function in aspects of their life for what may be the first time since they moved there.

Finish the article on Volunteer Abroad.

Review: Learn Spanish with Bueno, entonces…

Prior to moving to Argentina, I spent several years working at an investment firm in Los Angeles. After the financial market collapse, I decided that it was time for me to try something different and accepted a consulting job in Buenos Aires. I set off for this new experience knowing only basic Spanish.

The first few weeks were very frustrating. This was the first time that I was living and working in a city where I did not speak the native language. I was not prepared for how difficult it was going to be to learn Spanish! My biggest hindrance in learning the language was finding the time. With a full work week and the time required to adjust to a new city, I just didn’t have the time to take classes.

I found out about “Bueno, entonces” through a friend who heard they were organizing a focus group to test the product. I joined so that I could try the program in exchange for writing a review.

I was very pleasantly surprised with how great the program was and how quickly my Spanish improved. While some of the beginning classes were below my skill level, I still found it helpful to have them reinforce basic grammar and conversational vocabulary. As the classes continued, I found myself getting pulled into the story line of David and his teacher Jimena, and also learning more and more Spanish.

Read more on buenoentonces.com/blog

Media in ARGENTINA

Argentina is one of South America's leading media markets. The country has well over 150 daily newspapers, many hundreds of commercial radio stations, dozens of TV stations and one of the world's highest take-up rates for cable TV.

Large media conglomerates have emerged. Public broadcasting plays a minor role. Television is the dominant medium. The main national free-to-air networks - Telefe, America, Canal 9 and Canal 13 - are privately-owned.

Argentine readers are among Latin America's most voracious newspaper consumers. Clarin and La Nacion are the best-selling national dailies.

Media freedom is guaranteed by the constitution. However, Reporters Without Borders maintained in 2008 that "direct attacks on the media and obstacles to press freedom... remained high". It said former President Nestor Kirchner had shown "great hostility" to the media - and particularly the conservative La Nacion daily - while in office.

By December 2008, Argentina had 16 million internet users, comprising nearly 40% of the population (Internetworldstats.com) and giving the country the second-highest number of surfers on the continent, after Brazil.

The press

· Clarín - popular daily

· La Nación - respected conservative daily

· Crónica - tabloid daily

· El Cronista - business

· La Prensa - Argentina's oldest newspaper

· Pagina 12 - left-wing daily

· Buenos Aires Herald - English-language daily

Television

· Telefe (Canal 11) - leading national network, operated by Grupo Telefe

· Canal 13 (El Trece) - leading national network, operated by Grupo Clarin

· Canal 9 - popular national network

· America (Canal 2) - popular network

· Todo Noticias - cable/satellite news channel owned by Grupo Clarin

· Canal 7 - state-run cultural, educational network

Radio

· Radio Mitre - private, speech-based, operated by Grupo Clarin

· Radio Nacional - state-run, cultural

· Radio America - private, news

· Radio Continental - private AM (mediumwave) speech-based network

· Los 40 Principales - private FM music network

News agencies

· Diarios y Noticias (DYN) - partly owned by Grupo Clarin

· TELAM - state-run

· Noticias Argentinas - set up by privately-owned newspapers

Check out more info on BBC News Argentina.