expat argentina

Ski Centers in Argentina

2009-12-21T15:02:00.001-08:00

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.

Embassies List in BA

2009-12-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

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 !

2009-12-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

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)

2009-12-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-12-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-12-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-04T10:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

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’

2009-12-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-30T09:27:00.000-08:00

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)

2009-11-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

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)

2009-11-28T15:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-27T07:56:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-25T13:48:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-11-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

More of theses pics on Flickr.

Mate-Argentina's National Drink video

2009-11-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

How to prepare an Argentine mate!

Check put more videos on Youtube.

Bueno, entonces... Opening Sequence video

2009-11-21T15:27:00.000-08:00

The Best Language Schools in Buenos Aires

2009-11-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

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.

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

2009-11-18T13:28:00.000-08:00

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

Medicine in Argentina with Projects Abroad

2009-11-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

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…

2009-11-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

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.

How to prepare Empanadas. Yummy!!!!!!!!

2009-11-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write a simple and hands-on post about how to make Empanadas. Here is the basic set-up for any type of empanada, though the ones shown here are Empanadas Mendocinas (This video shows the sealing technique called repulgue).

The set-up is (top left to right):

Container of filling, which in this case is meat and onion.

A stack of pre-made empanada shells

A handful of pitted black olives

A hard-boiled egg (and knife to slice them both)

Four tapas to make a few empanadas at a time, assembly-line style

A spoon for the filling

A brush to brush beaten egg over the empanadas once they're filled and sealed

A glass with beaten egg used to brush over the empanadas

A glass of water to wet the edges of the tapas right as they are being filled to seal the edges of the dough

A floured pan to place the filled empanadas on

I find that the empanada-making process is quicker and easier with everything set up together on one surface, like a little empanada factory. Since I'm the one making the emapandas, this is a station for one, but with more than one, the filling set-up could be in the center while the individul tapas are at each chair. My two-year-old helps to paint the egg on the filled empanadas. As he gets older, I hope we can do the whole process together.

How do you pronounce Empanada?

em-pah-NA-dah. The NA is a flat N, not an Ñ, so there's no rolling sound.

What type of tapas do you use?

As for premade tapas, I use the La Salteña brand. I buy them at a Latin market here in Denver that has many Argentinean and South American goods, like yerba mate, dulce de leche, and the other products La Salteña makes, like tapas for Pastelitos and Raviolis. If you can't find this brand, that's fine, Goya, among others, makes one, too.

Are pre-made tapas Vegetarian?

These are not vegetarian! The second ingredient is beef fat (seriously) and so if you are going for a totally veg empanada, make your own tapas.

Can I freeze Empanadas?

Yes! I recommend preparing and baking the empanadas before freezing. They can then be re-heated in small quantities in the microwave, or by the dozen in the oven. If your aim is making several dozen (for a party or other event)' bake then freeze' is the best way to ensure everything is thoroughly cooked. To reheat, set the oven temp to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling is heated through.

What's the difference between the different types of tapas?

I've found 3 types of La Salteña tapas in the store. 'Para Horno' means 'for baking'. 'Para Freir' means 'for frying,' and 'Hojaldre' means 'puff pastry'. The horno style and the hojaldre style are both for baking. The horno style is a pie-crusty type of dough, whereas the hojaldre will give a delicate, flaky pastry-style crust. The fried style lends itself well to seafood or vegetable empanadas, and is more typical in the Buenos Aires area. Of the other brands I've used, the dough style is most like the 'horno' style.

Read more of this on From Argentina with Love.

Dancing TANGO video.

2009-11-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

Take a quick look at this video and see how they dance tango!

To see more, go to Youtube.

Argentina: Getting there & away

2009-11-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Tickets

From almost everywhere, South America is a relatively costly destination, but discount fares can reduce the bite considerably. Contacting a travel agency that specializes in Latin American destinations often turns up the cheapest fares.

Sea

Arriving in Argentina by sea is uncommon indeed, although Chilean company Navimag (www.navimag.com) operates the famous ferry from Puerto Montt, Chile (near Bariloche), down the length of Chilean Patagonia to Puerto Natales, Chile, near Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (due west of Río Gallegos).

Water

River

There are several river crossings between Uruguay and Buenos Aires that involve ferry or hydrofoil, and often require combinations with buses.

Buenos Aires to Montevideo High-speed ferries carry passengers from downtown Buenos Aires to the Uruguayan capital in only 2¾ hours.

Buenos Aires to Colonia Daily ferries (50 minutes to three hours) head to Colonia, with bus connections to Montevideo (additional three hours).

Tigre to Carmelo Regular passenger launches speed from the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre to Carmelo (services also go to Montevideo from Tigre).

Land

Border crossings

There are numerous border crossings from neighboring Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay; the following lists are only the principal crossings. Generally, border formalities are straightforward as long as all your documents are in order. For info on necessary visas and documents.

Current weather conditions, hours of service and other useful information for Argentina’s border crossings are provided online by the Gendarmería Nacional de Argentina (www.gendarmeria.gov. ar/pasos/pasos1.htm).

Bolivia

La Quiaca to Villazón Many buses go from Jujuy and Salta to La Quiaca, where you must walk or take a taxi across the Bolivian border.

Aguas Blancas to Bermejo From Orán, reached by bus from Salta or Jujuy, take a bus to Aguas Blancas and then Bermejo, where you can catch a bus to Tarija.

Pocitos to Yacuiba Buses from Jujuy or Salta go to Tartagal and then on to the Bolivian border at Pocitos/Yacuiba, where there are buses to Santa Cruz.

Brazil

The most common crossing is from Puerto Iguazú to Foz do Iguaçu. Check both cities for more information on the peculiarities of this border crossing, especially if you’re crossing the border into Brazil only to see the other side of Iguazú Falls. There are also border crossings from Paso de los Libres (Argentina) to Uruguaiana (Brazil) to São Borja (Brazil).

Chile

There are numerous crossings between Argentina and Chile. Except in far southern Patagonia, every land crossing involves crossing the Andes. Due to weather, some high-altitude passes close in winter; even the busy Mendoza–Santiago route over RN 7 can close for several days (sometimes longer) during a severe storm. Always check road conditions, especially if you have a flight scheduled on the other side of the mountains. The following are the most commonly used crossings.

Salta to San Pedro de Atacama (via Purmamarca) Twelve-hour bus ride through the altiplano with stunningly beautiful scenery.

Mendoza to Santiago The most popular crossing between the two countries, passing 6962m Aconcagua en route.

Bariloche to Puerto Montt The famous, scenic 12-hour bus-boat combination runs over the Andes to Chile. Takes two days in winter.

Los Antiguos to Chile Chico Those entering from Chile can access the rugged RN 40 from here and head down to El Chaltén and El Calafate. Best in summer, when there’s actually public transport available.

El Calafate to Puerto Natales & Parque Nacional Torres del Paine Probably the most beaten route down here, heading from the Glaciar Perito Moreno (near El Calafate) to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (near Puerto Natales). Several buses per day in summer; one to two daily in the off-season.

Ushuaia to Punta Arenas Daily buses in summer, fewer in winter, on this 12- to 18-hour trip (depending on weather conditions), which includes a ferry crossing at either Porvenir or Punta Delgada/Primera Angostura.

Uruguay & Paraguay

There are two direct border crossings between Argentina and Paraguay: Clorinda to Asunción, and Posadas to Encarnación. From Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, you can also cross through Brazil into Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.

Border crossings from Argentine cities to Uruguayan cities include Gualeguaychú to Fray Bentos; Colón to Paysandú; and Concordia to Salto. All involve crossing bridges. Buses from Buenos Aires to Montevideo and other waterfront cities, however, are slower and less convenient than the ferries (or ferry–bus combinations) across the Río de la Plata. The crossings at Gualeguaychú and Paysandú may be closed due to conflict surrounding the construction of a pulp mill on the Uruguayan side of the river.

Bus

Travelers can bus to Argentina from most bordering countries. Buses are usually comfortable, modern and fairly clean. Crossing over does not involve too many hassles; just make sure that you have any proper visas beforehand

Entering the destination

Entering the country

Entering Argentina is straightforward; immigration officials at airports are generally quick to the point and waste few words, while those at border crossings may take a little more time scrutinizing your passport before stamping it. Anyone entering the country is required to have a valid passport. Once you’re in the country, police can still demand identification at any moment. It’s a good idea to carry at least a photocopy of your passport around town at all times.

When entering by air, you officially must have a return ticket, though this is rarely asked for once you’re in Argentina. However, it is commonly asked for by the airline in the country of origin. Most airlines prohibit from boarding any passengers without proof of onward travel, regardless of whether the person was sold a one-way ticket or not. They do this because the airline would be responsible for flying you back home should you be denied entrance (which is highly unlikely) once you’re in Argentina. For those planning to travel indefinitely, the only way out of this predicament is to buy a cheap, fully refundable onward flight (say, Mendoza to Santiago, Chile) and either use it or get the refund once you’re in Argentina. The refund, however, can take months to process.

Air

Argentina has direct flights between countries including North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Spain and South Africa, and from all South American countries except the Guianas. Alternatively, you can fly to a neighboring country, such as Chile or Brazil, and continue overland to Argentina.

To read more go to Lonely Planet.

Argentina national football team

2009-11-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

The Argentina national football team is the national football team of Argentina and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Argentina has won most international titles by any national team - 19, a record shared with Uruguay.

Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams in the world, and is currently eighth in the FIFA world rankings. The team has twice won the FIFA World Cup, in 1978 and 1986. Argentina has won the Copa América 14 times, a record shared with Uruguay, won the Confederations Cup in 1992 and the Olympic Football Tournament in 2004 and 2008.

Argentina and France are the only national teams which have won the three most important men's titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympic tournament. They have both also won their respective continental championship (Copa América for Argentina, and UEFA European Football Championship for France).

Keep reading about Argentina's football league on Wikipedia.

From the North of Argentina to the World!

2009-11-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

Check out more pics on Flickr.

Nightlife Etiquette in Buenos Aires

2009-11-11T10:21:00.000-08:00

A night on the town in Buenos Aires is reliably fun-filled. But before heading out for your first night, here are a few guidelines to ensure that you enjoy the night as thoroughly as possible:

Don’t plan on arriving to a club before 2am. Although this is typically when bars and clubs close for the night in other countries, dance clubs typically don’t begin to get busy before this time in Buenos Aires.

Don’t balk at having to pay a cover charge (entrada) at major bars and clubs here in Buenos Aires. Often these charges will come with a free drink or two (consumisión).

Don’t hesitate to immediately hop onto the dance floor and start shakin’ that thang! Most visitors to dance clubs are there to dance (not just to drink). So get out there and enjoy yourself!

Tipping the bartender more than a peso or two is not standard practice in Buenos Aires. An exception to this rule, however, is a request for a stiff drink (bien fuerte or bien cargado). In these cases, be sure to be a bit more generous with your tipping.

Be aware of the fact that it is considered poor form to drink too much, especially in fancy night clubs. Sloppy drunkenness and scrappy bar fights are frowned upon entirely, and almost never occur.

Single women should be prepared to meet a myriad of interested suitors who seemingly won’t take no for an answer. Women should never hesitate to frankly tell an unwelcome on-comer to buzz off. Don’t worry, it won’t be perceived as rude.

Finish reading about it on LandingPad BA.

EMPLOYMENT IN ARGENTINA

2009-11-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

Employment prospects

The recent economic crisis meant many Argentineans lost their jobs. The economy is slowly recovering, but job openings for foreigners remain very limited.

Foreigners who speak Spanish and are willing to work for Argentinean wages or do an unpaid internship are more likely to find a job. Unemployment has been decreasing since the peak of the 2001 crisis. However, it remains high today at an estimated 12%+.

Argentina has since long attracted migrants from other countries in the region. Among others, Paraguayans, Bolivians and Peruvians are often found working in agriculture and domestic services. Argentineans often see migrants from the region as a threat to employment in Argentina.

Legally employers are obliged to register employees for taxation and social security purposes. In order to keep costs low, many employers employ people without legally registering them. The Argentinean government has started a campaign in 2005 to reduce the amount of unregistered workers. Fines are being given to both companies and individuals working illegally.

Voluntary Work & Language Teaching

Finding many types of employment in Argentina as a foreigner is not easy. If you want to get work experience in Argentina, your best bet might be voluntary work or language teaching.

Voluntary work is offered in a wide variety of fields, from medical internships to direct assistance for building schools and houses. If you want to do voluntary work there are two main ways to find a position: through an aid-organisation or a specialised agency. Lists of aid-organisations and NGO’s (Non Governmental Agencies) can often be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your home country. The specialised agencies often offer several services such as language courses, and frequently it is even the other way around, language school organisations offer voluntary work. However, finding voluntary work through agencies often means you will have to pay for it.

Read full text on Allo' Expat.

Argentina Real Estate: Still Holding Up

2009-11-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Real Estate in Argentina

"The real estate market in Argentina has fared much better than the US or Europe over the last year as almost all real estate transactions in Argentina are non-leveraged," said Scott Mathis. "Obviously, sales have stalled somewhat as buyers are waiting to see what happens around the globe but real estate prices have not be hit nearly as hard in Argentina." The private equity company Mathis chairs - DPEC Partners - invests in Argentine real estate.

The Argentine real estate market continues to remain stable for two reasons - lack of credit and paltry investment options, according to Reynolds Propiedades SA. "Argentines have been burnt in the past with anything resembling a bank [as a result of the 2001 economic crisis.]" according to Reynolds. "As such, nationals mistrust Argentine based banks and now, because of the U.S. crisis, have founded fears over U.S. and European financial institutions."

This fear of banks and other monetary markets have translated to a great deal of investment in hard assets such as property. "The preferred investment tier lies in the area of USD 50,000 to USD 150,000 which allows investors to rent these units to local tenants and attempt to satisfy the massive shortage of living space," according to Reynolds.

International buyers have been attracted to the Argentine property sector because of the relatively affordable prices. "You can buy property in Argentina at a fraction of what you would pay in the US and in Europe" said Mathis. "Buenos Aires in the most popular but Mendoza [Argentina's Napa valley] is gaining recognition for its wonderful wine route and stature as making the best Malbec in the world."

There are investment opportunities elsewhere in the country as well. "We see a grand entry opportunity not only in traditional farming activity, such as soy and cattle, but also in alternate crops like vineyards, export plums and walnuts," according to Reynolds Propiedades SA. Ski heaven San Carlos de Bariloche and the town of Cafayate in Valles Calchaquíes are other points of interest.

Buying property in Argentina

While foreigners are allowed to buy in Argentina, there are some restrictions regarding owning land in border areas. "Foreigners are allowed to buy property," said Jamie Schectman owner of Bariloche Vacation Rental (www.barilochevacationrental.com). They have the same rights as Argentineans in most parts. That said, there are some restrictions buying in areas that fall under the Zona Seguridad - "roughly within a 100 kilometer of the Chilean border," according to Living in Patagonia (http://www.livinginpatagonia.com), a blog chronicling the lives of an American couple, Jamie and Shanie Schectman.

However, recent changes to the laws governing such purchases have made it easier to acquire property in that part of Argentina. Non-Argentineans can now buy real estate without much ado as long as the property under consideration is located in an urban or suburban area, is less than 5,000 square meters, and isn't bought for commercial purposes.

Read full text on NuWire Investor.

Argentine Peso Exchange Rate 11/10

2009-11-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

US Dollar Exchange Rates
Argentine Peso (ARS)	3.8174
Rates as of 11/10/2009

Source:www.exchange-rates.org

British Pound Exchange Rates
Argentine Peso (ARS)	6.3674
Rates as of 11/10/2009

Source:www.exchange-rates.org

Euro Exchange Rates
Argentine Peso (ARS)	5.7105
Rates as of 11/10/2009

Source:www.exchange-rates.org

Meet-Up for Volunteers in Buenos Aires on November 11

2009-11-10T10:30:00.001-08:00

Every year, more and more expats are settling down in Buenos Aires, Argentina, whether for a few months or an indefinite period of time. Most come to hone their Spanish skills, some to perfect their tango moves, others to study at a university or simply embark on a new adventure. Whatever their reason, many of them have one thing in common: they want to give back to their adopted community. But where to start?

Join us for the More than Mate II: Volunteering in Argentina meet-up on November 11th to find out!

With over 2,000 nonprofits in Buenos Aires alone, we know it can be hard to navigate the nonprofit landscape in Argentina and find free opportunities. So we’re teaming up with Voluntarios Sin Fronteras and South American Explorer’s Club to host an event dedicated to you, the international volunteer. There will be group discussions centered around the topics of your choosing, a chance to chat with volunteer coordinators from nonprofits in the city, and a trivia game about Argentina’s social sector.

For more info, visit BA Insider Mag.

Latinamerican media blasts populist regimes for trying to gag press critics

2009-11-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

Populist leaders in Latin America increasingly use legal and political means to silence critics in the media, according to Enrique Santos Calderón, president of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA). Tactics include revoking broadcast licenses, fostering hostility toward journalists, and giving a free hand to government supporters who have attacked broadcast stations, newsrooms and printing plants.

We are extremely concerned at the growing level in recent weeks of harassment and violence in various countries," Calderón said at IAPA's annual meeting in Buenos Aires. "Democratic systems require a free and unfettered press."

In Argentina, editors are criticizing President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's new decree ordering newspapers and magazines to be sold exclusively in union-run newsstands. Editors fear this will enable the government to prevent distribution of newspapers that do not follow the ruling party's line by enlisting pro-government unions to shut them down.

"From now on the sale of newspapers will be the only commercial activity regulated by the state," said Gregorio Badeni, a constitutional law expert in Buenos Aires. "It is obvious that they aim to curtail the free development of the newspaper business, because they're putting conditions on the sale of their products."

Fernández de Kirchner did not respond to an invitation to speak at IAPA's meeting. As she signed her decree this past week, the head of Argentina's powerful truckers union, Hugo Moyano, sent members to block distribution of Clarín, La Nación, Perfil and other newspapers, demanding that the papers' drivers be represented by the union.

Finish the article on Mercopress.

Teaching English in Buenos Aires

2009-11-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

Despite the Poor Economy in Argentina, English Classes Are Popular

By Cara Pulick

If you think Argentina's recent economic woes make it difficult to find a job teaching English in Buenos Aires, think again. The worldwide truth is that English is becoming more of a necessity and less of a luxury to be chopped when budgets get tight. Thus, despite an economy that is struggling to right itself, EFL jobs are out there in Buenos Aires. And you needn't look far to find them.

Native English speakers are a prized commodity in this stretch of the world and, with just a little legwork, can find placement in classrooms around the city in a matter of weeks or even days. Assignments cover an astounding, and entertaining, array of classroom environments, curricular programs and student demographics. Recent placements for new TEFL teachers in Buenos Aires have included a class of employees of a local brewery, at-home conversation practice for teenage brothers moving to the U.S., and private lessons on fishing terminology for a man preparing for an upcoming vacation.

Work in Buenos Aires can be found in a number of ways. A highly effective one is simply to contact the dozens of English institutes located throughout the city. Usually a resume and an interview are all you need to get started, though experience and/or a TEFL certificate certainly won't hurt.

While institutes often offer new teachers several classes at once, don't be afraid to accept a random class here or there, or even to substitute for another instructor; these short-term or one-time deals often turn into more substantial assignments, especially if you prove to be a reliable teacher. Do check into the hourly pay, as well as whether transportation time is included. Wages tend to vary significantly by institute and by class (sometimes group classes actually pay more), generally ranging from 7 to 16 pesos ($3-$5) per hour.

To read more go to Transitions Abroad.

EBC International TEFL Certificate

2009-11-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Description:

Want to learn how to teach, get one of the best certificates available, get a job and then enjoy lifetime, worldwide career support? If you do, you've come to the right place.

Accredited residential TEFL TESOL training

The EBC residential TEFL course has been accredited as being at NQF level 4 by Ascentis (OCNW) a British National Awarding Body. Another extremely well-known certificate is also an NQF level 4 qualification, so EBC is in good company as being one of the best certificates you can get.

What sets EBC apart from the other extremely well-known certificate is that EBC gives you an exclusive, lifetime, pro-active Job Placement Assistance Programme that helps you get teaching jobs worldwide. EBC has a database of almost 2,000 schools and agencies around the world. EBC not only offers great training but also great job support as well.

The EBC International Certificate in TESOL is an accredited 120 hour course. It is worth 12 credits.

EBC has helped its graduates find work in all continents (except for Antarctica).

EBC has residential training centres across 3 continents: Europe, South America, Asia (Middle East), Asia (Far East).

EBC will help you find accommodation and we have great TEFL course + accommodation packages available in all our residential training locations.

EBC is accent tolerant. As long as you teach within the rules of your country's version of English (e.g. American English) that's fine with us.

EBC is not a TEFL portal. All EBC residential centres are controlled by EBC and run the same course resulting in the same qualifications.

When you graduate from the residential course you will be awarded the EBC International Certificate in TESOL and the EBC International TEFL Certificate. The EBC International Certificate in TESOL meets British Council requirements for teachers in its accredited schools.

Accredited online TEFL TESOL training

If your budget can't reach to a residential course, EBC is possibly the best option for taking an online certificate. Or online certificate is also accredited by a British Examination board so the certificate you will get is worth a lot more than the paper it is written on. You'll have concrete proof to show prospective employers that your online certificate was indeed worth your time and effort. If you want to convert your online certificate into the British Council accepted EBC International Certificate in TESOL you can do so be attending one of our 2 week teaching practice courses.

When you graduate from the online course you will be awarded the Certificate of Educational Studies (TESOL) and the EBC TEFL Certificate. The Certificate of Educational Studies (TESOL) is an accredited award given by a British Examination board.

All EBC courses:

are dual award so you get a TEFL and a TESOL certificate,
are fully compliant with international guideline laid down by the TESOL organisation (USA) and the British Council (UK),
are practical, thorough, accredited, dual award TESOL TEFL courses,
are designed for candidates that have no experience teaching English,
are also suitable for candidates that have teaching experience but lack formal training in the TEFL TESOL field,
are all externally moderated by an official examination board.

For more info, go to Jobs Abroad.

This week at the movies

2009-11-09T05:57:00.000-08:00

Eight new releases this week! Three local films, a 3D remake, a horror movie, a french offering and two indies are out in the buenos aires theatres.

• TRES DESEOS. A sentimental drama exploring the dissatisfactions and possible escape routes of a couple turning 40 and their daughter. When the couple takes off on their own for a weekend in Colonia to celebrate her birthday, the wheels start turning. (Argentina, 2009.) Written and directed by: Vivian Imar and Marcelo Trotta - Featuring: Florencia Raggi, Julieta Cardinali, Antonio Birabent - PG13 - Running time: 97 minutes

• EL TORCAN. A biopic of tango singer Luis Cardei, who passed away in January 2000. He was the ultimate bar and cantina singer, with a repertoire of tangos from before the 1940s. He hit the big time after he turned 50, recording three albums in only five years. (Argentina, 2009) Written and directed by: Gabriel Arregui - Featuring: Oski Guzmán, Claudia Disti, Rodrigo de la Serna, Fausto Collado, Alfredo Cardei - PG13 - Running time: 108 minutes.

• LA EXTRANJERA. An Argentine woman who left the country for Barcelona during the 2001 crisis returns to a small town in San Luis after her grandfather’s death. He leaves her a farm in his will, and she has to take the helm of the establishment. (Argentina, 2009) Written and directed by: Fernando Díaz - Featuring: Norma Argentina, Roly Serrano and Arnaldo André - G - Running time: 92 minutes.

• THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 3D (EL EXTRAÑO MUNDO DE JACK 3D). On the 13th anniversary of this story by Tim Burton brought to stopmotion by Henry Selick (Coraline) comes a 3D version. A second chance for this beautiful horror/Christmas story on theatres, with iconic characters that will now jump off the screen. (US, 2008, in English) Directed by: Henry Selick - Written by: Tim Burton - Original voices: Catherine O‘Hara, Danny Elfman - G - Running time: 76 minutes.

Read more about movies this week on Buenos Aires Herald.

VISA TO ARGENTINA

2009-11-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

Passports

Passport valid for 6 months required by all except nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay who, for journeys that do not go beyond Argentina and these five countries, may use their national ID cards.

Visa

Required by all except the following:

(a) nationals of EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan and US for stays of up to 90 days;

(b) nationals of Andorra, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela and Serbia for stays of up to 90 days;

(c) nationals of Hong Kong (British Nationals Overseas), Jamaica and Malaysia for stays of up to 30 days;

(d) transit passengers holding confirmed onward or return tickets for travel provided continuing their journey within 6 hours and not leaving the airport.

Note: Visa exemptions mentioned above are for tourist and business purposes only. However, business travellers are advised to contact the Argentinian Consulate before departure.

Required documents for visa

Tourist visa:
(a) Passport.
(b) Application form.
(c) 1 passport photo.
(d) Fee; payable by cheque or postal order.
(e) Return ticket.
(f) Letter from employer.

To finish reading the text, go to Allo' Expat.

Argentina To Offer To Settle Paris Club Debt By Issuing Bond

2009-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

BUENOS AIRES (Dow Jones)--The Argentine government will try to settle its roughly $6.5 billion debt with members of the Paris Club by offering to issue a new bond, the Economy Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

Economy Minister Amado Boudou will pitch the idea to club members at a G20 meeting in Scotland later this week.

Before leaving for the trip, Boudou shared the idea with officials from the French Embassy in Buenos Aires. He said the plan entails issuing a new bond whose value would be equivalent to the debt owed to club members.

While in Scotland, Boudou will try to convince other Paris Club members that they ought to accept the proposal instead of a typical repayment plan, the statement said.

The bond would reportedly have the same payment structure as the loans owed to the Paris Club.

Argentine officials had previously given few details of how they planned to reschedule the debts owed to the Paris Club, which have been in default since Argentina's financial meltdown in 2001-02.

Around 14 months ago, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez announced a plan to settle the debt by making a lump sum payment.

But that bold plan fell apart within weeks as the global financial crisis clobbered world markets and crimped credit.

News of the new proposal comes a day after Argentina's House of Representatives passed a bill reopening a debt swap for the holders of about $20 billion in defaulted bonds.

The Senate has yet to debate the bill authorizing the offer, which requires congressional approval because a 2005 law expressly blocked a new swap.

The country is preparing a proposal to end the conflict with the holdouts who refused to accept terms of the 2005 swap. That swap involved a 65% discount, and any new offer will be on terms "more advantageous to Argentina," Boudou has said repeatedly.

To read more go to Google News.

Subway workers announce new 24hr strike for Tuesday 11/10

2009-11-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

Subway workers will go on strike on Tuesday to condemn the violent eviction of the home of one of their union leaders, Néstor Segovia.

"A gang of 10 people came along with the police, shot my son with rubber bullets and attacked my girlfriend," said Segovia during a televised interview. One of his sons, aged nine, had to be hospitalized because of the injuries he sustained, but is out of danger, the unionist said.

A judge of the province of Buenos Aires ordered the eviction of Segovia's family this morning, as the Segovia family was living in a property that had been occupied. Segovia said the property had been donated by the municipality of Moreno and noted there were "politcal motivations" behind the eviction. He also claimed that a canteen for the poor had been set up in his home.

Segovia reported he had received threats against his family from unionists of the UTA transport workers' union during clashes with workers of the subway yesterday.

Segovia, is the leader of subway workers who are demanding that the government grant legal status to their union, to splinter from UTA. UTA has resisted the initiative and scuffled with Segovia's loyalist in Constirución yesterday.

"There was a long-haired bus driver, who I have seen in the past, who threatened me and said they were coming after my children," Segovia noted today, claiming it is "usual" to recieve threats after the strikes. He also said he had received a threatening phone call last night, and that he would press charges against UTA members for the threats.

“We apologize to commuters, but we will strike again next week,” said union leader Roberto Pianelli.
Hugo Yasky, head of the CTA union umbrella group, expressed support for Segovia and urged the government to grant legal status to the union the workers want to establish away from the UTA. Vilma Ripoll, a leader of the far left Socialist Workers Movement MST, also spoke at the press conference.
A Buenos Aires province judge ordered the eviction of Segovia’s family this morning alleging they did not own the land they lived in. But Segovia argued that the property had been donated by the municipality of Moreno and noted there were “political motives” behind the eviction.

"One semester of Spanish" video. Really fun!!!

2009-11-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

Check out more videos on Youtube.

WHAT IS Bueno, entonces... exactly?

2009-11-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

Bueno, entonces... is the best selling language-learning program for the iPhone, now available on DVD and instant download! Featured by Apple as New & Noteworthy, tens of thousands are already learning Spanish with Bueno, entonces…

Taking the most effective elements from traditional audio books and software programs, Bueno, entonces... has revamped language-learning by incorporating those features into a 1-on-1 Spanish lesson format, where you sit in on private classes with fresh audio/visual teaching tools, a huge improvement over programs currently available on the market.

Bueno, entonces... takes you inside 30 private Spanish lessons with Jimena, a gorgeous Spanish instructor, and David, her jackass student from London as he learns Spanish in beautiful Buenos Aires. Like learn-Spanish reality TV, but without the guilt of getting addicted, because in just 5 weeks you'll be speaking Spanish conversationally.

Developed by world-class linguists and seasoned comedy writers, Bueno, entonces... is the most entertaining, effective language program available. Instead of your Spanish lessons being torture, you’ll look forward to every class and want to watch them over and over again!

Bueno, entonces… is the only learn-Spanish program offering true Spanish language immersion. We relocated personnel from 6 countries to produce on-location in Latin America so students get a taste of authentic language and cultural immersion.

To learn more about Bueno, entonces, go to General Linguistics.

Water supply cut in drought-hit Córdoba town

2009-11-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

The town of Río Ceballos in the province of Córdoba has cut water supply today as it is facing one of the worst droughts in the history of Argentina's central region.

The interruption of the service is part of a policy to palliate water shortages in mountain areas of the province. Cuts in water supply in the towns of Unquillo and Mendiolaza is scheduled for tomorrow.

Authorities of municipal and provincial government will meet on Monday to coordinate actions in the view of the worsening situation. The Under-Secretariat of Water Resources of the province is expected to fine large users who fail to reduce consumption after the government ordered that water should only be used for drinking and cleansing, and forbade the use of water for plants.

"We aim at prevent the inappropriate use of water," said Jorge Saravia, head of the Public Services Regulating Agency ERESEP after a meeting with officials of the Under-Secretariat of Water Resoutces and Aguas Cordobesas yesterday.

US dollar ends at ARG$ 3.83

2009-11-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

Local exchange market

The American currency traded for ARG$ 3.83/ARG$ 3.79, remained unchanged compared to yesterday's close in the main banks and foreign exchange houses in Buenos Aires downtown.

The US dollar increases 10.4 percent since January.

Read more on Ambito.

WORK PERMIT IN ARGENTINA

2009-11-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

In general, a foreign applicant (the "employee") assigned to work in another country must evidence a degree of proprietary knowledge, specialized skills, or managerial/ executive-level skills that are not readily available in the destination country's domestic labour market.

The following is a general summary of the types of employment visa categories that are common to corporate, international transfers into Argentina.

"Regularization" of immigration status from Visitor status to Work Status

A foreign national employee from a bordering country can convert his or her immigration status from a Visitor status to Work status while remaining in Argentina; however, this process may take upwards of six months to conclude.

During the "regularization" period, nationals from a bordering country can apply for a special certificate, called a "Certificate of Precarious Residence" which will allow these nationals to reside, work, study, and re-enter Argentina while the long-term work and residence permits are awaiting approval. These are specialized applications that will require the review of this firm's Argentine immigration advisor.

For those nationals coming from non-bordering countries, these nationals CANNOT regularize status in Argentina from a Visitor to a Work status. While the application to obtain work status can be made directly with the DNM, non-bordering foreign nationals are not allowed to work in Argentina. Non-border nationals can physically remain in Argentina as a visitor while the work permit application is pending approval; however, once the work permit application is approved, the employee and family members must return to their country of legal residence to apply for the work and residence visa.

Types of Work Visas

The major types of Argentine employment visa categories are as follows:

A) Article 29 (e) Visa – Valid for providing short-term, temporary work duties (or technical duties) while in Argentina. This visa is valid for an initial period of 15 days and can be issued by either an Argentine consular post or by Migrations in Argentina. This visa can be renewed for an additional 15 days with the migration authorities in Argentina. This visa requires prior approval of the migrations authorities and is generally required for visa nationals of non-bordering countries if in Argentina for short visits while the migrations authorities process a long-term work permit application.

B) Article 23 (A) Visa ("Labour Contract - Temporary Residence" Visa) – This visa is designed for those employees who are contracted by corporations settled in Argentina for at least a 6 – 12 month period AND will be assigned to the Argentine payroll as a "localized" employee. If the employee is to be paid from the Argentine payroll. A formal Labour Contract must be executed between the employee and the Argentine sponsor. This visa requires prior approval from the migrations authorities prior to applying for this visa at an Argentine consular post.

C) Article 23 (E) Visa ("Secondment -Temporary Residence" Visa) under Provision 18/94 – This visa is designed for those employees who are transferred to Argentina by a subsidiary corporation or from the same corporation group, for at least a 6 – 12 month period. This is the typical type of transfer for most assignments to Argentina. This visa does not require a Labour Contract but prior approval from the migrations authorities prior to applying for this visa at an Argentine consular post.

Read full article on Allo' Expat.

Getting around Buenos Aires. Cool city tour video!

2009-11-04T12:29:00.001-08:00

Check out more videos of the city on Youtube.

Argentina's map

2009-11-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

To find more maps of Argentina and other countries, visit Visiting Argentina.

Argentine Congress considers same-sex marriage

2009-10-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Is Argentina ready to become Latin America's first nation to legalize gay marriage?

Gay and lesbian activists think so — and they have a growing number of supporters in Congress, which opened debate Thursday on whether to change dozens of laws that define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

"We can't expect social equality if the state is legitimizing inequality," said Maria Rachid, president of the Argentine Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Federation. "We now have the social and political context necessary to change the law."

It remains to be seen whether activists have enough votes to overcome opposition from religious groups. The Roman Catholic Church remains a driving force in Argentina, where presidents were required to be both married and Catholic until a 1994 reform.

Some Catholic and evangelical Christian groups have accused the government of trying to subvert the natural order of life, promote perversions and destroy the family as an institution.

"This should not be understood as the denial of anyone's rights," said Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa Fe, who took a gentler tone in a recent radio address. "It's possible both to be progressive and to defend the family, founded on the institution of marriage."

Argentina's capital established its gay-friendly reputation in 2002 by becoming the first Latin American city to legalize same-sex civil unions. Four other Argentine cities later did the same, and such unions also now are recognized in Mexico City and some Mexican and Brazilian states. Uruguay alone has legalized civil unions nationwide.

Read complete article on Google News

Religious Theme Park Considering Maradona Water Slide

2009-10-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

Maradona's celebration of the Argentine national soccer team's win over Peru has become so popular, that Tierra Santa, a religious theme park in Buenos Aires, is considering building a water slide to honor it.

The proposal is for a giant water slide with a statue of Maradona at the top with arms outstretched. But there are a few minor considerations, the first is that the slide would not be in keeping with the major theme of the park, Christ's Crucifuxion.

"We are in negotiations now," says a spokesperson for the park. "We are thinking we might have a separate area dedicated to the slide. But it still depends largely on the performance of the national team. If they win the world cup, it would indeed be a miracle."

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Bueno, entonces... Spanish Class 12

2009-10-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

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HEALTHCARE IN ARGENTINA

2009-10-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

In 2000 the total population in Argentina was estimated at 37 million. Argentina is divided into 23 provinces and a federal district, Buenos Aires, the Capital Federal.

Resources for Health services in Argentina were US$ 22.700 million in 1999 of which US$ 5,400 million were for public hospitals, US$ 8,300 million for Obras Sociales and Pami, US$ 2,300 in Pre-paid services, US$ 6,700 direct payment for beneficiaries.

Health expenditures as percentage of GDP were 7.4% in 1997 and 9.7% in 1999.

The public sector has an annual budget of US$ 13.012 million, representing 1,9% of GDP. The GDP per capita is US$ 8,514. Health expenditures per capita amounted to US$ 675 in 1997 and US$ 826 in 1999.

The compulsory portion of health care has two components: the government-administered component is financed through tax revenue (on a pay-as-you-go basis) and guarantees a standard minimum benefit according to principles of redistribution and insurance; the private component is geared toward savings and security, and takes the form of individual member-capitalized savings plans or company-managed plans that are funded by joint employee and employer contributions, fully and individually capitalised and regulated by the government (i.e., fully funded plans).

The voluntary plans are identical in all respects to the fully funded plans with the exception that they are capitalised exclusively by the beneficiary.

The health services system is composed of four main sub sectors: the public Hospital sub-sector (i.e., government-provided financing and services), the Obras Sociales (employee-benefit plans formerly run by unions and now organized by professional category), the private sub-sector (Pre-Paid voluntary insurance plans based on actuarial risk) and Insurance companies which cover a marginal sector of the economy. There is a strong bias toward curative care, with emphasis on hospital services. Although national, provincial, and municipal policies all define primary health care as their basic strategy, most of the jurisdictions that have adopted this strategy approach it in the form of "programme's" to be carried out at the primary care level.

The Obras Sociales plans are a system of compulsory social insurance that includes other benefits in addition to health care. Their financing comes from employer (5% monthly of salary) and employee (3% monthly) contributions. The Government is expediting deregulation of the sector in order to foster competition between the Obras Sociales plans and private (pre-paid) health insurance companies, encouraging beneficiaries to take an active role in choosing their Obras Sociales plan, and guaranteeing that all plans afford the basic benefits package of main services, diagnoses, and treatments for subscriber and dependants (PMO) as required by law. Benefits for primary and secondary care have a small co-payment (US$ 5 or US$10 for doctor's visits) but in-patient care and complex surgery/ procedures are free of charge. There is a 50% cover for drugs.

These Obras Sociales used to be linked to economic activities. Therefore each industry had its own OS as they vary in their level of quality of service and their services depend on salary scales and contributions. Nowadays members can choose any OS if they deem it to provide better care. By law, OS are not allowed to impose waiting periods, pre-existing conditions or exclusions. There are approximately 260 Obras Sociales providing care to 16 million members.

There are also Obras Sociales not associated to trade unions which offer care to middle and senior management who earn over US$2,000 monthly. These OS are financed like regular OS. The difference lies in the quality of service due to higher revenues. There are 24 institutions of this type in Argentina covering approximately 950,000 members. They have the same obligations as the trade union OS.

Except for those included under special programmes, the public sub-sector does not cover drugs for out-patient care. The public sub-sector of Obras Sociales plans defray a percentage of members' drug costs and fully subsidise all the uncommon, high-cost drugs included in the PMO (Plan Medico Obligatorio).

Pre-paid medicine companies also cover 50% of beneficiaries' drug costs. It is estimated that 8% of the population covered by the OS would also contribute to Pre-paid (PP) medicine. Pre-paid companies amount to 2,200.000 beneficiaries and operate very much any company providing private health insurance.

The only institution, which provides health care for the retired/elderly, is PAMIs, which are privately owned but managed by the government. The level of care and financing is inadequate. Pamis cover approximately 4,500.000 people.
In 1992 there was an average of only one physician for every 367 residents, and a ratio of 1 nurse for every 4 physicians and 5.4 nurses per 10,000 of the population, levels in this category were also considered insufficient. In 1999 there were 24.9 physicians for 10,000 of the population.

The number of available beds was 1,55.749 in 1995, with 54% in the public sub-sector, 2.8% in the Obras Sociales sub-sector, 43% in the private sub-sector. In 1996 there were 824 self'- managing public hospitals, offering a total of 62,402 beds (almost 75.3% of the country's public beds). In 1999 there were 44.8 hospital beds per 1,000 of the population.

In the private sub-sector, the two main subgroups are: professionals who provide independent care services to members of Obras Sociales or private, pre-paid plans; and health care facilities that are contracted by Obras Sociales plans.

Argentina health is not administered as insurance, as is the case with most foreign countries.

Pre-paid medical insurance originated as cover for independent workers. The popular perception is that pre-paid medicine rates very highly, as everybody would like to afford a particular plan. Pre-paid cover has a higher rate of usage than Obras Sociales and the Pre-paid client demands good service and is not willing to pay co-payments. PPs do not need sanction from any government body to operate; they exist to satisfy supply and demand.

Regarding outside cover, there is an international network only for emergencies providing free-of- charge care for accidents and for not pre-existing conditions for up to 180 days abroad. It includes repatriation of mortal remains due to accidental death. There are various plans on offer.

Expatriates are not covered unless they choose one of the pre-paid institutions. The level of care and quality is similar to that in their home countries.

DIRECTORY OF HOSPITALS & CLINICS

Clinica Bessone
Paunero 1648/86
San Miguel
Argentina
Tel: + 54 381 4667 2040

Clinica Del Sol
Av Coronel Diaz 2211
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Tel: + 54 11 4821 1000

Hospital Aleman
Av. Pueyrredon 1640
Buenos Aires
1118
Argentina
Tel: + 54 11 4821 1700
Fax: + 54 11 4805 6087
Email: mterrera@hospitalaleman.com
Website: www.hospitalaleman.com

Read the whole list of hospitals on Allo' Expat Argentina.