©
David Debrincat
Argentina Travel Guide
©
David Debrincat
During your trip to Argentina you'll notice that manners and the rules of politeness are not that different from those you are used to at home. Which is good because it limits the risk of slip ups.
The Argentines' Latin roots are obvious in the population's daily life. You'll quickly see during your trip to Argentina, that the people are very welcoming to strangers. Right from the time they say hello the Argentines are very friendly. And they appreciate you acting in the same way. It's normal to argue, and to debate endlessly. The Argentines love it. Their favourite subjects, which come up time and again, are politics and football. It's better to avoid anything which relates to the former but on the other hand, you shouldn't worry about joining in if you hear people talking about the round ball.
Be careful though, never say anything bad about Maradona, Messi or the national team. In the same way, if you go to see a match at the stadium don't indulge in pointless and dangerous provocation and support the same team as the people around you.
Knowing how to eat is a way of life. You'll see that the portions are often gigantic. Because the food in Argentina is delicious you won't have to force yourself to eat. However, it is very rude not to clear your plate and it's a real compliment to your hosts to have seconds.
Generally, good manners in Argentina are like the ones you already know. Behave here like you would at home.
At first sight you wouldn't say that begging is a real problem in Argentina. But, like everywhere in the world, it exists. It's always difficult to know how to behave in these situations. It's not always easy, but the best thing is to say "no". If you really want to help or to give something, then the best solution is to give to one of the associations that already exist. There are lots of them working in the country and they really need money and materials. Some of your time or specialist knowledge could be really precious to them.
