A Few Mild Irritations

It rained today. No, that has nothing to do with the title of this post. The rain was actually quite welcome as the summertime heat cranks up through November and December. But the rain did keep me indoors for much of the day and forced me to reflect on a few of the challenges confronting Bs. As., how they have affected me, and how I knew little to nothing about them until I settled in for about a week or so.

WARNING! For all of you looking for a comfortable read that will sit well please AVOID this post (or at least the next few paragraphs). I am about to delve into one of the dirtiest and unsettling problems confronting Bs. As. citizens every day. If you feel at all uncomfortable about what I write below please skip to my section on the currency problem further down the page.

The first city-wide problem I encountered is the excessive amounts of dog excrement in parks, on sidewalks,  and in the streets. One must maintain constant vigilance at all times for fear of encountering the squishy on the soles of one's shoes. No, I don't want to satirize this crisis at all but it really is difficult to emphasize just how much excrement there is. In fact news articles, online forums, and expat blogs have all shed light on this issue, which is not only detrimental to the health of Porteños (natives of BA), it also has a negative impact on tourism and foreign perceptions of the city. 

One article, written by Natalie Schachar, puts the official estimate at about 30,000 tons of dog excrement a day making its way onto the streets. This problem seems to be perpetuated by a lack of government enforcement of ordinance and a tragedy of the commons mentality in which dog walkers have created a societal structure within which it is the accepted norm to leave the feces where it falls. I have also noticed too that dog walking is a profession for some, and that it is not uncommon to see one person walking six, seven or even ten dogs at one time. Surely we can't expect that person to be able to pick up everything those dogs leave behind. I know I have difficulty just walking three dogs on leashes, let alone five or ten. In the end the solution will probably have to come from greater government enforcement, more initiatives (e.g. free doggie bags, warning signs, etc...), and the Porteños own desire to see a cleaner excrement free city. 

Image from the article by Natalie Schachar. Walking many dogs at once is typical in Bs. As. and seems to be a profession for some Porteños. 

Here is a link to the article on this crisis. http://www.theatlanticcities.com/arts-and-lifestyle/2012/10/doody-calls-will-buenos-aires-ever-learn-pick-its-poo/3458/

A second issue I encountered, and one arguably less dirty, is that of currency exchange (money can be quite dirty sometimes). Argentina has a long a tumultuous history when it comes to currency, and within the last few decades a strong, robust, Argentine currency has been virtually non-existent. If I could have brought one thing with me from the States it would be a large wad of crisp USD (Yes crisp. Apparently there is a counterfeit problem here and if the bills aren't new they will often not be accepted). 

Image courtesy of the Christian Science Monitor

Due to weak confidence in the Argentine peso and tight government regulations and restrictions on USD, there are actually two exchange rates. There is the official rate which is roughly 1 USD to 4.75 AR (No one uses this rate except banks and the government, neither of which allow for the withdrawal of USD. This was a surprise to me when I found I could not withdraw dollars from ATMs). There is also the unofficial, black market rate, or what is known as the "blue rate," which is set at roughly 1 USD to 6.3 AR. This rate is due to lack of access to USD to every day citizens, combined with greater confidence in the stability of the dollar over the peso and several other factors. 

Moving beyond the complexity of the numbers this is important to me because when I make big purchases, such as renting a room for a month, my USD is being converted by the local bank into Argentine pesos at the official rate, but I am purchasing the rental at the blue rate. So a room that would cost me $350 USD ($1600 AR at the official rate) would cost me roughly $2300 pesos because everyone uses the "blue rate." This means I am actually paying $500 USD for a room I could be paying $350 for if I only had USD. 

Unfortunately it is quite difficult to get a hold of dollars here. I've heard that if I travel to Uruguay I can withdraw dollars at the official exchange rate from either a bank or an ATM. This option is tempting because at some point in the next three months I will have to leave Argentina in order to renew my visa, and Uruguay is the best option for that. 

But until I decide to go to Uruguay I will just have to put up with the everyday hassles of living internationally in a complex economic world. All in all it has been an interesting learning experience and one, in my opinion, worth having. It is an inconvenience not being able to get USD, but I continue to work with the situation I am presented with and, to tell the truth, $500 USD for a room in the nicest neighborhood in Buenos Aires? I am in no position to complain about that. 

Thanks to everyone who persevered through this blog discussing issues from the dark side of Argentina. I know it isn't the same as photos of stunning architecture, beautiful parks, and the rich and vibrant culture here, but there are valid issues here. Not everything is perfect and I hoped this blog could to some extent show that. 

I love the support from all of you and hope you continue to follow my progress. I promise more aesthetically pleasing blogs are on their way. Until then though I'll be finding my way through the busy streets of city, gazing up at the beautiful skyline, while at the same time cautiously watching my every footfall so as not to hear the dreaded squish under my shoe. 

~Kyle