BA Social System

During our Spanish lessons, we had the chance to speak in depth with Diego about the social system of Argentina. Although a much poorer country than the USA, they are able to provide free college education for all and free healthcare for all. The physicians must all work free for part of their time in the public hospitals before attending at the University or private practice. Even the president's physician must take his turn providing free care.

The colleges offer the opportunity of a free education to all who wish to go. Of course, they must pass the tests on the subjects but there is no entrance examination except in Medicine. There is a problem with lower education as there is in the United States. The level of education varies depending on if it is given in the capital or in the provinces. Those from the provinces with less money definitely get an inferior education.

Of interest to me was the absence of the people's love for their country. They love their culture and their fellow Argentine's but because of past abuses by the government, they don't trust the government and therefore separate their identities from a government identity. They must carry a government ID card with them at all times and it is mandatory to vote in elections. Their ID booklet is stamped with proof of voting. If you don't vote, you are are risk of forfiting government services.

The Argentine's do not have an anti-imigrant attitude. They do not discriminate against those from Chili, Peru, or Brazil, etc. They do make kind of snide remarks about the other countries such as Paraguay or Uraguay. It seems to be rather good natured such as calling those from Paraguay the word Paraguas, the word for umbrella. They particularly don't like the Spanish, probably because of the past history of Spanish colonialization.

There is a lot of poverty in certain areas of the city but very little violent crime. Guns are almost non-existent and while an occasional person gets shot, it is nothing like in the United States. The children are not treated with drugs for ADD but rather have patient teachers in special schools. The teachers for regular students, have a different relationship with the students than in the USA. Rather than an authoritarian profile, they are more of a colleague in learning for the students, even in college.

Business lunches are often 1.5 hours long and are more social events than in the USA where you gulp down the food in order to return to work. This slower pace seems to create a less aggressive and predatory climate.

There are four major ways to travel around the city of Buenoa Aires. The cheapest and most common method is that of buses called collectivos. They have numbers and you need a booklet with maps to correlate the number of the bus with the place you want to travel. You queue up at the end of the line and must raise your hand when the proper numbered bus comes or it won't stop. More than one numbered bus will service a particular stop (parada). You must have coins to ride the bus as there is no change. You pay your money, get a ticket and when your stop comes, you signal with a button or bar that you want to get off.

The subway (subte) is the next cheapest method of moving people. There are five color-coded lines A,B,C,D,E and they interconnect at the main station called Avenida 9 de Julio. They are really packed at peak hours and you have to plan ahead to squeeze to a door to get off at your stop. It costs 7o centavos to ride one way. It is best to get a 10 ticket pass for 7 pesos and use this.

Trains service more distant barrios or provinces with the city. The main station is in the barrio Retiro but I have yet to try using the train. I don't know their cost and I am certain it varies but should not be too expensive.

Taxis seem to be everywhere and fill in the gaps. The radio taxi is a black and yellow car with alight on the right front side of the driver. When lit, it indicates the cab is vacant. You hale the cab as you do in the USA. Check the price to you destination to be certain he is not taking you on a round about excursion. There is a meter that indicates the fare on time and distance. To travel from the downtown to Palermo was about 12 pesos.