Do Argentineans actually work?
Yesterday, we got to thinking. The only businesses we see in action on a regular basis are cafés, restaurants and well, our door man.
We’ve been living in Buenos Aires for 9 months. In that time we’ve only seen a commuting rush-hour twice, and I’m pretty sure they were both on weekends.
Occasionally we spot the spiffy man in a suit, lately he’s been sporting the ankle length wool coats in the 55 degree weather, but we always see him hanging out at a café or restaurant longer than we do.
We have yet to have a meal out or even just a liter of beer without having the waitress change shifts on us halfway through. Linwood always attributed this to our awkward timing, we’re still stuck on American Happy Hours. It’s a decent theory. But then, we realized that we’ve played into the Porteño hours. And then we recalled when we walked into a brewpub when they opened, at 8pm, and had a server change by 9.
Our doorman, whom we love, is probably one of the hardest working men we know down here. But then, his job is actually held by 3 men in total. Each of whom come every day–just taking different hours throughout the day. For instance, Roberto works from 9-12; Miguel from 12-3; Roberto from 3-5; and Miguel from 5-9. Occasionally, Jesus takes some hours in there but I’m still unsure of which ones he takes. It’s usually just a fun-filled surprise.
Is this a culture issue at hand? Are Argentineans less attached to the career-tract and work ethic than the nose-to-the-grindstone Americans? Or is this an economy issue? Will the States harbor the same mentality if the Republicans insist on being idiots and push to keep the debt level where it is, ensuing in a default and subsequent economic crash similar to that of Argentina’s in 2001?
It’s rather intriguing. We’ve been watching this town as it goes by us each day, a town that is said to rival New York in its refusal to ever sleep–and we just can’t put our finger on how it actually functions.
I guess it’s part of its intrigue. The city likes to keep a bit of mystery about her. She does good work.
-K.B.
The Found Generation 