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no change at all splinter to normal life . Only summer is a little bit closer...
We argentineans have a long training in these crisis. We shall overcome this as well.
Please forgive my naivety, but I was expecting something impactful from a crisis. How do we decided when a bump is a crisis or just a bump? Just curious...
I've been contacted by family back in the UK asking if I need food parcels sent. They were of course only joking but it does make you wonder just what the media are reporting over there.
As far as I'm concerned it's business as usual this year and no different from the other ten years I've been here. In other words the economy has always been a flippin' disaster.
Landed safely at Eze at 0730 and were enjoying a cup of tea whilst unpacking our goodies by 0915.
Naturally I was the dumb English tourist who spoke no Spanish when going through customs.
Welcome again, Mr Splinter.
You are anything but dumb, I imagine the custom clerk will understand your English. He must be accustomed, I guess.
It is very common in this country that young people learn English from its primary and secondary schools, especially if they went to private ones. But I often see people (high class ones) that went to Cardinal Newman College and they still cannot speak English fluently. The only thing that they can do is going to Miami and there they speak Spanish, a place where most of the attendants of the shopping malls do.
This is perhaps they do not read nothing (even in Spanish) and they do no realize what can you learn seeing films with English dialogues and subtitles. For me, it was a source of great instruction, as also a way to pronounce well the English words. (especially in British films)
As a University professor, I often gave to my students texts in English. They look me a bit amazed for the "difficult task" and I told them that English has a 50 % of words that came from Latin, our common ancient language. Therefore, it must not be difficult. The key to understand other languages is to connect by analogies your language with the other ones. Bu tthat depends on your IQ.
Last time at EZE customs I played the I speak only English Brit. It had worked before as I always got a wave to carry on gesture. However this time I was rather taken aback when a female officer asked me in English if I had arrived for a holiday or if I was a resident.
I bluttered out 'holiday' and she let me go through without further questioning....although I did get the feeling she knew I was telling a porky.
As it happens my Argentine wife who always goes through separately has never had a problem. Which leads me to believe they are not that interested unless the scanner shows you have a dozen laptops and umpteen iPhones in your luggage.
Interesting, UK Man - why does your wife go through separately? We probably need to learn from you.
Interesting, UK Man - why does your wife go through separately? We probably need to learn from you.
In the past following orders from my Argentine wife I used to go through separately from her....we lived in the UK at the time. More often than not I got waved through without having to put my bags through the scanner whereas on the odd occasion she would be asked to get hers scanned.
So it's just a habit we got into and one that seemed wise to carry on with since coming to live here. Not that we ever carry anything that would raise eyebrows anyway. Most we ever bring back is a new laptop or tablet each. We're far more interested in bringing back clothes and foodstuffs to be honest.
Argentine custom is interested only to prevent imports of technology. Other stuff like clothes, shoes, etc. are completely neglected.
Of course, AK47 guns are not allowed...
In my cases I had an expensive motherboard, power supply, memory, CPU, SSDs and a new Galaxy Note 8 (with my existing Galaxy S8) in my back pack and was only asked if they were for personal use.
The food goodies were another matter and they didn't even comment. The man in front of me was having his bags turned inside out however.
I’ve learned to be careful about food goodies. Next week when we return, I will be 100% Saint.
But I’m really surprised, UK Man , that you are sometimes allowed to skip the scanner. We are always part of a mass queue, all shunted directly to the scanner; I’ve never seen anyone escape having to load the bags onto the belt.
I’ve learned to be careful about food goodies. Next week when we return, I will be 100% Saint.
But I’m really surprised, UK Man , that you are sometimes allowed to skip the scanner. We are always part of a mass queue, all shunted directly to the scanner; I’ve never seen anyone escape having to load the bags onto the belt.
Avoiding the scanners was years ago Rice.
Argentine custom is interested only to prevent imports of technology. Other stuff like clothes, shoes, etc. are completely neglected.
Of course, AK47 guns are not allowed...
I agree. If you're daft enough to have a bag stuffed full of clothes still with their packaging and tags then you deserve to have them taxed. 
Let's just say that I was pleasantly surprised by the general lack of enthusiasm shown by the customs agents. In fact, there were only a few on duty and they looked as if they'd prefer to be doing something else, like enjoying a mate or a choripan. I imagine there's a little more enthusiasm when the Miami flights come in.
Here are some pics I sneaked:
Let's just say that I was pleasantly surprised by the general lack of enthusiasm shown by the customs agents. In fact, there were only a few on duty and they looked as if they'd prefer to be doing something else, like enjoying a mate or a choripan. I imagine there's a little more enthusiasm when the Miami flights come in.
Here are some pics I sneaked:
The general lack of enthusiasm, this time, helps to receive the incoming tourists in a easy and gentlw way. I remember many years ago the customs of Hungary when I needed t cross the frontier fropm Austria. Very much alike the NKVD or the Gestapo.
I think lack of enthusiasm is a marvelous trait in customs agents! After 13 years of never having so much as a blink in our direction when coming through EZE, we met our Waterloo last Spring when bringing in food that logic should have told us wouldn’t be allowed, despite the apparent impossibility of learning this online or anywhere else.
So I’ve been a bit paranoid ever since. Next week, will try to avoid problems. And will hope that we’re not forever on some kind of list.
