Uber Everywhere (In Secret)
One of the first pieces of advice my host mother gave me was to always wear my backpack on the front of my body when walking or hold it in my arms while sitting down. This, I have learned in Buenos Aires, is the safest way to travel and ensure that no one steals any of your belongings.
Now here is some advice for you in case you are planning a trip to Argentina any time soon. Ride in the front seat of your Uber. Leave half of your money at home. Move in groups or at least pairs throughout the city. Do not stay in La Boca after dark. Do not exchange money in the streets with the men and women who yell “cambio” as you pass by. Cross the streets and avenues with extreme caution. These are a few of the safety tips I have found quite useful throughout my time here.
Why ride in the front seat of your Uber? This is an uncommon practice in the United States unless you are in a group of four and there is no space left in the backseat. In Buenos Aires, it is best to ride in the front regardless of the size of your group because Uber drivers are among the most hated groups of people in the city. Taxi drivers despise this cheap alternative for transportation as it threatens their livelihood, and they are prone to give Uber drivers a tough time on the roads. By sitting in the front seat, you disguise yourself as the average passenger driving by with a friend or family member, rather than a foreigner along for an Uber ride.
Leaving half of your money at home proves a rational, self-explanatory decision in any big city. On the off chance that you are robbed, you are losing only a bit of money and not completely stranded without any pesos. If you have two cards like I do, the best option is to leave one card at home with the other half of your money so that you will always have two forms of payment available- this comes in handy because most of the outdoor fairs and small shops only accept cash while restaurants and large stores will accept Visa.
The buddy system has been in use for ages but is especially effective when traveling through a city like Buenos Aires. First of all, there is power in numbers, specifically Spanish power. If you are in a large group, chances are you will more likely be able to communicate through your combined Spanish knowledge than you would be on your own. Also, in a large group you are less likely to get lost, be a targeted for deception and robbery, or make rash decisions without weighing your options and consulting your friends.
La Boca is a beautiful neighborhood, rich in history, color, and rhythm, but best to be avoided when the sun goes down. This area is widely known for being the number one place to get mugged in Buenos Aires. Two students who went on this dialogue last year were robbed at knife point here during the daytime, so I am sure that whatever awaits a tourist in the night cannot be good. Because it’s always better to be safe than sorry, I would advise any and all to venture elsewhere at night, perhaps a well lit and evening-friendly neighborhood like Palermo.
Speaking of friendly, it’s hard to resist the amicable Porteño in the street calling out “cambio, cambio, cambio,” but you should. Occasionally, these moneychangers have been known to dole out fake bills. This luckily did not happen to me or any of my friends who exchanged money in Buenos Aires, but it is a very common practice. The safest way to secure Argentine pesos is to take them out at an ATM or exchange USD for them at the nearest bank.
Finally, you should always look both ways before crossing any street, but drivers in this city are of a different breed. They do not stop for anything. I am almost certain that they would run over a child if it meant getting to where they needed to be on time. I’m joking, I’m sure they wouldn’t actually do that, but they are very aggressive. This city is not like Boston where you can jaywalk freely and pedestrians usually have the right of way. Have the utmost caution when crossing. Either confirm that no car or Colectivo is anywhere nearby or wait until the traffic light turns red and the little white man flashes to signal that it is safe to cross.
Heed my advice and you should get along just fine in this city.
