Argentina

Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one another and maintain direct eye contact. A firm handshake is a sign of strength and honesty. At a first meeting a handshake will suffice and is sometimes combined with slight touches on the arms and/or elbows. Good friends and family will engage in a hearty hug or abrazo which is sometimes combined with a few firm slaps on the back.

Woman greeting Woman- At a first meeting, a light handshake will suffice, sometimes usually accompanied by a slight nod and warm smile. Friends generally kiss each other once on the cheek while lightly holding both hands.

Greetings between Men & Women - At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. Friends, family and long-time acquaintances will share a light kiss on the cheek which consists of touching cheeks a making a slight kissing noise. This is usually accompanied with a touch on the arm and shoulder and in some cases a light hug.

Personal Space & Touch

• Argentines tend to stand close to one another while talking. One to two feet is normal. It can be considered rude to back up or away from someone while they are speaking.
• There is also a fair amount of touching between men and men, men and women and women and women while conversing. This includes hand on shoulders, hand on arms, and hand on hands.

Eye Contact

• Argentines favor direct eye contact over indirect. Maintaining eye contact is viewed as sense of respect and interest in the person who is speaking.
• During conversations sustained eye contact is commonplace rather than intermittent.

Gestures

• The chin flick, flicking your fingers under your chin, signifies not knowing or not caring.
• People beckon one another by extending an arm and making a scratching motion with their fingers.
• Making a circular motion using the index finger while pointing to the side of one’s head signifies having or making a phone call.

Views of Time

• Argentines tend to place more emphasis on people and relationships than to the strict adherence of set schedules.
• While the bus, train, and plane schedules will be adhered to for the most part, showing up late to a party or social function is quite common.

Gender Roles

• Work opportunities for women are varied and available depending on social class.
• Women are still expected to do most if not all of the cooking and cleaning.

Taboos

• The inverted American “OK” sign is an obscene gesture that means screw you. Avoid it.
• Slapping the inside of the thighs is usually obscene as well.
• Yawning tends to be considered rude. Try to cover your mouth at the very least.
• Pouring wine with the left hand while grasping the neck of the bottle is a big no-no.
• Standing with one’s hands on his hips may signify anger, boredom, and/or a challenge.
• Extending the pinky and index finger while bending the middle and ring finger can mean one’s wife is cheating on them. Avoid it if possible.

Law & Order

• The legal drinking age is 18, but it is not heavily enforced.
• The legal smoking age is 18 but it is not enforced. Cigarettes and cigars are readily available and a majority of students and adults smoke.
• Being in possession of small quantities of drugs usually results in serious jail time for foreigners. If you are caught trying to take drugs in or out of the country, it is an automatic lengthy jail sentence.

Dress

• Argentines respect and appreciate those who dress well. When in doubt, stay conservative and formal, yet stylish. Dress to impress!
• For Men: conservative, blue, gray and/or brown colored suits with white or light blue shirts and conservative ties.
• For Women: wear suits or dresses that are elegant and feminine with good quality accessories. Women usually wear blue or muted colors with dark leather shoes.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are very important and it is best to address people directly by using their professional title only. If they do not have professional titles like, Doctor, Lawyer, etc, they should be addressed as Mr., Mrs., or Miss, plus their surnames.
• There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards.
• It is advisable, although not required, to have one side of your business card translated into Spanish. Present your business card with the Spanish side facing the recipient.

Meetings

• Making an appointment for a meeting is most necessary, usually 1-3 weeks beforehand.
• It is best to arrive on time even though you may be kept waiting. One usually has to wait longer depending on the seniority of the person they are meeting.
• Beginning with small talk helps establish a base for the relationship, after which discussion of business matters can begin. Wait for your host to initiate.
• Appropriate small talk topics include: soccer, literature, music. Avoid talking and asking about politics, the Falklands War, and personal matters.

Negotiations

• Avoid hard selling and any sort of conflict or confrontation. Argentines respond much better to the soft sell.
• The issue of saving face is important so don’t be surprised if it appears that your Argentine counterpart seems to agree to everything you say and then you find out later what they really felt.
• Final decisions are usually made by the highest ranking officers, so it is best to have them in the meeting if possible.

Gift Giving

• Avoid bringing gifts to a first meeting.
• If invited to an Argentine’s house, it is appropriate to bring flowers, wine, and or chocolates.
• Do not give anything that is obviously expensive as it could be construed as a bribe.
• Make sure that gifts are nicely wrapped and expect them to be opened right away.
• Avoid gifts like a letter opener, knives, and or scissors as they can mean a severing of relations.

In the Classroom

• Lectures are the most common teaching method used in Argentina, with many universities using it as the only method.
• The school year usually runs from March to November with a long vacation from December thru February.
• Dress at most schools is upscale casual. Students usually wear shirts, sweaters, slacks or nice jeans most of the time.
• Grades are given on 0 to 10 scale with ten being the highest. The minimum passing grade is usually a 4.