The [[Moneda]] Situation

"Moneda" is the Argentine word for change. Money is a very interesting topic in this country, and by interesting I mean intensely complex and difficult to understand. The mint that makes these wonderful coins that you see in the picture is out of service for the winter. I'm not sure if it's a regular seasonal thing or if its just this year. Anywho, Argentine small businesses; exp: Kioscos (think smaller 7-11), and laundries; and some big businesses; exp: McDonalds; will jump through hoops of fire before they'll give you change in coins. Finding change with which to take the colectivo is almost an art made all the more difficult by the fact that Argentina frequently uses 2 peso bills. For example, if I buy something that costs 3.50 in a kiosco and pay with a 10 thinking I'll get a 5 peso bill back and 1.50 in change, I'm highly mistaken. I get three 2 peso bills back and 50 cents in change. Another weird example: I went to get my passport photos taken for Immigration. That cost 13 pesos. I went to pay with 100 and he asked me if I had anything smaller. I thought that that request was reasonably logical so I came back the next day to pick them up with 20 pesos. H estill asked me, "you don't have anything smaller?" I don't think he had 7 pesos there and that was the shop where a majority of IFSA kids went to get their photos! Last example: Natalie and I went to McDonalds and spent 44,50 in pesos (about 10 dollars) on our meal. I paid with a 50 peso bill and the woman had to go find change, because she didn't have it in the register!
What happened to this country's financial system in 2001 was horrible. Hundreds of thousands lost their life savings. But that will comprise its own entry at another point. I've got a busy day today. I'm going to see Boca Junior's stadium in the south of the city, and then to see the universities. That's all for now, folks!