Travel plans

My contract in Peru is wrapping up at the end of the month and we are starting to plan our adventure in Argentina and Chile.

I’ve been doing a bit of researching and dreaming, and stumbled I upon this fun explanation of popular gestures to help us get acculturated to Argentian ways:

Top 10 Argentine Gestures

1. “Ojo!”

Point to your eye and pull down your lower eyelid using your index finger.

Be careful! Watch out or you’ll get into trouble. Protective gesture used by a concerned señora to signal that you shouldn’t tout your expensive camera so conspicuously in her barrio, and by concerned amigosto signal that cute guy/girl who starts flirting with you is a renowned Lothario. If a small child is getting on your nerves, this is also the gesture to pull out.

2. “No Se”

Stick out your lower lip as if you were a pouting child, tilt your head back slightly and flick the back of your fingers from underneath your chin.

I don’t know. No idea. Popular with taxi drivers when faced with your incomprehensible address. You can use it when someone asks you where the number 55 bus stops. “No se” lacks the rudeness of the Italian version; however, it can be used as a sign of boredom or apathy. Also see: “Don’t know, don’t care. Why are you still here?”

3. “QUE??!!!”

Bring your fingers and thumb together and point them upward. Move your hand up and down from the wrist.

A multipurpose gesture to express complete disbelief. Aka, “What the hell are you talking about? What just happened there? What the f%*k is wrong with you?” Use when a taxi driver tries to run you down on 9 de Julio or when your boyfriend expresses his new-found love of line dancing. Also use to ask someone why they’re acting like a chicken – the same gesture but opening and closing your fingers. Use both hands for when the 12th kiosko you visit cannot charge your Sube card. Do not use when themaître d tells you there’s a 20-minute wait – you’ll never get a table.

For the rest of the top 10: click here.