Useful Guide for international visitors

The Argentine Republic

Argentine’s Health System

City of

Weather

Accommodation

Transportation

Communications

Money

Food

What to do in Buenos Aires

Safety

SUMMARY

Welcome!

You have arrived in Buenos Aires, capital to the Argentine Republic. Here you will find useful information to make sure your stay in our country becomes an unforgettable experience.

The Argentine Republic

Argentina is South America’s second largest country, covering a surface of 3.761.274 km2: around 55% of plains, a 20% of plateaus and a 20% of mountains, being the rest the Antarctic Area. It shares borders with Bolivia, Brazil, , Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the rest being Atlantic Ocean coastline. Its name comes from the Latin "argentum", which means silver. The origin of this name goes back to the first Spanish Conquerors that came to River Plate. The National territory is made up of 23 provinces and the Federal District (Buenos Aires). Its government, according to the National Constitution, adopts the representative, republican and federal form. The official language is Spanish.

You may reach the country by plane, arriving at Ministro Pistarini International Airport (also called Ezeiza), located 35 kms away from the Federal District downtown. To get to your destination, you can take a bus service from the airport, such as the bus line 8 (very cheap, long trip with many stops before its final destination, City Downtown) or one from Manuel Tienda León (more comfortable, and more expensive), as well as taxis and remises (car rented with driver). Also you might arrive by bus, to Retiro (recommended if you are to stay near downtown) or to Liniers station.

If you are coming from bordering countries, you will need to bring with you a valid national ID.

Visitors from other countries must bring their valid passport, with or without endorsement, depending on the case. In some cases a Visa is required as well. Maximum time allowed for staying in the country with tourist status is 90 days. Visitors coming from non neighboring countries do not pay taxes for baggage or new products up to U$S 300 and additional U$S 300 if products were bought in free shops authorized in national territory.

No certificate of vaccines is required when entering the country, though it is very important to ask your doctor about everything related to immunization, and compulsory and suggested vaccines. Before starting your rotation at the British Hospital, you will need to submit your immunization status.

Argentina has a great variety of climates: mild and humid on the Pampa plains, cold and humid in the south of Patagonia, subtropical in the North of Mesopotamia and hot in the Northeast. From November to March, the average temperature is of 23° C and, from June to September it is of 12° C. Temperature measure unit: Celsius. Official Time is GMT -03:00. Mains electricity is 220V/50htz.

The official currency is the argentine Peso. Bills are of 100/50/20/10/5/2 pesos. Coins are of 2 pesos, 1 peso, and 0.50/0.25/0.10/0.05 cents.

The current population of Argentina is over 40 million inhabitants, of whom almost half of them live in Capital Federal and in the Province of Buenos Aires. are mainly descendants of Italian and Spanish stock.

The official religion is Roman Catholic, though, there is freedom of cult.

Argentina’s Health Care System

Nowadays, the country’s health system is organized around three main providers

In the first place, there is a Public Sector, formed by public Hospitals and Primary Care Centres working under the coordination of national, provincial and municipal Health Ministries and

Secretaries; supplying free clinical care for hospital inpatients and outpatients. Public medical institutions are free of charge for both nationals and foreigners, and the only charges for both are prescription charges for outpatients. On the other hand, there is a Private Sector, formed by a pre-paid medicine network, which offers wide coverage in health services but the patient meets the total cost of their medical care in advance. Private health insurance premiums vary depending on age and family needs, as well as the risk that the insured person may represent. In general these companies do not cover pre-existing conditions. Between these two options, there is Mutual or Social Security (Obras Sociales), most of them being administrated by trade unions. Both employers and employees are obliged to pay into a health insurance scheme organized by a trade union, and then, the Social Security covers the cost of medical care and medicines in varying proportions: many times patients have to pay the difference between the cost of treatment and a fixed fee.

There is also what is called the Integral Medical Assistance Program (PAMI), a health insurance plan for those who are covered by national social security program, being most of them retired workers, the pensioned, the handicapped, and war veterans.

Most people (around 85%) are covered either by the public health care system, or the social security system. Affiliation to private care medicine concentrates mainly in Buenos Aires City, as well as in the Great Buenos Aires and some areas of the bigger provinces

(Santa Fe, Córdoba, and Mendoza).

The Argentinean government strives to offer medical access to all its inhabitants. However, access for people in big cities is more readily available than in smaller cities or remote areas. Argentina has both public and private hospitals: the first are pretty basic when it comes to infrastructure, but

its staff is very well trained; the second are generally very well equipped when it comes to infrastructure, and also employ very good professionals.

The City of Buenos Aires

Also known as “La Reina del Plata” (Queen of the River Plate), the City of Buenos Aires can be described as one of the most exciting cities in the continent, characterized by having a wide variety of artistic and cultural expressions. Argentina’s Federal District was born by the banks of the Rio de la Plata, covering a surface of around 200 km2. It also borders with the “Riachuelo” to the South, and is outlined by the General Paz

Avenue, a ring-road which fringes the city from North to West.

The city is home to residents, to tourists, to many students from the area and from the inner provinces in the country and, of course, those from abroad. Approximately 20.000 international students come to Buenos Aires, to live and study in one of the over 40 universities in town, proving that Buenos Aires is an excellent choice to study abroad.

down at night. Winters are mild, with an Buenos Aires has a temperate average temperature of 8 ° C , July climate, and an annual average being usually the coldest month of temperature of 18 ºC (64ºF). the year. Days are cold, and

The summers are warm and temperature rises considerably humid, with an average temperature of down at night. Temperatures under 0 ° 28° C, hot mornings and high C rarely occur. temperatures in the afternoon, rising

Accomodation

The Hospital does not provide lodgings, but there are several options for you to choose from: rooms for rent in family houses or in furnished apartments, in students’ residences or hostels. There are plenty of reasonable hotels available also.

Family houses are a nice choice, as it allows you to live with a local family, being able to become familiarized with the , as well as learning argentine habits. Students’ residences are also popular, as you get in touch with other local and international students, being able to share experiences. In case you are thinking about renting an apartment, we recommend paying attention to the location chosen, as some neighborhoods are more deserted at night, or weekends. If you are interested, the Hospital can provide you with a list of recommended places to stay in.

Transportation

From abroad, you can arrive in Buenos Aires at its International Airport, or with a domestic flight from another province at the Airfield, or by bus in either of its two terminals. Then, to move around the city, there is subway network, and over a hundred bus lines and various train lines join the city with the rest of the Districts in Greater Buenos Aires. You will find taxis and remises as well. Finally, there are also vessels, ferries and cruises that cross the river to and from neighboring Uruguay.

you need to get a “SUBE” card. It is purchased by showing an ID in kiosks, lottery agencies and mail offices (it costs around $20), and can be charged at subway/train stations and other places that display the SUBE sign, usually kiosks.

In order to travel by train, bus or subway,

You can also travel without a SUBE card, but payment method accepted in buses. it will be more expensive. SUBE is the only More info: http://www.sube.gob.ar/ Subway: The Buenos Aires subway rail has six different lines, all identified with a color: A (light blue color - Microcentro - downtown - to Flores), B (red color - Microcentro to ), C (blue color - Retiro to Constitución), D (green color- Microcentro to Belgrano) E (violet color - Microcentro to Flores) and H (yellow color - Once to ), which will get you to your destination within the city in a matter of minutes. Most station’s names refer to the nearest street, building or place of interest. Subways are available from 6 am to 11 pm. Morning rush hour is from 7 to 10 am and in the afternoon; from 5 to 8 pm. Connections for switching lines are available in some stations. Half of the lines end up their journey in or near , downtown. The nearest station to the British Hospital is “Caseros” from H line, six blocks away on Caseros Avenue.

Buses: Buenos Aires has a lot of bus lines that, though slower than subway or trains, will take you almost everywhere you need to go. The entire system contains 110 lines, mostly functioning 24/7, on different frequencies. Which bus to use depends on your location. Bus stops are predetermined and there is one every two or three blocks, but if you try stopping them on any corner at night, you might be lucky. To stop the bus you need to put out your hand to indicate you want to get on. Otherwise, if no one flags it, it surely will speed on by. Rush hours are 7 to 10 am in the morning and 5 to 8 pm in the afternoon.

The buses that travel nearest the British Hospital are the 9, 25, 28, 37, 50, 65, 91, 95, 133, 134, and

150 lines.

Trains: There are seven train lines in Buenos Aires, all named after national heroes – Belgrano North (Retiro to GBA north) and South (Estación Bs. As. to GBA west), Mitre (Retiro to GBA north), Roca (Constitución to GBA South), San Martín (Retiro to GBA north),

Sarmiento (Once to GBA west) and Urquiza (Federico Lacroze to Northwest). They are a good alternative when you have to move outside the limits of Federal District. The nearest train station to the British Hospital is Constitución, a short bus ride away, or 12 city squares away if you care to walk.

Taxis: these black and yellow cars can be stopped on any street corner, or can be called on (Radio Taxi), and don’t worry; there are lots of them (around 37.000 in the city). The only time you will experience difficulties getting a cab is when there is a problem with transportation in general

(strike, technical difficulties, etc.), as everyone trying to get home will hail them all at the same time. To stop a taxi you need to be on the right hand side of the street, and check if the red sign that says “LIBRE” (free) in the right corner of the windshield is lit up. Radio Taxi is always a safer option, as the drivers are registered and in case of any difficulties, you can call the company and complain. Calling a radio taxi will cost a little extra. Once you get into the cab make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter, as that is exactly what you will have to pay. The meter starts increases

every 200 meters, or 30 seconds of idle waiting time. Feel free to suggest a preferred route to the driver to prevent getting an unintentional ‘city tour.’ Also, tipping cab drivers is not customary in Buenos Aires, although most passengers round up to the nearest number.

Remises: They work as taxis, with the difference that you need to call the agency to get the car (with no extra charge), and the fare is flat, per kilometers travelled.

Minimun Fares for Public Transportation (July 2015) Subways With SUBE: ARS 4.50 Without SUBE: ARS 5.00 Buses With SUBE: ARS 3.00 Without SUBE: ARS 6.00 Trains With SUBE: ARS 1.00 Without SUBE: ARS 2.00 Taxis Initial Fare: ARS 16.90

Communications

In Buenos Aires there are not many public phone booths left, but you will find “locutorios”, which are shops with phone booths and computers with internet connection. You can also activate your own cell phone. To make an international call prefix 00 must be dialed, along with the country’s prefix, as well as the city’s (eg: 00 54 11 4444 4444)

Useful Numbers:

• Airport Information: 5480-6111

• Ezeiza Airport: 5480-2500

• Firemen: 100

• Information: 110

• International Operator: 000

• Medical Emergencies (SAME): 107

• Official Time: 113

• Police Emergency: 911

Money

As said before, official currency is the Peso. There are certain requirements for money exchange, make sure you get all the information you need before making any transaction. Usually, change favors the tourist. All money exchange must be done in banks or authorized exchange houses: don’t accept offers on the streets, and never show large amounts of money in public places.

Banks are open Monday-Friday from 10 am to 3pm, but ATM machines are available 24/7. If you bring with you debit or credit cards from your country, you will be able to use them in ATMs if they belong to an international network. There are two ATMs inside the Hospital (Santander Río

Bank), and for security reasons, you won’t be able to withdraw large sums of money.

Many shops also accept payment with US Dollars or Euros. Widely accepted credit cards are Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. When going in a store, make sure they have the credit card stickers on the door, in order to know which ones are accepted. If you are in doubt, ask the people in the store.

It is not advised to use checks, as there will surely be difficulties in their change or acceptance. If

you bring them, you can change them in the bank or in American Express Offices.

Food

Cuisine in Buenos Aires is highly influenced by European and local traditions, and as a result, is very peculiar. European influence can be seen in many typical dishes such as pizza or pasta, and

as a result of the local activity, meat is very popular among argentines as well. It is highly recommended you go to a “parrilla” (grill place) and have an “asado” (barbecue), where meat and other products from the cow will be served. Also, besides these typical dishes, you can surely find a restaurant for every taste: Italian, Spanish, French, Brazilian, Peruvian, Bolivian, Chinese, Japanese, Armenian are among the choices you can make when grabbing a bite. Restaurants are open from morning till late at night, especially on weekends. People tend to have lunch between 12 to 3 pm, and dinner from 8.30 to 11 pm, and on weekends those times can get extended, especially in family homes, where a Sunday lunch can start in the morning and finish in the afternoon. Reservation is recommended when going out to a restaurant, even more when you are going to a fashionable place. Gastronomic attractions are located in Palermo, Las Cañitas, Recoleta, San Telmo, and in . Tips tend to not to be included in the ticket, but it is usual to leave 10% of what you consumed, in cash, on the table. Anyways, if you’re in doubt about the tip, ask.

There are some interesting guides online that might help you make a choice on where to go:: www.guiaoleo.com.ar; http://viaresto.com; http://guia.planetajoy.com/; http://buenos- aires.restorando.com.ar

¿What to do in Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires is considered one of ´s more important cultural sites, and has a rich cultural life, manifested by the presence of over 150 theatre halls, by its 200 cinemas, by its over 70 museums and libraries and more than 300

bookstores. It also has a great variety of cultural and convention centers, literary cafes, music festivals, different kinds of fairs, parks and gardens. Sports are also very popular: football, rugby, tennis, among many others, is regularly practiced on the city clubs, which are over 100.

These are the neighborhoods when in Buenos Aires you should definitely visit. You can go by yourself, or you can book a seat on the touristic bus (http://www.buenosairesbus.com/en/) Belgrano: Residential neighborhood in the north of Buenos Aires, of upper-middle class tendencies. On Cabildo Avenue you can do some shopping, go to bookstores, and visit its cafes and bars. When there, you should definitely visit Plaza Belgrano, especially on weekends (2200Juramento St.), as well as the Chinatown, neighborhood with Asian residents, where you will find chinese restaurants and many shops and markets (intersection of 1600

Juramento St. and 2100 Arribeños St.)

Congreso: A middle-class neighborhood, is an area of great commercial activities, as well as the second most important political place in the area, being the Congress Building the place chosen to start or finish popular protests. Its points of interest are the Plaza de los dos Congresos (where the Congress Building is intersection of Entre Ríos / Callao Av. and 1700 Rivadavia Av.) and Corrientes Av., a street of great cultural interest (intersection of 400 Callao Av. and Corrientes Av. from 1700 to 800)

La Boca: Colorful and picturesque neighborhood, it is located next to the old Buenos Aires port. Synonymous with tango and football, yesterday it was first home to thousands of Italian and Spanish immigrants. Today, it became of of the

city’s most important cultural centers. When visiting , you must certainly go to (the most famous street in the neighborhood, where art, tango and food coexist. 1800 Pedro de Mendoza Av.), as well as the Boca Juniors Football Stadium (800 Brandsen St.)

Microcentro: Neighborhood full of business offices, Banks, and government institutions, not many

people actually live in it. On Thursdays and Fridays, employees tend to take over bars and pubs (there are plenty of them) for “after office” meetings. Its highlights are (pedestrian street surrounded by malls and shops, from Av. De Mayo to Plaza San Martín), De Mayo Avenue (ten blocks whose buildings show a prominent European influence, De Mayo Av. 500 – 1400), 9 de Julio Av. and The “Obelisco” (the broadest street in the world, the monument is located in the intersection of 9 de Julio Av. and Corrientes Av.)

Palermo: The biggest and most up-to-date neighborhood, it’s alive day and night. A secure place, you can do and find almost everything in a couple of blocks of distance: restaurants, pubs, bars, shops, fashion designer stores, and almost anything you can think of. Most entertaining places are Plaza Serrano (intersection of 1600 Borges St and 4700

Honduras St., you will find bars, restaurant and a design/crafts fair), The Botanic Garden (at Plaza Italia, 3900 Santa Fe Av.) and the Palermo Woods (Libertador Av. 3500-5000) Plaza de Mayo: Main square in Buenos Aires, it is surrounded by the Government House (Pink House), the historical Cabildo (Colonial Government House) and the Metropolitan Cathedral. This square has been the scenario for the most significant political and social events in Argentina’s History throughout the years and to these days. It’s very likely you will see a

protest or some kind of popular manifestation if you decide to pay a visit. (300 Hipólito Yrigoyen St., 300 Rivadavia Av., intersection of Balcarce and Bolívar St.)

Puerto Madero: The youngest neighborhood in Buenos Aires, it was built over the old port’s docks. Nowadays it is the biggest business centre in town, where you can find a very active nightlife in its fashionable

discos and bars, as well as its skyscrapers, beautiful streets and constructions put it at the top of the touristic attractions. When in Puerto Madero, you definitely must see the (Woman’s Bridge, Dock 3), and the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve (1500 Tristán Achaval Rodríguez Av.)

Recoleta: Upper-class residential and commercial neighborhood, with french-styled and art nuveau buildings. Here you will find a great amount of cafeterias, restaurants, squares and important touristic attractions such as the Del Pilar Church, the “Palais de

Glace” museum, the University of Buenos Aires Law School Building, and the “Floralis Generica”, a flower shaped steel statue. Other important attractions are the Recoleta Cemetery (resting place for many historical and influential personalities, as well as known for its magnificent artistic expressions in its mausoleums. 1700 Junín St.)and the Recoleta Cultural Centre (1930 Junín St.)

San Telmo: The oldest residential neighborhood in town, it

preserves many old architectonical wonders, historical museums, colonial churches and there are several antique stores. It’s a wonderful place to visit on a Sunday afternoon, when the crafts fair and many other attractions are displayed. , at the heart of its historical centre, is a great place to start your visit (Intersection of Defensa and Humberto 1º St.)

In addition, we recommend searching for the cultural offer the city government offers every month at http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/cultura. You will find the newest in exhibitions, music concerts, festivals, etc., as well as places not to miss and the cultural agenda in the neighborhoods away from downtown.

Safety

When in Buenos Aires, as in any big city, you must take certain precautions, as petty theft, pickpockets and scams might happen. Here is some advice to make

your stay nice and enjoyable

Some areas of the city are safer than others. For instance, neighborhoods such as La Boca are only to be visited in daytime. Always be careful in large train and bus stations surroundings (such as Plaza Miserere, Retiro, Constitución), as this kind of crowded places tend to be chosen by muggers. Recoleta, Palermo and Barrio Norte are safer at night, but anyways, cautions must be taken.

Don’t go out with anything you don’t need: jewelry, expensive watches, many credit cards or great amounts of money are not necessary, it is preferable for you to leave your expensive items back in the hotel. Always carry an ID card or a copy of your passport with you, and leave the original in the hotel safe. If you must carry important documents or money, try a money belt underneath your clothes.

When in a public place, if you set your bag down, make sure it is under a table, next to a wall, on your lap, and out of reach of a grab. Also, be discreet: don’t display big amounts of cash or flash expensive devices in public.

On public transportation (as in the streets) you should always keep a close eye on your belongings. If you are wearing a backpack, pull it towards the front; also carry purses across the shoulder and place wallets and cell phones in your pant’s front pocket. Electronic devices should be used discretely. If standing up on public transportation (especially on the subway), avoid standing near the doors if possible. Don’t use the extra pockets or flaps in your backpack, pickpocketers will surely go there. If possible, try to avoid rush hour when travelling. If people get close to you on the streets, pay attention to what they want and what’s around you. Stay always alert, especially if someone creates some kind of chaotic situation: that might just be an excuse to distract you and take your values. Be careful especially from

“accidental spills”. If this happens, refuse any help and go somewhere safe (bar, hotel, shop) to clean it up. Always try to avoid walking alone at night on deserted streets. If you are coming back late, try and get a taxi; it is always preferable to call one from an agency (radio taxi) and look for your route using Google maps, or any similar application to avoid the driver taking the longer route trying to run up the fare. If you are paying with a large bill ($100), pay attention you bill is not switched for a counterfeit one, keep your eyes on your money and try to use smaller bills. Verify the change you receive, as well. Do not take torn up bills. Also, if you are in a house/apartment, take a look around before entering and don’t invite strangers over your place.

ATM withdrawals are preferably to be done in daylight and in populated areas. Also, you may get stuck with fake currency: in order to avoid this, don’t trust people shouting “CAMBIO!” (exchange) on the streets, and change money only in authorized places. Before crossing streets, always look at both sides of the road, as many drivers speed and do not respect traffic lights.

Get Ready for the experience!

Any questions, doubts, hesitations, comments… please, come over and talk to us, we’ll be happy to assist you. Hoping you have the experience of a lifetime in our Hospital, and in our country, we wish you the best of luck!

PERDRIEL 74 (Barracas) – C1280AEB – Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires República Argentina

FACEBOOK YOUTUBE “Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires/internacional” “Htal Británico”

[email protected] TELÉFONO www.hospitalbritanico.org.ar/internacional (54 11) 4309-6400