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Global Citizens

~ a blog for Tourists, Expats and Locals

Global Citizens

Tag Archives: lockdown in argentina

Life as a pariah in Argentina. (Part 10)

29 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by katti in Argentina (home), blog

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

coronavirus in argentina, europeans in argentina during corona, europeansinargentina, lockdown in argentina, mibuenosairesproyecto, mybuenosairesproject

Let’s end this series with a number 10.

We have a flight, so we should be relieved. We are! Even though we won’t fully believe it until we’re actually in the plane. We are more than experienced with flight cancelations.

We wake up 2 hours after the usual 5am (time Air France Belgium opens and we could rebook a canceled flight), and have 3 coffees. (Until now our coffee was rationed to 1 a day, as we only have 30-ish Nespresso capsules and can’t get to any extra and the only alternative is Nescafé powder). Being able to drink a good cup of joe (and another one) (and another one) seems like a gift from heaven.

The embassy sends us message that AF has organized yet another flight, now departing on the 31st. I have the instant reflection to book, in case our flight gets canceled. Or, as a friend said, to make sure my shadow can go too. It’s ridiculous, I know. I don’t know what we will do once we are back in belgium : shall we keep on calling AF, out of addiction? Just to listen to the melody they play while waiting? Inventing new trips that we will never take? It’s increadable how fast a person gets conditioned to do something.

I pack and repack my suitcase. I check in. I check the flight. All’s still good.

Finally it’s time to set off. We consider ourselves experienced ‘drivers-to-the-airports-during-total-lock-down’, but that doesn’t mean we are not nervous. The lock down is getting more strict every day, which is obvious as there are even less cars than last time, and we are dependent on the behavior of the cops at the check points.

The airport is closed. Like last time. The French ambassador is organizing things. Like last time. There is a huge line outside, everyone staying at 1,5m from the one in front of him, and one by one we can slowly go inside the airport. Everyone is very chill and everything goes very slow. Social distancing seems to make people calm. Nobody pushes.

But all seems normal. The plane is here (we see it), our bags are checked in. So I guess it’s time to become euphoric. It’s time to drink a glass of wine. Or champagne, whatever! As long as it has alcohol!! Let’s celebrate that we are going home!

….but all the shops and restaurants are closed too, so we can not buy a drink nor food.

We will have to postpone our celebrational drink until after take off. But who minds waiting in times like this… it will taste all the better!

Repatriation flight AF 4193 EZE-CDG

PS thanks to everyone for rooting for us! For all your messages and support!

PS arrival in CDG tomorrow at around 9am.

Life as a pariah in Argentina (part 6)

24 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by katti in Argentina (home), blog

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

belgian embassy, corona in argentina, lockdown in argentina, mibuenosairesproyecto, mybuenosairesproject, repatriation, road check ups, ruta 2, total lock down in argentina

We are on our way to Capital. You can only drive if you have a special permission. Like us, we have a flight confirmation, and a ‘laissez passer’ letter from the Belgian embassy. We have also received a link of the law saying we can go, in case they don’t believe us.

I feel like I am in an apocalyptic horror movie. To me, apocalyptic is horror, and I never watch such movies. So the feeling I now have solely comes from movie trailers.

The road is empty. We went to fill up the car at the gas station on the highway. Normally this is full of people, now it’s just us, and 1 man serving us. The shop is closed and has a big red ‘No entrance’ sign. The guy keeps a safe distance and wears gloves. He tells us they are going to close down completely.

He tells us the robberies in town have started. With this total lock down people can’t work, and many have no money and a family to feed. Argentines have lived through many crises, but this one is particular : the poor can’t even go outside to beg, as there are no people on the streets to beg from.

The highway is as good as empty. The peaje is closed, or rather, open. You can drive through without paying. The animals are already taking over. We have to break for a big bird on the road. Oof. Just in time he flies off.

At the next peaje there is a well organized check up. We are pushed into lanes where several police officers are doing check ups. There is also press, cameras, TV vans with satellite dishes.

We start by saying ‘Somos Belgas’, we are Belgians, and immediately the cop backs off. He asks our documents and takes my phone in his gloved hand. He reads the Embassy letter attentively and checks the flight time. We are good to go.

The 2nd check point is in Capital, what are you doing here? (The airport is the other direction), but they believed our story that we need to hand in our rental car. No proof needed for that. She warned us that we should call the airport first as there have been cancelations. We know all about that. Our flight is indeed canceled. We knew that all along.

We are now waiting on a phone call by the embassy, that some european flight has 2 free seats. That’s how one travels out of here nowadays. At least when he’s Belgian. We depend on the goodwill of other countries to take us along on their planes.

Meanwhile we wait in this little Airbnb appartement in Capital… patiently.

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