Miami to Santiago

Already from the time of 1 to 1 (in the 90', an Argentine peso was equivalent to one dollar), Argentines adopted a custom for our trips: the excessive shopping. While this practice is common in tourists from different backgrounds, it has evolved here to become often the only reason for the trip.

This statement is not exaggerated. In big cities around the world where stimuli of all kinds abound, museums, sports stadiums, monuments, historic districts, Argentines spend time shopping. To lock us up in four looks like and glossy ceilings to fill our suitcases with clothes for all seasons. And we're even willing to pay overweight baggage at international airports because of these “binges.” It is common to see in the boarding halls whole families of Argentines putting on unnecessary clothes in the body to wear it and get out as much as can be overpaid. At times, we don't even know if we need that amount of clothes or if we just leave ourselves obnubilated by the low numbers and by the thirst to belong, to look like a quality of life that does not really represent us, but perhaps that is a reflection for another moment.

Let's get back to our thing. From the idyllic  Miami (and his faithful companion, Disney in Orlando) from the decada of the '90's we went to the nearest  Chile , in recent years. The spirit is the same. We're going to buy clothes from Chile to lower ticket costs and reduce times. A jump to the mountain range, and ready: clothes in quantities and at prices outragingly lower than here. The trend is so strong that even the tourist packages aim their promotions in that regard: shopping weekend in Chile. No touring, nothing to know, no ceviches or pisco: shopping and point. Accumulation of people in enclosed spaces, cries of despair for the sales and even, unfortunately, theft of cell phones and wallets who are very concentrated in their shopping and distracted by their belongings.

What don't we do when we stop buying in Argentina?

Beyond that we return home happily from the neighboring country by seizing the opportunity and exploiting our bags of new and cheap  clothes  , this causes an effect collateral losses in our  textile industry, that neither financing in installments nor promotions manage to combat. And let's not forget that it is not just a matter of caring for the domestic market and the economy: thousands of families throughout Argentina depend on the income of their clothing businesses. We don't necessarily talk about big brands with thousands of branches, let's think of small shops on the street whose maintenance cost is immense by labor, space rental, renovations, alterations. At the same time, many mouths are also fed by large labels, because they employ several people for customer service both in shoppings, airports or local avenues.

As a counterargument, it could be argued that prices here are exaggerated, and it could be said that in some cases that is real. Many times we don't want (or cannot) pay the money they intend for a shirt and, moreover, it generates resentment to know that “just here” you can achieve the same at a price five times lower. However, the disjunctive that is presented to us is to choose to encourage domestic consumption or go for what benefits ourselves. As always, the alternative is between what suits us all or what suits me. And your next jean can make a difference.