Celebrating a Milestone Birthday and a Spooky Halloween With Dear Friends

For most of you, the holiday season starts in December. If you're from the States, it probably kicks off in November with Thanksgiving. But if you're a horror enthusiast like we are, the holiday season begins in October with Halloween.

This year was extra special because my husband celebrated the BIG 4-0 just a day before the spooktacular holiday. It was also the first time we’ve invited more than one person to our home since the pandemic began in 2019.

With the infection rate significantly decreased in Argentina, we decided to throw caution to the wind and open our doors.

So, in mid-October, we invited two dear friends over for an early Halloween/birthday celebration. Although Zach had met up with our friend Melisa a few times over the last two years, this was my first time seeing her and her boyfriend Javier since 2019.

Then we celebrated the hub’s 40^th birthday and had a blast!

As usual, the celebration was full of homemade Halloween themed food, treats and store-bought candies.

We actually made this pizza a couple of days before Halloween, using food coloring to make the cheese bright orange. Before you ask: It’s tough to find shredded cheddar cheese in Argentina. Unfortunately, the spooky-shaped cheese melted into unrecognizable blobs in the oven, so we couldn’t use this idea for Halloween.

BBQ chicken with Jack O' Lantern bread

We were pleasantly surprised that the candy stores here in Córdoba, Argentina, had more Halloween-themed candies than last year.

Don't buy these! They have regular candy inside instead of Halloween candy.

Skull candies!

Gummy brain candies!

Eyeball candies

We made witch hats out of Rice Krispy Treats. On the right is our attempt at making the book from Hocus Pocus. We’ll do better next year, I promise.

We ordered powdered donuts, placed vampire teeth in the middle, and glazed them with fake blood.

We used a Sharpie to draw the face on the glass, then made a float using Sunkist (Fanta works too) and vanilla ice cream.

Over the last ten years, we’ve made it a habit of buying new masks to celebrate Halloween. The masks from previous years were added to our Halloween tree.

This year, we wore the masks seen in last year’s hit South Korean drama Squid Game. If you haven’t seen the show, I strongly recommend it.

Unfortunately, there’s one Halloween tradition that we’ve only been able to do once over the last ten years:

Carving a Jack O’ Lantern!

Finding a decent pumpkin in Argentina during this time of year is tough, so we came up with a wacky idea. Instead of carving pumpkins, we decided to carve peppers. Now, let me be honest, the carvings you’re about to see didn’t happen on Halloween — we actually did them on November 9th.

If you're thinking, "Oh geez! That will never work," check this out!

Once we were done with our pepper Jack O’ Lanterns, we chopped them up and used them to make veggie lasagna.

I don’t even like vegetables, but it was really tasty.

So, the takeaway here is that if you’re living abroad and don’t have what you need for Halloween, compromise!

Before I wrap up, I want to share my Halloween movie list for 2022. Many of them were new to us, but there were also a few horror favorites from previous years. Hopefully, you’ll find one or two that you haven’t seen.

Enjoy!

1. Rob Zombie’s 31 – This one was a surprise hit!

2. Barbarian – It was alright, but you’re going to hate Justin Long’s character so much!

3. Insidious Chapter 3 – Better the second time around!

4. Insidious: The Last Key – Also better the second time around!

5. Halloween 2018 – Decent!

6. Halloween Kills – It was alright!

7. Halloween Ends – It sucked! Don’t waste your time!

8. Jeepers Creepers Reborn – Seriously! WTF! Horrible!

9. Hocus Pocus 2 – Predictable but entertaining.

10. Old People – Scary enough to make you respect your elders.

11. Hush – You’ll never want to live in the woods… like ever!

12. The Haunted Mansion – Great for kids. Kinda boring for adults.

13. Hellraiser 2022 – I only saw this because of Jamie Clayton, but the movie was boring AF!

14. The Curse of Bridge Hollow – This was a surprisingly cool movie!

15. The Visitor – Meh.

16. When a Stranger Calls Back – The sequel to the classic When a Stranger Calls (Not the reboot).

17. All Hallows’ Eve 2 – Some scenes are scary.

18. Spirit Halloween – A haunted party store? Yes, please!

19. The Inhabitant – It was okay.

20. Rise of the Zombies – Another surprisingly good horror flick. A bit low budget, but decent.

21. Terrifier – Low budget but scary and gory. Don’t watch if you’re afraid of clowns.

22. Terrifier 2 – Not as great as the first one, but scary and gory enough.

23. Friday the 13th: Jason Lives – A classic.

24. Hostile – It was supposed to be Mad Max meets Resident Evil, but it was a disappointment.

25. The Accursed – Scary enough for Halloween.

26. The Scariest Story Ever – A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular – Short but okay.

27. Disney’s Trick or Treat – It was short but entertaining.

28. The School for Good and Evil – Surprisingly good. I hope they do a part 2.

29. Aftershock – You’ll never want to travel abroad again.

That’s it for this year’s Halloween celebration! Hopefully, your season was as spooky and fun as ours!

Argentine Walmart Stores Have Morphed Into ChangoMas! But What's Changed?

In late 2020, I mentioned on my blog that Walmart had sold their stores to a Latin American retail company called Grupo de Narvaez. I initially assumed that the Walmart I knew and loved was going to vanish from the face of Argentina forever.

It did not.

The supermarket chain morphed into ChangoMas. Relax! It’s not as exciting as it sounds. For starters, there were ChangoMas in Argentina long before Walmart was sold in 2020. The only thing ChangoMas did was incorporate all of the former Walmart stores into their business chain.

I couldn’t stop wondering how much had changed about the store. Unfortunately, the world was right smack in the middle of the pandemic, so I couldn’t check the store out until 2022.

The company retained Walmart’s signature blue color and yellow star symbol on their logo, but the name of the store had obviously changed.

I’ll admit that seeing the name changed to ChangoMas felt like a punch in the gut.

Once I recovered, I grabbed a cart and went to see if anything had changed on the inside. Surprisingly, the store’s layout had remained the same. 

ChangoMas doesn't use Walmart's "rollback prices" slogan, but they do claim to offer low prices. This is pretty ironic since the prices I saw were relatively the same as those in other Argentine markets.

As far as the products, you can forget about the international section. In retrospect, that section was gone years before the name change.

They do have one or two items you won’t generally find in Argentine supermarkets such as Philadelphia Cheese Spread and Ginger Ale.  

One thing that upset me was an exchange between an employee and a foreign customer. The customer had asked for an item that I assumed was specific to his country of origin. The employee, who was stocking shelves at the time, responded by shouting: “volvete a tu pais,” which translates to “go back to your country.” The statement was followed by expletive language and cheering by the employee’s fellow co-workers.

The customer was obviously upset, but when I approached him, he said he preferred to leave the store rather than complain. So, I took matters into my own hands and speak with the manager myself. Unfortunately, he was unavailable. But when they asked me why I wanted to see him, I explained what had happened.

The ChangoMas employee could have cared less about my complaint, and it showed.

Over the last ten years, people have shouted similar statements, so it was a bit of a trigger for me to hear these employees say what they did to that customer. It was even more infuriating knowing that no one cared.

Sadly, that’s Argentina for you.

Will I go back to ChangoMas? Maybe, but I’m definitely not going to the store where this incident happened. 

Here’s How Argentina’s Import Restrictions are Affecting Businesses

A couple of months back, a power surge damaged my PC, so I called the nearest electronic repair shop. That’s when I realized my problems were a lot bigger than I thought.

The company that I had taken my PC and other gadgets in for repair for nearly 10 years told me that they couldn’t help me anymore.

It’s not that they didn’t want to. It’s that they couldn’t. They claimed that there were import restrictions in Argentina making life impossible for business owners. As a result, they didn’t have the spare parts required to replace the damaged components in my PC.

These import restrictions were news to me! I've been to the mall. I've seen electronic stores selling flatscreen TVs and laptops. I had no idea there was a shortage in anything. 

So, I asked them if it was possible to order the parts from Buenos Aires, since they usually have more of everything. They clarified that the entire country was facing a shortage in electronic supplies and had no way of replenishing their stocks beyond their own borders.

I knew things had gotten pretty bad in Argentina, but I never imagined they had gotten this bad.  Regardless, I needed my PC repaired because of work and for entertainment purposes. So, I took my PC to another repair shop. The technician there claimed he could get my PC up and running.

I figured that as long as I was there that I would get him to upgrade my PC. Adding a DVD ROM, some extra RAM, a better processor and a video game card was on the top of my list. But that’s when the tech guy told me the same thing the other electronic repair shop had.

He said he tried ordering the parts online. He even attempted to order from Argentina’s neighboring country of Chile, but couldn’t get the parts delivered either.

As it turns out, spare parts for PCs aren’t the only thing these import restrictions are affecting.

The hubs and I have been trying to buy games for our Nintendo Switch. Since it’s a legit device and not the hacked bootleg versions sold in Argentine stores, the console requires a legit game cartridge. Argentine bootleg games won’t work on our device. So, we started looking everywhere for legit games, which they once had down here.

Nothing!

Again, I asked around and was told that they can’t get anything legit because of the import restrictions. Luckily, we can still buy the digital games from the Nintendo store. But it doesn’t end there.

An acquaintance of mine told me that mechanics in Argentina are having a tough time getting the necessary supplies to repair cars, especially parts for foreign vehicles.

I have no idea how this situation is going to pan out, but I’m hoping things will change for the better at some point. In the meantime, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that none of my other devices will blow a fuse. Otherwise, I might not be able to repair or replace them.

Here’s How Argentine Grocery Prices Look Like in 2022

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the world economy isn’t doing so hot, but some countries are faring better than others.

 

Sadly, Argentina is in pretty bad shape. With their inflation at an all time high, the country’s currency is virtually worthless beyond its borders. In fact, if you visit Barcelona, Spain, you’ll find that they sell Argentine pesos as souvenirs, once again proving that the inflation in Argentina has reached critical levels.

 

The Value of the USD in Argentine Pesos Over the Years

I wanted to share this updated list of what one USD is worth per Argentine pesos since we moved here in 2012.

• On December 31st, 2012, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was: 4.90
• On December 31st, 2013, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was: 6.51
• On July 29th, 2014, the cost of one US dollar in Argentine pesos was: 8.19
• On December 24th, 2015, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was: 12.97
• On June 19th, 2016, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was: 13.89
• On June 13th, 2017, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was 15.90
• On September 26, 2017, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was 17.90
• On May 13, 2019, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos was 45.52
• On September 26, 2019, the cost of one US Dollar in Argentine pesos is 57.17
• As of October 5, 2022, the cost of one US dollar in Argentine pesos is 148.50. 

The dollar blue as of October 5, 2022 is $285. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s the price of the US dollar in the unofficial Argentine market. Most foreigners prefer using the dollar blue in their transactions because its price is higher than that of the official dollar.

 

Do you want to know why this is good news if you’re a tourist or an expat? Well, think about it. If you spend $10,000 Argentine pesos on a fancy meal for two, you’ll really be spending $67.31 USD. So, while an Argentine might balk when they look at their bill, a tourist with USD won’t bat an eyelash.

 

If you’re an expat or a potential expat, you’ll find that the cost of living is cheaper. Take my light bill, for instance. I was charged 3,600 Argentine pesos this month. AHHH!!! I know. But in reality, it’s about $24 USD. I remember my monthly light bill in New York being over $100 USD.

 

So, if you plan to live here and you have USD, you’ll be okay. If you’ve been relying strictly on a freelance salary paid for by Argentines, you might find yourself struggling financially.

 

It all depends on the kind of job you have. I recommend getting a job in information technology (IT) as these positions pay a lot (for Argentine standards, not US standards). You can even make over $100,000 Argentine pesos as a Quality Assurance Rep. That’s about 671 USD a month, which is PATHETIC, but semi-decent if you want to survive in Argentina long-term.

 

Now, during my ten-year stay in this country, I’ve been posting prices of a select number of grocery items on my blog to monitor the rising cost of items. So, here’s my short pricing comparison list for 2022. 

In 2013, a 330-gram Trix Cereal box was 26.75 Argentine Pesos.

In 2022, a 230-gram (THAT'S 100 grams less than the 2013 image) Trix Cereal box costs 652.49 Argentine pesos ($4.38 USD)

In 2013, a 500-gram box of Quaker Oatmeal cost 12.99 Argentine pesos. 

In 2022, a 280-gram box of Quaker Oatmeal (That's 220g's less than the 2013 image), costs 209.99 Argentine pesos ($1.41 USD)

If you're wondering why I didn't just take a photo of a 500-gram box in 2022, it's because I couldn't find one at the store. But if the price of the 280-gram box is this high, imagine how much a 500-gram box is in 2022.

In 2013, a 1-liter bottle of Heineken was worth 21.85 Argentine pesos.

In 2022, a 1-liter bottle of Heineken is 422.99 Argentine pesos ($2.84 USD)

In 2013, a 475-gram package of Hellmann's Mayonnaise cost 10.59 Argentine pesos.

In 2022, a 475-gram package of Hellmann's Mayonnaise costs 209.49 Argentine pesos ($1.41 USD)

In 2013, a 150g bag of Doritos cost 20.19 Argentine pesos.

In 2022, a 140-gram bag of Doritos (which is 10 grams less than the 2013 photo) costs 425.99 Argentine pesos ($2.86 USD)

In 2013, a 118-gram roll of Oreos was $5.49 Argentine Pesos.

In 2022, a 118g roll of Oreos is 204.99 Argentine pesos ($1.38 USD).

In 2019, (Sorry! I didn't have a price for 2013) a 1.5 liter bottle of Pepsi was 54 Argentine pesos.

In 2022, a 1.5-liter bottle of Pepsi is 174.95 Argentine pesos ($1.17 USD)

And last but not least!

In 2013, a baby stroller cost anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 Argentinian pesos, depending on the quality. (Sorry! I couldn't find the photo I took from 2013)

In 2022, this baby stroller costs 16,459 Argentine pesos ($110.54 USD) (though prices will vary by quality and brand name).

10 Years in Argentina - Is It a Milestone or a Setback?

It’s been 10 years! 10 YEARS since we left the States and moved to Argentina. HOLY COW! That’s such a huge chunk of our lives. We actually reached this milestone back in June, but I’ve been a little behind on my blog. So sorry about that.

Now, some of my fellow expats would say that their time in Argentina was well spent. A couple of them have found love, gotten married and started a family. Others came, spent a few months here, and left feeling enriched by the experience.

We’re not one of those people.

As far as I’m concerned, the last 10 years have been a complete waste of time. We gave up everything we had back home to make this move possible, making it virtually impossible to head back, and for what?! I don’t know. I wanted to start a career. Maybe open up a business. Instead, I spent seven of the last 10 years being used by a parasite that paid me scraps in exchange for my writing skills. Luckily, I no longer work for her and have moved on to teaching and writing for someone else. 

But what's really upsetting is that we’re virtually prisoners in our own house because we can’t risk home invaders breaking into our property.

 

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not all bad down here. For one thing, life in Argentina has been pretty peaceful. By this I mean, we don’t have to worry about some psycho gunman shooting up a mall or a school for no good reason. Not that there’s ever a reason to go on a shooting spree. And with the exception of locals who are dissatisfied with the government and the plummeting economy, severe cases of civil unrest is virtually unheard of in these parts. 

It doesn’t mean Argentina is a crime-free zone because as I mentioned earlier, CRIME HAPPENS! Theft has been on the rise, especially in recent years. And sadly, the police aren't doing a thing to crack down on these hoodlums.

 

As far as forming a bond with the locals, I’m here to tell you that it’s not easy. We’ve made one or two friends for life whom we consider family. But in general, friendship with Argentines has been difficult because of their views towards America and other parts of the world.

 

For instance, a lot of the Argentines we’ve spoken to claim that the U.S. is conspiring with the U.K. to colonize them. We only want to coexist peacefully with you. There's no sinister motive.

 

Then there’s the war in the Ukraine. Don’t expect much sympathy from an Argentine in regards to this topic, at least, not the ones I’ve spoken to. I've gotten different reasons behind their disregard for the Ukrainian people’s pain and suffering. Some claim that it's because the Ukrainian President is Jewish. Argentines (in general) aren’t fond of Jews. Others have told me that there are two sides to every story, but wouldn't clarify what they meant by that. In other cases, I've had Argentines tell me that they have no feelings whatsoever about the situation.

Oh, and when Queen Elizabeth passed away, one member of the Argentine news media behaved in a way that was truly disgusting. The anchor was rejoicing over the death of the U.K.’s beloved leader, and it honestly boiled my blood to see how ignorant this guy was. But while some Argentines praised the anchor for his words, others called him out for his deplorable behavior. I haven't dared approach an Argentine with this topic, but I have overheard conversations on the streets that mirror similar feelings to those of the news anchor. 

I’m not saying that this is the mentality of every Argentine. There are some who are quite enlightened, open-minded, and sympathetic to the world’s problems. 

 

But things like those that I mentioned are generally the reason why the hubs and I remain cautious when it comes to socializing with the locals. We’ve concluded that our cultures are just too different and will likely never see eye to eye.

 

Instead, we focus on making the best of the situation by doing things that make us happy, like throwing a Christmas party in June. 

I know what you’re thinking. We must be nuts, but hear me out. December is in the middle of the Argentine summer, so turning the oven on turns our home into a sauna. So, we’ve been experimenting with doing Christmas in June when it’s winter for the last two years. And besides, cold weather and Christmas go together like a hand and glove. So why not?

I also celebrated my 45^th birthday in July. Anyone who knows me should not be surprised that there was a spooky theme to the party.

Also, as you can see from these photos, we’ve started opening our doors to house guests post-pandemic, and hope to invite two more in the near future.

 

Speaking of Covid…

The pandemic is under control in Argentina. That DOES NOT mean it’s over. One week in September had over 6,000 Covid cases nationwide, but that’s still a fairly small number. This has lulled the locals into a false sense of security, which is why indoor masks are no longer required. Not that this is a big deal for them. It was a struggle to get them to put their masks on when people were dying left and right last year. The hubs and I still put our masks on whenever we go out just to be on the safe side. Once the number of weekly cases drop to 10, then we’ll consider taking our masks off. Actually, we probably won't because even without the pandemic, the Argentines cough, sneeze and yawn without covering their mouths. So we'll probably keep using our masks to avoid catching anyone's cold or flu.

 

Alright! That’s enough for this post. I will be posting again soon. There’s a lot I want to share, and I hope you’ll continue following my journey.

 

Until next time.

Water Meter Thefts Are On the Rise in Argentina

This June will mark our 10-year-anniversary of living here in Cordoba, Argentina, and this country still manages to surprise us in a lot of ways.

We've dealt with the good and the bad (and most recently VERY BAD). Our friends and family back home think the situation here is insane when we tell them about what goes on around here. Like three weeks ago when I woke up to the sound of incessant knocking. Now usually, we avoid contact with the locals. This includes our neighbors because they're usually just trying to talk to us to get gossip about our lives. Sometimes, it's a beggar asking for $10 Argentine pesos in exchange for the cheapest trash bags in existence. We also get the occasional bible thumper (usually, it's a Jehovah's Witness), which we avoid like the plague. But generally, speaking, when something bad happens to our house, like our walls being vandalized or our house getting robbed, the neighbors are nowhere to be found.

So, our policy has been to avoid contact with them whenever possible, especially in light of the pandemic, which is not over, despite the locals acting like it is. But that day, they kept on knocking and knocking and it was driving me nuts. So, I finally decided to look through the window to see what was happening, and that's when I realized why they were knocking.

There was a ton of water gushing from the sidewalk outside of my house, and it was hemorrhaging onto the street. I had no idea what had happened, so I did what I usually do under these circumstances. I contacted the property owners, who happen to be my folks. To my surprise, they knew what was happening because one of my neighbors had rushed over to their house to tell them.

It turns out that someone had stolen our water meter. 

I couldn't believe it! People steal cars, purses, wallets and cellphones. They rob houses, too. But who wastes their time stealing a water meter from someone's house? Apparently, it's a lot more common than I thought.

I was able to get someone from the water department to come down and shut the valve off while they installed a new pipe. When I asked the technician if this happens often in Argentina, he claimed that it happens all the time. He added that it doesn't matter how rich or how poor the neighborhood is. Thieves go after the water meter and the pipes attached to them because they contain copper, which thieves can apparently sell for money (and possibly drugs).

The technician also warned me that thieves not only steal water meters but also the gas cables as well. Unfortunately, the water meter and the gas cables are in front of the house and easily accessible to thieves and vandals.

Now, I get that the Argentine economy is in the toilet (more so than it usually is). This drives some of the locals to take desperate actions to put food on their table. But stealing water meters from your neighbors? Come on! That's a new low!

Getting a Ticket in Argentina Can Cost You More Than You Bargained For

I've been driving since I was 16, and like most people, I've accrued a couple of tickets over the years. But that was all over for me when I moved from Florida to New York because I could rely on the subway system to get around. Not only was it cheaper but safer (for the most part, anyway). 

Then when I moved to Argentina in 2012, I stuck to my "no driving" policy. Granted, my dad had bought me a car, which he continues to insist is mine. But I've refused to get behind the wheel, except for one occasion when we took a trip to San Juan province. 

My dad is old, and he was too tired to drive, so I agreed to take over for a couple of hours. But the roads out here can be horrifying, even as a passenger in a cab or an Uber.

Argentine drivers don't care about staying in their lane. In fact, they tend to drive in between lanes more often than not. To make things worse, some drivers, particularly, motorcyclists, ignore red lights and stop signs and just floor it, resulting in serious accidents. 

And there never seems to be a cop in sight to stop these traffic offenders, or so I thought.

Recently, one of my students told me he received a ticket for $5,000 Argentine pesos ($42.34 USD) because one of his tail lights wasn't working. Naturally, he explained to the officer that he had no way of knowing. Regardless, the cop didn't change his mind but told him that he could get the light fixed and then fight the ticket online, which he did.

My student explained to me that usually, he would have a week to pay for the ticket. Otherwise, the fine would double the original amount and become $10,000 Argentine pesos ($84.70 USD). But since he fixed his tail light and contested the ticket, the fine was on hold until a judge made a final ruling on his case.

He was very hopeful that the judge would rule in his favor. And I was keeping my fingers crossed for him because he's a good guy and a good student. 

Unfortunately, about three weeks after he got the ticket, he received a notification that the original ruling held. And to add salt to the wound, he now had to pay a fine of $12,000 Argentine pesos ($101.63 USD).

Now most Americans would say that even a $101.63 USD fine is cheap compared to the fines we get in the United States, and it's true. I remember getting a $300 ticket simply because I had blocked a sidewalk in the Bronx with a U-Haul truck I had rented. I immediately contested the ticket and explained to the judge that I was a Floridian who had just moved to New York and that we didn't have laws like this one. Unfortunately, the judge informed me that claiming ignorance of the rules was not a justification and I was forced to pay the ticket.

So, after talking with my student, I couldn't help but feel as though justice hadn't been served. There are people in Argentina that get away with a lot worse and the authorities don't even bat an eyelash. Meanwhile, the only thing my student did was have a broken tail light, which he got fixed, and yet his original fine was more than doubled.

How is that fair?

Then again, this is a country that doesn't arrest shoplifters. Security simply demands that they return the merchandise and then sends the thieves on their merry way. So, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Is Covid Over in Argentina?

Is Covid over in Argentina or is Argentina just over Covid? These are the questions I've been asking myself over the last couple of days and the answer seems to be "yes" to both questions. 

The photo above was taken at the vaccination center called Pabellon Argentina, during the first week of February 2022. This was when I got my third shot. As you can see, the line was pretty long.

And the photo above was taken during the last week of March when the hubs went to Pabellon Argentina to receive his third shot. As you can see, there was virtually no line and no waiting. So with such a substantial drop in the number of people getting vaccinated, I started wondering how long the vaccination centers would remain open in Cordoba City .

Well, according to La Voz Del Interior, the three main vaccination centers in Cordoba City are set to close their doors soon. The city also plans to reduce the number of testing centers from 12 to 4 by April 30, 2022. 

In addition, Cordoba City is no longer requiring its citizens to wear their masks outdoors. Admittedly, most people weren't wearing their masks outdoor even when the Omicron variant was running rampant. So, this change in the health guidelines is more of a formality. People are still required to wear their masks indoors. However, in my observation, the Argentines who do bring their masks are using them as chin guards rather than masks. 

Recently, the hubs paid a visit to the Nuevo Centro Shopping Mall and discovered a few startling things. In addition to a large portion of the mall undergoing major renovations, the mall wasn't as packed as he had expected it to be.

Unfortunately, he discovered that while some people adhered to the "wear your masks indoors" rule, others, including mall employees, opted to keep their masks off.

So if the BA 2 sub variant does eventually spread, the locals are going to be in a lot of trouble. Speaking of the BA 2 sub variant; this latest Covid threat was detected in late March in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. Fortunately, it seems to be contained for the time being. And luckily, the rate of infection across Argentina has dropped dramatically. Don't believe me? Check it out! 

• Friday, March 25, 2022, there were 2,572 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 291 were in Cordoba Province.

• Saturday, March 26, 2022, there were 1,445 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 133 were in Cordoba Province.

• Monday, March 28, 2022, there were 2,655 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 322 were in Cordoba Province.

• Tuesday, March 29, 2022, there were 3,432 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 481 were in Cordoba Province.

• Friday, April 1, 2022, there were 1,927 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 185 were in Cordoba Province.

• Saturday, April 2, 2022, there were 802 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 30 were in Cordoba Province

• Sunday, April 3, 2022,  there were 484 Covid cases in all of Argentina, of which 12 were in Cordoba Province

That's really amazing considering that on January 6, 2022, there were 109,608 Covid cases in Argentina. With these promising numbers, it's safe to say that the Argentine government, their health ministry, and the population in general are all ready to say "Adios" to Covid 19. Even the travel restrictions have reportedly been lifted as the Covid threat continues to drop in the country. Hopefully, they don't regret being so lax in their precautions.

Now, I know what you're thinking. I'm being a Debbie Downer. Newsflash! I'm a realist, not an optimist. I've said this many times. But hopefully, Covid 19 is on its way to being nothing more than a historical footnote for the entire world.