29 Y.o. Male Seeking A Radical Sabbatical In Ba.

[camberiu]

jaja, laugh all you want.

I cant see why you guys have problems to understand that NEGRO is an endearment term here.

I am sure German Rozenmacher thought so too. He even wrote a book about it. So is "paragua", very endearing indeed. You should definitely go to the nearest Vila and start calling people there Paraguas. You will make friends very quickly.

 

[Matiasba]

Yes, it also can be racial. Both meanings are correct. It does not happen wwith nationalities, though.

PS: I think this has been talked here. A LOT. I thought you knew this. Is it that hard to understand?

 

[Silvie]

jaja, laugh all you want.

I cant see why you guys have problems to understand that NEGRO is an endearment term here.

Matias, I agree with you; however, it all depends on the context of the conversation.

 

[Matiasba]

Matias, I agree with you; however, it all depends on the context of the conversation.

Of course, the problem here is that there are people that can not understand negro in the right sense. Even in the other context I can argue that in that case is not exactly racist, but something similar like "redneck". Negro does not refer to the color of the skin. Negro is also tasteless, tacky, etc. That is another meaning of negro.


The bad 'negro' in Argentina is not racist. Is pejorative to the people of the interior and bording countries.

The good 'negro', people, especially americans or people who lived in america, just cant get it. They are like shocked. Theres an atropological concept called Cultural Relativism, which basically consists on stop looking a culture with your own culture eyes. You have to give up your views, your believes, etc, to understand another culture. Its a very interesting exercise indeed, kind of crazy, to renounce the way you look at certain things. Schizofreniac when the differences are big. I strongly recommend to some people on this forum to understand that our negro is quite different than your negro. Even when is used with the offensive form.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Recently, in Santiago, some young Chileans brought up this topic with me: http://tinyurl.com/nfqdyq6

 

[mmoon]

OMG FOCUS PEOPLE, FOCUS!
How does this topic turn into a discussion about racial slurs??

In regards to the Original Post, yes, $2000 USD is not much money in Argentina, even exchanging at the blue rate. I think two months without working is optimistic for him to get by without a job. We all have read a million posts from people who want to teach English in BA and think that will make it possible for them to live like kings. Clearly, those days are long over.

Still, I think if you are hungry for experience and are willing to make sacrifices and put yourself out there, mostly good things will come from it. No fancy steaks or private Spanish lessons for him here in BA, but he should go for it! Why not? Life is short. Too few people leave behind the comforts of home for an unknown adventure.

 

[Noesdeayer]

I second mmoon's post.However,I would also lke to back 9600 on the Argentines' use of "negro" and other nicknames of nationality.Generally,if it is a personal face to face conversation and the Argentine calls another "negro",you can tell by their facial expressión and tone of voice that it is a term of endearment.However,if they are speaking non-personally such as referring to the "negrerio" o "los negros esos" it is definetely a racial slur.The same is true for "gordo" and even or "yanqui".Nonetheless,the terms "cabecita negra" and "bolita" are always peorative.Argentines today seem to be a lttle less obsessed with being white and European than when I came 36 years ago when it was totally insufferable.

 

[camberiu]

Argentines today seem to be a lttle less obsessed with being white and European than when I came 36 years ago when it was totally insufferable.

I think that the progress in race relations that happened over the past 30 years is undeniable. But even with all the progress, as a dark skinned foreigner in Argentina, I can tell you from first hand experience that the social interactions are very different depending on how much money the locals think you have. I have been in both ends of the spectrum of perceptions, and and I can state with absolute confidence that being a dark skinned foreigner in Argentina with little money is not a fun experience at all. Prejudice will be mostly covert and implied, but sometimes it will be pretty open and hostile.

So any student and former student from abroad coming here for an adventure on a shoe string budget should take that into account. If you are white, you should be fine. But if you are brown or black, and with very limited resources, the experience here will certainly "build character" and toughen you up.

 

[Noesdeayer]

Camberiu.You would know better than I and I sympathize with you. Nonetheless,I have been unprovokedly insulted here to my face at least 3 times for the simple fact of saying I was from the U.S.This has not happened to me in any other L.A. country including Cuba.By the same token,I would advise any U.S. visitor that it could (hopefully not,of course) happen to them depending on where and around whom they find themselves.Here I'd ask for the indulgence of my fellow U.S.citizens of African descent by repeating a littlle ditty I learned from one of them years ago."If you're white,you're alright,If you're brown,you can hang around.But if you're black,stand back".

 

[BaltRochGirl]

so after my ticket(s) I will have around 2000 usd to spend in BA for an extended period of time. About how long can I spend in BA with modest accommodations? I'd like to just rent a place for a certain amount of months and explore the city from the perspective of a local.

As a Southern California native, I understand a little Spanish but have little experience speaking it. Will this help me at all, is the Mexican style of Spanish I am accost used to translatable down in Argentina?

In my romanticized version of my trip, I would like to take a small job where I immersed myself with the people of the city, even if the pay is below what I am accustomed to. What kind of jobs can I acquire out there as an American with experience in marketing, social media, video production, and outstanding writing skills? Can I teach English out there without a bachelors degree (I completed all my courses but do not have a degree due to a technicality involving me despising the idea of unpaid internships).

Although I do not drink, I love going out and doing late night activities (not much of a dancer though). Where is a good neighborhood for me.

I also have a job that I can work remotely with some of my time that yields some money, what do I do if I fall ill ever with BA and wish to stay but have no "work" within the country? Do I just fly under the radar?

Excited to hear from you expats on my prospective journey. You can talk to me here or directly on Twitter @danielclauser

Hasta luego

Not to unromanticize you before you even arrive but as others have stated 2k will go quite quickly especially for a new arrival.

If you want to extend your time you can look into shared housing, bonus if you have Spanish speaking roommates you may pick up the basics a little faster.

Short term jobs are generally not very glamorous, barback, perhaps teaching English, but they don't pay very well as noted, and usually will not be full time. Also if you tell people you're only here for a few months they're going to be less likely to hire your or pay well, as there's not much in it for them.

Public health care is free but the quality varies and expect to wait to be seen, private health care usually is quite good and the prices are considered more reasonable that similar care in the US.