Am I a little nuts to choose BA? Help.

[MemoryAtlas]

Does anyone else have the experience of moving to a Spanish-speaking country alone with little knowedge of the language, gotten by succesfully on somewhat limited funds, and managed to subsist?

I want to move to a South (or Central maybe) American city to learn Spanish and have fun. I'm leaning towards BA, but I don't know exactly why. Ideally, I see myself living somewhere in Palermo, learning Spanish, and perhaps eventually obtaining a very modest job (working at a hostel or teaching English would probably be my only options considering my level of Spanish). I do have money saved, and would expect to spend a lot of that, but over the course of a few months, I would like to get some kind of job to offset that liquadation of my savings (so yes then there's the visa issue also after 3 months.....). Bottom-line, I'm having a really difficult time choosing where in S. or C. America to go. I know it clearly depends on what I want, but it also depends on what I can do. I'm wondering if I should choose a cheaper city like Quito in Ecaudor, or somewhere in Guatemala or Panama. BA has a little bit of that European influence though, which I like.

About myself: 30 year old male currently living in Los Angeles. I have two degrees: a B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Music from WUSTL. My current occupation is a waiter, so I don't think that experience would really help me out in a different country. I've done some traveling to Spain and Colombia (I was considering traveling to Bucuramanga, but my friend who was living there is moving away, the city has become more expensive, and the U.S. dollar is depreciating in value). In those countries I was with people that were able to help me out. Also, those were vacations. This time I'm traveling alone and planning to stay and live somewhere for an extended period. I do have money saved ($5,000 U.S. dollars), but would still like to be frugal and have some type of small income. (Plus I think I'd be bored without a job).
I know this is a lot to consider, but any recommendations or reportings of similar experiences would be appreciated!

 

[fuccolini]

i'll go easy on you cuz you seem like a nice guy. i wouldn't do it if i were you, at least not right now. everythings all f'd up in argentina at the moment, expensive too. but if you do, the hostel job is good if you can stay there for free, that way your rent is sorted out. kiss privacy goodbye though. all things considered, if you don't mind blowing through your five grand and you have your return flight as your ace in the hole, its good times! don't worry about any paperwork though... just overstay your tourist visa, work illegally and pay the fine on your way out. i can't help but to think though you can learn spanish and have fun in L.A.

 

[steveinbsas]

If I only wanted to spend a limited time in a Spanish and English speaking country or in an enviornment that felt like a foreign country and didn't want hassles with immigration, personal safety, or economic uncertainties I would seriously consider Puerto Rico.

I've never been there but I know it's hot anf humid in the summer and hurricanes are something to thnk about (I rode out one in Mexico and it wasn't fun),

Forget about BA being like a European city. The busses and subway are far below European standards and so is the selection of goods (especially food and clothing). BA still does have a fair amount of faux French architecture in the older neighboorhoods close to the city center, but most of the apartment buildings built from the 50's throgh the 80's have pretty much overwhelmed the buildings that gave the city a European look.


If you don't speak much Spanish and can't communicate, the people in BA won't seem very friendly. If you stay in a hostel you are likely to get ripped off, possibly losing everything except the clothes on your back.

http://www.expat-blog.com/en/destination/central-america/puerto-rico/

http://www.city-data.com/forum/u-s-territories/643662-working-living-puerto-rico.html

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Puerto+Rico

 

[Johnny]

Jeez, what a bleak picture. I think BA is a beautiful city, and most of the young people that I have met here love it. They provide a great support system for one another and have a lot of fun. Its not necessary to live in a hostel long term. There are tons of homes shared by young people who do quite well in that communal atmosphere.

Obviously it will help if MemoryAtlas is a people person.

Many of the young expats I know no longer follow BAexpats, assuming they ever did. Way too negative, pessimistic, and obsessive about crime and money. You know...like the criminals.

 

[dennisr]

Have befriended a group of young expats, mostly Americans that work in the restaurants/clubs in Las Canitas. They seem to be foot/loose and fancy free to me. They enjoy the life and get by. Admire them. Good bunch of kids. I am 67, everyone is kid to this old fart.

 

[trennod]

I guess it depends on exactly what you are looking for in your South American / Central American dream spot. BA has a good club and bar scene and there is never a shortage of things to do. Plenty of cultural stuff too, with much of it free. The girls are amazingly beautiful (and guys). The weather (in my opinion) is good, its warm in summer and conducive to being outside (as long as you dont mind it very hot, aka 35-40 degrees at times!). Public transport, albeit unreliable is very cheap and gets you anywhere and everywhere, bus and train tickets are about 25c and subway is about 50c. There are heaps of schools to get you started in Spanish, albeit you have to be careful with which you choose. There are also lots of opportunities for language swaps. If you are interested (and have the money) it is fantastic in the interior of the country, both north and south. The people are friendlier and more relaxed (as is the culture) and in many of the cities its much cleaner and a little safer than BA.

Now for the other side. BA is NOT europe. Sure, many of the people look european and a few of the buildings may remind you of it but it is well and truly a 3rd world city. BA is not safe and its getting worse (so the locals say). It is dirty, although the Palermos and Recoletas are cleaner parts of the city. The food, apart from the beef is generally pretty average (particularly fruit and vegies, mind you they may not interest you much!). It is getting quite expensive, you will probably still find it comparatively cheaper to where your coming from but not by much. The political problems are increasing and the economy is heading for (if not already in) a recession. The government have implemented dollar controls so you cant buy them. Withdrawing money from an ATM will only net you the official rate (low compared to blue and black) of about 4.2-4.5. People are getting restless (there has been a number of demonstrations, strikes etc...we have one tomorrow) and if you believe the locals the every 10 year crisis is upon us. They (albeit generally more paranoid than your average American, European or Aussie) would not recommend coming here.

With your limited Spanish and if you have little support (friends etc) you will find setting up in this city a bit of a challenge I would imagine. Yes many people speak english and most of the younger generation speak at least some and not too badly, but even basic tasks like any work visas, visiting banks, phone companies, paying bills, perhaps even going to the shops and ordering restaurants will be uncomfortable.


My advice: ask yourself what it is you truly want and weigh up some other cities in SA n Central America as well. Santiago for example is safer, cleaner, more politically and economically stable but perhaps doesnt have the culture and good weather. How about Sao Paulo and Rio? The people are meant to be much friendly, you have great beaches in brazil (Arg beaches suck), food is better etc.

I dont doubt you would still have a ball in BA, it is a lot of fun and in my opinion more so when you are young, but keep your eye on the other options too!

 

[nicoenarg]

The answer to your title is, "Yes! Yes you are nuts!"

 

[Canick]

I say go for it. Your adventure will be what you make of it.
my only advice is to have enough money to give yourself a safety net so u can go a few months without work and fly home when you are ready. the $5000 USD may not be enough to give you the chance to enjoy 'being here' without feeling tremendous pressure.
best of luck.
n

 

[steveinbsas]

My most sincere advice is just forget about moving to BA now.

There is too much uncertainty regarding the future.

 

[el_expatriado]

Don't expect to find a job here that pays anything close to what you would need to actually live here. Just be aware that you are going to go through your savings here.