Another hopeless dreamer...?

[kiri-beth]

Being "new" to the Expat circle (or really... a straight wannabe at this point) I thought I'd follow suit and introduce myself.

I'm Kiri, 22 years old and currently residing in Phoenix, AZ. I spent 6 months in BsAs last year studying/completing an internship and since returning home have done nothing but daydream about Argentina and plan my return. So, now something like 6-12 months from *finally* graduating I've taken to the fabulous interwebs to search for connections that might help me turn this fantastical idea into something that could actually happen. Hello Expats!

I plan to return to Arg in January and spend a few months working on my undergrad thesis/looking for a job/somewhere to live on a meager "I just got a liberal arts degree" budget. Though I unfortunately do not come from a family of abundant wealth, (read: I'm centered in reality enough to know I'll have to work) I'm hoping I might make some connections here to help me through the process of relocating myself to the city I fell in love with.

That said- if anyone has connections to reasonably priced departamentos (going tourist style @ $2,000 USD/month is not going to cut it), English schools that accept yanqui instructors (I'm TESOL cert), or even bars (Sugar? *sigh*) that might be looking to hire in the future I'd love to hear from you. As soon as I figure out how the communication feature works on this forum... heh. =/

Thanks in advance!

 

[PhilipDT]

What's your degree going to be in? Collective advice here seems to say find a hob here in bsas while still in the states.

Apartments are all over the place and can be found cheaply enough, looking 6 months in advance though is pretty tough.

 

[kiri-beth]

International Relations and Spanish. Kind of a tough one until I get it together and go to grad school. I was kinda banking on finding somewhere to teach if nothing else, but heard that the English institutes often give preference to teachers who are already in the area?

 

[Rease]

It would be ideal for you to get a job before you come but I will be honest with you, it is very unlikely.

There are TONS of English teaching organizations that want native english speakers to be teachers. Usually all they require is a college degree so the fact that you are TEFL certified will be very helpful.

These places will not hire you until you arrive but once you are hired you will start right away, though it does take time to build up a client base. I suggest looking for a place that only gives you students in your neighborhood or has a school for you to teach in, otherwise you will spend your whole day traveling from student to student. PM me if you have questions!

 

[Barney]

Teach 5 days a week, work in a bar 3 nights a week and sleep the sunday?

That should be enough if you are not coming with some savings you can spend

Find a extremly rich and handsome husband helps as well, but you must not be the jealous type

 

[syngirl]

I plan to return to Arg in January and spend a few months working on my undergrad thesis/looking for a job/somewhere to live on a meager "I just got a liberal arts degree" budget. Though I unfortunately do not come from a family of abundant wealth, (read: I'm centered in reality enough to know I'll have to work) I'm hoping I might make some connections here to help me through the process of relocating myself to the city I fell in love with.

Come in January and you'll probably start working around late-February or March depending on what happens with the school holidays this year. City is dead, dead, dead in January so count on at least one month of no job.

They shortened the holidays last year and had everyone back in town earlier than usual, but there were complaints about loss of revenue so you never know with Argentina, they may decide to switch back again (just as they tried to change the clock one summer and everyone complained, so they stopped doing it....)

 

[lejohnson]

Hey kiri-beth, I am in a very similar situation as you. I fell in love with Argentina after studying here for a year, but then fell in love with an Argentino as well.... I'm 22, just graduated with a liberal arts degree in Political Science and Human Rights and am moving back to BA in a few weeks actually.

I'll tell you what I did that has worked out really well so far:
I knew that I would pretty much need to be in BA in order to find a job, so I got onto a number of Au Pair sites online looking for opportunities in the city so that I could start off from there. I am going to be an Au Pair/English tutor for a family in San Isidro for 5 months when I first get there. An opportunity like that would allow you to have a place to live and food in your mouth in the beginning because the family you work for will provide all of that. I will have my days free so I plan on volunteering/getting an internship at places that I would like to work later on. I want to do Human Rights law eventually, so I'm going to try and find an internship at Amnesty Intl Argentina or something like that.

You could do something similar, using the au pair job as a place to start and using that time when you'll have living expenses covered to network in the city. '

PM me if you have any questions or want to talk!

 

[fergo]

Kiri, dreaming is not hopeless. Never. And if in fact living and having a house in ba is impossible then there must be like 4.000.000 people asleep at this moment.
Im a local, mannage to pay rent and live and I work mostly in english. The best i can offer you is to enter this website: http://www.compartodepto.com/ (shared appartments site), they have great offers and for something like 140 dollars you get a shared bedroom with people who afterall are in the same situation than you do. About getting a job since theres lots of outsourcing done here you can always get into a call center. I know, it doesnt sounds great but just for not being a "I wanna speak with someone who is not in india" you can get some good commisions and prizes. At least you get a job and food-roof while looking for something better.

 

[PhilipDT]

International Relations and Spanish. Kind of a tough one until I get it together and go to grad school. I was kinda banking on finding somewhere to teach if nothing else, but heard that the English institutes often give preference to teachers who are already in the area?

Why not apply for a job with the state department and try to work in the embassy here? It seems like a 100% match for your majors. Every time I go in I seem to be talking to some fresh faced college grad who is loving living down here.

 

[Ries]

The state department, like the army, does not run on the preferences of the most junior employees.
So, if you are hired, and then go thru training, which used to be in Arlington Va., they send you where they decide to send you, regardless of how much you beg for Buenos Aires. After 20 years, if you make ambassador, maybe you get some choice.
But new hires, no way.

Kazakastan, here you come.
I hear Iraq is nice this time of year- 110 degrees farenheit, although the $1.3 Billion dollar, 100 acre compound is mostly airconditioned...