I've had this conversation with a few expats here and would like to hear some more views. Do you find it hard to break into Argentine social circles? I've had an Argentine girlfriend basically the whole time I've been here and spend a lot of my free time with her, so this hasn't affected me that much, but I think if we broke up I would notice it a lot more.
Other expats have pointed out that they have found it hard to make any close Argentine friends. Some have been here for several years, and have never been to an asado at someone's house, for example. It's certainly not because Argentineans are not friendly, but it seems that they form their social groups very early on, based on their school/neighbourhood friends, then don't really expand that group much after that (except maybe for a new group of university friends).
I get along really well with a lot of my students who are of a similar age to me, but when we try to organise some socialising, they seem to have an endless stream of friend's birthday parties to go to. And going along to one of these events can be quite boring, since everybody else knows each other and talk constantly about other people that they know and I don't.
I'd like to point out that this is not a complaint -- if it really worried me I would put in the extra effort to join some clubs and meet more and more Argentines in a social context. I'm sure it is also related to the amount of time I spend with my girlfriend. But it does seem odd to me that most of my friends here are foreigners (Americans/French/Uruguayans/Colombians), and I am certainly not one to seek out other expats while living overseas.
Has anyone else had a similar experience, or have you found it easy to make Argentine friends?
Other expats have pointed out that they have found it hard to make any close Argentine friends. Some have been here for several years, and have never been to an asado at someone's house, for example. It's certainly not because Argentineans are not friendly, but it seems that they form their social groups very early on, based on their school/neighbourhood friends, then don't really expand that group much after that (except maybe for a new group of university friends).
I get along really well with a lot of my students who are of a similar age to me, but when we try to organise some socialising, they seem to have an endless stream of friend's birthday parties to go to. And going along to one of these events can be quite boring, since everybody else knows each other and talk constantly about other people that they know and I don't.
I'd like to point out that this is not a complaint -- if it really worried me I would put in the extra effort to join some clubs and meet more and more Argentines in a social context. I'm sure it is also related to the amount of time I spend with my girlfriend. But it does seem odd to me that most of my friends here are foreigners (Americans/French/Uruguayans/Colombians), and I am certainly not one to seek out other expats while living overseas.
Has anyone else had a similar experience, or have you found it easy to make Argentine friends?
