Cost Of Living

[sleslie23]

I know a lot about the Argentine culture, I speak more Spanish than I do English, you guys need to stop acting like you know me

That's all fine and dandy, but unless you already have an academic history in CASTELLANO you will be a remedial Spanish writer when you finally make it to your university classes. Shooting the shit with friends is all fine and dandy. I grew up in a bilingual part of the US about 45 km north of Mexico, have spent almost a decade in Argentina and Spain, and can converse fluently. I still had to spend almost 2 years of weekly classes to get my written Spanish anywhere near acceptable for university level work. Others have tried to explain this to you as well.

There. Do you still feel bullied? I was 100 times nicer to you than 1/2 of your professors will be when you finally make it to the classes for your major in UBA, at least in the facultad where you want to study. Did you think they welcome yanquis with open arms in la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras?

And unless you have a perfect porteña accent, the person in charge of approving your HIGH SCHOOL exams will probably fail you just because they don't think you should be here.

But we're just negative and know nothing about living in Argentina.

Suerte.

 

[Crema Americana]

Despite what it seems (bullying? :lol: ) the people here are just trying to help.

We can't say "come on down!" because finding a waitress job and living comfortably and going to school just isn't easy. It's not impossible I suppose, either... but let's just say it's closer to impossible than easy. Unless you're very lucky. I don't want to crush anyone's dreams, just be aware of the situation before you jump.
You will have trouble finding cheap rent.
You will have trouble finding a decent paying job - especially without papers.
You will have trouble getting papers unless you qualify for residency.
You will have to adjust - to everything. Even the language is somewhat different... yes, it's Spanish, but Argentine Spanish may be the most distinct. This is easy enough to learn though, after a few embarrassing moments and practice.
Working and studying at the same time will be a challenge unto itself.


And if people come off as bitter, it's because they're experienced. Sometimes experience jades you, but it's experience all the same. You sound a bit bitter about the US and Americans from the little you wrote. Are you Mexican? Know that the fact you're a foreigner will make everything more difficult for you -- and that includes other Latam countries no matter how well you speak Spanish.

 

[thorsten]

My 2 bully-free cents: So far I lived in every continent except Africa for a longer time and the only thing I regret is that I didn't start earlier. Living in a foreign country, meeting new people, learning the differences between cultures, ... are all invaluable experiences which you will have for the rest of the year. The last 2 years I spend in Argentina and I like it here. However, wouldn't I have my girlfriend here and would I be completely free, I'd probably already be in Rio or Lima. In general, I love the south american way of life compared to the german one - it's a little bit like Germans live to work while Argentines work to live. That being said, I'd still prefer this way of life in other big cities, just because you have less restrictions (e.g., I can order something from abroad or transfer money easily) and I feel a higher quality of daily life (in particular the food).
If I would turn back the time and be 19 again, wanting to start my studies and know what I know now, I'd definitely go abroad, but not to Argentina to be honest. The main reasons are:
1. It will be not easy to get a job. Even if you have good qualifications - which is rare in this age - you still will have problems if you don't know people. Relationships > Qualification. Even if you find one, it will barely be enough to pay your rent and daily expenses, while you have to work quite a few hours per week, which reduces study time.
2. While it seems great that you don't pay tuition fees (if you are from the US - I studied in Germany and it is free there too), even the better universities here (UBA) are not comparable to good European/US universities. Everything is way less organized (not to name it chaotic), the professors don't show up based on schedule but based on their current mood, the infrastructure is worse, ... Even though you can get the same amount of knowledge, it will most likely take you quite a bit longer, so instead of studying e.g. 4 years and working directly after, you will be stuck at university for 6 years, while working a lot on the side just to survive.
On the positive side, if you manage to get your studies done here, you can do it anywhere

 

[syngirl]

That's all fine and dandy, but unless you already have an academic history in CASTELLANO you will be a remedial Spanish writer when you finally make it to your university classes. Shooting the shit with friends is all fine and dandy. I grew up in a bilingual part of the US about 45 km north of Mexico, have spent almost a decade in Argentina and Spain, and can converse fluently. I still had to spend almost 2 years of weekly classes to get my written Spanish anywhere near acceptable for university level work. Others have tried to explain this to you as well.

And unless you have a perfect porteña accent, the person in charge of approving your HIGH SCHOOL exams will probably fail you just because they don't think you should be here.
Suerte.

This. I started a course to be an interpreter after almost 9 years here -- the husband's argentine, I speak spanish all the time, I read, I watch the news all the time. Then the programme starts out with what is easier for spanish speakers -- translating English --> Spanish. That's the harder for me. So here I go thinking my Spanish is ok and then I am listening to speeches having to do consecutive interpretation of words like "bumptious" "pussyfoot" "stonewalling" "callow" " quarterbacking the diplomatic strategy" "headstrong" "slush funds" "earmarking" "political landslide" "blow the inverstigation wide open" "underpinning the market" "shoring up reserves" . All things that with a few minutes to think about or access to a dictionary I'd be able to come up with -- but in the moment? As they are fond of saying at the programme, everyone's an expert until it's their turn to speak. We had a very moody substitute last night for first sight (they hand you a written document and you have to start translating aloud without even a read through) and she just ripped into every single one of us (but one -- who the teacher said did a great job but the girl screwed it up,when she translated "a host of mistakes" as an "anfitrion" instead of "una multitud". And I practically got in an argument with the teacher over the meaning of "a rubber-stamped victory", which she completely missed the point on calling it just "una repeticion", well sure, but that misses the point of using the phrase to rubber-stamp.)

Our estimations of our language capabilities always tend to exceed the reality. If the OP grew up speaking only spanish and attending school in spanish and reading literature in spanish not just speaking to her abuela and watching telenovelas then their level may already be up there, but I can tell you going into an academic environment or even just a more formal structure and you realise your conversational "bilingualism" isn't going to cut it.

 

[syngirl]

You know at the end of the day I think there's 2 expats on this board who can probably offer the best insight -- ARBound, for his "how to survive when you find out Argentina sucks" savvy, and Montauk_Project for her knowledge of the film industry. Take it away, you two

 

[nlaruccia]

Good advice from another thread:


I know a job is better than none, but it's at the
point where I've been told that they won't fire
me without cause "because they don't have the
money" and that cause is been looked for since
they know I want to leave and a bunch of petty
stuff is happening that makes it very uncomfortable to be there now. Now I'm just trying to figure out what to do to
screw myself over the least. And yes sleslie, like I've said since moving
here, I wish I would have listened to you guys
before changing my life.

 

[citygirl]

Where was that post? I'm guessing Arbound? I hope he knows that even if they have cause (which is really, really difficult, ie impossible), he is still due monies.

 

[nlaruccia]

It's Arbound from the should I quit or get fires thread.

 

[toongeorges]

I can always go back if I don't like it, I'm not throwing my life away, if it doesn't work out then I'll move back.

There is no need to justify yourself, you should do what you want and not care about other opinions. You are young and if you have the opportunity to travel and live somewhere else, I would definitely do so. I have lived myself one year in Rome, Italy and one year in Buenos Aires and these are among the best experiences of my life. Though be warned by the negative comments: Buenos Aires is not a good place to make a living. If you come here, always make sure you can go home at any time, do not make the mistake to get stuck. If you are not coming for work, Buenos Aires has a lot to experience.

Currently I am back home, because now I am working and earning money. I will definitely go back to Buenos Aires in the future, but I will not stay there permanently. I will come and go and come and go. Buenos Aires is a great place for (prolonged) holidays, but not for living!

 

[toongeorges]

Am I giving someone advice? No, I'm asking for it. I'm having a hard time dealing with so many people going through a midlife crisis being extremely rude to someone they consider a child, if you consider me a child why are you all bullying me, as if I were your equal?

You ain't seen nothing yet. If you are coming to Buenos Aires, expect that EVERYONE is going through an identity crisis and is extremely rude to you and will treat you as a child and will bully you. Especially since you are a woman. Man will see you as an object and women will see you as a rival. Though judging your assertive reaction, you might just fit in.