Expat observations 2011

[henryb]

Well, I live since 5 years in Argentina and I strongly think about leaving.

Reason #1: The long term limitations of doing business. It is too expensive, complicated and time consuming to establish a competitive business (on a global market) in Argentina.

Assuming you are selling your digital products online globally, why don't you incorporate elsewhere: your home country, BVI, Panama, Ireland, Singapore, Uruguay? Why Argentina business policies are even an issue?

Reason #2: This government is laking logic and respect.

Show me the one that isn't.

 

[rcmedia]

I'm earning money from outside Argentina, live in a great apartment in Recoleta, and have a really good quality of life. Bottom line, I'm pretty happy and can't think of any place I'd reasonably prefer to be.

Same here and I totally agree... so far anyways lol.
I makes me happy to walk out into Plaza Vicente Lopez every morning... I guess it's a quality of life thing for me.

 

[Fabe]

This is one of the things I find most annoying. There is a complete lack of "Autocritica" . Whenever anyone said anything critical of argentina ( and I stress critic , not bashing) , there , right there will be an argentine tripping over himself to say crap like " Oh , well , leave then ! , or Well , yeah , its corrup here , but its currupt everywhere" . Why is that ? Dont people here want a beter place ? the first step in change is taking a good hard look at what is wrong !.
Mr Harper , you response offers NOTHING in the way of debate. I feel that THAT attitude is at the root of all the maladies that erode this country

 

[MrHarper]

Assuming you are selling your digital products online globally, why don't you incorporate elsewhere: your home country, BVI, Panama, Ireland, Singapore, Uruguay? Why Argentina business policies is even an issue?

Well, if it was so easy! I started out with a Panama corp. (which I still maintain). But try to get a good merchant (e.g. paypal) verified with a Panama corp! You can do many tricks, but in the end, if you have a certain sales volume, you have to get serious and have a real office set up. This involves employees, certain infrastructure, local bank accounts, trading accounts etc.

 

[MrHarper]

Mr Harper , you response offers NOTHING in the way of debate. I feel that THAT attitude is at the root of all the maladies that erode this country

I am sorry that you feel like this. However, this is the way I perceive my situation in the country.

 

[henryb]

This is one of the things I find most annoying. There is a complete lack of "Autocritica" . Whenever anyone said anything critical... here will be an argentine ...

Fabe,

Are you criticizing yourself for a lack of self-criticism?

 

[Napoleon]

I makes me happy to walk out into Plaza Vicente Lopez every morning... I guess it's a quality of life thing for me.

If you live there, I hope that you're walking down Montevideo once or twice a week (towards Av. Alvear) an stopping into L'épi Boulangerie. It's riquisimo.

http://www.lepi.com.ar/home.php

 

[cruizes]

if you can make it there you can make it anywhere.

Hmmmm That's New York I believe!

 

[gsi16386]

Hmmmm That's New York I believe!

touche....lol

 

[scarface]

Deciding where to live, start or continue a career, marry, settle down and raise a family are serious subjects. And the older one gets, the more serious they become. It may not seem so when one is young, but life is short and fleeting. I'm ambivalent about addressing serious subjects seriously on this site. I find it frustrating because it's mostly an unmoderated site and as a result there's lot of gibberish that sidetracks discussion. Nevertheless, as someone who has been an expat for 10 years and is well into the senior citizen category I believe I can offer some insights.

It's a cutsy, "so heavy it's light" kind of 60's mantra, but it's valid. "Wherever you go, there you are." If you aren't happy in a place it won't likely matter where you go to. You're not likely to "find happiness" by breaking camp and resettling in another new environment. My recommendation is to determine what will make you happy and then try to realize it. Don't be afraid to be imaginative or chase a dream. Really. And don't give up too easily. Many believe that the single most important quality in becoming successful is perserverance.

Ultimately, many find meaning in life by just having a family. That, too, is a valid option. Just be sure you don't get stuck in a job you dislike in order to support it.

Lastly, with respect to life in Argentina and some of the above comments, I think the following short piece is a valuable read. http://www.argentinepost.com/2011/06/photo-post-genius-civic-poop-gesture.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ImaginingTaos+%28Imagining+Taos%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail