Expat Position Regarding Politics

[MissCarol]

For me it all depends on how you define Expat vs. Immigrant.

I don´t know how technically you can define an expat, but I don´t feel that I´m an immigrant here, even if I had to pay taxes or were obliged to vote or forced to take Residency or Citizenship. I´m not starting a new life here. I´m not building a career or starting a new family here, therefore I feel like I´m only a guest here. Argentina is my retirement home, but it´s NOT HOME.

http://baexpats.org/...try#entry276165

As an Argentine, I believe than anyone in Argentina whatever their status (inmigrant, expat, etc.) has the right to say whatever they want. The only thing I would not allow anyone to say is "Down with democracy".

 

[MissCarol]

"Che, se come bien en Argentina, no!"

I have to bite my lip every time I hear it.

This issue expats have with our food was one of the interesting things I found because of this site. You consider it "dull" or extremelly sweet because of dulce de leche, but the fact is we like it. It is neither better nor worst.

For example, a friend of mine who loves different kinds of food went to Mexico and she kept going to MCDonalds although she doesn´t love it because she could not stand chile in her food, it was way too strong for her.

LIkewise, people generally prefer their food without seasonings except for chimichurri, we generally do well with just salt and pepper. Seasoning is something most people use for some special meal, not saying we do not use mayonesa or ketchup, but not as much as other people.

But I do reckon that a few years ago meat tasted better, and that chocolate has lost flavor, they may be mixing it too much.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Elqueso, you should kick her a..s for saying that. Just to mention the nationality of someone is racist but also sucia? Too much,

Regarding the topic, you mentioned the National Constitution. Inhabitants have full civil rights. The only requirement is to be a human being and to have your home here.

That's why the whole perma-tourist thing is a big stupidity in this country: you are telling the judge "i don't have rights, i don't have rights" with a big smile in your face.

The only difference between foreigners and citizens are political rights.

But freedom of speach is a right everybody has.

How you use it is a different matter.

In my opinion, there are 2 issues:
A) ethnocentrism: you want to apply the rules of your country here or you think that whatever from your country is better.

This is a one of the faces of racism: superiority.

The continuos debate about lobby in the US and corruption in Argentina is a good example.

Economy is another example: Societies chose how to use their resources. While in the US studing and health care are too expensive while cars, electronics and clothes are cheap; here is the opposite: education and healthcare is for free or affordable and cars, electronics and clothes are expensive.

Both have good different things.

In the US i would probably die 3 times plus I wouldn't have education. Here i got 3 operations for free that saved my life plus i got my degree for free.

B.) the second is to talk about something you have no idea: peronismo for example.

This is not an issue because locals usually do it, in fact, if you do that, you deserve citizenship.

However, it is interesting to get informed if you don't want to make the ridicoulous.

The person who started this thread questioned me for posting in this forum. For me it was interesting because my father was born in another country while my mother comes from a super close colony russian/polish where she was the first one to marry somebody from outside. I learn to read and write in cirilyc (russian alphabet) before Spanish and at my granparent's house we spoke po nashemu (dialect).

My father used to work on exporting wood, furniture and machinery made in Argentina so, i went to school in several countries but, when i come back, for locals, i was a foreigner.

Plus, i had a lutheran education at home (my father was a lutheran pastor) and catholic at school because my parents wanted us to fit in this society. Not being catholic in those days was to be second class. However, i decided to be agnostic.

So, having a lutheran morality about work and money making in a country where everybody dreams about winning the lottery or whatever that means to make money without working, doesn't help me neither to fit.

Nowadays i work mainly with the Chinese immigrants in Chinese and when I go home I have to deal with my children half in Spanish half in Korean and when I have to deal with my former wife I have to do it one word in Spanish, one in English obe in Korean.

Then, i go to dance Tango 2 or 3 nights a week where i meet friends and i know new people from all over the world.

So, I almost don't have interaction with argentines.

I guess that for Ariel81 I m not a pure Argentine.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

In my opinion, there are 2 issues:
A) etnocentrism: you want to apply the rules of your country here. This is a one of the faces of racism.
B.) the second is to talk about something you have no idea: peronismo for example.

You certainly needn't be an Argentine to appreciate the absurdity of Peronism.

 

[Pensador]

Elqueso, you should kick her a..s for saying that. Just to mention the nationality of someone is racist but also sucia? Too much,

For Queso that was not an option most of us from our generation would not even consider kicking a woman ass under any circumstances.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

For Queso that was not an option most of us from our generation would not even consider kicking a woman ass under any circumstances.

You takes euphemisms too literal for being a pensador.

 

[StevePalermo]

A couple of great posts there El Queso, thanks. I can identify with a lot of that from personal experience.

 

[PaulBee]

I come from a country which has a very high % of foreign born population, and a city with 50% of the population being foreign born - from many different countries. "Foreigners" were generally treated as equals and their ideas were valued and often adopted and we were all better for it. I think that´s why my native country is generally considered one of the best to live in, and my home city generally rated among the top 5 in the world, despite cold winters and astronomical housing prices.

Service at city hall is available in over 100 languages and if need be, interpretors are brought in. No one need feel their idea shouldn´t be heard.

Unfortunately, suggesting change often sounds more like criticizing than trying to improve things.

Still, I feel at some point a foreigner has the right to speak their mind, especially if they´re paying taxes or see something they strongly feel should be changed.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

"B.) the second is to talk about something you have no idea: peronismo for example"

If my interpretation of peronismo is not the same as yours but is the same as other Argentinians? I think your definition of "no idea" = not the same as your idea.

Freedom is freedom in all it's glory Dr.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

"B.) the second is to talk about something you have no idea: peronismo for example"

If my interpretation of peronismo is not the same as yours but is the same as other Argentinians? I think your definition of "no idea" = not the same as your idea.

Freedom is freedom in all it's glory Dr.

There are facts and there are interpretations of them. I refer to the first ones: facts.

The asserts about peronismo we were debating in the last year were based of wrong facts. For example:
It was asserted that:
A) Peron destroyed the industry;
B.) when Peron was coup the gold reserves were empty;
C) Peron didn't import wheat because he didn't have usd for it.

Those asserts are wrong no matter which is your ideology.

The last 70 years of AR history is complex, it is better to ask and debate than to assert.

However, as I said, everybody can use his freedom of speach as he feels like.