Expats making friends with Porteños

[ameliamcg]

I have only just realized how lucky I am to have so many Porteño friends. Recently, people have been telling me that this is not common at all. Who knew!? I was invited to a traditional family asado in Monte Grande (just outside of BA) to celebrate my Porteña friend graduating medical school. It was so amazing to be included and welcomed with open arms (even though my Spanish is less than perfect). Of course, I posted some photos on my blog about my amazing afternoon www.ameliamcgoldrickblog.com
What's your experience? Are you lucky enough to call a few locals your friends?

 

[noarmadillos]

Really don't think that it's all that uncommon...my argentine friends way outnumber my expat friends, and it's always been that way for me. Not that dating an argentine hasn't helped I suppose.

 

[Barney]

I wonder what your definition of à friend is

Either way, you get what you are looking for, it's easy to go to places where expats outnumber THE locals as it is the other way around

 

[Tangerine]

A friend will help you move.
A good friend will help you move a body.

Will your BA friends do either?

We often mix up “friend” and “acquaintance”.

 

[noarmadillos]

well, my closest argentine friends are also my my bandmates...and yes, I think we would probably take bullets for each other, or move bodies...whatever the case may be.

I've just never heard this idea of porteños sticking to their own. But my mates are mainly from San Isidro, San Miguel, and Los Polvorines, so maybe they don't qualify as "porteños"...they've definitely expressed displeasure at the label.

Then again, the owner of my apartment building is a definite porteño - and one of my best friends here! And I'm pretty aware of what qualifies as "friendship."

meh. I agree with Barney, although I don't understand why he keeps emphasizing THE in his posts.

 

[ameliamcg]

Woah. Tough crowd.
I have only been here since Feb of this year and have been told by many of (THE) locals/my friends/porteños that it is not common. I am only going by what they say, really, what the hell do I know!
I would say that half of my local friends are acquaintances but the other half I would absolutely call them friends, very good friends in fact, for reasons I will keep to myself.
They have helped me move, if that makes a difference. (no bodies, not yet at least)
I don't speak the language very well and making friends with "THE" locals is very important to me.
Just thought I would share my story and thank you for sharing yours.

 

[weltawelta]

A friend will help you move.
A good friend will help you move a body.

Will your BA friends do either?

We often mix up “friend” and “acquaintance”.

Really? Maybe children mix up 'friend' and 'acquaintance', but I'm pretty sure adults have a good grasp on it. Although I don't think the thread was about 'Are my friends sincere?'

 

[legilber]

I think that being friends with porteños is like opening up christmas presents. Let me explain: When you first open a gift you´re excited with its novelty. Its new and sparkly and you want to use it all the time. Then the novelty wears off and you forget about it.

I feel the same way with my porteña friends. It was really cool to tell everyone that they had a foreigner friend and to try to speak in English. Then my novelty wore off and our friendships evaporated. I think a lot of it had to do with the odd way they always made everything a competition. Or it could have been they couldn´t make fun of me much after I learned all the trash talk.

I was just saying today that I´ll be leaving here with three great girlfriends: An aussie, a salteña and a girl from provincia.

I`m´not saying their not your friends, I´m just saying to give it a year. Wish that we could, we cant all live in the first semester of college. Friends change and you move on.

I swear this didn´t seem so depressing in my head!!!

 

[ameliamcg]

I think that being friends with porteños is like opening up christmas presents. Let me explain: When you first open a gift you´re excited with its novelty. Its new and sparkly and you want to use it all the time. Then the novelty wears off and you forget about it.

I feel the same way with my porteña friends. It was really cool to tell everyone that they had a foreigner friend and to try to speak in English. Then my novelty wore off and our friendships evaporated. I think a lot of it had to do with the odd way they always made everything a competition. Or it could have been they couldn´t make fun of me much after I learned all the trash talk.

I was just saying today that I´ll be leaving here with three great girlfriends: An aussie, a salteña and a girl from provincia.

I`m´not saying their not your friends, I´m just saying to give it a year. Wish that we could, we cant all live in the first semester of college. Friends change and you move on.

I swear this didn´t seem so depressing in my head!!!

I think I'm on a different wave length here. I am an adult, waaaaay past college age and I choose my friends because they are sincere, kind, honest and would help me if I need it (and they have) as I would help them.
I would never be friends or even pretend to be friends or acquaintance for that matter, with people who would talk down to me, are cruel to me because I don't speak the language, insult me and make me feel like crap. What's the point?!?!
That sucks that you have found yourself associating with jerks who sound like catty young girls. I think that has a lot to do with maturity or lack there of on their part.
Why does it seem so far fetched that I could find a handful of amazing porteño amigos?

 

[citygirl]

I think it's great that you have found friends. Most friendships here between porteños are very long-term friendships - usually they have been mates since childhood/high school. So they are usually pretty insular and unless you date/marry into a group of friends, it's not super common to develop true friendships between foreigners and locals, especially quickly.

That being said, it certainly can happen. And if you have been invited to their homes and introduced to their families, it is definitely friendship, not being accquaintances.

Congrats on having such a great experience.

FWIW - after a few years here - I have a huge number of accquaintances, a much smaller number of friends and of those friends, I'd say most are porteños or those who are now residents here.