Expats not happy, why stay?

[soulskier]

Steve, we received our CDI well before our DNI, no problemos.

 

[steveinbsas]

Steve, we received our CDI well before our DNI, no problemos.

That's right, of course, but that wasn't the issue. I did not follow the corrrrrrrect sequence prescribed by the control freak I was dating...and paid in blood.

 

[HotYogaTeacher]

Hey Steve...

That was super. Useful, creative and juicy. Perhaps from it we can all gain a little insight into ourselves, and others we may encounter here...

Peace...

 

[steveinbsas]

HYT,

Glad you liked it (you aren't being a bit sarcastic?). Anyway, for additional (and even more useful) information on the subject, please find the "Argentine Women" and "Are all Argentine women..." threads. The hoards of single expat men will probably find them more useful, but you might be entertained as well.

If I relied on finding an Argentine women for my happiness here, I probably wouldn't have stayed very long.

I know that other foreign men (mostly from the US) have come here hoping to meet, date, and perhaps even have a relationship with an Argentine woman/girl. Several of them have posted how difficult it is to even get a date. Few Argentine women are interested in tourist men, and the few of us with residency aren't asked to meet the parents very often.

Steve

 

[jedard]

If we chose never to bitch nor complain, wouldn't that be like accepting things as they are and suggest to those who choose to protect and serve us that everything is just great.
For example I bitched about the growing number of idiots driving vehicles, motos and 4X4 here in my local. This apparently went on for years. No one wanted to complain. They were afraid to do so. That has been changed because I spoke up about the dangers of driving uninsured and not licensed.
I think it is good to voice ones objection to issues that are worthy of changing.
For me Argentina has a lot of bad faults. However it offers me everything I ever wanted in life. Its beauty is marvelous and the people are very friendly and unlike us from America (NA) don't seem to worry about the problems we created for ourselves.
Like I said to many in my country, If you do not like it , Please Leave!

 

[Italia311]

OK I have read what people are saying on here, and I find it very fascinating.

I just want to say Buenos Aires, like any other city is what you make of it.

I have been here for 2 years now, and the first 2 years were very difficult. And do you know why..... I made them difficult. In comparing things to where I have lived before... You don't have to be 60 years old to understand this...

I can't blame the city, or the people, or the dog poop, or anything else. it was me who chose to see things negatively.

And now I have peace here. I love this place, I love the dog poop(keeps you on your toes when walking down the street), and I love the dirtiness of the city(of which its not really that dirty compared to parts of Toronto, Vancouver, LA, where ever).
And I love the lack of things I could easily get at home...... makes it more challenging to cook, and more enjoyable.. use different recipies.....
It amazing how people come here and bitch they can't get peanut butter, or philly, or this or that.... you want it bring it in..... or go home.....
Besides most Argentine brands are amazing and have half of the crap in their ingredients..... simple .... good.... yummm...
Argentine food can be wonderfull. if you get bored of it , cook at home...... I think its simple, and sometimes i get frustrated, but IM NOT IN NORTH AMERICA ANYMORE.... Im here........hello...... leave Firdays... back home.....
I come from Canada, and everyone thinks its better. Well its the same here if not better.... In fact the bills are outrageously more expensive back home.

Getting a 25 peso bill for gas for 2 months, doesn't even compare to the $500 gas bills I got at home in Canada living in an old house every month.
Or running my air conditioner 24 hours a day and getting a 50 peso bill every 2 months, versus the $300 bill back home....

I don't make a lot of money here, but i am happy. I have money to do things I want to do...... It called I live the life of an Argentine( AN ex-pat argentine...tehehe). Took me 5 months to get a fridge... but it was worth it! I learned how to eat on a dime.... and cook everything fresh...
I love going to the Museums to check out the AMAZING Argentine Pieces of Art, to the wide array of global Art..... MOST ARE FREE
Free shows, plays, community gatherings..... more than i could find back home in Canada..

Canada is my home, but Argentina has my heart.

If you think the grass is going to be greener of the other side of the fence, your wrong, it has just as many weeds, smells the same and just as much dog shit....
This place is constant chaos, drama, ups downs, good bad, clean, dirty.... but to me its like any other big city in the world.
Argentina gives you the potential to grow and learn, and make a success of your self.

If anyone thinks they can come down here and conquer BsAs(Changing 40 million people's habits and customs) thinking your so rich or can do this because your not from here and you think you can do it better.... your wrong.....

And quite frankly, you think living in the United States or Canada right now is going to be better or safer.... your in for a rude awakening.......
Explain that to the 10's of thousands of people loosing guaranteed jobs every day... The world is going to experience what the Argentines have lived with forever..... They just do it with finesse here.... and a smile of their face..... weather you think it sucks here or not, is about your experience...... Everyone in life has a different experience.... That is what makes life so wonderfull........
No matter how much North Americans think we have it so bad, do some research on how they have lived here, the history and yet they still laugh make good wine, and great food. And will still invite you into their home even if it is just Mate and some cookies... which they bought with their last 10 pesos.. Just to have a chat with you...

And for people who say they are sooooooo spiritual... but have so many negative things to say........ Saying your spiritual, doesn't make you that way...... That fake it untill you make it or untill you believe in it doesn't work......
That peace comes from your heart...... and sole...

Explain that to the Millions of people here who live in the Villas and are 500times more happy then you. They are glad to have 1 light bulb in the house, and glad to wake up every day alive...... or get bread or have meat, or even eggs.... hell..... to not get shot.....
Slamming other people to make your self feel better is the opposite of spiritual... And writing horrible things about people in a blog or shaving your head in protest...... and sending photos of it is going to make you look like a sham...... fake.... and heartless..... Practice what you preach....... Karma is a bitch.....!!
Argentina rocks!
Now I'm off to yoga! All the best everyone!!!!!!!

I think most of what you said is bang on. But like most of the people here (myself included) we have the luxury of coming from a 1st world country with job training and education. Just see the face of an Argentine when the have lived abroad and return to Argentina. The grass is always greener on the otherside, I know so many people here that would rather be in Canada or USA.

I think people that come here and bitch didn't do enough research. Take it for what it is. Enjoy your time here, its an experience. You're NOT at HOME.

 

[sergio]

Italia, How do you know that the people in the villas are happy? Have you done a survey? Do you personally know these people? Have you lived in the villas? I've spoken to nuns and priests who have lived and worked in the villas. The impression I got was that the villa residents are far from happy. There are countless social / economic problems for these people. They do not live in a bubble unaware of the huge disparity in standard of living.

 

[HotYogaTeacher]

I'll never be sarcastic with you Steve, or we'll never deepen our friendship. If I say something nice, I mean it.

As an expert in the dating and relationship industry I am, though I shouldn't be, surprised when people think they will easily find love in another culture.
It is hard even when everyone shares language and cultural understanding of social cues, processes and desires. When you add the cultural differences it gets even easier to misunderstand things with your partner.

From what I've seen of Argentines they strongly value family and long standing relationships with friends. Given a foreigners lack of social adjustment I can imagine that finding one's way into that under-culture would be hard. For certain not impossible, but hard, and you may be dealing with the response to someone elses bad behavior. When other people from your home country come here and behave badly it reflects on everyone. This why there is a common understanding among South American men that American women are easy, and possibly it is also common for women in SA to believe that American men only want sex and can't be trusted, because a few have spoiled the image of all.

Sorry your experience was bad, but I must say, we've loonies in the states too~
Never give up, she's out there somewhere...

Peace...

 

[steveinbsas]

I'll never be sarcastic with you Steve, or we'll never deepen our friendship. If I say something nice, I mean it.

As an expert in the dating and relationship industry I am, though I shouldn't be, surprised when people think they will easily find love in another culture.
It is hard even when everyone shares language and cultural understanding of social cues, processes and desires. When you add the cultural differences it gets even easier to misunderstand things with your partner.

From what I've seen of Argentines they strongly value family and long standing relationships with friends. Given a foreigners lack of social adjustment I can imagine that finding one's way into that under-culture would be hard. For certain not impossible, but hard, and you may be dealing with the response to someone elses bad behavior. When other people from your home country come here and behave badly it reflects on everyone. This why there is a common understanding among South American men that American women are easy, and possibly it is also common for women in SA to believe that American men only want sex and can't be trusted, because a few have spoiled the image of all.

Sorry your experience was bad, but I must say, we've loonies in the states too~
Never give up, she's out there somewhere...

Peace...

In response to what you posted above (this is going to be a generalization), men and women can be easy when they are in a foreign country or just on vacation in their own country.

I know this from lots of experience. I have lived in resort communities in the US and Mexico since I was 25 with the exception of 8 years in Chicago (1993-2000).

Others on this forum have posted about the hysterics of Argentine women that are considered to be acceptable here.

I do find it disturbing that dating and relationships have become an industry (in the US/ not so much in Argentina).

 

[Italia311]

Italia, How do you know that the people in the villas are happy? Have you done a survey? Do you personally know these people? Have you lived in the villas? I've spoken to nuns and priests who have lived and worked in the villas. The impression I got was that the villa residents are far from happy. There are countless social / economic problems for these people. They do not live in a bubble unaware of the huge disparity in standard of living.

I wasn't speaking specifically on the life in a villa...if I was...I would have mentioned it. Do I personally know these people? No. Have I had encounters with these people and live around them...yes. I don't want to generalise here but unlike most people in this forum I don't live in or even around BsAs, my experience of Argentina is totally different.