Expats not happy, why stay?

[zingara]

One of my first experiences in the USA: I had to attend a funeral and someone from my new acquired American family not even knowing my name but only my geographical origin asked me if in Argentina we all sat on dirt while eating ... what the *!#@! That was my welcome to America: Mitchell, SD
Fortunatelly, I had the opportunity to experience life in many other cities of the USA so I learned not to judge all of America based on my experience in one city within a particular social group. I say this because I think some of you living in Argentina might have been as unlucky as I was to start your experience living in Argentina among the wrong people.

 

[Matt84]

One of my first experiences in the USA: I had to attend a funeral and someone from my new acquired American family not even knowing my name but only my geographical origin asked me if in Argentina we all sat on dirt while eating ... what the *!#@! That was my welcome to America: Mitchell, SD
Fortunatelly, I had the opportunity to experience life in many other cities of the USA so I learned not to judge all of America based on my experience in one city within a particular social group. I say this because I think some of you living in Argentina might have been as unlucky as I was to start your experience living in Argentina among the wrong people.

well to be fair people do sit on the pachamama while eating in regions of Argentina analogous to South Dakota.

 

[Crema Americana]

LOL I sent my brother and his wife a picture of our Sunday asado on the typical Argentine parilla in the quincho... and my sister in law asked if we have a stove.

My fiance's reaction: "WTF. Piensa que somos unos indios!"

 

[waldo_jeffers]

I am grateful I found a place to vent. It seems that as a foreigner you do not have the right to complain without getting a reply in the lines of the subject of this post. "If you do not like, leave"

Sorry, but that is called xenophobia.

As a resident, who pays and lives here on a daily basis I should have the right to complaint if I don't like something or if you feel you are being treated differently.

I love BA and I love Argentina but sometimes I do feel argies believe they are better than you which leads me to question why are they usually so unhappy and bitchy with their own country.

I'm sorry but I won't leave and bitch if I want to!

 

[steveinbsas]

I wonder if anyone noticed that the individual who started this thread is apparently long gone...in spite of the fact that he had a beautiful property in Argentina...with a high resale value...at least before the volcano changed everything.

I think he got out before then but I'm not sure if he sold his property.

 

[mini]

I wonder if anyone noticed that the individual who started this thread is apparently long gone...in spite of the fact that he had a beautiful property in Argentina...with a high resale value...at least before the volcano changed everything.

I think he got out before then but I'm not sure if he sold his property.

Oh. The irony.

But really most* of the people who pass through this site are going to leave eventually whether it's 1 month or 10 years. It's the nature of this kind of site.


*yes, most, not all.

 

[steveinbsas]

Given the popularity if the new thread about expats leaving Argentina I though this thread deserved a revisit. as this is not a new topic of discussion.

I just read the first six pages...what a trip down memory lane!

There are a number of expats who contributed in this discussion that are long gone...and sincerely missed...


...as well as a few that aren't.

 

[Pensador]

By the end of the day yesterday I was ready to roll again. Sorta went like this...

Wife goes to bank 10 $ ATM Fee. That is just criminal in my thinking they make it legal who needs moto choros when we have the Banksters they will rip me off ton in a year now.
I go to the Polleria all the prices are up around 8% for like the 3rd time in months.
Trying to buy a monster laptop for my work massive amount of money and a one week head ache.
Go shopping for quality summer apparel to handle the heat and get a migraine from sticker shock.

:huh:

Much calmer today as I just stayed in the house writing code which is very relaxing for me. With the exception of the noise from remolding this place. And the local family construction guys who thought they should paint my new parilla without even asking anyone and my wife going on them and then watching them to use sand paper to get the fresh paint off my parilla. :wacko:

 

[calray]

I purchased my place 12 years ago after having done business here for a few years. I was exporting Antiques to California, in the beginning everything was very cheap and the cost of shipping was affordable. I loved being here and enjoyed everything about the city. After several years the prices of everything I was buying kept going up and up. It reached a point (4-5 years ago) where it was no longer a bargain to buy Antiques. It was no longer to have much (if any) profit on what I was exporting, as things became more expensive in Argentina, the cost of shipping, customs, brokerage. . . in the U.S. costs also became more expensive. Sadly I sold my place in SanTelmo and will be finished with the very complicated process in the coming weeks. I never posted to many things on this post due to so much negativity and hostility. Best wishes for all of you now and in the coming year.

 

[julian63]

I first lived in BA for 8 months in 1975/76. Got out 2 months before Videla ousted Isabelita. Visited frequently after Alfonsin got in (1983) until 2001 when I lived here again for about 8 months. Expatted to Rio de Janeiro in 2003 and bought an apt in BA in 2008 while living n Rio. Visits to BA became more frequent and of longer duration. Finally married a Portena this year and owing to her family ties will spend substantial blocks of time here (and in Miami) until the end or I divorce - whichever comes first.

Over all those years I have observed that visitors and expats are pretty much able to easily overlook the negatives of BA when the cost of living is ridiculously low as it has often been over the decades. One can forgive the arrogance of some locals, the rudeness of some drivers, the cracks and dog poop on the sidewalks, and the dysfunctionality of the legal system when, at the end of the day (every day), one can enjoy a sumptuous dinner in a nice restaurant for $5 - as was often the case until just the past few years. It also makes life kind of fun to have a part time maid for less than $3/hour or to cab it almost anywhere for a small fraction of what it would cost stateside.

However, now that the cost of living has increased to be near that of western capital cities (like Miami for example), new expats tend to become disillusioned and tend to look for greener pastures.The negatives in BA still exist (along with inescapable difficulty of adapting to any new culture and language), but the fun parts are seriously diminished. Even tourism is way down as reflected in the relative inactivity of BA in travel forums like tripadvisor. In short, money may not guarantee happiness, but it sure helps one to feel happy when one feels well off compared to their economic well being or lack thereof in the place of their origin.

p.s. Steve, enjoy your posts, but don't you think it is time to change your photo?