hello, just joined the forum

[Andrew44]

Hi, my name is Andrew.
I am 32 years old, currently living in Montana and lm looking for a major life change. I have been thinking for some time about leaving the states and I keep thinking about Argentina. I have specifically been thinking of the Tierra del Fuego area. I do not have computer or online based job so I would have to find work once in Argentina. how difficult is it to find work? I currently work in a hospital doing maintenance. I can do electrical work, carpentry, plumbing, manufacturing, any of those things like that, but I would take it as a guess that it is not difficult to find good, "handy" workers like that.

what about tourism? is it really dead? I have been toying around with the notion of getting into the tourism business.
just some thinking out loud.

thanks for reading.

 

[jblaze5779]

Your chances of getting a work visa for maintenance work in building is essentially zero. On top of that, with what people get paid here you probably won't find it worth it to do work while you're here. Working for pesos also really sucks.

If you want to explore Arg, take some time off work and just be a tourist. Good luck

 

[sts7049]

welcome aboard.

first off, have you ever visited argentina? i would also suggest you spend time here first in the area you want to live, or any part of the country, and learn some of the challenges first.

 

[TWB103]

Considerations -
1-legal - Can you get a visa?
2-economical - You'll need much deeper funds than you think
3-emotional - Looking for adventure or running away?

First thing I would do if I were you is spend ALOT of time on this forum reading post after post going back years. You'll soon see common themes and get a good idea of what would be in store.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

How’s your Spanish?…

 

[dilmah]

there is a reason why so many people are flocking to the US from all around the world.
A person without wealthy family and connections can earn much more in the US compared to Argentina.

Temporarily moving to Argentina might make sense to obtain quality university education for free.

 

[Kula]

Hi, my name is Andrew.
I am 32 years old, currently living in Montana and lm looking for a major life change. I have been thinking for some time about leaving the states and I keep thinking about Argentina. I have specifically been thinking of the Tierra del Fuego area. I do not have computer or online based job so I would have to find work once in Argentina. how difficult is it to find work? I currently work in a hospital doing maintenance. I can do electrical work, carpentry, plumbing, manufacturing, any of those things like that, but I would take it as a guess that it is not difficult to find good, "handy" workers like that.

what about tourism? is it really dead? I have been toying around with the notion of getting into the tourism business.
just some thinking out loud.

thanks for reading.

Ok,
1) you can find a job only en negro
2) you will be paid 1 $us dollar per hour
3) but many people can live with it, so you can too

Hands always needed in Mendoza during season. There is also some work with animals in the south too. You just go and ask all the fincas you see do they need your hands.
Or start your own.

 

[Newman_ZA]

Hi @Andrew44 Welcome!

I will reiterate what has been said here. Visit the areas you would be interested in before a move. Read what people have said in the forums. Its never as bad as it seems and its never as good as it seems. The truth is usually somewhere in between. Perceptions will also be different based on your background and where you are from.

Mendoza is really a beautiful place. Really a beautiful place. We moved here a few months back now and are enjoying it but we came from a third world country to here so the adjustment has not been that bad.

You may be able to find work here but it may not be legal as others have said. It will be low paying and manual labour. There is a lot of work to do in season when picking grapes and olives. You will however, be competing against seasoned Bolivians and low skilled workers who come through seasonally and work here. You will need to have a strong knowledge of Spanish as most people in the agriculture industry won't speak English.

Why am I suggesting the agriculture industry? Its a low barrier to entry (based on your skills) and its one of the most developed industries in Argentina.

Good luck and enjoy

 

[Caribbean Cool]

Hi, my name is Andrew.
I am 32 years old, currently living in Montana and lm looking for a major life change. I have been thinking for some time about leaving the states and I keep thinking about Argentina. I have specifically been thinking of the Tierra del Fuego area. I do not have computer or online based job so I would have to find work once in Argentina. how difficult is it to find work? I currently work in a hospital doing maintenance. I can do electrical work, carpentry, plumbing, manufacturing, any of those things like that, but I would take it as a guess that it is not difficult to find good, "handy" workers like that.

what about tourism? is it really dead? I have been toying around with the notion of getting into the tourism business.
just some thinking out loud.

thanks for reading.

It is hard to accept...hard to get your head around the reality....you will NEVER find work here and probably you cannot support yourself in Argentina. All your skills are replicated here for what you would consider pennies on the dollar.

 

[Redpossum]

Don't do it, bro.
You must have an income stream from outside the country, in some hard currency, preferably USD, GBP, or Euros.

I understand your desire to escape the madhouse; it's what brought me here. But if I didn't have my Social Security, I'd be bound for what Ozzieman calls "Destination F". I scraped by through teaching EFL online for the last 3 years before retirement, but I was living on half of what most expats on this board have declared to be their minimum - I was making 500-600 USD per month, and most of the more posh members of this community have said you need 1200 minimum.

On the other hand, there is a certain element of "get out while you can". I understand. You have my deepest and most sincere sympathies.

Now, here in Buenos Aires, you might get handyman work. I for one could really use a reliable ENGLISH-SPEAKING all around handyman with American standards of work ethics from time to time, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. The standards of workmanship here can be just infuriatingly sloppy. If you can sell yourself, and do the glad-handing self-promotion necessary, that might be a route. If you can also establish some small income from abroad. Maybe YouTube? "American Handyman in Argentina" ?

Or you could take a TEFL certification course and try the online teaching thing. It's hard to make enough to live on, and getting harder, but it is income. There are a bunch of sites - Palfish, Preply, BlingABC, and Cambly are four you could start with, but I'd get started doing that before you leave the USA. Check Reddit to learn more.

But Tierra del Fuego? No, not happening. Think -30c in the winter; that's 22 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Brrrrr!

I do sincerely wish you the very best of luck. Argentina has been a lifesaver for me, in the very most literal sense, and I have come to love this country with an absolute passion, despite all its problems.

***EDIT***
You know the old "white to silver, black to gold" rule of wiring? Uh uh. Here the line is brown, and the neutral is blue. Ground can be either yellow, green, green-and-yellow, or even white in some older installations. Yeah. And there's no color coding to the screws. You have to look for a tiny L or N embossed into the plastic.