Help...I Loathe Buenos Aires and I'm Stuck Here.

[Napoleon]

Assuming that you are a dude this might help with your situation:

Link

More effective than medical marijuana.

 

[Gadget]

Walk through the reserve, run around Palermo Lakes, eat some ice cream or a hamburguesa completa(!), join a volunteer organization, take a class, take the tren de la costa, observe the architecture, enjoy the colors, be content in the fact that you are not bored and you are challenging yourself by immersing yourself in another culture. Your time left here can be beneficial in learning how to see the good in everything/everywhere/everyone. I believe there is. Try smiling as you walk through the crowded sidewalks; almost immediately Buenos Aires will seem like home away from home.

 

[ghost]

Count your days. You are not alone, however most folks on this forum like BA for their own reasons. Those reasons will never be yours no matter how hard people try to convince you that the city is great. Soooo, if it doesn't fit bide your time and go happy.

 

[ellbee]

i think you are entitled to your opinion and i feel your frustration. i am here cause its and it will take forever for my husband to get his green card, therefore, i had to move to BA for a while so we wont waste any time apart. I am trying really hard to accept this city but the more i spend time in BA, the more I dislike it.

And the sad part is that every single argentinean that i have spoken to tells me that my husband and i are dumb for staying here. we should leave and look for a better life cause they would do it in an instance.
we cant at the moment because we need to file the papers but once we do, we outta here!!

so yes, you are not alone, even the locals detest the way the government works, inflation etc. if they had the money, they would leave this country.

Before anything, I'd like to make it clear that what follows is just an opinion.

I've lived here for about 9 months and my "prison sentence" ends in December. I didn't like the city when I first arrived, but I really thought that it would grow on me by now. The opposite is the case. Even if I ignore the crumbling infrastructure, high rate of thievery, rampant government corruption, ridiculous cost of living, and the insane rate of inflation, does this city have anything to offer other than the superficial? You know...the restaurants, clubs, stores, and trinket fairs? Anything relevant? Tango? Really? I've traveled through some of the country and continent and I've really enjoyed what I've experienced; however, I'm really disappointed with Buenos Aires. I know that there are many of you who do not agree with how I feel and I am not writing to insult you. I'm here until December and I'd like to make the best of it. Can someone please talk me into liking or being ok with this city? Thanks.

 

[citygirl]

I'll bite. Assuming you're not here running a business or doing your paperwork for residency (two valid reasons to have an awful time in BsAs ) I would have to questions exactly what is so bad about BsAs. It's a city. There are approximately 3872618 things to do here every day. As far as does this city have anything relevant to offer - the answer, as obvious as it may be, is of course. Do you like art? Get involved in the art scene here. Dance? Ditto. Theater - lots of that going on. Or take one of the zillion classes offered here - learn a new hobby. Calligraphy? Painting? Knitting? Cooking? Take a class, practice your spanish, do architecture tours, etc, etc. Seriously - if you are bored in Buenos Aires, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

 

[texxaslonghorn]

I agree with the post about having a support network, or, at the least, some friends to hang out with.

I honestly dodn't know how one would make said friends being all alone in a foreign city, but I bet it can be done. I'm lucky that my wife has several brothers and sisters close to my age--that makes BA soooooooooooo much easier for me.

If you find it too hard to make local friends, maybe you can go to El Alamo or some other expat bar and just strike up a conversation?

 

[syngirl]

I agree with the post about having a support network, or, at the least, some friends to hang out with.

I honestly dodn't know how one would make said friends being all alone in a foreign city, but I bet it can be done. I'm lucky that my wife has several brothers and sisters close to my age--that makes BA soooooooooooo much easier for me.

If you find it too hard to make local friends, maybe you can go to El Alamo or some other expat bar and just strike up a conversation?

Yes friends network would help, however my advice is that "I'm miserably unhappy, hate Buenos Aires and feel that my llife is a prison sentence" is not the conversation opener to go with!

There are loads of different expat events, wine tastings, friday night drinks etc etc -- you just have to start going through the forums etc to find some.

If you're really stuck here for 6 more months then you have to force yourself to change your attitude as well, get involved in different activities and make the most of it. Otherwise you'll just get more and more miserable, and then no one will want to hang out with you!

I lived in Boston for 18 mos while doing my Masters -- I was miserable -- the city was not the issue though -- I just hated the programme I was in and didn't really connect with anyone in it (made worse by the fact that it was a really small group of people) -- I only had a student visa for the USA so work opportunities were limited, but still I got myself an internship 3 days a week, worked on campus, got into a bunch of different extra curriculars etc -- it still wasn't the best time of my life but I made the most of it and can look back and know that even though I was miserable a lot of the time I was there, I really did make sure to get as much as possible out of the experience (and would love to go back to the city for a visit, it really is a great town).

 

[Amargo]

so yes, you are not alone, even the locals detest the way the government works, inflation etc. if they had the money, they would leave this country.

In theory...but most would give up anyways before trying it...and a vast number would soon start complaining about the new home and would return home after some months. Not that they will find everything in Argentina was better than in their new home countries, but they would start realising the good things they left when leaving Argentina + family+friends+food (oh yes) etc.
This is normal among all nationalities I came across. The number one reason for staying long term in a newly adopted country is forming a family there/ marrying a local.

 

[BAFinance]

If you dislike life here so much, leave. The last thing BA needs is another bitching expat!