How many of you want to leave Bs As?

[scotttswan]

This is spot-on! I have plenty of complaints about living in Buenos Aires (as I'm sure I would wherever I lived) but the thought of having to go back to the UK where EVERYONE SHUTS UP SHOP AT 5.30pm and where the only cheap entertainment is a packet of pork scratchin's at Weatherspoons, sends shivers down my spine!

try ordering an ice cream delivery in the uk too!

 

[Gringoboy]

How does one "liked" in the UK?

I visited once (for a week), but I didn't like it.

Just curious. Why didn't you like the UK Steve?

 

[fvrconst]

salaries are low, everything else is expensive - how can you live like this?
Anyhow, I could write a book about why i dislike BA and the only reason I am here is my husband....and how I have opened his eyes and made him realize that there are better things out there and a better living situation.

I call this deep bullshit and the "usual US people bitching".

I came from a much poorer country than the US, yet I still able to see and live that the prices are much lower here than in my country. Yes, salaries are lower but the average cost of living is lower as well.

And those people who are from the US - if you had saved up money before you come here + you don't live a more expensive life (and I may even add, if you work here, so have income as well, not just live up the money)...then I in this bloody life cannot imagine how could you live worse here than in US.

Empty cries without any sense or background of reality.

Please, save the world and do not - I repeat - do not write that book because it won't do any good and you'll just make a fool of yourself.

 

[fvrconst]

Really and truly BsAs is not a horrible city, but it doesn't even come close to stacking up to life in the US.

Jeez man. Everyone knows that US is the center of the Universe and the bestest of all the bestest places on this planet, but come on: don't you think you shouldn't compare it to any other country - but measure that country in itself, with its own history, culture, nature, landscape, economy, ecetera?

Just thinking...

 

[citygirl]

You bring up an interesting point Lee. IMO, if you're attracted to restaurants like Kansas, BA probably isn't your town. It's the most corporate American restaurant I've seen in BA.

I think those that will last here are most likely to be searching out the city's best choripan, bandiola and the parillas with no tourists!

Mmmmm...given that 90% of the clientele of the Kansases (Pilar, San Isidro y Cap Fed) are porteños and all three restaurants are full every day - I hardly think liking Kansas means Bs As isn't your type of town

Back to some posts raving about BsAs - I get the impression from some of those posters that money is not an issue. And yes, I absolutely agree that if you have the money and ability to insulate yourself from many of the challenges of living here, it's an entirely different experience!

Again - I am very happy here and I don't have any plans to leave. I have built a life here and while I've had my struggles, I've not regretted it. But I think it's equally as naive to say that BsAs is an easy place to live as it is ignorant to say BsAs is the worst place to live.

Tis my experience that about 90% of my expat friends have left, the majority of the remaing % are making plans to leave or at least split time btwn here & home and only a small handful will stay.

 

[Driftline]

I'm not an expat. I was a college foreign exchange student who lived a few months in Buenos Aires back in '07 and loved it!

But I plan on moving there some day soon. Funny thing I noticed: Brits are usually the most cheerful expats of any place. I've met many in places here in the States like Portland, OR., Oklahoma City, OK., NYC, etc. and they virtually all of them seem to trash-talk their life back in the U.K.

I've always hated living here in Oklahoma City, but my Brummie neighbor sometimes gets vexed when I moan about how crappy it is here.

Plus, I've been looking at expat sites about expats in various Latin American countries that I want to move to, and it's always the Brits who are the most cheerful. British expats generally talk about how terrible life in the UK is. Is it really that bad?

While other expats will moan about a particular place, Brits will be happy as if they've died and woke up in paradise. Again, is the UK really that bad?

Sorry to get a bit off-topic. On topic: thanks for the real posts about the negatives of Buenos Aires. I was thinking it would be mostly positive.

 

[CarverFan]

The weather is what Brits hate about UK. That and the weather. Oh, and did I mention the weather? And there's no air-con so no one could handle a heatwave anyway, we don't even have hope that we'll ever need it.

 

[fvrconst]

But the problems that are here are not just felt by foreigners (which many people seem to be implying). The locals here complain about the lack of security. The locals complain about inflation. The locals complain about the low salaries. The locals complain about how hard it is to own a business.

I don't know how many countries you lived in - or spent more time - but so far by my experience locals always complain. This is for sure I see from my own country to all countries I lived in. Thus I don't see this if it could be used as any tool of measurement.

Locals complain because they know their country the best.
Locals complain because they may or may not have to realize and see other countries - to notice "their homes ain't built of sugar either" (whatever the media suggests).

I have no problem with complaints - how the heck would anything change then? But my personal approach is simple as expat - and braking down to a world traveller: immerse in the country and respect whatever you finds there. I'm doing this stronger when I know, the country I'm in is not as wealthy as my home - or any "better" - country.

Life and people are not bad - drawing the Ultimate One-and-All Conclusion, spreading stereotypes and generalization based on a few of your personal bad experience or "what others complained" is only childish and I assume people here are adult enough. (this isn't related to you va2ba, just into the air)

 

[Ashley]

try ordering an ice cream delivery in the uk too!

Funnily enough, I know of two separate incidents where a British child was run over by an ice-cream van! I can't imagine going back to a summer diet of dripping Mr Whippies! How many flavour choices are there?...three?

 

[Ashley]

I'm not an expat. I was a college foreign exchange student who lived a few months in Buenos Aires back in '07 and loved it!

But I plan on moving there some day soon. Funny thing I noticed: Brits are usually the most cheerful expats of any place. I've met many in places here in the States like Portland, OR., Oklahoma City, OK., NYC, etc. and they virtually all of them seem to trash-talk their life back in the U.K.

I've always hated living here in Oklahoma City, but my Brummie neighbor sometimes gets vexed when I moan about how crappy it is here.

Plus, I've been looking at expat sites about expats in various Latin American countries that I want to move to, and it's always the Brits who are the most cheerful. British expats generally talk about how terrible life in the UK is. Is it really that bad?

While other expats will moan about a particular place, Brits will be happy as if they've died and woke up in paradise. Again, is the UK really that bad?

Sorry to get a bit off-topic. On topic: thanks for the real posts about the negatives of Buenos Aires. I was thinking it would be mostly positive.

British people actually secretly enjoy misery! I'd shudder at the thought of being described as cheerful!
Ashley
(You might want to check out my new blog which explores the British psyche in considerable detail www.elquenosaltaesuningles.com)