How many of you want to leave Bs As?

[Driftline]

Hi Ashley, good blog. I think Brits love to be miserable in their own country but want to be happy other places. I once read on a Turkish expat forum an English woman complaining that she didn't have enough funds to stay in Turkey so had to go home. She said the thought of going back to England filled her with so much horror she vomited on her keyboard.

As a sidenote: this forum is great. I want to say thanks so much to all the folks giving their honest opinions about Argentina. I'm 26 yr old single dude who likes to drink, smoke, party, and oggle women. Seems like in Argentina you can do that to your hearts content. In the States, the blue laws are a huge pain the ass (especially in Oklahoma). If you drink one beer and/or smoke one cigarette every other day, people think you've got a problem. And if you check out a nice woman's cleavage, you're a pervert. In Argentina, drinking, smoking, partying, and oggling are a way of life. Sweet!

Plus, the conversations you folks have are wonderful. Why is it that the expat forums always have the best conversations? I'm serious. I've been on expat forums for Russia, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, etc. and expats always have the liveliest conversations of any internet forums. Keep it up. I'm enjoying it to no end.

 

[jb5]

I'm always amazed that posts about disliking Argentina get way more posts than any other topics.

I wonder if many posting would be happy anywhere right now? I'm seeing young American college grads anxious to get a job in LAM because the pickings at home are slim. I imagine it's similar in Europe.

I think it would get old living here on a en negro teacher's salary or similar.

It's tough for anyone living on a budget in BA. But it is everywhere.

When we were first house hunting I was always shocked by the amount of space in many apartments and houses dedicated to servant's rooms. Many larger, older apartments have 3 maids rooms! I soon came to understand that lots of help was the way better off Argentine's dealt with the hellish lines and other inconveniences.

IMO, Baires is a great city taken in doses. Just the fact that everything is delivered! Expats able to visit their home countries frequently, travel and live well in the city seem happy.

Any of you out there?

 

[citygirl]

Expats able to visit their home countries frequently, travel and live well in the city seem happy.

Any of you out there?

I'd say I'm one. I like Argentina, I love my life here (which is more about the people than the place). There are lots of things I enjoy - the asados, the wine, the kisses from the waiters when I stop in my local cafe, the fact that I have horses here, the hours you spend just talking with friends, the fernet etc.. I am quite happy, much more happy than unhappy.

I don't think however that liking a place doesn't mean you don't recognize the challenges in it. I lived in NYC for 10 years. I was happy there (for most of it). However, my happiness didn't mean I couldn't understand the challenges - long hours, expensive everything, tiny apts, terrible traffic. And I totally understood (and was not threatened by) the fact that many people I knew left the city for those or other reasons.

I feel the same way about Argentina. Of course if someone just sits around and complains non-stop about Buenos Aires and is always miserable, I find it boring, tacky and my answer is always the same - If you are so unhappy, you should find a new place where you would be happier. However, among many of my friends who have left, it's not like they hate it here. They enjoyed their time here but have left or are planning on leaving b/c of x, y or z. Which again, is totally understandable to me. It doesn't change my desire to stay.

 

[citymike]

I can't imagine going back to a summer diet of dripping Mr Whippies! How many flavour choices are there?...three?

Ashley, when did you leave the UK? The country you describe in this and your previous post on the matter may have been true in the 1970s but not today. Shops, including many large supermarkets, will generally stay open until 10pm, some smaller ones even later. Pubs will serve a basic but decent meal with a pint for 5 or 6 quid, and they stay open a lot later these days, some open at 9am for the breakfast trade.

As well as progress on the variety of flavours in ice cream we also have a much greater variety of food from which we can choose. I used to live within walking distance of restaurants serving food from India, Jamaica, China, Italy, Somalia, Korea, Vietnam, Greece, Turky as well as 2 types of US fast food and of course a couple of greasy spoons!! I probably left some out, there were so many.

 

[mhenna11]

I am not hanging out with any expats, at all. I hang out with most of my husband's friends and people I have met through my classes (yoga, martial arts, reiki) and they are really nice people. Argentine's are okay, but when I don't get along with them I think it's me. I have been living in Brooklyn for most of my life and I think I am a little jaded. Argentine's are very focused people, I found. They learn one craft, dedicate themselves to this one subject and learn it so well. When they see a person like me who does a lot of things, and does not have one focus but many, they seem a little turned off, but they are cool with helping me find one focus, though. I love them for that.They don't mess around when it comes to their career and family life, life here is competitive and tough. There is a fight to get into college, to get the best teacher, a fight for the best job, the best apartment, a fight to get in the subway,a fight to earn money. It's a struggle. Even the upper class here, although it may not look like it, struggle. I have 3 that I can say are my good good friends from here. They are unconventional and creative, and I know there are more out there. My poor friend, she is having a tough time being here, she feels many of her friends judge her for not having children and for not a leading traditional life like them, it's her age group, the area she lives in, and other factors. Many things apply to the type of people we come across in this city. The class gap is so big, and so obvious, not like in NY where,we all lived together, of course that has now changed ,too. We are both so use to living in NYC , free to be who we wanted, whether we were bums, or corporate people,nobody cared, it was nobody's business. Here people care in a weird way, and they get uncomfortable with the difference. But would I go back to the States? no, not yet, it's my 8th month here. I want to learn to live here, learn Spanish and adopt this place as my new home because America is changing . Although this place sucks at times, I feel more hopeful here than in my country. All the people here may not embrace me, but why should they? I have to learn to embrace and accept them. I do appreciate the honesty in this forum.It is brave of you guys to be this honest. Keep it up.

 

[Ashley]

Ashley, when did you leave the UK? The country you describe in this and your previous post on the matter may have been true in the 1970s but not today. Shops, including many large supermarkets, will generally stay open until 10pm, some smaller ones even later. Pubs will serve a basic but decent meal with a pint for 5 or 6 quid, and they stay open a lot later these days, some open at 9am for the breakfast trade.

As well as progress on the variety of flavours in ice cream we also have a much greater variety of food from which we can choose. I used to live within walking distance of restaurants serving food from India, Jamaica, China, Italy, Somalia, Korea, Vietnam, Greece, Turky as well as 2 types of US fast food and of course a couple of greasy spoons!! I probably left some out, there were so many.

Well, I was back there in March (and last lived there any length of time in 2006) and I have to say, it was exactly how I described it.
Where my family is from (half Portsmouth and half in Guildford) the shops close between 5:30 and 6:00. Yes, you can go to a supermarket...but not to do any other kind of shopping. The cafes within striking distance all close at (I'm going to be generous) 7pm. There is even one that shuts up shop before 5!
When I went to university in London, obviously the number of ethnic restaurants within walking distance was massive (I lived in Haringey...by all the Turkish shops, etc). However, there still wasn't many local cafes open beyond 7/8ish and all of the shops closed before 7.
I think things are slightly better if you live near the centre of one of the big cities (London, Manchester, etc) but most of the population don't.
As far as ice-cream is concerned, I was referring to the ice-cream available at ice-cream shops. Yes, I can get a lot of hard, over-sugared varieties of the stuff at Tesco but as far as I'm aware, the only ice-cream shop in Portsmouth is a van and when I lived in London, the only ones I ever found were both ludicrously expensive and right in the middle of Leicester Square (which isn't really someone you go when you live in Haringey)!!
From what I can tell from my friends that live there now, there is a massive difference in standard of living between those that are young, single and living in London and those that have moved out of the city (and no longer have those kinds of choices). I do agree though, that food variety generally in the UK is massively superior to Argentina...wherever in the UK you live.

 

[citymike]

Where my family is from (half Portsmouth and half in Guildford) the shops close between 5:30 and 6:00. Yes, you can go to a supermarket...but not to do any other kind of shopping. The cafes within striking distance all close at (I'm going to be generous) 7pm. There is even one that shuts up shop before 5!

Is it the same outside of BsAs? I only know the capital.

When I went to university in London, obviously the number of ethnic restaurants within walking distance was massive (I lived in Haringey...by all the Turkish shops, etc). However, there still wasn't many local cafes open beyond 7/8ish and all of the shops closed before 7.

In Camberwell and Finsbury Park the Greek cafes would stay open later. Maybe that's a Greek thing.

As far as ice-cream is concerned, I was referring to the ice-cream available at ice-cream shops. Yes, I can get a lot of hard, over-sugared varieties of the stuff at Tesco but as far as I'm aware, the only ice-cream shop in Portsmouth is a van and when I lived in London, the only ones I ever found were both ludicrously expensive and right in the middle of Leicester Square (which isn't really someone you go when you live in Haringey)!!

I'll have to concede that the UK isn't that great when it comes to ice cream. Although my brother is an ice cream man and if you are ever in Manchester I could ask him to show you what he can do with a raspberry ripple

 

[eva_rgentina]

People have the right to complain. If you sit here reading the complaints and don't like them, don't read them.

"How many of you want to leave Bs As?" (thread title) = I do!

I find it comforting to read other people's experiences here. I don't know many other expats at the moment (suffering from the frequent turnover) and it's good to know I'm not entirely crazy for finding so many problems with this place.

People of course should also post what they love about it here, and frankly, I'd like to see more of that because I'm trying to find things to love about Bs As (not easy).

I came here looking for a new experience and stayed for love. It's hard, trying to find the personal balance and figure out what is most important! It seems a lot of you are in that situation too. (I'd say, the luckier are those whose partners want to leave! Mine's not leaving anytime soon.)

I'm from New York City. There are plenty of things to complain about there too. In fact, many are similar (crowds, traffic, cleanliness, expense, rudeness, etc.)
The problem is that Bs As has all of these problems and many many MANY more.

The only factors that make BsAs better (aside from my personal sitch):
-Men kissing on the cheek (always loved that) and their general lack of the need to prove that they're macho like American guys do
-Slightly less materialistic here. (Though as I've said, I think it's only for want of opportunity)
-Cheap good steak (though for the amount of steak I eat, I'd just as soon splurge once in a blue moon for a good steak)
-Good tomatoes

Mostly, I find it depressing how much POSSIBILITY there would be for Argentina, if people/the government would just get their shit together.

It's a huge, resource-rich country with the "political" will to spread wealth (AHEM). WHY does it suck? Corruption.

And sadly, I don't think that's going to change anytime soon.

 

[Aconcagua]

I agree with Withers....but the problem with that is every couple of years, your expat friends leave. I'm in the states about to return to BA tonight. The only thing I don't like about Buenos Aires is that I'm forced to live there because of international child custody issues. A word to the wise, if you're thinking of having your child in Argentina, be aware that if that relationship doesn't work out, you may find yourself stuck here.

Not to hijack the forum but can you explain in more detail the international custody issues you face in Argentina?