How many of you want to leave Bs As?

[PastPerfect]

I'm neither joking about the location or the inability to sleep at night. When I visited the girl in the apartment above me we often laughed at the fact that we could tell if passengers in the train were reading the Sun Times versus the Tribune (at least from her window).

My store was (almost) on the corner. Last time I checked a 3D map it was a real estate office.

It is indeed a real estate office and I lived above it. Did you live in that building?

 

[steveinbsas]

It is indeed a real estate office and I lived above it. Did you live in that building?

Yes, I had a double storefront on the ground level (on Grace) with an "apartment" in the back on one side (closest to the EL). At the time there was a dry cleaner on the corner.


My original landlord was from Puerto Rico. He lived just around the corner on Wilton. He was a terrific guy. While I was there his ex-wife got the building in a divorce settlement. I think the name of the man who ran the management company after that was R. Martinez.

If you think that's am amazing coincidence, consider this:

From 1994-1995 I lived at 1310 W Grace Street. Within a week of my arrival in BA in 2006 I met my first (and last) Argentine girlfriend.

A few years prior to that she was teaching Tango in BA, met a guy from Chicago, and went to live with him at 1401 West Grace Street.

I'm not sure who was cursed.

 

[PastPerfect]

Yes, I had a double storefront on the ground level (on Grace) with an "apartment" in the back on one side (closest to the EL). At the time there was a dry cleaner on the corner.


My original landlord was from Puerto Rico. He lived just around the corner on Wilton. He was a terrific guy. While I was there his ex-wife got the building in a divorce settlement. I think the name of the man who ran the management company after that was R. Martinez.

If you think that's am amazing coincidence, consider this:

From 1994-1995 I lived at 1310 W Grace Street. Within a week of my arrival in BA in 2006 I met my first (and last) Argentine girlfriend.

A few years prior to that she was teaching Tango in BA, met a guy from Chicago, and went to live with him at 1401 West Grace Street.

I'm not sure who was cursed.

There is clearly some kind of Grace St./Argentina space-time nexus going on.

 

[steveinbsas]

From 1994-1995 I lived at 1310 W Grace Street. Within a week of my arrival in BA in 2006 I met my first (and last) Argentine girlfriend.

A few years prior to that she was teaching Tango in BA, met a guy from Chicago, and went to live with him at 1401 West Grace Street.

I'm not sure who was cursed (I was living in Mexico at the time).

Now that I think about it, I'm sure the 80 year old porteno parents of my Argentine girlfriend thought that she was the one who was cursed.


I should write a screenplay.

 

[Driftline]

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

Americans don't kiss because our society prides space over closeness. It's paramount in all forms of U.S. society. It's not because guys want to be macho. I find this hilarious how someone could say Latinos don't feel they need to be macho. Isn't machismo a Spanish word? Machismo is a huge part of Spanish culture. How can you live in Argentina and not notice this?

Personally, I don't mind kissing another guy on the cheek. But Latinos are also able to oggle women without women going into labor about it like in the U.S. I'll kiss a guy on the cheek if you want me to. But you better allow me to look at your ass and check out your cleavage without you throwing a hissyfit about it.

 

[Lucas]

Thank them that they do not kiss you on the mouth....

 

[tez]

I'm very happy in BA. I know it's different from where I'm from ("civilization") but I accept that I am a foreigner here and that the people aren't going to accommodate themselves to what I am accustomed to, but rather that I have to embrace BA and its people for who and how they are. I love the people here, it's true that it is difficult to develop deep friendships (romantic relationships are much easier!) but I still really love all the people I know here, I can have my deep friendships with other expats. I find the Argentinians to be funny, generous and overall welcoming, but I also make an effort to be a good guest in their country, without too much judgment or criticism of their country or customs.

I've made it well past three years, and I am still going strong without plans to move away, mostly because I haven't found a place where I'd rather live (and I do travel, a lot).

What I do find difficult is the cost of things here, it's starting to really frustrate me how expensive things are getting, but if I get really upset I just convert the prices to Euros or dollars and realize that actually it's still quite a bit cheaper for many things (I just got back from Europe a few days ago, I've got the prices fresh in my head, I was paying lots of attention in order to be able to compare: Europe is still more expensive, despite our cries of BA being sooo expensive). Clearly I'm not talking about electronics here.

I also do get tired of the lack of quick and delicious food options, especially around lunchtime. But I'm a much better cook for it.

The thing is, we have to remember that BA is BA. It's not the US, it's not Europe. BA is BA. Either you like BA for what it is and you try and understand the people for who they are, which the same goes for anywhere you go outside of your own culture, and if you don't like it then you don't like it. It's not that Argentinians are bad, or rude, or don't care about other people. They are Argentinians, and however you may perceive them, that's that. Should we expect them to change to accommodate the preferences of foreigners? Then we would bash them for being sell-outs, would we not? Sure the government is a mess, the corruption is distressing, and the streets are dirty, but again, you came to Argentina.

So to sum it up: I'm still happy here, still enjoying life, and not planning to leave. And I really like the people.

 

[almgia]

i got here on june 24 of this year, from naples, fl, little beachside, very safe town. i was expecting not to work and just live off my savings. i suppose i was naive as well in coming here as bs. as. is waterside, but nothing to really enjoy for scenery. homesickness set in pretty much immediately for me and almost three months in, im practically out of money. the homelessness really gets me down here. perhaps i was spoiled in naples, but i didnt try to AVOID any type of homelessness there. ive been ready to leave for awhile, but my girlfriend has been working and i think she is getting to that point as well after being in puerto madryn for a few days. she just now wants to travel. id have no problem with that, but i think the only thing im gonna miss in bs. as. is the food. haha, hope all find the best. paz.

 

[joelie]

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!

There is a man and his wife who have their mobile restaurant under General Paz at Liniers. They make a mean choripan almost any time of day - they even supply HOT chilli (as well as chimichurri). If you want to sit down though you just have to make sure you get the table that has the chairs that aren't broken.

 

[icarojj]

Dude, I´m new in this forum and let me tell you that you should feel shame about your commment. I hope not all of you (expats) think and do the same: come here to live cheaper, use -and abuse- medical cares and after enjoying all the good things, you come back to your "big cars" life. Sincerely, I prefer you come back home. It´s my respectful oppinion about your post. And sorry if my English is bad, but it´s good enough to understand you like easy life.