I moved from the US to Argentina for the lower cost of living

[Ries]

I was generalizing of course but I do believe that a lot of expats enjoyed a lifestyle that few Argentines could have: dining out all the time, living in expensive parts of town, ability to travel etc. I remember a local friend telling me that if she went to the discounted showing of a movie she had enough money left over for a coffee and a cleaning employee in an office telling me that she could not afford the bus fare to the train so she walked forty minutes to the train. I guess theoretically expats know that life is not easy for most people but few actually experience it, certainly not to the same extent. Unless your friends are high earning executives, few or none are going to have the money for dinner in the upscale restaurants a lot of expats used to talk about on this forum.

In principle, I agree with you.
I certainly dont dine out all the time, and yet most argentines I know still sneak in the occasional cheap meal out.
I know mostly argentines- I see other a very few other expats, rarely.
And virtually all the Argentines I know figure out ways to travel.
My long time mucama, now, deservedly retired, would take the bus to Uruguay and stay with her kids. I have a friend who just spent 3 weeks in bariloche and the south, she took a bus there and couchsurfed with friends, cooked at their houses. I know a guy who sleeps in his car when he goes and surfs down south of MDQ. None of these people make more than a few hundred dollars a month, most share apartments with roommates, buy bulk vegetables from buying clubs, and cook at home a LOT. But they still figure out somebody they know who has a spot to camp in San Martin de los Andes, or a little shack on the Parana, or in the hills west of Cordoba.
Times are tough, thats for sure. But Argentines still figure out ways to have fun. Cheap fun.

 

[chris]

In principle, I agree with you.
I certainly dont dine out all the time, and yet most argentines I know still sneak in the occasional cheap meal out.
I know mostly argentines- I see other a very few other expats, rarely.
And virtually all the Argentines I know figure out ways to travel.
My long time mucama, now, deservedly retired, would take the bus to Uruguay and stay with her kids. I have a friend who just spent 3 weeks in bariloche and the south, she took a bus there and couchsurfed with friends, cooked at their houses. I know a guy who sleeps in his car when he goes and surfs down south of MDQ. None of these people make more than a few hundred dollars a month, most share apartments with roommates, buy bulk vegetables from buying clubs, and cook at home a LOT. But they still figure out somebody they know who has a spot to camp in San Martin de los Andes, or a little shack on the Parana, or in the hills west of Cordoba.
Times are tough, thats for sure. But Argentines still figure out ways to have fun. Cheap fun.

Yes, right. But you know I wasn't talking about saving up for a ferry to Uruguay and staying with relatives. The poorest people can have some fun with a little money. I watched a video today by a blogger from Cuba who explained how Cubans are able to have a little fun that allows them to forget their everyday misery. Things are generally not as bad here, though in some of the provinces life can be very basic.