Have you been outside Barrio Norte, Palermo, the micro center and Recoleta? If not you are living in an expat bubble - nothing wrong with that as long as you know that it is a bubble. After all, who wants to live in a slum here or anywhere else? Most of BA is extremely depressed and often highly dangerous. Go out to suburbs in the Province of Buenos Aires, especially those in the southern area, and you will come across some very scary areas. As for a comparison with the US, you should keep in mind that in general Americans have "voted with their feet" , i.e. they have left the cities for the suburbs precisely because major parts of most American cities have deteriorated so badly. A large part of the professional class here has done the same. Take a look at the gated community phenomenon here. It's nothing less than an imitation of the suburban American way of life.
Intense Fear
- Thread starter JG
- Start date
Yes this is true. When trying to reach the cementery of my grandfather outside the city, i accidentally entered one of the cities surrounding "Capital Federal" and gosh in my whole life I've never been so scared. The contrast is extreme. I would like to recommend to plan your trip when driving highways, Argies drive chaoticly, and you wouldnt wanna have to take the wrong exit, especially if you drive a luxury car. Government figures say that 200,000 Argentinean people live in shanty towns and 13.7 million in ghetto-like places, the worst parts of Avellaneda (freaky place) and so. But a person with a healthy income in Capital should not have to fear as that dentist. This is the result of politicians who, instead of improving conditions in the country, pay one chorizo for each poor for them to vote them. Peronists. I would like to see Lavagna or Macri in power, but due to the peronist brainwashing this is quite unlikely.
I must agree that some people have become paranoid of the situation, as the dentist. ps. for the info: Germany has similar places as Avellaneda, which simply consist of better built buildings (known as Plattenbau) with properly asphalted streets. Jena and Chemnitz are the perfect city examples. Also, dont forget about the banlieues of Paris and Marseille, Carbini-Green in Chicago.
I must agree that some people have become paranoid of the situation, as the dentist. ps. for the info: Germany has similar places as Avellaneda, which simply consist of better built buildings (known as Plattenbau) with properly asphalted streets. Jena and Chemnitz are the perfect city examples. Also, dont forget about the banlieues of Paris and Marseille, Carbini-Green in Chicago.
perry
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I happen to like very much living in Buenos Aires but I live in Palermo Soho so I see a very small part of Argentine life.
Its funny how expatriates come here for a month and stay in Recoleta or Puerto Madero and think they understand Argentina.
This is a complex society and yes it is a very mistrustful one certainly not built on the principles of trust in a calvinist society where I was born.
The problems of Argentina are to do with social inequalities and I hope with time President Kirchner creates some real lasting changes here.
Until there is respect and care between different social groups there will be no long lasting change here
Its funny how expatriates come here for a month and stay in Recoleta or Puerto Madero and think they understand Argentina.
This is a complex society and yes it is a very mistrustful one certainly not built on the principles of trust in a calvinist society where I was born.
The problems of Argentina are to do with social inequalities and I hope with time President Kirchner creates some real lasting changes here.
Until there is respect and care between different social groups there will be no long lasting change here
M
maskow
Guest
Can we start an IGOR FAN CLUB? Seriously, without any irony or sarcasm, I love Igor!...almost as much as I love BairesGirl.
M
maskow
Guest
Rock on, BairesGirl!It truly does seem like some of these people have never been outside their own backyards. You would think it impossible to to walk for all the corpses and crime scenes in even the best barrios!Haiti! Katrina! Sub-saharan Africa! South Asia! The US, even! (with it's unique hybrid of state-sponsored paranoia and supreme incompetence toward security)
For the love of pete!God forbid that anything bad befall anyone but it seems that some posters here have a vested interest in instilling fear into our hearts.If I had to guess...it makes them feel superior. They come from superior societies. They have a superior take on the risk involved for an 80 year old in taking an ice cream cone at a sidewalk table after midnight...something I see all the time and love about this city. What I would LOVE to see is some impartial statistics comparing crime in BsAs to any of the 5 largest cities in the US....if you wanna throw in infant mortality figures, go right ahead.
For the love of pete!God forbid that anything bad befall anyone but it seems that some posters here have a vested interest in instilling fear into our hearts.If I had to guess...it makes them feel superior. They come from superior societies. They have a superior take on the risk involved for an 80 year old in taking an ice cream cone at a sidewalk table after midnight...something I see all the time and love about this city. What I would LOVE to see is some impartial statistics comparing crime in BsAs to any of the 5 largest cities in the US....if you wanna throw in infant mortality figures, go right ahead.
