I hope that I don't sound like as big of a moron as some are thinking I am. I AM NOT EXPECTING MY LIFE IN BA TO BE LIKE HERE!!!! I like the country club for the security reasons. I like the city because it's more real than here... here everything is "perfect". There I remember looking at a bank teller, and wondering how she could afford to dress herself in a professional manner on her salary. But I appreciated that she probably enjoyed her time with her children in the park, not blowing money watching them run around the local Chuck E Cheese by themselves, staring at a video screen. When I walk around here, I wonder how much that guy gets paid to mow that perfectly green lawn, and if the owners of the house have even stepped foot on the lawn.
And yes, the only Argentines I know, due to my family, are rich ones (well, and a few people from various provinces), so yes, I see a lot of that, but at the same time, I saw children begging for alfajores from a kiosco. Here the woman would have been arrested for not offering them an apple instead of an alfajor. I would rather see a child beg for food due to hunger than a fat kid whining because he can't have a second ice cream. (well, the obvious is that a child begging is not ideal, but as least he values food). I'm sick of the fat kids, and I don't want my children to be the one's begging either, but at least appreciate.
I don't think that I said I wanted a garage on my home, and I said a car, didn't say a mercedes. I have been to Argentina.... and I'm not blind, or stupid... but I am smart, and married to a smart man. My husband and I began from the bottom here, he was illegal for quite some time, up until we had one child and the second on the way. In five years, we are financial okay on a teacher's salary and a fire fighter's salary. We work hard, and have done well. Like someone said, I don't have much of an option for now because of my mother in law, and also someone suggested I don't work for awhile, and I won't, at least not until my children start school. I also student taught in a bilingual public school, so yes, I can hold my own in Spanish. I also live in an area in which most people are Spanish speaking immigrants, and one of my dearest friends is Peruvian, and speaks limited English, so I was being "modest". My grammar isn't always the best, and I get better the more I practice. As far as calming children, I have calmed children just arriving to this country from other non spanish, non english speaking countries before... you don't have to speak a language to calm a child.
I guess what I was hoping for was what a few said, which is that yeah, you can work enough to afford to live, and the life is more rewarding than the American dream...and I appreciate those whom have said that. I'm surprised too that so many are so negative about living in Argentina, yet don't return to the US, nor state how they live or manage to afford to go to the local locoturio to write about how difficult it is; but merely critize someone for being new to something, and asking questions. I will take some of the guilt for it too though, I guess my initial post seems like I am a little naive, and passive, but I'm always that way when I'm meeting new people!
Jessica