Is A Short Term Move To Ba Doable With A Young Family?

[jaidan]

Hello everyone,

I am somewhat seriously considering moving to BA for one school year with my children (4 year old twins), although while doing my research I was quite surprised to read through a few older threads in which the overwhelming majority of respondents here warned another guy against a similar move. Frankly, the overall bitterness was a bit shocking (sorry guys, but that's how it came off).

The reasons for the potential move are a bit complicated, but Argentina theoretically fits the bill for us. I suppose Chile might do the trick as well, but I really have no interest in moving there. As far as BA is concerned, I have one major concern, which is dangerous crime. To a lessor degree, I'm sensitive to financial considerations, general complexity, and quality of life. I currently live a relatively simple, upper middle class life.

I will be alone, so I will probably need a nanny and a maid to get by. I would also like to live in an area in which my kids can attend a good school that we can walk to (an added bonus would be walking my kids to soccer games and swim classes). I won't work while I'm away, so commuting won't be an issue.

I have some specific questions around budget: (1) cost of a maid, or nanny, or both? Hours they normally work, and any issues that I might face? My current nanny lives with us, and is basically always around - something similar would obviously be ideal (2) other key expenses (I think I can get a handle on cost of schools); (3) cost and any other issues associated with renting a house? Other financial considerations and complexities, including perhaps most importantly how to pay for things….

Thoughts on crime for a young family, probably living in a nice neighborhood, rarely out past 8:00 pm.

Thoughts on schools for kindergarten age children. One goal is to have them learn to speak Spanish, so less instruction in English is better, but no English at all would be bad.

Will I need a car?

Sorry the message is so long ))

 

[mmoon]

Wow lots of questions. I'll answer a few, which I just did similarly in another post.
Great, walkable neighborhood where you don't have to have a car: Belgrano R, near the train station, as close to Plaza Castelli as you can find and afford.
Belgrano Day School, bilingual, excellent for kids who don't speak Spanish. However, the school year starts in about a month so that's a consideration.
Hard to walk to swim and soccer classes here. It's a big city and dense.
Since I am one of the few expats I believe who is not enamored with the idea of a full time maid, however reasonable and luxurious, I won't try and answer that question!
The challenge of renting a short term apartment is a thread you can search on this forum, as many people have shared experiences and strategies on that one.
Crime is an issue here, although mostly property crime like robberies and car break ins. Violent crime not as much, especially if you live in a good neighborhood.

 

[lamarque]

Just move in, you will have a nice adventure, plenty of young families in the city. I will try to answer your other questions later on, i don't have time right now.

 

[citygirl]

Anything is doable - we generally come down hard on people who are clueless and then defensive about it

Salary for a full-time person that helps you with kids/house - say approximately 8500 pesos a month. (could be more, I know people paying up to 10 but most are around 8-9). Most will work 40 hours+ a week, 48 is allowed. It all depends on whether the person lives with you or not.

Schools are going to be complicated depending when you come. Do you really have a handle on it? Our school year starts next month. Costs for a bilingual private will average around 6000 per month per child (you will get a discount on the second of usually 20%). But most schools charge a one-time matriculation cost which can be a very high one time cost (one was charging 20K) to annual costs (in our case we pay 1 extra month of tuition every year for their entire school career). Also we pay 12 months of tuition even though obviously they're not in school for 12 months! So really it's 13 months.

Other costs - health insurance is something you probably will want to have. Reasonable compared to the US if that's where you are coming from. They won't charge much extra for your kids. Estimate a few thousand pesos a month for a family plan.

You don't need a car but it may depend on your tolerance for allowing your kids to ride in taxis without a car seat. (i.e., you can take a taxi to swim/whatever but they're not going to be in car seats for that ride). If you do want to strap them in, then either you need to have a relationship with a remise (private car for hire) who you can arrange to have car seats or you will need to get a car. Personally I wouldn't have a car in the city but YMMV.

Easy enough to rent a furnished apt in the city and I would def go that route if I were in your shoes.

BsAs is actually a great place to be with kids. People are so friendly and welcoming towards kids. And if you're here for a year and have enough income, you'll avoid most of the drama.

PS - Yes, crime is an issue but generally it's non-violent crime and hopefully you can avoid it.

PPS - Welcome to another twin mama - mine are turning 3!

 

[jaidan]

Thanks for the answers so far. I'm sure it seems a continuous loop on the ABC's of moving to Argentina...

I'm feeling a bit more comfortable striking crime off of the list of non-starter issues.

I realize that I'm a bit late in terms of the application process for the school year starting in March, but I think I can swing it, though we might miss March. I've contacted some schools and will work to generate some legitimate options. The perfect school would be nice, but I'll take pretty good. I'd prefer a school in which the students are mostly local.

I hadn't thought much about Health Care, most probably because I live in Canada, where it's a Government service. Thanks. A related point, I really want to avoid Dengue and Chikungunya and won't go to Brazil, or the Caribbean, as my son's immune system is very system sensitive. I should perhaps add Zika to this list.

I'm working on housing in conjunction with schooling. Kinda chicken and egg - at least a little. Decision making parameters: safety, convenience, schools, value. All are important, obviously. Highly specific advice would be helpful (i.e. close to x metro station, as its around the corner from Y school, and there are loads of grocery stores - or whatever). Is there a way to get a good deal on a shorter term rental?

Twins turning 3…lucky you )). It's the start of the best part: they really start to play together; and, they become more coachable, so it gets easier!

 

[Ries]

I think the crime aspect is a bit exaggerated. Certainly, there is crime here, like in every major city around the world. But in most neighborhoods here, its not as dangerous as LA (where I lived for ten years) or Seattle (where I lived for 20) or Vancouver (that I visit many times a year for the last 20).
Most crime here is property crimes (car break ins, some burglary) or quick purse snatchings.
If you dont wear a rolex, dont drive an expensive car, and are not wearing a 3000 dollar camera around your neck, your chances of being a victim, in most areas, are minimal.
of course, you dont hang around in front of the constitucion or retiro train stations after dark.

But day to day, my wife and I, in our 60's, travel all over town on buses, go to see music late at night, and have no fear or problems.

This city LOVES kids. kids are treated like little princes- they get seats on crowded buses, they go to eat in fancy restaurants at midnight, and everybody loves them.

I say, go for it, you will both have a wonderful time.

 

[citygirl]

School actually starts Feb (mine begin Feb 22). You may not have anyone get back to you from the schools for another week or two - schools are closed right now for summer vacation and usually not until early Feb are the administrative/teachers back. There are lots of options in the city, hope you can find something with 2 vacancies.

This might be of help - there is a website about schools in BsAs: www.revistacolegio.com

 

[syngirl]

Schools: it will be very difficult to get in this year, there are a few schools that will accept foreigners later in the year, but with many you can expect that either they will simply not get back to you, or regard you as crazy to be asking, or be plain rude. Try not to give up! However, if you really want to do this in 2016 and not wait another year, you are going to really have to persevere to try and get space for your children. If you cannot find a space at a school, the other option is to send to a daycare.

As for not being out beyond 8 pm -- well, most restaurants don't start dinner service until 8pm, and if you send your children to school here then you will be on the birthday bandwagon, where the kids all celebrate their birthdays, usually during the week and generally from 5-8pm or 5:30-830pm, or we even have a birthday the night before the school year starts (I cannot believe this) -- that goes until 9:30pm. Ridiculous. (It is my niece's birthday, my sister-in-law is an idiot.)

As far as illnesses -- well we have dengue here right now, there are some few hundred cases confirmed, but only a few in the city and I'm still sending my child to summer camp and trying not to be concerned. And Argentina does have a confirmed case of Zika, and I'm sure a lot more will appear as Argentines come back from their holidays in Brazil. But not much is known yet about Zika. But really, it's like when there was the West Nile outbreak in Canada awhile back. You have to be aware and somewhat concerned of course but you can't walk around in fear everyday.

One more thing, you said you had been reading the site and couldn't believe the negativity on here. some of that negativity will always be there, but a lot of it was due to the ridiculous situation we were living under CFK. We are in a moment of change -- for the better or for the worse we are not yet sure.

 

[steveinbsas]

One more thing, you said you had been reading the site and couldn't believe the negativity on here. some of that negativity will always be there, but a lot of it was due to the ridiculous situation we were living under CFK. We are in a moment of change -- for the better or for the worse we are not yet sure.

I believe the actual term used was "bitterness" and the most bitter expats are the ones who ignored the negativity they encountered in the forum before they actually moved to BA.

 

[jaidan]

haha… I think the source of the bitterness may have been related to the dollar problem, as well as the general economic issues locally. It's actually quite difficult to understand the magnitude and practical implications of the dollar restrictions, even as I can appreciate that it's a PITA.