Is BsAs over rated?

[camberiu]

However, my point was not only about affordability, we want our kids to have a proper childhood... the US is very competitive and materialistic for our taste (and I do not mean to offend anyone here) and we thought that the way people interact (type of friendships) was not what we wanted for them.
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I think this is a fair description of the US as a country. However, I find NYC to be its own separated universe. You will be hard pressed to find an "American" living in Queens. What you will find are tons of Asian, Europeans, Latin American and middle Easter immigrants. If I ever decided to raise a kid, I could not think of a more diverse place where he could grow up and be exposed to all different cultures and languages that our world has. But hey, that is me

 

[expatinowncountry]

I think this is a fair description of the US as a country. However, I find NYC to be its own separated universe. You will be hard pressed to find an "American" living in Queens. What you will find are tons of Asian, Europeans, Latin American and middle Easter immigrants. If I ever decided to raise a kid, I could not think of a more diverse place where he could grow up and be exposed to all different cultures and languages that our world has. But hey, that is me

Yes but when your kids got to school they get Americanized (sort of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAF_3WMJGM&ob=av2e) no matter if you live in Queens and how hard you try to be a good father. I do not agree with this set of values and therefore I moved away. I want my kids to have a more relaxed and "naive" childhood even If I am not making them any favor in the competitive world ahead of them. What the hell you have only one childhood.
Side point, did you find that in Queens you get exposed to all those cultures? People live in ghettos, hardly mixing up. Saying Hi to my Russian neighboors was hardly an immersion in their culture. Yes, you go to different restaurants, have access to products from everywhere, see people in the streets from everywhere.... but hardly iteract with them... I worked for the UN back then... so at least at work we did have to mixup.

 

[perpetualholiday]

we want our kids to have a proper childhood... the US is very competitive and materialistic for our taste (and I do not mean to offend anyone here) and we thought that the way people interact (type of friendships) was not what we wanted for them.

I have heard this statement from several Argentines who have lived abroad and then returned here. I agree that the US is materialistic and competitive, but, to be honest, I've found more of that here than I ever did there. The parents here are much more into brands than they were in the US. The toddlers back home don't wear Ralph Lauren to the playground, even if their family has lots of money, and aren't plastered from head to toe in visible brand labels. Every social event is like a brand competition; the U$S1200.00 strollers, the kids in 3 full layers of 'fashion' to take a stroll to the park. It seems a bit over the top to me.

 

[trennod]

Argentines love to party and dance. Plenty of great Boliches here, however the music is generally dance (particularly trance / electro) at the better Boliches. There is plenty happening every night of the week.

I would suggest to the OP if your here for a party, surround yourself with as many porteños as can that want to party as you do. You have probably figured out already things dont get going before 2am (often 3am particularly on weekends) and that the bars are very quiet (more to sit down and have a quiet drink).

 

[trennod]

I have heard this statement from several Argentines who have lived abroad and then returned here. I agree that the US is materialistic and competitive, but, to be honest, I've found more of that here than I ever did there. The parents here are much more into brands than they were in the US. The toddlers back home don't wear Ralph Lauren to the playground, even if their family has lots of money, and aren't plastered from head to toe in visible brand labels. Every social event is like a brand competition; the U$S1200.00 strollers, the kids in 3 full layers of 'fashion' to take a stroll to the park. It seems a bit over the top to me.

I dont have kids but as a comment I would agree from this from what I have seen.

It depends who you mix with, but middle to upper class Argentines are extremely materialistic. Personally I think the only thing restraining materialism (for the society as a whole) here is the lack of wealth overall, but for those that can afford it rivals any western country I have been to in my opinion.

 

[trennod]

I guess I will have to show you around New York.


I agree. This is very unique to this city. That is why I find it fascinating that this country is now the butt-whole of South America. This country should be leading the charge. Yet those poetry reading cab drivers and rock band plumbers keep putting fascists in power over here. Go figure.....

This country needs a decent, strong, unified opposition. Kristina is useless but if not her, who else?! Anyone else?!

 

[expatinowncountry]

I have heard this statement from several Argentines who have lived abroad and then returned here. I agree that the US is materialistic and competitive, but, to be honest, I've found more of that here than I ever did there. The parents here are much more into brands than they were in the US. The toddlers back home don't wear Ralph Lauren to the playground, even if their family has lots of money, and aren't plastered from head to toe in visible brand labels. Every social event is like a brand competition; the U$S1200.00 strollers, the kids in 3 full layers of 'fashion' to take a stroll to the park. It seems a bit over the top to me.

Well, now you heard it also from a French.

Where do you live in BA? We live in Chacarita, take the kids to a local school, and the only time I see the competition is when we go to Colon Theater. We probably live a very different Buenos Aires than you do. Of course, if your kids are at the Lycee Francaise or in one of the British schools in Belgrano, you are mixing up with the Argentine who would like to be American/European... hardly the average Argentine!

The issue of competition goes way beyond cloth and the last gadget... to get your kids in a very good school in NYC when they are 5 years old you have to go through a long process of tests and interviews. I could not let my children go through that stress level at their age...

 

[nicoenarg]

Wouldn't want my kids to grow up in Buenos Aires because some of the culture and ideology is plain messed up. Of course each and every city has its good and bad, BsAs is just not the place for me and mine. I'd take the American lifestyle over Argentine any day of the week and twice on Subday! Love fair competition by the way, one problem I have with the modern American education system is the lie that "everybody wins" or "everybody should win".

As for whether BsAs is overrated! Well...yeah!! But in terms of partying, they do alright here.

 

[camberiu]

Yes but when your kids got to school they get Americanized (sort of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAF_3WMJGM&ob=av2e) no matter if you live in Queens and how hard you try to be a good father. I do not agree with this set of values and therefore I moved away.

I think that is one side of the US (the bad one), but it does not represent the whole country. There is also this side (http://youtu.be/L6D3uPLlCu8) which is the very best of what the US and perhaps even humanity has to offer. Where in Argentina can you find something like this?

Side point, did you find that in Queens you get exposed to all those cultures? People live in ghettos, hardly mixing up.

That was not my experience at all. On my building I made good friends who were Lebanese, Korean, Chinese, Guatemalan, etc....There is a school in front of my building and it is amazing to see the kids coming in and out. All races, colors and creeds. And they were all socializing, independent of race, color or religion. I wish I had grown up in such an environment.

 

[jb5]

As someone who grew up in Queens, I'd never have considered raising my children there. Ugly buildings, small low quality apartments, mediocre schools, dirty, crowded and loud. I has few of the attributes one would move to NYC for. Of course BA wouldn't have been on my list either....