Is Buenos Aires a Third World City?

[TomAtAlki]

"It is true that is a bit of a step backwards when it comes to efficiency and infrastructure, but if you open your mind, breathe deep, and enjoy the culture, it is fantastic. It's like the twilight zone here. One foot in the first world, one foot in the third world, one arm in the 50's and one arm in the 80's...with many fingers in the 21st century. "

I read this in another forum and thought it was a good enough statement to save and maybe appropriate to this discussion. I don't know who said it.

Tom

 

[steveinbsas]

I don't think many Porteños would enjoy hearing how their country is a lot better than Mexico! They tend to compare themselves to Europe rather than any other place in Latin America.

There is a big difference between being better than and being compared to.

The Porteños I know never display any resentment when I tell them how much better life is for me in BA than Mexico (it's a "self evident" truth, so to speak), but I never mention how much more I love Paris than BA. I don't compare BA to Paris, either. There are far more differences than similarities between the two cities. If not for the faux French architecture here, I doubt few would ever think of calling BA the Paris of the South" (or Latin America).

I don't think BA compares all that favorably with the major cities of Spain or any of the other major European cities for that matter, but it's a lot cheaper to live here, immigration is easier, and the natives are a lot more friendly, especially if you speak their language.

 

[ssr]

Just found this link on another thread:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/778193e4-44d8-11de-82d6-00144feabdc0.html

Great article. Compares the development of the US and Argentina. And I agree with this conclusion: "All in all, it would be wise to keep betting on the US finding the right way out of the financial crisis and Argentina continuing to harm itself."

 

[Joe]

I don't know where you get the idea that there isn't a black market for currency here...

I hate to disagree with a Hot Yoga Teacher but I don't know of any black market in currency. I have seen guys on Florida St. offering to exchange money. Can you get a better rate from them than you can get on a US or European credit or debit card?

Usually black markets for currency only exist when the price is not set by the market (but rather set by the government) and is not fully exchangeable, e.g. Vietnam or the old eastern block countries.

Could you elaborate on what the black market for currency is here.

 

[BlahBlah]

Coins......

 

[Joe]

Coins......

A problem that could be easily solved if the bus ticket machines accepted 2 peso notes. If the government mandated this change, the "coin shortage" would magically disappear.

I'm not sure I would characterize the coin problem as a black market - it more a "cornering of the market" by the bus companies. Black markets in currencies have existed in many countries and were characterized by shady guys offering to change your money at a better rate than the official rate.

 

[BlahBlah]

That is exactly what happens in BA

 

[Joe]

That is exactly what happens in BA

So what is the current black market rate for the dollar/peso? The current market exchange rate is 3.7755. Can I get 4 pesos to the dollar somewhere? Tell me where!

 

[BlahBlah]

Thanks for the laughs.

 

[sergio]

Steve, I've never heard a Porteño brag about how much better Argentina is than Mexico but I've met a great many who have pointed out how very "European" Buenos Aires is! Your friends don't feel resentment when you point out how much better it is here because it would never occur to them that Mexico is in the same league. Now tell them how much better the US is and they might react differently! Among the Porteños that most expats hang out with - middle to upper middle class, largely university educated and white, the point of reference is not Latin America.