Is it a good time to go back?

[tomdesigns]

I agree Argentina should be a wealthy powerhouse, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. The biggest issue is that the government is pro isolation and is not interested in participating in the global economy. Until it does, not only will it be left behind but Chile and Brazil will leave it in the dust as they increasingly become the powerhouses of LAM.

I highly doubt that Argentina will ever be a wealthy power house again. The majority of population is just to anti-productive. Not all, I know some very productive and professional Argentineans.

NOTE! These people and families typically have allot of money, work hard and are proffesional.. and they keep increasing in wealth. And I have also seen a few rise from the ashes of the cultural norm into the ranks of productive earners.

But the majority of the population is just to slack, to unprofessional and completely lazy and unfocused. Which it is their right to live that way if they so choose in my opinion.

NOTE 2! The Government can not change the way in which population engages productivity and professionalism. Hint.. all the problems here are not the fault of gevernment as so many want to believe.

I know I might get some neg responses to this, but just look around you at the way in which the majority of the population keeps their houses and properties. We have a saying in the states.. It is what it is!

That being the case, it is highly unlikely that this country and culture will ever achieve its full potential... It's just to easy and socially acceptable to be unproductive, unproffesional and poor here. The big problem in that statement is ... dun da dun dun .. Socialy Accaptable.

All that reality aside.. I am perfectly at home here and do not expect anything more than what the reality presents.

 

[jb5]

Sure the government could change things. Through good education for the masses. Yet Argentina is behind the eight ball on that too.

 

[John.St]

... it is highly unlikely that this country and culture will ever achieve its full potential...

Give me just 500 years of unlimited power in Argentina and I'll make it happen

 

[ghost]

. And no offense Gauchobob, but I doubt that he gives much of a shit about commodity prices ! Your favorite topic ! LOL.

Gouchobob has not let up for 5 years about commodity prices in Argentina while they have kept soaring and soaring. There is no hope in hades that commodity prices will collapse in the next years and all indicators are that food prices will soar to unpredecented levels meaning that Argentina could end up being one of the worlds wealthiest countries once again.

Perry.....you should visit your proctologist and have your head extracted from that dark place. Commodity prices will soar, yes. Argentina on the other hand will squander the opportunity as it historically does.

 

[gouchobob]

Give me just 500 years of unlimited power in Argentina and I'll make it happen

Hopefully it wouldn't take you that long. Argentina is surrounded by countries that are basically doing better and appear to be on the right track. At some point the light-bulb will go on in Argentina as well, just don't know when that will be. My personal opinion is that things won't really change until things get really bad and the totally corrupt political class and the labor unions are completely discredited (should have happened a long time ago in my opinion) and something new and improved can emerge.

 

[canut]

Thank you all for the overwhelming response! As I am new to the forum, I did not imagine a single day would fetch so many responses. By the way, I earn my paycheck as a translator, mostly into my mother tongue which is Spanish, but I sometimes work in both directions, depending on the subject matter. New Orleans as a possible seems pretty interesting, would love to learn more about it, maybe I can PM you, cortazar?
Anyways, one of the main reasons I asked for help from this forum is that I am a bit in the dark. Call it luck or my lucky stars, the 90s in the States treated me very well so much so that I still reminisce about it. BUT things have a way of changing pretty abruptly, so I try to put a damper on this positive bias and listen to contrarian views. Three years ago, my relationship with this city became affectionate no more. You can put up with some things, but when ... well, why should I go into it. It was a sum total. I don´t hate it, I just don´t think there is that much quality of life anymore and I am highly skeptical as a result of several things experienced. Thanks for your valuable input and I´ll be looking into New Orleans. Hadn´t thought about it, interesting.

 

[canut]

A lot in the States seems to have changed pricewise since the late 90´s. I craigslist some cities which rent rooms for what you could not find a luxury efficiency before, and I don´t believe wages have tripled in less than ten years. What is going on? Are there still alternative cities7regions which have a reasonable price/wage ratio without sacrificing the price/quality ratio as well?

 

[John.St]

My personal opinion is that things won't really change until things get really bad and the totally corrupt political class and the labor unions are completely discredited (should have happened a long time ago in my opinion) and something new and improved can emerge.

I totally agree - that's why I need 500 years.

Things have been really bad 7 or 8 times during the last 75 years and that hasn't changed anything.

To be honest I have a hope that the very young, who now have friends all over the world through the internet, and thus receive much better information of how things are elsewhere, will revolutionize Argentina in 20-30 years when they are in power - but the old tracks warn against optimism.

 

[perry]

Perry.....you should visit your proctologist and have your head extracted from that dark place. Commodity prices will soar, yes. Argentina on the other hand will squander the opportunity as it historically does.

You really have your head up your a.... if you cannot see the changes in the last 10 years in Argentina

Yes there are negatives and one of them is inflation but this is a world wide problem that includes Brazil and Chile who suffer high levels of inflation.

In regards to the uneducated remarks of Gouchobob and his blind supporters . Brazil is not doing better than Argentina and never has . The poor in Brazil live miserable lives and the wages of the working classes are less than half of Argentinas . How is this positive? The Amazon and the environment are being destroyed at a rapid rate due to agressive business practices supported by their pro business government. This to me is a tragedy of unknown dimensions and it one that has worsened of late since the ascencion of Dilma Rouseff.

Argentinians are wealthier than the average Brazilians and have a higher level of education. The universities of Argentina and the culture offerings are the envy of Latin America.There are more international students in Buenos Aires than any city of the Americas and free education is there for all .

Buenos Aires has the largest theatre district of the world and also a countless array of museums . The government also spends a tremendous amount of monies promoting cultural events that are free to the public.

Comparing us to Brazil or Chile is a insult to the intelligence of most Argentinians who while aware of their faults certainly do believe that their lives are richer in the material and cultural sense than in those countries.

 

[Johnny]

A lot in the States seems to have changed pricewise since the late 90´s. I craigslist some cities which rent rooms for what you could not find a luxury efficiency before, and I don´t believe wages have tripled in less than ten years. What is going on? Are there still alternative cities7regions which have a reasonable price/wage ratio without sacrificing the price/quality ratio as well?

Canut-PM me if you like about New Orleans. Regarding wages in the states-they have been falling behind for a few decades now. Another poor indicator. I see the states as struggling to make much progress for the next few years or longer. A bit like the Japanese experience, which should not surprise anyone who understands the gravity of the recent economic meltdown.

All that being what it is, I am intent on giving New Orleans a try, and if it doesn't work out I'll try my luck outside of the country again. BTW, if you want to live in a big international city that is relatively cheap-go Berlin. Fascinating place with rent and general cost of living much cheaper than other major European cities. Always nice to have options. Berlin is high on my list of possibilities.

Suerte from Cortazar, he who was a translator like you !