land of the selfish - Part 2

[lady_in_red]

As an argie i can say that i don't really care if i have either indian or european blood. I think that an Argentinean are those who have our identity that means argies from Salta to Usuahia even old people from spain / italian or germany who came here in the 1940 when Europe was in the war . That european people help us to rebuild our country . It wasn't the tourism we have now where several AMERICAN come here because is cheap and of course they don't love our culture.To say the true i find this emigration very different that the spain /germany / italian who came in 1940. Fortunately my english is not good but i realize very well if you are american or british when i heard your accent so i say hello and GODD BYE when i realize you are american. I always wondered why American people fell so superior when they are in OUR COUNTRY.
Finally i think that we have to learn of our neighbours Brazilian who ask American To hove a VISA to enter to Brazil. Even more we have to learn from US which ask ARGENTINIAN to have a VISA to enter to US. That mean that ARGENTINIAN have to go to the AMERICAN Embassy to get the VISA and pay for that , then the Gringo look at your face if they considerate that you can enter to their country you can if not you can't and they don't pay back the money you pay.(BIG SCAM!!!). Of course you need to have a house or car or a lot of money in your bank account if not Argentinian can't go to USA .BUT AMERICAN CAN COME HERE EASILY !! What a generous country ARGENTINA is !!

 

[jtwells]

Yes, maybe it should be easier to get a visa to enter the US. That is no reason to require a visa to enter Argentina (just to do to them what they do to you). You also have to look at the amount of people who want ot go to the US (from all over the world) and compare it with the amount who want to come here. If the US had an open door policy there would be so much more chaos than there already is. Perhaps there should not be such a tough screening policy, but some kind of screening ploicy is needed. As for Americans coming here and thinking of themselves as superior or whatever you said, I don't agree. I'm from the states, and I act as a guest. I feel that while I'm here, I am the one who is less superior(for lack of a better way of putting it). I always speak Spanish unless I'm with my in-laws who wish to communicate with me in English. In the states I don't think we have a derogatory term for Argentines, but if we did I would not use it. Maybe "gringo" isnt considered dergoatory here, but in the US when you hear someone who is not caucasion use that word, you know that they are not being very friendly. I know this post is a bit disconnected and I am rambling, but it "sucks" reading all the negativity here. It goes both ways. Lots of people here bash Argentina. I really dont see why. I spent the first 24 years of my life in Texas, Colorado, and California. I've spent the last 3 months here. Yes, some complaints about here sound valid (ie. dog poo). Yes driving laws, or at least customs, are more lax here than in the states. Still, no reason to belittle a whole country (im mainly referring to a few certain people's frequent complaints). I graduated from one of the most diverse universities in the US, and, not that I didnt know it before, learned that everyone everywhere does things a little different. People just have to learn to live with it. I know that I could have explained my points a lot better, used much better grammar, and organized my thoughts more. Sorry. I've just been looking at this site for the past few months and wanted to get some stuff off of my chest. ps I'm a terrible soccer player, but wouldnt mind getting some games together. Let me know.

 

[bigbadwolf]

Yes, maybe it should be easier to get a visa to enter the US. That is no reason to require a visa to enter Argentina (just to do to them what they do to you). You also have to look at the amount of people who want ot go to the US (from all over the world) and compare it with the amount who want to come here. If the US had an open door policy there would be so much more chaos than there already is. Perhaps there should not be such a tough screening policy, but some kind of screening ploicy is needed.

I think the Argentinians were able to come to the USA on a "visa-waiver" basis (allows you to enter the USA for upto 90 days), but in the late '90s too many Argentinians came to the US and then disappeared, so visa-free travel for Argentinians had to be rescinded. The citizens of most prosperous countries can enter the US on a visa-waiver basis: Western Europe (but not the new entrants to the EU), and Japan. But if I remember correctly, if more than 4% of a given country's visitors don't return, the privilege of entering the US without a visa is retracted.
Visitors to Argentina from poor countries (such as India or Nigeria) do need visas, and the process of getting one can often be onerous. The need for a visa depends on how prosperous one's country is; thus, a German or Canadian is not going to "disappear" in Argentina and become an illegal resident, whereas this is a real possibility for someone from a Third World country.

 

[lady_in_red]

I graduated from one of the most diverse universities in the US, and, not that I didnt know it before, learned that everyone everywhere does things a little different. People just have to learn to live with it. I know that I could have explained my points a lot better, used much better grammar, and organized my thoughts more.

I have got me degree too in one University in Argentina but it don't make me fell superior or be different than the rest .

 

[lady_in_red]

I think the Argentinians were able to come to the USA on a "visa-waiver" basis (allows you to enter the USA for upto 90 days), but in the late '90s too many Argentinians came to the US and then disappeared, so visa-free travel for Argentinians had to be rescinded. The citizens of most prosperous countries can enter the US on a visa-waiver basis: Western Europe (but not the new entrants to the EU), and Japan. But if I remember correctly, if more than 4% of a given country's visitors don't return, the privilege of entering the US without a visa is retracted.
Visitors to Argentina from poor countries (such as India or Nigeria) do need visas, and the process of getting one can often be onerous. The need for a visa depends on how prosperous one's country is; thus, a German or Canadian is not going to "disappear" in Argentina and become an illegal resident, whereas this is a real possibility for someone from a Third World country.

I have met several tourist here in Argentina who come from rich country such as America /Australia etc etc and come here with the tourist Visa here it means that you can stay here for only 3 month .But when the period expire they go to Colonia for 1 day and return here to extend the peiodo to remain here. There are several of this tourist who have been here for 5 years and they still live here which a TOURIST VISA and whith the Passport with an amount of sellados for going to URUGUAY . They are illegal too.

 

[jtwells]

lady in red- I don't know if you were making fun of what I said about college or what, but I don't think you understood. All I was saying is that people should get used to things about other cultures that they don't understand/dislike. It was not in reply to anything you wrote. I was referring to some rather ugly posts that I read in the past. I said nothing about feeling superior etc (diverse means of a different kind, form, character, etc.) I only mentioned my university because it has one of the most DIVERSE ethnic makeups in the US.

 

[perry]

I can understand where lady in red in coming from as Argentina has a very open immigration policy and certainly people visiting here should respect the culture and the beautiful language .
That does not mean that people who live here now have no right to critisize the place . Just remeber 5 years ago tourism here was non existent and today its one of our biggest money earners creating jobs and a lot of wealth for the country.
Argentina is rapidly changing in some ways better thanks to those policies

 

[bigbadwolf]

Just remeber 5 years ago tourism here was non existent and today its one of our biggest money earners creating jobs and a lot of wealth for the country.
Argentina is rapidly changing in some ways better thanks to those policies

My take is different. Most tourists in Argentina are there because it's (relatively) cheap. If the country really did become wealthy, prices would soar through the roof, and it would become less attractive to the kind of tourists who presently go there. Just go back ten years, when the peso was at par with the dollar: Argentina was considerably less enticing then. This tourism is creating some jobs, but one can't help but look askance at the kind of jobs: low-pay, low-skill service sector jobs that do nothing to modernise the country. Much of the "entrepreneurial activity" (I use the term loosely) is also connected to this tourism: speculation in property, or buying a place, fixing it up, and renting it out. Whether this contributes to the real economy and general prosperity can be doubted.
My contention is that the country isn't changing, that politicians and businessmen haven't the foggiest idea of what should be done, and probably don't even care. Developed and emerging economies seem to be moving, changing, innovating, and adapting at ever greater speed.
Argentina is a nice place to visit, the people are free of malice (in my opinion), but the all-essential change and movement that is so essential in today's world is absent. Back of all meaningful movement and change lies the flux and development of ideas: it's here that Argentina is completely stagnant. All the problems that visitors and expats whine about -- noise, air pollution, dogs, and so on -- pale into insignificance compared to the palpable feeling of intellectual and cultural torpor.

 

[lady_in_red]

Just remeber 5 years ago tourism here was non existent and today its one of our biggest money earners creating jobs and a lot of wealth for the country.

Argentina is rapidly changing in some ways better thanks to those policies
My take is different. Most tourists in Argentina are there because it's (relatively) cheap. If the country really did become wealthy, prices would soar through the roof, and it would become less attractive to the kind of tourists who presently go there. Just go back ten years, when the peso was at par with the dollar: Argentina was considerably less enticing then. This tourism is creating some jobs, but one can't help but look askance at the kind of jobs: low-pay, low-skill service sector jobs that do nothing to modernise the country. Much of the "entrepreneurial activity" (I use the term loosely) is also connected to this tourism: speculation in property, or buying a place, fixing it up, and renting it out. Whether this contributes to the real economy and general prosperity can be doubted.
My contention is that the country isn't changing, that politicians and businessmen haven't the foggiest idea of what should be done, and probably don't even care. Developed and emerging economies seem to be moving, changing, innovating, and adapting at ever greater speed.

100 % Agree with Mr wolf. Actually i think that the tourish who come here is because it is cheap and i am sure if our peso become stronger Most of the tourist will come back to their countries .
Regarding the economy and the policy i agree with Mr wolf .Nowaday our president seems to think that Argentina can live only making a profit from tourist and it is totally wrong. I also see that Buenos Aires is already collapsed in some areas such as Belgrano / Barrio Norte .. etc because there are more people (included tourist ) now than before who want to live in these areas and the prize of house are increase and it make the things really difficult for many Argentinian and foreign resident who live in this country not for a long vacation or a cople of years if not because we are living ,working and paying taxes in this country.

 

[Mitch]

I always wondered why American people fell so superior when they are in OUR COUNTRY.

Why should EVERYONE love your culture? Is it a must or something? This is just the typical Argentine attitude: "We can criticize you but don't you dare criticize us"
Isn't THAT feeling superior???