Making The Move In February! Tips Please! :)

[nickel_penney]

Hey all!!

I have just recently decided to make the move to Buenos Aires at the start of Feb. Any advice as I am prepping for the move?! I have started a refreshers course in Spanish (with emphasis on learning the Argentine accent). I am looking for an apartment - preferably in Palermo. and also looking for a school to continue my Spanish once I get there.

Any other tips for planning / things I need to do before I go / places I need to visit are welcome.

Thanks! and looking forward to actually meeting up with some of you when I arrive.

Nicole

 

[camel]

For Spanish, my favorites (also the cheapest) were the UBA español para extranjeros courses: http://www.idiomas.filo.uba.ar/

To get from the airport to Palermo, use Manuel Tienda Leon. They have a window inside Ezeiza airport. It's about US$20 and they take US dollars. Alternatively you can take a taxi, they'll probably try to charge you US $100, more or less depending on how bad your Spanish is.

When you arrive, go to coffee chat (watch the forum for threads like this) and ask all your questions.

 

[Somewhereinba]

Get a Schwab account unless you are happy paying 96 pesos for every ATM withdrawal.

 

[nickel_penney]

Get a Schwab account unless you are happy paying 96 pesos for every ATM withdrawal.

thanks!

thats a lot of money each time! If I bring enough cash to last me the two months.. do you think that could work and I can exchange it there? I have heard the best bet is to avoid doing so at banks because they dont give you the best rates.

not sure how i feel about using a black market though. Let me know! and thanks again!

 

[Rich One]

Welcome. Look for the coffee chat announcements for February, in Alto Palermo shopping . To be published in February.

 

[Noesdeayer]

nickel_penny :
Are you only planning to stay for 2 months? If so,just bring enough USD in $100s in perfect condition and use a cueva.
I got AR$ 16.70 today. Why would you want to hassle eith a bank ?

 

[UK Man]

Given the chance again I would have filled the empty space in our container with decent coffee, tea, pipe tobacco,tins of baked beans,maple syrup,etc etc. I don't often get homesick but I do miss the things I took for granted in the UK that are impossible/difficult/ridiculously expensive to get here.

 

[nickel_penney]

Thanks! I will definitely bring coffee then! I dont think I could go without that

Given the chance again I would have filled the empty space in our container with decent coffee, tea, pipe tobacco,tins of baked beans,maple syrup,etc etc. I don't often get homesick but I do miss the things I took for granted in the UK that are impossible/difficult/ridiculously expensive to get here.

 

[mrfriendly]

I just brought cash (dollars) and go to a bank for pesos. the Superveille on Honduras and Juan Justo. Pack the second suitcase with things you can't find here like peanut butter for me and coffee for you.; I also brought razors, shaving creme, contact solution etc...thinking they were more expensive here but haven't really checked out the prices for such items. Safe travels. I took a remis from the airport and thought it was right outside customs and i thought it was $50USD? that was only 2 months ago. they do have uber but not sure if it goes to the airport...i have taken an uber to the other airport AEP which is near Palermo.

 

[nickel_penney]

Thank you all!! super helpful info!

Any tips on what do for a cell phone while I am there? I looked into some plans and they all seem a bit pricey. Not sure if you can manage without a smartphone in BA but I would be willing to try it for a bit.