Moving in September-help!

[patch]

I'm leaving chicago to teach english in about a month and I'm getting nervous. I am planning to stay at a hostel until I find a place to rent. My main concern is health insurance. Specifically for filling prescriptions, not emergency care. Debit/ Credit cards are my other concern. I understand HSBC and WaMu are the best options. is this true? anyone? i appreciate any help

 

[Grazie]

why are you nervous?

 

[patch]

I do not have much money....I'd like to get a job and home within a few weeks. at least a home and decent job.

 

[Grazie]

Do it wisely then. The last thread in here was about a lady who commited to a lease and found out that the place was not only...not to clean but Noisy. So if you have to commit get a one week rent and hunt for a place you like and can afford. A place that you cannot only live in but in a price that you can live with.
Do not be nervous, if you are going to do this,do not let them smell fear
health insurance - affordable.
debit cards/credit cards - speak to your bank about fees (theirs and from here) and then ask for per withdrawal limit. Advise your credit cards when you will be here and until when. So they do not cancel your card just because they see Argentina purchases in your bill.
Just keep the questions coming but you can also do a SEARCH in here for topics that might concern you.
Cheers

 

[CABJ]

I would reconsider your plans if you don´t have money, need healthcare, don´t have a place to stay and need a job within a few weeks
Move when you have saved 5 to 10k

 

[patch]

5-10K???????? that may be never!!

 

[tangobob]

I would recomend staying bed and breakfast when you first arrive. There are many that will help you find your way arround, find the cheapest areas and best places to go in the evening. This is a big city and it will take some time to find your way arround, local knowledge will save you money and time.
It is full of sharks who will rip you off and thieves that will rob you. Personally I have had very few problems, because I had local help when I first came. Most of the bed and breakfasts that advertise as "Tango" will provide guidance and help, and I have met many people who came here and had positive experiences who are not themselves dancers.Look for a place to rent when you have seen all the barrios and decided where you want to stay, many of the cheaper areas are very safe, such as Almagro or Belgrano. You do not have to pay the high rents of palermo or Recoleta.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy.

 

[Mike1]

5-10K???????? that may be never!!

Moving is not cheap. Do you want to struggle, or do you want to have some kind of buffer in case you hit the pavement?

 

[use2brew]

Next thing you know, this guy's going to say he speaks no spanish!!!!Listen to the advice, Patch. And you might want to do a little more research. While Buenos Aires is on the inexpensive side (especially for what an amazing city it is and everything it has to offer), there's not exactly a thriving economy here, with plenty of work to go around for everyone.Unemployment is high, wages are low, and inflation is out of control (even if you believe the BS statistics the government publishes instead of what most economic experts say). While they exist, jobs teaching English may not pay you enough to survive on. Not trying to talk you out of what could be an amazing experience for you (as it has been for me and I'm sure many others), but just that you come with your eyes wide open.On a specific note, I'd recommend Citibank. At least with them you can exceed the daily limits on how much you can withdraw (I have no idea how or why the y allow it). Basically, any bank you use outside of Argentina isn't really recognized as a bank IN Argentina. For example, HSBC in Argentina shares a name with HSBC in every other part of the world, but you can't access your funds from an HSBC bank outside of Argentina while you're here, accept for using your ATM card. Banking is a whole other world down here... trust me.Having said that, I would at least use a bank that's not going to charge you for when you withdraw from an ATM that is not theirs, because you will be doing that a lot.

 

[criswkh]

I'm from Chicago, now I live here. Save some money before you move. Debt/Atm fees depend on your bank. For Chase it is $3/transaction. HSBC is only the name here, so your account in the states won't work here. If you try to wire money into the country to a bank the government takes 30% and freeze it for a year, unless you have a visa with residency. Do you have a teaching license? If so check out these websites: http://jobs.tes.co.uk/home.aspx http://www.liveteacherrecruiting.com/ Depending on the health insurance it can be cheaper than US or about the same. Inflation is high down here, so pray the dollar keeps to a 3:1 ratio. I find that some prescriptions don't need a doctors note and they are cheaper than the states. Do your research!!!!