My Divorce From Argentina

[Hop]

I belong to earlyretirment's group one. i'm desperate to get back to the US, but I know I would miss it here! like people have repeated many times on this site, the key is to split your time between the two places. two weeks/year in the US isn't cutting it for me

 

[Rich One]

Very provocative thread, it made me think and question myself as to why do I stay here...?

 

[sleslie23]

By reading your comment I was wondering which group you belong?And in which group would you put me?I am a doctor from Serbia, permanent employees,but a great devotee of Argentina,with a great desire to move into this exciting and friendly country.
You are wrong, when people are grouped, like as documents are forgotten in dusty drawers...People are much more than statistics and percent!
People are simply humans.
Regards from Serbia!

I also don't fall into any of those categories. There are a lot of assumptions in EarlyRetirements's post.

I'll make a generalization of my own: a lot of expats I've met living in other countries tend to hang out with other expats and assume that all expats are there for the reasons they are. This forum fits that description perfectly.

 

[Ceviche]

I feel majority of expats relocate to BA for having access to sex or meeting a potential life partner

 

[Cordobese]

I feel majority of expats relocate to BA for having access to sex or meeting a potential life partner

Hahahah...................OMG I about fell on the ground laughing. But I do think the beautiful Argentines are a draw for many people..............

 

[trennod]

Early retirement with close to 10 groups of course you have covered a good proportion, apply 10 groups to expats in any given country and you will probably get the same result.

But I am still a little confused, what exactly is your point?

 

[citygirl]

Regarding few U.S. people who come here being successful in business, it is a fact that few people who go into business anywhere are successful, including the U.S. The failure of new startups is something like 80% in the U.S. in good times. Probably it's partly because people dream of being in their own business and don't go and work for someone first to learn the business--or whatever they need to prepare. There is more to running a business than doing the job.

That may be true but having managed businesses in multiple countries, I will say that Argentina is probably one of the hardest places in the world to make a go of it. Between gov't intervention, high COL, high taxes, restrictive laws, the adversarial relationship between employer and employee (and the lawsuits that are a given here), the inflation, the 20-30% raises, the ineffective banking system, the inability to get your funds out of the country or imports in, etc, etc - this is not a place I would ever recommend for starting up a business. People are far better suited looking at other locations in LATAM.

 

[lamarque]

That may be true but having managed businesses in multiple countries, I will say that Argentina is probably one of the hardest places in the world to make a go of it. Between gov't intervention, high COL, high taxes, restrictive laws, the adversarial relationship between employer and employee (and the lawsuits that are a given here), the inflation, the 20-30% raises, the ineffective banking system, the inability to get your funds out of the country or imports in, etc, etc - this is not a place I would ever recommend for starting up a business. People are far better suited looking at other locations in LATAM.

Well that depend on what kind of business, thinks change fast here if you are good taking advantage of that you do a lot more money here that you wold be able to even dream in a more stable country , is a matter of risk, more risk you are willing to take more rewards all depend on your risk profile for investment

 

[citygirl]

lamarque - I actually can't think of one business here (done legally) that would return that large a profit. And who wants a profit in pesos anyway?

But I don't look at get in/get out businesses - I (used to) want markets where a company/project could grow and deliver a win-win proposition. Create jobs and create profit. Long term.

Anyway, if I were advising a client again, I would steer them away from Arg.

 

[Crema Americana]

There's opportunity in Argentina because there's a need for so many things that it seems easy for someone to come along, invest, do a good job (for a change!) and profit!

However reality soon hits you in the face - especially if you're a foreigner. You can't get machinery in and you can't have it built here. You can't get good quality raw materials and making your own puts you in another industry. You can't export. You can't convert your savings/earnings into anything before inflation eats a part of it up. And if you want to sell your business and leave? Good luck.


Having said all that... if anyone wants to create a good clothes dryer manufacturing company, please do! Perhaps reverse engineer an old Whirlpool. You'd have at least one customer.