New Member- Revisiting the Idea of Moving

[canadiense]

In 2005 my love for Baires was stronger than my strong dislike of tango, mate, and their accent, and so I spent a year living in Palermo.

I found it extremely difficult to make friends, and neighbours were neither warm, friendly nor hospitable. Instead they'd often ask me-in a most arrogant tone- why did you choose this desgraciado pais to spend a year? I managed to make a good friend in Pinamar and thus escaped there often. Alone in Baires, I often felt bored and culturally isolated. I never encountered expats; I did attend weekly meetings of Argentinian natives eager to practice English. They were nice but it never got informal or close.

Had I made friends with anglo foreigners or encountered support back then, I might have developped a lifestyle which would allow me to stay and live there.

Today, as I join this group, I have loads of questions.

Have expats been settling there recently? Are you mostly retirees, workers, couples, or students? And how big is the expat population now?

I just returned from a year in Bali,Thailand,Vietnam; I'm still looking for a country to move to in order to escape you know what in my Canadian otherwise great country.

All information about resident visa, cost of living, expat experiences, etc will be appreciated.

Gracias!

 

[AndrewWoodward]

I think you should move somewhere you like. You're already complaining about the city, so I think your move is destined for failure and a future of a lot of bitchy posts on here.


Sometimes I try to translate posts people make here into what'd I think if some expat made them about my "home" city. "Despite my hate for their..." What did you LOVE about Buenos Aires that made you move there? Cheap shit? Do you speak Spanish? What are you looking for in a city?

 

[starlucia]

I'm still looking for a country to move to in order to escape you know what in my Canadian otherwise great country.

Frigid winters? Taxes? The continued reign of Stephen Harper?

 

[mariposa]

we have lived in the house we own here for 2 years now. the day we moved in we met our next-door (argentinian) neighbor who is lovely, warm, welcoming, smart, funny, and by now a good friend. within the first week we met the neighbors across the street, and the neighbors around the corner, all argentinians. we all eat and cook together every week (once or twice), we watch over each other's houses, we exchange information, we chat, we gossip, we help each other. we all spent xmas together, at the beach. what a community.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Quote canadiense:
I'm still looking for a country to move to in order to escape you know what in my Canadian otherwise great country.

Frigid winters? Taxes? The continued reign of Stephen Harper?

Yes, do tell. I'm curious too

 

[mariposa]

suggestion for canadiense: pakistan!!

 

[Jvanka]

I live in US and I don't know most of my neighbors. Do I accuse them of being hostile? No. I just walk occasionally around the streets with my dog, say hi, and have a little chit chat with 2 of them (city environment no subdivisions or gated communities) and that is all my interaction when home.
Most of my connections came through my work and a group of people (now friends) that I met on internet blogs (just like this one.)
I don't think these issues are particular of any place, there are pretty universal. Try to find people with the same interest you have.
Regarding Argentines bitching about the country... Many of them had never lived anywhere else, and they really don't have a comparable reference of what they are saying. There is a baggage of bad things happening for long time, and that is the base for all bitching. It would be nice if they can balance the bad and the good, but the tendency is to see mostly the bad. But there is a lot of people who had traveled, lived abroad and many had returned to Argentina. Perhaps some of them even in this group can tell you why afterall Argentina is a good place to live, and connect with you somehow.
What area/city in Canada are you from?
Post your interests, likes. Good luck!