Not compared to the US...

[thebookcellar]

I'm sorry to be a bitch about this and i am going to say something so as noone takes this personally - this site has been very helpful to me and there have been good numbers of North Americans who have shown me assisted in my integration here.

But here is my rant... Everytime a post goes up on here, every comment made and seemingly most people who comment wish to make some comparison or reference to the States.

Does that mean that this site is designed for Americans? Or does it imply that the majority of expats are Americans? Or is it stating that Europeans, Australians, Kiwis etc... just dont bother with sort of thing? Is there a hideout that is not internet based?

I'd like to see a more cosmopolitan blend of expats please. (though as i have mentioned before - im not an expat - im an immigrant - sorry, more definition bitchiness)

 

[jp]

+1

Be nice to see a little more appreciation of whats here instead of endless criticisms how its not like home, and the inevitable generalisations and pointless comparisons that follow.

 

[tangobob]

If you travel to Spain you will find countless Brits whinging that things here are not like at home. The reason you do not see so many here is that the little Englanders will not travel this far.
My point? well I think you will find this type of expat everywhere, Yanquis in Argentina, Brits in Spain, and probably Chinese in Taiwan.
This site just gives them a chance to vent. I don't belive the whingers here are typical Americans any more than the whingers in Spain are typical Brits.
Filter through the crap and you will find some excellent recomendations, useful advice and a lot of good tips. And no it is not designed for Americans or even by Americans there are a lot of others here, just dive in and enjoy the fun.

 

[arty]

+1

Be nice to see a little more appreciation of whats here instead of endless criticisms how its not like home, and the inevitable generalisations and pointless comparisons that follow.

Yes, I am here because it's not like my home. Of course there are somethings I miss and other things frustrate me at times. It's very easy to sit back and pick apart a place. But for the most part I think this is a great city to be in.

Every place has its pros and cons, and if you aren't happy where you are, leave.

 

[igor]

Or does it imply that the majority of expats are Americans?

I guess so. I added a poll to this thread, so soon we will see whether it is correct. Sorry about splitting Europe for UK and non-UK. I believe there are a lot of people here from England.

Besides that, I think it is easier to draw comparisons with the USA. When somebody says, for example, that many things are done in more efficient way in Europe than in Argentina, he will be asked if by Europe he means Germany, Italy, Romania, or some other country. Europe is just less uniform.

 

[HowardinBA]

If you travel to Spain you will find countless Brits whinging that things here are not like at home. The reason you do not see so many here is that the little Englanders will not travel this far.
My point? well I think you will find this type of expat everywhere, Yanquis in Argentina, Brits in Spain, and probably Chinese in Taiwan.
This site just gives them a chance to vent. I don't belive the whingers here are typical Americans any more than the whingers in Spain are typical Brits.
Filter through the crap and you will find some excellent recomendations, useful advice and a lot of good tips. And no it is not designed for Americans or even by Americans there are a lot of others here, just dive in and enjoy the fun.

Can you explain LITTLE Englanders???????I,m VERY interested to know exactly what you mean by that comment.......

 

[arty]

Can you explain LITTLE Englanders???????I,m VERY interested to know exactly what you mean by that comment.......

midgets and dwarfs from england?

 

[ElQueso]

Most of the ex-pats I know just happen to be from the US. When I make a comparison to something in the States I do so because that's what I know best and where I lived most of my life.

As far as complaining goes - there are good differences here and bad differences here. Most of us, I'm sure, live here because we want to. But I can't quite believe in the idea that I have seen many people note, in different forums, that "you live here, you shouldn't complain."

See, if I'm going down the freeway at 130 kph, for example, and I see someone flying down the freeway at 180 kph, endangering everyone, cutting in front of me, not caring for all the world (and probably not even noticing!) who's around him, is that something that I should just shrug my shoulders about and say "oh well, where do I live?" The fact is, it makes me nervous and it creates quite a bit of stress day after day when I hve to drive.

When you spend a ton of money on three or four different service providers and still end up without the service you are trying to procure, why shouldn't there be a place to vent on things like this?

When there are certain foods that I miss, and I mention that I dream of having a good breakfast with bacon does that mean I'm a complainer or just miss some things? Hell, I miss old Coke bottles in the States and complained about that all the time, but that's at least one thing I don't have to complain about here.

These are the kinds of things that are not very good to complain about to an Argentino - you don't want to offend them, for sure. But in my opinion, there are few people in the world who can just ignore the daily frustrations that sometimes one must go through living as an ex-pat, and an ex-pat forum allows people to get these frustrations out. Without some sort of outlet, one may find oneself taking the frustrations out on someone in person who probably doesn't deserve it.

I'm not, and never will be, a Porteño. It doesn't mean that I don't like Porteños. When I complain, it doesn't mean that I think Argentinos in general are horrible people.

I complain equally in the US when I'm there, about things that drive me crazy. People who never complain are either saints or postal workers waiting to explode

 

[HowardinBA]

Hey, the uk are in the silver position,,,que raro!!!

 

[thebookcellar]

If you travel to Spain you will find countless Brits whinging that things here are not like at home. The reason you do not see so many here is that the little Englanders will not travel this far.
My point? well I think you will find this type of expat everywhere, Yanquis in Argentina, Brits in Spain, and probably Chinese in Taiwan.
This site just gives them a chance to vent. I don't belive the whingers here are typical Americans any more than the whingers in Spain are typical Brits.
Filter through the crap and you will find some excellent recomendations, useful advice and a lot of good tips. And no it is not designed for Americans or even by Americans there are a lot of others here, just dive in and enjoy the fun.

you are right about the brits in spain and about the chance to vent on a site. and i did state that i have received and found good advice here. But i guess i felt a bit outnumbered at times - i want to comment on some forums then as i scroll down i realise that the forum is not for me...

Are you really from N Wales? is that why the 'little englanders...??' (i miss the provocation and lack of sensitiveness of the British Isles)...