Seriously Thinking Of Retiring In Ba

[wineguy999]

Taking Houston, NYC, or Chicago as example of civilized cities you are just taking another big nation with a great class gap and some more metropoles. Let's try look upon advanced societies like in Central-Northern Europe, for example (FYI, there are other countries besides the USA!).

FYI, my passport has plenty of stamps in it, thank you. You know zip about my exposure to the rest of the world, and I could point out (hence the ellipsis) many places...even some in Europe. I guess you'd point out that they're just big metropolitan areas. You'd prefer to compare BA with the Swiss countryside?

 

[Girino]

FYI, my passport has plenty of stamps in it, thank you. You know zip about my exposure to the rest of the world, and I could point out (hence the ellipsis) many places...even some in Europe. I guess you'd point out that they're just big metropolitan areas. You'd prefer to compare BA with the Swiss countryside?

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, The Netherlands and even Slovenia are very clean.
I was also surprised about how clean London and Madrid are, despite the number of transit in central London and Madrid. Maybe their civic sense is higher, or maybe their law enforcement on littering is higher. Anyway the selfish part of richer Argentines is showing in these small things, in my opinion.

 

[Ries]

One of the biggest reasons I come back to Argentina every year is the people.
I have travelled all over the world.
I have been in almost all the places mentioned, as "clean"
I have spent time all over europe, asia, and various other places.

And I chose Buenos Aires.

I find the people who are here because of a relationship, seem particularly bitter.
I did not come here for love, or sex, but instead because I love the country and the people.

Certainly Argentina has many problems.
Every place does.
There are good things, and bad things, about every country.
There are many places I would never live, and yet many people find wonderful.
I dont think there is anything wrong with people who want to live in, say, Cabo San Lucas, or rural Germany, or the San Fernando Valley- but I could never live in any of those places.
Everybody is different.
And everywhere there are assholes, and great people

I dont understand why people who find it so despicable in Argentina stay, though.

 

[Silvie]

wineguy 999 - u took the words out of my mouth. And to the whole community - may i suggest we stop insulting the people and the country we chose to live in and be a bit more objective here? If one harbours so much hostility towards the place one lives in than may be it's time to consider moving some place else? And if one's reason for living here is taking advantage of the lower cost of living and cheap / free healthcare than may be one should use the time spent on outlining the negatives to actually contribute to making it a better place? The first world countries have been gradually evolving into their present state over a long time so that to allow us to enjoy the results at present and they still have much left desire in many aspects, the developing countries have to go a long way to catch up and they have some more pressing issues to deal with, so can we for the very least show some tolerance we are so proudly claim to be the virtue of the modern civilization. Last but not least, in many parts and cultures of the world caring for the eldest is a privilege and people do it because it's normal and human to be loving and caring and because it's a part of the culture and centuries of tradition, not just due to the lack of alternative and that allows people to be healthier and happier till the end while assuring the younger ones that they'll be cared for when their time comes. And dismissing it in favour of 'depositing' our parents into a nursing home or a similar facility, as great as they might be in the first world countries, and visiting them once a year for Xmas, while giving the younger generation the much coveted freedom and convenience does not exactly represent the highest spiritual attitude - shouldn't the human being come before everything else?

Great post. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Girino]

I am not insulting Argentines - I am merely observing with my European eyes the behaviors of Argentines where I live (one of the most affluent areas outside of Buenos Aires). If you come from the US and find it normal that people leave carts in the parking spots next to theirs, or throwing used tissues on the floor, maybe you don't actually have a benchmark - believe it or no, this is not the norm. It could be better. There are places where these things are not as commons as here. ¿Entendés?

Let's try compare Mumbai and Buenos Aires, then. How come one is cleaner and better maintained and the other is not? Oh it is just bad people but you shouldn't criticize them.
Politically correctness to its highest. Very American!

 

[nlaruccia]

Yes, but these were people who knew you. What about how people care about the common goods?
The indifference towards the collective "people" who are perceived as others?

They shit their dog on the sidewalks, throw used tissues, plastic spoons, leaflets, etc on the street. When they drive they are the selfish people ever. They HAVE TO pass before a pedestrian crosses the street, no matter if it is pouring rain or there are 40°C or if there are elderlies, wheelchairs or children involved.
How many times have you seen a car stopping at a crosswalk to let the pedestrians cross?

Have you ever seen the parking of an Argentine supermarket? They abandon their cart in the next parking space (helloooo? Maybe someone would like to park a car in there?!)

I see people "hitting" the turnstiles at train stations not understanding that they have to PAY to access the platform. When they have to leave the platform at their destination, only a few actually pass the SUBE card to exit. Most of them just hit the emergency exit (rich, poor, young or old.... this trait is very homogeneous).
If there is someone from Trenes Argentinos checking the turnstiles, there is always someone asking to enter/exit the emergency exit because "they forgot" their SUBE at home, or "they forgot" to recharge it. Often the same people that should check the turnstiles are just checking their cellphone. They avoid confrontation and simply let people pass at request. I have been tempted to ask them "Wake up! Who do you think that pays your salary? Me or them?!".

They seem unable to figure our how recycling works... there is always a mixup of things in the recycling bins. When there is a smart and advanced law (such as about animals or eliminating plastic bags) they are unable to enforce it. The people actually oppose anything "smart" or long-term benefit against their own interest.
See this article about slowly banning plastic bags: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1934273-polemica-por-la-prohibicion-de-bolsas-en-los-comercios-portenos
An interviewed lady commented this regulation: "Me parece mal.Si no tengo bolsas: ¿cómo llevo las cosas? Bolsa de tela no uso y tampoco quiero usar, no sé cómo voy a hacer" <<< andáte a la rpmqtp!


Argentines are wonderful people for 1:1 interactions, but collectively are very lazy and selfish, and live off others.

Serafina, I agree with you about everything you've said. Argentines have little or no common sense. They don't think of the long-term effects not care what the next generation will suffer as a result of today's actions.

In other places this happens as well. In NYC despite the laws about cleaning up after your dog, you still find dog shit in the street, trash on the ground, and people that steal grocery carts from the supermarkets. Anytime you exit the subway via the emergency exit door, someone always sneaks in through it and people are constantly harangue you asking for a subway card swipe. No one would ever think of giving up their seat for an elderly person with a cane or pregnant woman. New Yorkers are also selfish and put their earphones on and close themselves off to the world with no consideration for others.

 

[camberiu]

The Broken Window Theory helps explain both NYC and Buenos Aires.

 

[aescobar10]

Sorry I have not been posting. I'm still seriously considering the move and thank all of your for your advice. My wife and I are taking to our children about this to get their feed
back.

 

[fifs2]

Serafina, I agree with you about everything you've said. Argentines have little or no common sense. They don't think of the long-term effects not care what the next generation will suffer as a result of today's actions.

In other places this happens as well. In NYC despite the laws about cleaning up after your dog, you still find dog shit in the street, trash on the ground, and people that steal grocery carts from the supermarkets. Anytime you exit the subway via the emergency exit door, someone always sneaks in through it and people are constantly harangue you asking for a subway card swipe. No one would ever think of giving up their seat for an elderly person with a cane or pregnant woman. New Yorkers are also selfish and put their earphones on and close themselves off to the world with no consideration for others.

Agree with both this and Serafina´s points but find the Bsas situation confusing. By nature Argentines are gregarious and very intertwined with family and friends...yet outside of that are inconsiderate of other´s basic needs to live in a healthy clean community...even if that "other" could be their parent that can´t get a parking space due to a shopping trolley in the way, might step in dog poo etc. It´s bizarre.

 

[TomAtAlki]

I am not insulting Argentines - I am merely observing with my European eyes the behaviors of Argentines where I live (one of the most affluent areas outside of Buenos Aires). If you come from the US and find it normal that people leave carts in the parking spots next to theirs, or throwing used tissues on the floor, maybe you don't actually have a benchmark - believe it or no, this is not the norm. It could be better. There are places where these things are not as commons as here. ¿Entendés?

Let's try compare Mumbai and Buenos Aires, then. How come one is cleaner and better maintained and the other is not? Oh it is just bad people but you shouldn't criticize them.
Politically correctness to its highest. Very American!

Our "other home" is clean, PC Seattle and the Costco parking lot WOULD look exactly like that except the store pays employees to keep it in order.
Nancy