Talking To Folks Back Home About The Money Situation In Arg

[Joe]

Have you ever talked to a friend back home about the issues with the currency in Argentina? Most people have no idea that black markets for currency exist in the world. Or is it just dumb 'mericans? Last time I was in the US, I went into Citibank to get 100s and the manager said, you know we have branches in Argentina. And I tried to explain to her the blue market but I don't think she even believed me. She just thought it was crazy to carry so much cash.

And just yesterday, I was talking to my brother and he too had no idea about the blue rate. And he's a well educated lawyer - and now a judge - in Texas.

Maybe people in Europe, who are used to dealing with multiple currencies - some flakey would be more aware.

 

[Chet]

Yup
My experience is that Americans in general have no clue about currencies. It makes sense they are not frequently confronted with different currencies while in Europe it is often true that just a few miles and you need a different currency (well with the Euro not so much as it used to be).
Additionally Americans are very limited in vision, they see everything in terms of America. Much the way American Banking regulations are being pushed on the rest of the world ...
(yes I am an American)

 

[Gringoboy]

Probably because most people who live in Europe or the USA are accustomed to the normal freedoms associated with free and open markets.
I was going to say democracy, but nowadays that's a moot point.
When I mention this, most of my friends and family simply give me lip service and advise me to go home.

 

[Girino]

Well, most of US inhabitants who are born and raised in the US don't even consider the rest of the world as worth knowing about. I always noticed a huge gap between the Americans I met randomly in the US and the ones I met abroad (expats in Argentina and in Italy).

In the US, the bureaucratic life is simpler, and so I can understand why they don't imagine/understand how things can be elsewhere. Just like how I keep saying "you gotta be kiddin' me" when you can get a driving license in the US in 2 hours, when in Italy in hours I cannot even get an appointment at the DMV.

The people back home I talked about the money issue here are divided into 2 groups: those old enough and a informed who understand that things are much more complicated in less organized countries, and those too young to know about Argentina's past but that believe what I said.

Truth to be told, some Argentinians are not touched by the blue market issue and approach it carefully, I mean normal people who would like to exchange a few pesos for our Euros/US dollars, but who like a simpler lifestyle and don't like to juggle between currencies, AFIP hunt, boats to Uruguay, etc. (Just like there are people back at home who cope with all the bullshit of your own government that you can no longer stand and lead to your emigration).

You gotta assume that as foreigners living here we had to be more informed (or got to be more informed) than most, and that Argentina is quite unique in the world on the economical side. And also you cannot pretend that the rest of the world really cares about tiny little defaulted Argentina when there are bigger fish in the Ocean.
Also, when you tell about your friends back home that you are living in Argentina, the first question that pops to their mind is "when I can visit?" and they don't really care about YOU or how YOU deal with your money/daily life abroad. It's all about them and their holidays.

 

[asador]

Tempting as it is to blame foreigners who don't know or don't care about the economics of Argentina (and there are quite a few of them), the currency situation is highly abnormal and will seem surreal to people used to living in a free society. You can expect educated and otherwise well informed people to be confused by it because it's just that bizarre.

 

[Crema Americana]

Yea, I wouldn't blame people for not knowing. It's a crazy situation and wasn't even this way just a few years ago.

My father understands it because he's older and has more experience traveling and such. My brother and sister-in-law were surprised, but understand it after explaining how it is here. It's hard to know the ins and outs of an economy without actually living there or studying it.

 

[DontMindMe]

I will never understand people who move abroad and suddenly expect all their friends and family back home to be an expert on their new home. It strikes me as very self absorbed. Why the hell should anyone know the ins and outs of the blue rate as opposed to other crises occurring in the world unless we tell them about it, or they happen to be especially interested in Argentina? This country is not the center of the universe. The second I'm able to leave this place, I don't want to read or think about the blue rate ever again, to be honest. For the record, both my parents and a couple of my friends asked me about the default before I even mentioned it to them. And (gasp!) they're Americans!!

Also, how many of you speak fluent enough Spanish to actually be able to converse with the people here? Do you really think everyone is worldly, educated and up to date on global current events? The America bashing gets old. Ignorant people are everywhere. I've heard plenty of questions of the "Is it true that French people don't shower and the women don't shave their armpits?" variety right here in Buenos Aires.

 

[Chet]

I dont see it as American bashing. There simply isn't any reason for most Americans to have any knowledge about various currencies.

 

[DontMindMe]

I dont see it as American bashing. There simply isn't any reason for most Americans to have any knowledge about various currencies.

I meant on the forum in general. Americans are lazy, stupid, fat, ignorant, etc. These comments pop up all the time, usually from American posters who I guess want to show everyone that they're not like those *other* Americans. Eye roll.

Anyway, the constantly changing ins and outs of life in Argentina are hard enough to keep up with for those of us who live here. I hardly expect people back home to keep up right along with me.

 

[estebandepraga]

I agree with the most of you that Americans have no idea but nor do most people when it comes to Argentina , much less the crazy economic situation here but this also applies to Canadians, Brits, Aussies and tons others!
I live in the heart of Europe, the former Czechoslovakia which until 1989 had a thriving black market for hard currencies and even here today when I mention it to many Czechs, they have looks on their face of"black market, what's that"??
The only people who understand such things are those with memories(something sad to say most Argentines dont have AND IM ARGENTINE) and those who live in Cuba, Iran and other such [places with active black markets
We of course can't expect others to be concerned and informed about such things but I do understand the initial WHAT YOU NEVER HEARD OF THAT!