Howdy, folks:
Sorry for such a long post. It took me a while to finally write. I decided this was a better place to post as a new member than the new member page because of the name calling. I’m a temporarily retired ERN. I arrived last week to enjoy the summer and fall. This is my fourth extended stay in Argentina and my second visit using Buenos Aires as home base. By writing to the local Argentine consulate I got a 6 month visa instead of the usual 3 months. I’m enchanted with Argentina with all its flaws, virtues and its emotionally reactive, passionate people. And I love this baexpats site. However, I use it as resource on where NOT to go to find expats for company and conversation. Although I’m sure many of you are wonderful people, my experiences hooking up with expats for company and conversation in this country have been disappointing. The main reason for having bad experiences with the expats I have met is that they don’t speak or are just learning to speak Spanish. I’ve even met several expats who have been hanging on down here for years who see no reason to improve what little Spanish or Castellano they garble. If I want that sort of company I can stay home where I have plenty of monolingual neighbors who blare out “No problemo!” and similar Spanish bastardizations that basically underline how clueless they are. At least that’s my humble opinion. They always seem to have a new joke to tell that makes fun of Mexicans or people from the Middle East. Of course not all of my neighbors are so insensitive. Only the majority. But the folks on my street and in my town of Laguna Niguel are definitely very xenophobic even though many families have Mexican-American gardeners and house keepers.
My Spanish is far from perfect, but at least I can hold my own in a complicated conversation, whether on a noisy street, in a restaurant, or via telephone. So, I seek out and enjoy the company of the many friends I’ve made over the last two years who always hug me and plant a kiss on my cheek. We walk home at night/early morning down the street a bit tipsy with our arms over our shoulders in friendship. At home in the States such behavior is considered “way gay!” I hope Argentines never fall into the trap of being cold and unfriendly because uneducated goons think that kind of behavior is gay. Also, I’ve yet to meet a Argentine play the “Let’s do lunch” game, feigning friendship just to avoid having their personal lives disturbed. I’m certain there are those kinds of people here, but I haven’t met any yet. In my experience Argentines are serious regarding grand gestures such as inviting you into their homes for a meal or a weekend outing. This type of polite behavior should always be rewarded with a similar gesture.
After reading this thread started by bigbadwolf, I’m even more grateful to be here for the next few months. Nashorama’s remark about Jesus was shock. After all, what does Jesus have to do with trying to understand Argentina? Well, a great deal, actually. But upon reflection I’m afraid nashorama is correct, though I’d amend his comment to say Jesus is held hostage as the Savior of fourth quarter sales and not a patron saint. I’m told the same thing goes on down here on through New Years. At least I have yet to hear the maddening Christmas music Muzak started playing the day after Hallowe’en in Target stores. I need to go to Walmart here and see if it’s a world wide corporate phenomenon. So for me it is a great relief to be here and not in the States just to avoid the current debate real news and pseudo news outlets are forcefeeding the American public regarding Christmas versus Happy Holidays. Being here is an emotional and mental vacation from that dreariness. And being able to speak and think in Spanish also has a lot to do with feeling better. There’s just something about the language that makes more sense to me, despite the local slang of Buenos Aires that is often difficult to interpret.
My first visit here was a working vacation with my church group. We came here as volunteers to help out in Jujuy and Saltas, offering free vaccinations for the poor; many of them from Bolivia and Peru who live in Argentina. Argentina has a similar problem to that of the States. The poor of neighboring countries cross the northern borders of Argentina’s provinces in search of a better life.
The post by fullmettlejaquette on the condition of the health system in the States is amazingly correct. However, it is true that American hospitals cannot turn away emergency patients. If the patient doesn’t have a life-threatening problem, they are moved to a city/county hospital that depends on money from Washington to stay open. But if you’re uninsured and you can pay a small monthly token for the rest of your life, the attending physician and private hospitals will write you off as a tax deduction against earned income (for the physician) and capital gains (for the private hospital). By then you’re account will be sold to a private collection agency for so many pennies on the dolar and you will be hunted down with mean letters and phone calls at home until the burden of trying to manage all your debts forces you into bankruptcy. Bankruptcy in the States usually means you get to keep one residence and one car, if you have either. But states have different laws on what has to be surrendered to the local sheriff for sale. The guy in this forum who wrote that people aren’t forced into bankruptcy for high medical costs is living a fantasy. If you lose your job, you can continue to pay your insurance premiums for 18 months while you look for work. If you don’t find a job in 18 months you are pretty much screwed. I’m fortunate in that my insurance is provided by my Union. I have many friends who own successful small businesses and cannot afford personal health insurance and cannot offer it to their employees. The cost of individual private health insurance for a 50 year old man can easily be a minimum of $1000 a month with a $5000 to $10,000 deductible and then an 80%-20% split. After paying between the first $5000 to $10,000, you still end up paying 20% of your total health costs as your insurance company raises your premiums and works at finding some way to cancel your policy. This is considered a hedge against catastrophic health care. If you lose your health insurance and eventually do find a job before the 18 months is up, the insurance that may be available from your new employer will probably not cover pre existing conditions for at least one year and sometimes two years. God have mercy if you have a special needs child with Down’s Syndrome or some other disability or disease. All you need to do is go to Vons or Ralphs supermarkets and count how many glass begging jars are allowed at the checkout stands with a picture of some child or teenager who needs immediate medical care and info about the parents who cannot afford it, even if they do have insurance. Private insurance often refuses to cover long term pre existing conditions like organ transplants.
I think Nashorama’s complaint about guests not having login names has merit. The rabid comments the guests insist are Holy Scripture are just rabid and childish comments. If they had a log-in name at least others could send them a private e-mail pointing out what complete asses they are or how wonderful they are. But bashing liberals is the popular passstime in the States. I’m not surprised the same Ditto Heads are down here spreading their particular brand of hate while wrapping themselves in the US flag. I consider myself patriotic, which means all opinions are welcome for discussion. Even the opinions of the FOX News Network, regardless of its obvious agenda.
As for understanding Argentine culture, I don’t know how it is possible when you don’t speak the language. I feel sorry for you. Spanish is a rich, beautifully expressive and often poetic language. It’s never to late to learn.
If you want to bash, yell, and scream at me please send me a note. There is an option for sending notes near the login name of those who are members of this site. Use it. And if you can write me in Spanish, please do. I need to practice and polish up my writing skills.
