Wannabe Expats

[adm]

On a daily basis i encounter smug, arrogant, rude, and as i also wrote, people with a nasty streak that cant be denied.
I wish they werent that way, i wish they didnt toss trash everywhere. i wish they didnt think they were the best and everyone else are morons. dont think theyre about to change though, not anytime soon.

I do know exactly what you mean and I'm sure others do as well. Different cultures have different glitches. However, it does absolutely no good to complain about it and spin yourself into a tizzy.You always have the choice to Re-act to the perceived nastiness, or Act upon your own best nature. If a certain bakery (for example) always rubs you, or your tort, wrong, go some place else. Regardless, I do know exactly what you mean, just in a different context, a Czech one.If it makes you feel any better, every single Spaniard I've spoken with about the Argentinians- is very hesitant to say anything good about them at all. Eh, people are people- adaptation is key.
When the Czechs used to get all snotty like with me, when I first arrived- I got a little upset at first and then I became bemused by their idiosyncrasies- which then became predictable and manageable.. Also, feel free to mutter something under your breath that you know they won't understand- that tends to twist nipples a bit. Cities are just big ponds my friend, filled with bloody bait covering various sized hooks- just don't bite. Also, we tend to see what we focus on..Laters,Andrew

 

[RWS]

Quoting "adm": "You always have the choice to Re-act to the perceived nastiness, or Act upon your own best nature. . . ."
Good advice. I've not found the Argentines to be other than decent folk, save those who are very nice indeed. This may be good fortune or may be due to my carefully (through politeness to the occasional point of deference) assuring those I deal with of my good regard and humane respect for them, for much if not most of the notorious Argentine arrogance is rooted in a sense (largely undeserved, I think) of inferiority and disregard.

 

[adm]

Well all of the reading has paid off, so thank you. What I mean is, I went through a lot of soul-searching and frankly another city is not where I want to be. I was raised in Hawaii and I would like nothing more than to be surfing world class beaches and trekking through jungles. Since I'm in a position to buy property, B.A. is not the place for me with all of the possible stress and red-tape, let alone scams, shakedowns and/or robberies..
After searching awhile, I found a country where, the people are known for their friendliness, where I can buy a couple of acres of virgin property fairly easily and build my (geodesic) shack in the sun for less than half of one of those decent B.A. apartments- all on a tourist visa, leading into residency. I'm tired hunting for a suitable box to house myself and my interests as I listen to babies scream down the hall.
Take care all. I'm too old (37) to grind through yet another city on this planet. Time to chill, reflect, write and swim with the dolphins.
Mahalo,
Andrew

 

[Elpanada]

I am a good person that cares deeply about the wellbeing of others, a Christian, a humanitarian and a Philanthropist!!!!!, if ever in BA stay the fuck out of my way.

 

[steveinbsas]

Posted on: 06/15/2008 07:06 AM (by adm-aka andrew)
I'm reallying looking forward to moving to B.A. ...
Posted on: 06/16/2008 03:01 PM (by adm-aka andrew)

"Well
all of the reading has paid off, so thank you. What I mean is, I went
through a lot of soul-searching and frankly another city is not where I
want to be. I was raised in Hawaii and I would like nothing
more than to be surfing world class beaches and trekking through
jungles. Since I'm in a position to buy property, B.A. is not the
place for me with all of the possible stress and red-tape, let alone
scams, shakedowns and/or robberies..
After searching awhile,
I found a country where, the people are known for their friendliness,
where I can buy a couple of acres of virgin property fairly easily and
build my (geodesic) shack in the sun for less than half of one of those
decent B.A. apartments- all on a tourist visa, leading into residency.
I'm tired hunting for a suitable box to house myself and my interests
as I listen to babies scream down the hall.
Take care all.
I'm too old (37) to grind through yet another city on this planet.
Time to chill, reflect, write and swim with the dolphins." Andrew, Before you leave us forever, please let us know how you made the decision to "move" here in the first place. There are quite a few posters here than seem to make the decision to move here (to live) without much forethought or ever having been here. We don't certainly don't have many opportunities here to surf world class beaches, trek through
jungles, or swim with dolphins. Some of us reflect, but few of us seem to chill, at least in the sense you mean.

 

[RWS]

Quoting "adm": ". . . . After searching awhile, I found a country where, the people are known for their friendliness, where I can buy a couple of acres of virgin property fairly easily and build my (geodesic) shack in the sun for less than half of one of those decent B.A. apartments- all on a tourist visa, leading into residency. . . ."
'Care to tell us where?

 

[adm]

I am a good person that cares deeply about the wellbeing of others, a Christian, a humanitarian and a Philanthropist!!!!!, if ever in BA stay the *bleep* out of my way.

You're right- sorry. I sound like a twat. I should stay off of boards and just work it out myself... Scramble apartments. Commence post-apology self defense: It's been a really tough six years (compared to what/whom?), since landing in Prague on April 1st.2002 and starting classes the next day-. Two weeks later, my uncle pulled a double pistol suicide on my aunt (we assume it was arranged). Scramble apartments. Finish teaching school, go to another one, start teaching, immerse yourself in a very interesting, but incredibly different post-commie culture, that gets deeply snowed on. I was my choice and I'm not complaining, I'm giving you context!. Scramble apartments. Flash-forward 5 dangerously drunk years later to Valencia with most of my post-comm. questions answered. My father died a short while later, last Christmas, while I was bouncing town looking for another apartment, via short-stays (apartments), working full-time. Adapting to another culture/city. Again, it was my choice and I'm not complaining. I'm giving you context.
Scramble apartments. As for Dad, the last time I saw him was in Prague, after stuffing him in a cab and throwing his sausages and fat slices of homemade Czech lunch-meat at him as the cab squealed off. (It's a long story and I should be writing it.)
No regrets. Best thing I ever did.. Thankfully though, I got a chance to tell him that I loved him before he died back in Hawaii. Brain cancer. (Mother also has cancer but I digress.) Literally on the other side of the world. Anyway, in return, he half-shouted to me, "Stay outa my life!" and then had trouble hanging up the phone. I remember thinking, he didn't have much more life for me to stay out of. He had already stayed out of mine for 22 years. It always seems to be a 'matter of time' and/or 'choices' we make, but it was the nurse who told me. How do you make an educated decision/choice?Scramble apartments?
So here I am, in Spain, working through a whole new language after Czech.. Love Spanish and plan to continue working on it in Costa Rica. It just makes sense for me.

I'm certainly not, nor would I ever 'bag' on another country/culture. The world's way too small for that and unfortunately there are already too many of those who are more than willing to do just that- and far worse, after much larger ambitions than I have.I only want the ability, the presence of mind, to make moment by moment choices, that are right for me. Therein lies my only ambition.
As for why I thought of B.A. in the first place? There are many, many reasons and those reasons still exist- they are far too numerous for me to even try to account here. But rest assured, form where I'm at in my life right now, Big B.A. is just too much city for me. Consider me: Out of your way.
Con besos,Andrew

 

[sergio]

Would Deb please clarify what she doesn't like about her life in the US? It may be that the things she doesn't like also exist here but she will not have the benefit of a pilot's salary here! Deb, please fill us in on why you are fed up with the US....

 

[soulskier]

Sergio, there is some talk that Deb is actually Viviana in a different character. Still waiting for this to play out.

 

[steveinbsas]

If Deb does exist, perhaps, like Andrew, she read enough posts on this site to abandon the notion of moving here, but, unlike Andrew, without baring her soul. Hopefully, if she really is an airline pilot, she has far less baggage...