Well, where do I start....

[JJWilliam]

I am a very quiet, introverted. Still, I when walking somewhere in my neighborhood it often takes double the time necessary because of the people I encounter. This is a good thing, even for me.

Again, this is excellent feedback. Thank you.

 

[Caribbean Cool]

Keeping in mind that is do not do well in Spanish in Argentina, I am going to go out on a limb and say that Argentina is a bit more formal than say Mexico or Costa Rica or Colombia and perhaps, then, more reserved. I could be dead wrong. It is hard to generalize and easy to be wrong. In the end I think North Americans are far more likely to invite you into their homes.

 

[JJWilliam]

Keeping in mind that is do not do well in Spanish in Argentina, I am going to go out on a limb and say that Argentina is a bit more formal than say Mexico or Costa Rica or Colombia and perhaps, then, more reserved. I could be dead wrong. It is hard to generalize and easy to be wrong. In the end I think North Americans are far more likely to invite you into their homes.

Thank you for the feedback. I would be interested in knowing if others here have had this experience.

 

[LuckyLuke]

Its a different approach to life, one based in human interaction rather than efficiency where even buying some bread could be a long process. It is social, warm, and people have a seemingly endless capacity to smile with patience, although humor is often used to dissipate pain and people are not generally inclined toward deep philosophical discussion. There can also be at times a fatalistic approach to things, a shrug of sorts of 'what's to be done about it' which if you are not used to it can seem a bit tough and very different from the American 'can do' approach. So I guess I am looking for something like that.

I enjoyed reading how you defined the cultural differences. It's not always easy to explain.

Yes, you'll find every bit of that here in Argentina as well.

The next question is where in Mexico did you live? Buenos Aires is a dense urban area, with much of the problems endemic to them - wealth inequality, congestion, crime, squalor, stench to name a few. Of course there is much beauty as well - architecture, sophistication, night life, attractions, diversity, gastronomy, etc. I assume by now you have a notion of what appeals to you most.

 

[JJWilliam]

I enjoyed reading how you defined the cultural differences. It's not always easy to explain.

Yes, you'll find every bit of that here in Argentina as well.

The next question is where in Mexico did you live? Buenos Aires is a dense urban area, with much of the problems endemic to them - wealth inequality, congestion, crime, squalor, stench to name a few. Of course there is much beauty as well - architecture, sophistication, night life, attractions, diversity, gastronomy, etc. I assume by now you have a notion of what appeals to you most.

Thank you. It is often difficult to define, I agree. These kind of things fascinate me, so I tend to delve into "subtilties" more than most.

I lived in Morelia, Mexico, a city, then, of about a million people. I view things in circles: the feel when I step out the door, the neighborhood, then the city. If I step out and its a relatively quiet street I am good. If the neighborhood has things like a park and neighborhood cafe, small shops, more activity, I am good. If the city beyond that is a a mix of vibrancy and chaos, I am good. If the fringes are an unfortunate mix of extremes- luxury and gheto, I am good. Morelia was this type of mix, although my "quiet street" was not so quiet. The extreme "on the fringes" were unfortunately very extreme. The middle "circles" actually worked very well for me.

From what my Argentinian friends have told me, it is possible to find a quieter side street in, for example,Palermo, then Palermo would be a mix of busier places, the cafes, and a park or two, the downtown would be "vibrant" and chaotic. The fringes could be an unfortunate mix of mansions and poverty....All this would work for me.


If I am completely off base on my ideas of what is possible in BA, please let me know.

 

[BA Bike Guy]

I split the year between BA and Philadelphia. I like the people in both cities, both are very friendly from the get go. But I have to say the people in Buenos Aires, and elsewhere in Argentina, seem like your friend so quickly. The respect, openness and empathy of the people here I find is incredible. I bike a lot and drivers relent, yield to me so much it's pretty amazing (except when they make a left turn across a bike lane, then they'll run you over for some reason - haven't figured that one out yet). I've talked with folks here a bit about how friendly they are (in fact it's the #1 reason why I love BA) and a great reason I was told once "No one wants to make life difficult for anyone else". For a huge city, it doesn't overtly present itself as incredibly diverse, like say, NYC, London or Paris. This is reflected in the cuisine also - not incredibly diverse, but that is nowhere near a complaint for me, as I love all of the health food stores, veluderias, cafes, small business joints. When I am trying to find an uncommon ingredient, part or general item, all the folks in the shops are very helpful, even if they don't have it. I am not really outgoing, but when I do start speaking with someone, conversations are meaningful. Sometimes I describe BA as if you take the physical beauty of Paris, the liveliness of the people of Rome, the stimulation of NYC in the 80's and put it in a riverside forest you get BA.

 

[JJWilliam]

I split the year between BA and Philadelphia. I like the people in both cities, both are very friendly from the get go. But I have to say the people in Buenos Aires, and elsewhere in Argentina, seem like your friend so quickly. The respect, openness and empathy of the people here I find is incredible. I bike a lot and drivers relent, yield to me so much it's pretty amazing (except when they make a left turn across a bike lane, then they'll run you over for some reason - haven't figured that one out yet). I've talked with folks here a bit about how friendly they are (in fact it's the #1 reason why I love BA) and a great reason I was told once "No one wants to make life difficult for anyone else". For a huge city, it doesn't overtly present itself as incredibly diverse, like say, NYC, London or Paris. This is reflected in the cuisine also - not incredibly diverse, but that is nowhere near a complaint for me, as I love all of the health food stores, veluderias, cafes, small business joints. When I am trying to find an uncommon ingredient, part or general item, all the folks in the shops are very helpful, even if they don't have it. I am not really outgoing, but when I do start speaking with someone, conversations are meaningful. Sometimes I describe BA as if you take the physical beauty of Paris, the liveliness of the people of Rome, the stimulation of NYC in the 80's and put it in a riverside forest you get BA.

That is incredibly beautiful. I would find it utterly "rose colored glasses" if I had not heard it before.

For me, in this chapter of my life, this describes all the important points of what is important to me. I'm actually very introverted- at least in the psychological test sense, not in the popular sense of being "withdrawn" or socially awkward- so I don't need parties or big gatherings or a circle of endless friends. A couple good friends, some acquaintances, and being seen by familiar faces when I go into a store or sit on a bench in a park where just sometimes we end up in a meaningful conversation... that's a large part of what is most important to me.

All I ask is soil fertile enough that, with some effort, I can help that to grow. The youthful stage of "building things", of trying to make a mark on the world... well, I have reached an age where that doesn't really play a role. A daily life with all the usual things like doing laundry, making dinner, going to the store for some little project I am working on...yes, that is part of living, but the sense of "The respect, openness and empathy of the people here I find is incredible... (it's the #1 reason why I love BA)" , well, that simply sounds wonderful.

 

[JJWilliam]

For those of you who maybe haven't been in the US much lately, think about this: U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory declaring loneliness an epidemic. Affecting nearly half of U.S. adults, social isolation increases the risk of premature death by roughly 30%. .The official report, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, details how chronic loneliness fundamentally harms physical and mental health.

Even if one does not feel the effects of this personally, think about the implications for an entire society. All this to perhaps clarify why my previous reaction was as pronounced as it was.

 

[LuckyLuke]

Thank you. It is often difficult to define, I agree. These kind of things fascinate me, so I tend to delve into "subtilties" more than most.

I lived in Morelia, Mexico, a city, then, of about a million people. I view things in circles: the feel when I step out the door, the neighborhood, then the city. If I step out and its a relatively quiet street I am good. If the neighborhood has things like a park and neighborhood cafe, small shops, more activity, I am good. If the city beyond that is a a mix of vibrancy and chaos, I am good. If the fringes are an unfortunate mix of extremes- luxury and gheto, I am good. Morelia was this type of mix, although my "quiet street" was not so quiet. The extreme "on the fringes" were unfortunately very extreme. The middle "circles" actually worked very well for me.

From what my Argentinian friends have told me, it is possible to find a quieter side street in, for example,Palermo, then Palermo would be a mix of busier places, the cafes, and a park or two, the downtown would be "vibrant" and chaotic. The fringes could be an unfortunate mix of mansions and poverty....All this would work for me.

If I am completely off base on my ideas of what is possible in BA, please let me know.

You're on the money. At this stage I would book the flight to confirm your assumptions, and stay long enough (if possible) to confirm them again after the honeymoon wears off.

 

[JJWilliam]

You're on the money. At this stage I would book the flight to confirm your assumptions, and stay long enough (if possible) to confirm them again after the honeymoon wears off.

Were you refering to my assumptions of what is happening in the US? Or are you talking about my thoughts on the circles of one's environment? I was just a little confused since the quotes message of mine you used seem to refer to the latter..