Yay - After 10 Years We're Planning On Leaving Argentina

[sleslie23]

It's a huge decision.... but I know it's for the best. It's really challenging (and expensive) relocating a family. Funnily enough, my Argentine friends and acquaintances are surprised that we're even here given the fact that I'm from Australia and can live in Sydney. I've tried to explain that we're here for various reasons (personal growth, enlightenment, perspective, experience) but they can't comprehend my logic. They ask.. "why would you choose to live here when you can live in Australia?". I guess we have a different perspective on things.

I was frequently asked the same thing. Though, most people assumed I was paid in dollars. When they found out I was paid in pesos, they thought I was insane.

I miss living here full time and would do it again, but as you said earlier, there was a definite economic/career sacrifice.

 

[Noesdeayer]

TrvorCito: I am writing this from Cali,Colombia where I am on a short visit to friends before moving on to the U.S. until Oct. I was so impressed with your analogy and wrap up on 10 years in Argentina that I simply couldn't wait to congatulate you on it and to wish you the best.You have said it all very wisely and succinctly.I came to Argentina when I was 37,attempted to return to the U.S. at 48, couldn't get a good enough job at that age and returned at 50 with the "one dollar= one peso".Luckily,I don't have any children.What kind of career are they going to have there? Now I'm retired and have a U$D income so it's economically O:K: but I have to put up with thr Kirchneristas etc. and all their music. In Colombia which is very much improved lately e.g. only 1% yearly inflation they can not fathom Cristina,Axel and compañia.More later on the new Colombia.

 

[Matiasba]

I agree that with the high tech products what Arg does is practically nothing, to assemble and a little more. The same with cars, only 17% is from Arg production.

This said, no government in the past 40 years have made more to industrialise the country that this one. Maybe the change wasnt from 1 to ten, but from 1 to 2, I dont know, but that its better than the past governments, which destroyed the "Industria Argentina", Im sure.

For example, in the 90s, they closed the Fabrica Militar de Aviones, and Cristina re opened it, just to produce the doors of the planes, thats practically all what they do, but thats better than closed.

 

[sergio]

Please tell the financial story.

 

[TrevorCito]

Please tell the financial story.

It's not a huge story but a few years ago I wired myself money from overseas to my local bank account and the money never arrived. My international bank confirmed that it had been sent successfully and that the details I had used were correct so at the time I was quite puzzled and nobody could tell me where the money was. Further investigation revealed that it had been intercepted by the Argentine central bank and was being held pending my justification for the funds and transfer. All this happened without any advice being sent by the central bank to me. You might think we're talking about a lot of money... no! USD $1k. To release the funds, I had to personally visit the central bank, sign declarations and then finally, after weeks of grief and waiting, the money was released and deposited in my local account.

Lesson learned....

If you talk to government supporters, the economy is fine but everyone knows it's not and it's going to get worse. A healthy economy and government doesn't need to impede the international transfer of funds but they do it here and with gusto! Is this really a G20 country? Even china, the bastion of citizen mind control knows better than to impede the flow of money.

 

[Matiasba]

If you talk to government supporters, the economy is fine but everyone knows it's not and it's going to get worse.

When people here say that the economy is fine, me included, do not refer to these restrictions, to these absurd impediments, but to consumption, to the functioning of the internal market, money for everyone, with social plans, or jubilaciones, or whatever, expand the internal market, the consumption, everyboddy buys electronics or go to restaurants, or travel thru Argentina, etc, etc, etc,.

THAT is the economy doing well. You should know the economy as it was for the past 40 years, depressed, with almost no consumption, with the +30% of the total excluded, with no money in the streets, with a tiny internal market, almost no internal tourism, etc. Thats a whole other picture, and believe me, I have lived both and I longer prefer this situation.

 

[mikic007]

When people here say that the economy is fine, me included, do not refer to these restrictions, to these absurd impediments, but to consumption, to the functioning of the internal market, money for everyone, with social plans, or jubilaciones, or whatever, expand the internal market, the consumption, everyboddy buys electronics or go to restaurants, or travel thru Argentina, etc, etc, etc,.

THAT is the economy doing well. You should know the economy as it was for the past 40 years, depressed, with almost no consumption, with the +30% of the total excluded, with no money in the streets, with a tiny internal market, almost no internal tourism, etc. Thats a whole other picture, and believe me, I have lived both and I longer prefer this situation.

And you believe this will last long? Then collapse and even worse situation. Printing money never ever solved any problem, someone has to pay the bill!

 

[rrptownley]

And you believe this will last long? Then collapse and even worse situation. Printing money never ever solved any problem, someone has to pay the bill!

Exactly, this is all very pretty right now but it is all borrowed.

 

[sergio]

It's ridiculous to think that the economy is good. People spend what they have because prices keep increasing and they can't save unless they buy some dollars on the black market. There are some people who benefit because of ties to the government but the majority are not faring well. Barrio Norte or Zona Norte are just a small part of Argentina and even in these pockets of relative wealth people are having problems.

 

[Somewhereinba]

People couldn't afford the majority of things if they had to pay for things in one payment - not 24. That tells me people aren't as wealthy as the delusional Government supporters here think.