Young & well to do. Should I move to BA?

[Shirley Matthews]

Buenos Aires is a friendly city. there is a lot to do or just live here.

if you come, try the meetings for expats in Palermo.
Thames 1946. thursdays at 8pm. they can help to settle down here.

 

[DontMindMe]

Shopping is not the same than materialism. The later is the encroachment of a market mentality in every social interaction, the dating system with its ridiculous requirements reaching to crazy heights with online dating, etc. Note that I put dating. Americans go on dates, we simply "go out", it is a different concept, and a different way of relate to each other).

Your magical version of Buenos Aires where no one dates and no one is materialistic sounds swell.

Shopping in itself is not necessarily materialistic, but talking about shopping and doing it as often as possible and buying things you can't afford because you can make 9000 payments probably is. And if porteños don't go on dates, why does every male friend of mine, expat or not, sweat his ass of trying to plan the perfect first date to impress his porteña? And man, if they are not impressed, they just sit there with a pout and don't touch their food. Do you think if OP meets a girl and she finds out where he lives and what he's doing in Buenos Aires, she definitely won't expect a really nice dinner date? This place is not somehow magically free of the materialistic jerks and gold diggers that exist everywhere else in the world. Oh, and match.com Buenos Aires seems to be alive and kicking, as is Craigslist casual encounters (just did a search). Although I'm not quite sure how meeting someone online is materialistic. I can think of a few other adjectives I could use.

 

[citygirl]

Yes, I'm scratching my head about the non-materialistic portena paradise described therein. Not saying porteñas are necessarily any worse than women in other countries but they certainly value earning. Esp since it's still the expectation of a lot of women here that their significant other will be paying all their bills in the future.

 

[sesamosinsal]

Is that six figure income before or after taxes? BsAs is great but I guess my question is what makes you want to come here? If it's b/c it's cheap - I would be looking at some other places where your dollar would go as far (or farther!) and the weather is better. If you have this idea of sun, fun, nights spent dancing, etc - I'd probably look at Rio or Sampa or one of the cities in Brasil. If it's because you want to have fun in BsAs and travel all over Argentina and see glaciers, pampas, tropical, mountains, etc, etc, come on down

I love Buenos Aires, it's home but no way is it one of the top five cities in the world. I wouldn't even put it necessarily as the top city in South America.

But any place is great for 6 months - you will have fun wherever you go.

And if he's wanting to meet lady friends, I think the Brazilian women are more friendly than the Argentine women. Sao Paulo definitely has the best night life in South America, but it's going to be a lot more expensive than Buenos Aires. With 6-figures, however, that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[starlucia]

If you're truly curious, I say give it a shot; why not? Move into a place with flexible lease terms -- then if you like it here, stay; if not, pick up and try a new destination. Personally, 1-2 months at a time in BA is more than enough for me; for longer stints -- and for roughly the same amount of money -- I'm much happier in Europe or New York City (places where crime is lower, the food is better, and everything runs more efficiently.) But everyone's tastes and priorities are different; you won't know if you'll like it here until you come check it out.

 

[marksoc]

Your magical version of Buenos Aires where no one dates and no one is materialistic sounds swell.

Shopping in itself is not necessarily materialistic, but talking about shopping and doing it as often as possible and buying things you can't afford because you can make 9000 payments probably is. And if porteños don't go on dates, why does every male friend of mine, expat or not, sweat his ass of trying to plan the perfect first date to impress his porteña? And man, if they are not impressed, they just sit there with a pout and don't touch their food. Do you think if OP meets a girl and she finds out where he lives and what he's doing in Buenos Aires, she definitely won't expect a really nice dinner date? This place is not somehow magically free of the materialistic jerks and gold diggers that exist everywhere else in the world. Oh, and match.com Buenos Aires seems to be alive and kicking, as is Craigslist casual encounters (just did a search). Although I'm not quite sure how meeting someone online is materialistic. I can think of a few other adjectives I could use.

The people I go out with are clearly different. In the (non-rich non USA-USA-USA!) suburbs nobody I know of has heard about Match.com or the like. The same in most of the city. Why would they? You simply go out with your friends to the closest bar or Renoir retrospective and talk to people. Girls appreciate if I pay something, but most want to share the cost of dinner or at least the ice-cream. We don´t expect to kiss at the end, because we did that already when we met in the bar-party-picnic-nightclub whatever. Also the American obsessiveness with "scoring" is a lot more subdued. It depends of course the crowd you hang out with.

The things I say about the differences between relationships there and here are not not a conspiracy nor a secret. At least give me that. Of course it is changing, but I think that we will be spared of the worst "Sex and The City"-"Eat, Pray, Love" tendencies. Ask Robert Duvall, Mark Sanford and Matt Damon about it.

Can you imagine going out with somebody using the bus and not a car? I done it here lots of times, and nobody losses sleep over it. Same for eating in cheap places (in Hollywood movies, a cliche about quirkiness and extreme date-chemistry) or camping.

 

[DontMindMe]

Okay marksoc, I'm done trying to reason with you. Argentines never have secret relationships?? Hahaha. Why do the telos have private parking and lobbies with blackout windows? Your image of the U.S. is based on what you see in the movies and on TV. That is FICTION written for entertainment purposes. You should stick to your Renoir retrospectives.

 

[PhilipDT]

The people I go out with are clearly different. In the (non-rich non USA-USA-USA!) suburbs nobody I know of has heard about Match.com or the like. The same in most of the city. Why would they? You simply go out with your friends to the closest bar or Renoir retrospective and talk to people. Girls appreciate if I pay something, but most want to share the cost of dinner or at least the ice-cream. We don´t expect to kiss at the end, because we did that already when we met in the bar-party-picnic-nightclub whatever. Also the American obsessiveness with "scoring" is a lot more subdued. It depends of course the crowd you hang out with.

Are you 12? You've never asked a girl you found interesting and attractive to go out with you on a date? You just tried to kiss her at the bar-party-picnic-nightclub whatever ..... and even as I'm writing this I realize you're probably telling the truth. You're that guy leaning out the window of the bus cat calling at women in the street, you're the guy creeping on the girls at the clubs, you're the guy who doesn't understand "no don't touch me". You're that sleazy argentine.

 

[MasChicoTenes]

And if he's wanting to meet lady friends, I think the Brazilian women are more friendly than the Argentine women. Sao Paulo definitely has the best night life in South America, but it's going to be a lot more expensive than Buenos Aires. With 6-figures, however, that shouldn't be a problem.

Yer but going to sao paolo is harder than going to buenos aires

 

[stefano]

As I work remotely (UK and Australia mostly) as well and traveled extensively, I recommend you not to come to Argentina. There are better places for location independent types. South East Asia coming to my mind first. If you still want Latin America, seriously consider Mexico. Cheaper, friendlier people, closer to the USA, beaches, etc.

Mexico? It's a great place to get caught in the cross fire of rival drug cartels or thrown in jail by corrupt cops or get kidnapped. Everyone is better off staying clear of Mexico.