Life in Argentina? (2011, loft, neighborhoods)

[dorado0359]

Originally Posted by victorma

Argentina is a great country to visit and live in. Four climates, mountains, sea, hills, snow, whatever you want. You can choose among cosmopolitan cities such as Buenos Aires (called the Paris of South America), Cordoba, Rosario, Mar del Plata and the whole southern region called Patagonia. There was an economic recession back in 2002 but the country is so rich that the economy is steady and growing up now. People? The best! 99% descend from Europeans and you will not know if you in France, Italy or Argentina. I am an American who was down there for one month and now, came back to the US to pick up my family and move down there definitely.

Don't waste your time in Brazil or Chile? Brazil is one of the most dangerous countries in the world, people starving down the street and crime. Very low education, not comparable to Argentina. Think that brazilians save money throughout the year just to purchase their mardigrass costume! I have been in Sao Paulo and Rio and I almost got shooted in a restaurant. My co-workers and I rushed out to the hotel and went back to Buenos Aries immediately.

Chile? It is like Arizona, dessertic, boring and their people are arrogant and not trustable.

Just stick with Argentina. This is my place in the world!

From reading this post, it sounds like Argentina is a very racist country full of very racist people.

[SeashoreDreams]

Originally Posted by bdrbwannabe

Hey everyone. Lately we've been toying around with the idea of moving to another country. It's not very likely we will do it, but I'd like some insider information, just for fun.

What is the social/nightlife like in Argentina? Absolutely exhilerating.

What about the education and intelligence of people? Most are college graduates. The Taxi Drivers and Waitstaff had masters degrees

Best cities to live and why? Lots of choices....as each city has it's own style. Buenos Aires is exciting and has the best restaurants I've ever been to. Lots of shopping and the dollar goes very far.

And any other info you might want to share. I was there last December and it was wonderous. My husband and I are considering moving there.

Thanks.

Any questions, let me know.

[Mooseketeer]

I've never lived there but have travelled extensively through South America and absolutely loved both Argentina and Chile. Both are stunningly beautiful countries with very varied landscapes and I have found the people really friendly. Argentina is very Westernized, and Buenos Aires is a beautiful city wit a fantastic street-scene, great restaurants and is indeed the Paris of the Southern Hemisphere. In Chile I would love to go back to, especially Patagonia, Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine as well as Ushuaia which feels like the end of the world.

I travelled mostly alone through South America ( as a woman) and though I noticed a lot of crime in Rio de de Janeiro in Brazil and in Bogota, Colombia , I felt really safe just about anywhere else in South America and found people very generous and friendly , despite a lot of poverty in some places.

As a westerner Argentina is a good choice though as it shouldn't be too much of a culture shock.

All the best.

Living in Argentina: Resources for Expatriates
Moving to and living in...Argentina
Moving to Argentina ~ Living In Argentina ~ Real Estate In Argentina
Living in Argentina - services, business, culture, guides, shopping, customs, leisure and tourism for expatriates in Argentina
An Introduction to Argentina
Welcome to Chile

[Kyle Togareth]

I recently spent some time in Buenos Aires and have a good idea of the city. Due to time constraints, I did not get to see much outside the city. Here are a few things that may be helpful...

1) This is a night city. Many of the younger people stay out all night at clubs dancing. There are a lot of clubs to try with almost every type of music you could want. It was interesting to see some of the VERY Energetic dances of the new "electronic" tango. My body ached from just watching!!!
2) Shopping is picking up and malls with lots of shops are popping up all over the place. The economic collapse of 2001 does not seem to have prevented the people of Argentina from building a strong economic base.
3) Petty theft is rampant. Watch your money, cameras, Ipod, computers and any other small goods. They disappear at an alarming rate. We encountered so many stories of tourists getting robbed it wasn't funny. This was bad enough that it almost wasn't worth going and I do not think I would return.
4) Keep an eye on the hotels. We stayed in a fancy 5 star hotel and were constantly battling them at every turn. They would overcharge us and charge us for things we did not recieve. We even had it set so we had a room reserved the night before so that when we arrived in the morning after a long overnight flight, we would have a room to go to. The hotel claimed that no room had been booked and we had to wait until late afternoon before we could get in to a room and take a shower and grab a nap. We found out later that the people who set up our reservations, had indeed, reserved a room for us that first night.
5) The air quality sucks. It is absolutely horrible. I have been in major cities throughout the US, and not even Los Angeles has air this bad. My lungs were burning the entire time and it took several days for the nasty taste/smell of the Buenos Aires atmosphere to clear up. People talk about the US as being a major polluter - the US is doing a fantastic job compared to Argentina. I would not go back to BA for the air quality alone.
6) The people were very friendly. Everyone was extremely considerate and many were interested about differences in our daily lives compared to their own. Many of the people who we met in the hotel were very friendly and extremely helpful. This was a nice contrast to those who were in charge of billing!! LOL
7) The food and drink were Excellent!! The beef is fantastic though they like it a bit more on the rare side. Ask your waiter for assistance in chosing the right cooking selection. I found that medium well (what they referred to as tres de quatros or about 3/4ths) was perfect; pink in the middle and very tender. What I did not expect was the wonderful pastas and beer. The Itilian influence was very strong and I had some of the best Lazagna and pizza I have ever had. At Bullers (in the Recolleta District) they brew their own beers. All of them were great!! I especially liked their stout.
8) Drivers are crazy. Don't rent a car. Go in a Radio Taxi and pay no attention to what all the drivers are doing on the road. Focus your attention on the people you are riding with and the drive is much easier!!!

Overall the experience was a good one with small down sides. The air quality, getting money stolen and the problems with the hotel charges is enough to convince me not to go back. But I must admit that we had some very pleasent experiences as well. I have tried to paint as honest a picture as possible to let you decide.... Enjoy!!

[salcisne]

As a brazilian I must say that I was robbed in Rome and felt really very unsecure in NYC.
Big cities have big problems.

Do you know that :

That we are responsible for 42% of the GDP of Latin America and that the GDP of Argentina is the same as that of the interior of the state of São Paulo (excluding the metropolitan region); and that the GDP of Chile is equal to that of Greater Campinas metropolitan area (a city in the state of São Paulo)?
That, of the 500 largest corporations of Latin America, 300 are Brazilian; 80 are Mexican; 60 are Argentinean; and 30 are Chilean?
That Brazil is ranked 9th among the nations that most use the Internet, with 10.9 million people online - losing only to USA, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, China, Canada, South Korea and Italy?
That 61% of Latin American websites are Brazilian?
That Brazilian television was the 4th of the world to go on the air daily, after the United States, Great Britain and France and TV Globo is the 4th largest television station of the world, surpassed only by the 3 largest American stations (ABC, CBS and NBC)?
That Embraer, the Brazilian Aeronautical Corporation, has sold 4,959 aircraft in its 27 years of existence?
That Brazil is the world's third biggest manufacturer of regional service and training aircraft?
That Embraer sells jets and turbo-propeller aircraft to First World countries such as the United States, France, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Luxembourg, Holland, Poland, China and Sweden?
That Embraer is the world's fourth biggest manufacturer of commercial aircraft?
That the number of computers in Brazil rose from 5.1 million in 1997 to 9.2 million in 2000?
That Brazil is in seventh place in number of computers and at the moment is the world's biggest informatics market?
That, according to a survey of 1,000 businessmen responsible for 90% of all direct investments in the world, made in February 2001, by the American consultancy firm, A.T. Kearney, Brazil is in third place in the preference of mega-investors, behind only the United States and China.
That, according to economic analysts, there are a series of factors which explain why Brazil has become one of the stars of the emerging country marketplace over the last few years. That, among these factors, is economic stability, the size of the consumer market, the existence of a solid financial system, a democratic government and the fact that Brazil is one of the best positioned countries among the emerging nations in the New Economy and has the world's most competitive agricultural sector?
That Brazil is in fifth place in purchasing power, behind only the United States, China, Japan and Germany?
That Brazil's middle class consists of 35 million families, according to the IBGE? In other words, Brazil's middle class is 8% bigger than the population of Germany, and bigger than the sum of the populations of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Island, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Brazil's middle class is bigger than the population of France and Canada added together. It is equal to one-third of the population of the United States or 72% of the population of Japan.
That Brazil is the world's third biggest franchise market, behind only the United States and Canada? And that the number of franchises in Brazil rose 96% between 1995 and 1999, reaching a total of 46,534 with 226,334 direct employees?
That Brazil is the world's tenth biggest industrial power?
That Brazil is the world's ninth biggest manufacturer of vehicles? That Audi, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Renault-Citroen, Scania, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo have factories in Brazil?
That Brazil is the world's second biggest manufacturer of ceramic coating and compressors for refrigeration? The fourth biggest beer brewer? The fifth biggest manufacturer of gasoline and radios? The sixth biggest of cigarettes and CDs? The seventh biggest of refrigerators, textiles and clothing? The eighth biggest of undulated cardboard, chemical products and instant foods?
That 70% of Brazil's exports are manufactured goods?
That Petrobras, using domestic technology, holds the world record in ultra-deep water drilling, having reached a depth of 1,700 meters?

By the way ... It´s summer here in Rio , I live in Copacabana Beach...the sky is blue , the women is beautiful, and I´m going to Ipanema beach right now...bye bye

[Ise]

Originally Posted by salcisne

As a brazilian I must say that I was robbed in Rome and felt really very unsecure in NYC.
Big cities have big problems.

Do you know that :

That we are responsible for 42% of the GDP of Latin America and that the GDP of Argentina is the same as that of the interior of the state of São Paulo (excluding the metropolitan region); and that the GDP of Chile is equal to that of Greater Campinas metropolitan area (a city in the state of São Paulo)?
That, of the 500 largest corporations of Latin America, 300 are Brazilian; 80 are Mexican; 60 are Argentinean; and 30 are Chilean?
That Brazil is ranked 9th among the nations that most use the Internet, with 10.9 million people online - losing only to USA, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, China, Canada, South Korea and Italy?
That 61% of Latin American websites are Brazilian?
That Brazilian television was the 4th of the world to go on the air daily, after the United States, Great Britain and France and TV Globo is the 4th largest television station of the world, surpassed only by the 3 largest American stations (ABC, CBS and NBC)?
That Embraer, the Brazilian Aeronautical Corporation, has sold 4,959 aircraft in its 27 years of existence?
That Brazil is the world's third biggest manufacturer of regional service and training aircraft?
That Embraer sells jets and turbo-propeller aircraft to First World countries such as the United States, France, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Luxembourg, Holland, Poland, China and Sweden?
That Embraer is the world's fourth biggest manufacturer of commercial aircraft?
That the number of computers in Brazil rose from 5.1 million in 1997 to 9.2 million in 2000?
That Brazil is in seventh place in number of computers and at the moment is the world's biggest informatics market?
That, according to a survey of 1,000 businessmen responsible for 90% of all direct investments in the world, made in February 2001, by the American consultancy firm, A.T. Kearney, Brazil is in third place in the preference of mega-investors, behind only the United States and China.
That, according to economic analysts, there are a series of factors which explain why Brazil has become one of the stars of the emerging country marketplace over the last few years. That, among these factors, is economic stability, the size of the consumer market, the existence of a solid financial system, a democratic government and the fact that Brazil is one of the best positioned countries among the emerging nations in the New Economy and has the world's most competitive agricultural sector?
That Brazil is in fifth place in purchasing power, behind only the United States, China, Japan and Germany?
That Brazil's middle class consists of 35 million families, according to the IBGE? In other words, Brazil's middle class is 8% bigger than the population of Germany, and bigger than the sum of the populations of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Island, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Brazil's middle class is bigger than the population of France and Canada added together. It is equal to one-third of the population of the United States or 72% of the population of Japan.
That Brazil is the world's third biggest franchise market, behind only the United States and Canada? And that the number of franchises in Brazil rose 96% between 1995 and 1999, reaching a total of 46,534 with 226,334 direct employees?
That Brazil is the world's tenth biggest industrial power?
That Brazil is the world's ninth biggest manufacturer of vehicles? That Audi, Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Renault-Citroen, Scania, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo have factories in Brazil?
That Brazil is the world's second biggest manufacturer of ceramic coating and compressors for refrigeration? The fourth biggest beer brewer? The fifth biggest manufacturer of gasoline and radios? The sixth biggest of cigarettes and CDs? The seventh biggest of refrigerators, textiles and clothing? The eighth biggest of undulated cardboard, chemical products and instant foods?
That 70% of Brazil's exports are manufactured goods?
That Petrobras, using domestic technology, holds the world record in ultra-deep water drilling, having reached a depth of 1,700 meters?

By the way ... It´s summer here in Rio , I live in Copacabana Beach...the sky is blue , the women is beautiful, and I´m going to Ipanema beach right now...bye bye

Well done, my friend!

Besides, Brazil is not only Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, even if those 2 are already great... we have a lot of diferent states and climates... its snows in the south and we have amazing wildlife in Amazonic Forest and Pantanal... We have a lot of diferent cultures, races and religion living side by side with no problem
I think it's really VERY stupid and VERY rude to say Argentina is great (argentina and chile are really great, but for other reasons) becouse 99% are descendents of european... it's a racist affirmative!

[decafdave]

Originally Posted by dorado0359

From reading this post, it sounds like Argentina is a very racist country full of very racist people.

umm how does someone being descended from Europe make them racist.

[Ise]

Originally Posted by decafdave

umm how does someone being descended from Europe make them racist.

Dave, just read your topic again and I guess you're going to see it. It's not hard!

Wanna a clue?
"People? The best! 99% descend from Europeans"

[Embraer]

Victorma has serious mental health issues and needs to see a therapist.

All the things she said about Brazil and Chile are false...particularly Brazil.

Salcisne summed it up very well, so I don't need to go into further details about how Brazil's economy is one of the top 10 in the world, the largest in Latin America BY FAR, and has a truly melting pot of people including Europeans 55%; Mixed European/African 38%, African 5%, Asian 1%, and Others 1%

Not to mention Brazil also has Snow, Beautiful Beaches, Mountain ranges, the largest rain forest in the world, one of the largest marsh areas in the world ( the Pantanal) and a diversified economy that includes the production of everything from Aircraft to Vehicles to Computers. Not to mention last weeks disovery of one of the largest Oil fields in the world.

Argentina is nice but I would choose Brazil over Argentina any day.

[gv0928]

Brazil's economy is not that good - it doesn't change the fact that there's widespread extreme proverty, and a small elite with much of the wealth.