American expat Adam is living in a most interesting part of Buenos Aires, Argentina. While he doesn't look at the city through rose-colored glasses, he does appreciate all that it has to offer. Some local practices and attitudes may not meet with his approval, but for Adam, there's a lot more to Buenos Aires than meets the eye.	Adam Rosen

July 30 2006

-Where were you born?
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Buenos Aires, Argentina

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live alone.

-How long have you been living there?
11 months

-What is your age?
23

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Argentina?
A few things brought me to Argentina. Probably most importantly, as my college graduation date neared in April 2005, it became more and more apparent that my life was about to drastically change, likely not for the better. I've always enjoyed traveling and experiencing new things, so when I randomly chatted with a family friend who had just gotten back from a six-month English teaching stint in France, I was easily sold on the idea. I studied abroad in Barcelona and spoke some Spanish so I knew I wanted to go to where I could really learn the language; Latin America was a natural choice. I had heard a lot of great things about Argentina, and besides, as a recent college grad, the price was right too. Everything actually fell into place pretty easily.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
I wouldn't know. I'm here on a tourist visa and I renew it every three months by leaving the country. If you're in Buenos Aires this is no problem because Uruguay is just a few hours away, but if you're in the interior it could be more of a hassle. Though, I've never heard of anybody getting penalized anything more than a small fine for overstaying their tourist visa.

-How do you make your living in Argentina? Do you have any type of income generated?
I've done a variety of things to generate some sort of income, but until very recently none of them have really provided me with enough to live on, so I've been dipping into my savings a fair amount since I arrived. As of late I've been teaching English and doing translations for a local media company. At its best – and working perhaps 40-50 hours a week – English teaching can provide just enough to get by on, and that's very likely only if your living standards are a bit lower than they would be at home. At its worst, it's just supplemental income, or going-out money. However you prefer.

To get into the English teaching bit I took a certification course in Buenos Aires when I first arrived, and through this course I was connected to a lot of employers, which was nice. But I'm still not sure the hefty course fee (about US $1,200) was justified, because a lot of people still teach English down here without any certification.

With my other current job, translating, I found it by dumb luck. A local production firm somehow accessed my blog and than contacted me about helping them out. This has been really great, monetary-wise and fun-wise. I also freelance write, but it's much more of a hobby than income generator.

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
While unfortunately my Spanish still isn't up to the level I hoped it would be (another drawback of speaking English all day for work), I've progressed leaps and bounds since I arrived. I think it's extremely important to learn the local language anywhere you go if you plan to stay for awhile, because if you really want to dig into the culture you couldn't possibly without being at least acquainted with the most conspicuous aspect of it. In Argentina, also, a lot of people only speak a little bit of English, and that's in Buenos Aires; in the interior, even less. In terms of meeting normal people (i.e. those without the economic advantages that allow for studying English) and really communicating, Spanish is indispensable.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I really don't miss home so much. Of course I miss my friends and family, especially around holidays and birthdays, but with e-mail and cheap phone services, traveling to the other side of the world is a whole lot easier these days.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
That's a good question, ha. I'd like to go back home and save up some more money and eventually come back to Argentina for another year, but it depends on a lot of factors. Right now my next move is far from certain.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I'm renting a room in an old, 20's era apartment just on the fringes of what is currently one of the trendiest areas of the city, “Palermo Hollywood.” I pay 600 pesos a month ($200 USD), and I don't have A/C. If I were closer to the core of the neighborhood I'd definitely be paying more, but as it is I'm located right in the transition zone of what was until recently one of the city's most prominent red-light districts. So while the area's got its pretensions it's also got its interesting parts – and their subsequently lower rent prices – too.

-What is the cost of living in Argentina?
Coming from the U.S., or Europe, low. For me, it's almost just as cheap to eat out or get delivery as it is to cook, except when you order food you don't need to spend an hour in preparation and then clean up (dishwashers are a rare luxury here). I usually spend around 30 pesos a day ($10 USD) on lunch, dinner, and a snack. The subway and buses cost about 25 cents per ride, and even taxis aren't bad. At the poshest nightspots you can expect to pay 15 pesos a drink ($5 USD, still not too bad), and at the more regular ones you can often get a liter of beer for about 8 pesos (just under 3 bucks). I actually lived in Cordoba for two months, and the prices there are even lower, probably 30-40 percent less than in Buenos Aires.

-What do you think about the Argentine people?
Like anyone else, the locals have good points and bad points. They are warm, extremely friendly, helpful, and interesting. But coming from the U.S., they can probably be seen as flaky and occasionally gauche. While the Argentines who live in Buenos Aires (portenos) are regarded with disdain by a lot of Argentines from other parts of the country and other South Americans, they're generally very open towards foreigners, especially in comparison to Barcelona.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Argentina?
Argentina is a huge, beautiful country that pretty much offers everything: great cities, natural wonders, colonial sites, interesting architecture, good nightlife, tasty food and pretty people. A lot of foreigners (and locals) complain about corruption and bureaucracy, but I don't have enough personal experience with either to really comment.

One thing about Buenos Aires that I don't like is people seem to have little regard for the city, and usually just throw their trash on the sidewalk, the street or out of the bus window whenever they feel like it. Also, it’s hard getting used to the site of whole families rummaging through the trash and sleeping on the sidewalk.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Argentina?
Argentina is a fantastic, easy place to visit but if you’re in here for the long-term there's one important characteristic you should fully cultivate before arriving: patience. Stores will often open up or close when they feel like it; buses may come three at time and then one may not come for another half an hour; there may be four store clerks chatting it up but only one check-out line; and no, the customer definitely isn't always right.

Unless you have the financial resources to demand the finest service in all aspects of your life, you'll need to learn to kick back and relax. Things will probably get done, eventually, but in the meantime…

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Argentina?
If I may be so modest I'd humbly suggest reading my own blog: From Bmore to BA. Being 23, my experience may resonate more with the younger crowd, but I touch on a lot of general subjects that are relevant to people of all ages and income backgrounds.

Also, a friend of mine has organized an accumulation of a dozen or so Argentina blogs: Bloggers in Argentina.

For information about teaching English in Argentina or anywhere in the world, check out Dave's ESL café.