For American expat Robert, there are many things to love about life in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As a walking tour expert, he knows of places that even much of the local population is not aware of! The cost of living is affordable, the lifestyle is easygoing, and the people are energetic and attractive. It’s not by any means a perfect place, but for Robert, it’s real and human.	Robert Wright

July 21 2006

-Where were you born?
Florida, USA

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

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

-How long have you been living in Argentina?
Almost six years.

-What is your age?
35

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Argentina?
My move to Argentina was the odd result of love, work and desire for change, all coming together at once. After moving back to Seattle from Spain, I knew I couldn't stick to the US eating or work schedule for long. My Spanish was deteriorating rapidly. So I decided to move somewhere to continue speaking Spanish... maybe back to Spain, maybe to Mexico, perhaps to Argentina or Chile. Investigating trip options in 1999 on the Internet, I stumbled across the personal webpage of an Argentine with whom I eventually fell in love. At the same time, I was beginning a new job as a tour guide in Spain and Portugal. Because my work was in Europe, I could live pretty much anywhere. So the new job worked out, the new boyfriend worked out, and I began to call Argentina home.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
When I moved to Buenos Aires in 2000, it was almost impossible to get residency. There was a list of categories, but I didn't fit in any of them. Of course, there was the option of bribing someone to do the paperwork for me, but that's not my style. Fortunately, Argentina is okay with people renewing their 90-day tourist visas indefinitely. I did that for four years until President Kirchner instituted a six-month immunity period. All I had to do was pay 400 pesos (about US$130), prove I wasn't a criminal, and I was legal for two years. I can renew my residency for another two years and then become a citizen.

-How do you make your living in Argentina? Do you have any type of income generated?
For most of my time in Argentina, I worked for an American company guiding tour groups throughout Europe and writing guidebooks. Therefore, I didn't have to work in Argentina. However, with the boom in tourism after the economic crash in 2001-02, I decided to open my own business doing walking tours of different areas of Buenos Aires. I take people to places that they might not see on their own and get them out of the regular tourist areas. More info is on my business webpage: Urban Explorer (http://www.urbex.com.ar). I continue to update and write guidebooks for Spain and Portugal for Rick Steves.

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I learned Spanish during the year I lived in Spain but had to learn it all over again when I came to Argentina. The dialect is very unique with different pronouns, different conjugations, and very different slang. I consider myself fluent although there's always room for improvement! Argentines don't generally speak any other language than Spanish although they can usually understand English, French, Portuguese, and Italian. I can't imagine living in a foreign country and not speaking the language to some extent. Learning Argentine Spanish gives you a special insight to their psyche and culture, so it's to any expat's benefit to learn the basics. Also, Argentines are notorious for trying to scam people, and it's easy to do when you don't speak the language. My friends are going to kill me for that comment.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I don't miss the US so much. I miss my friends and family, of course, but not the US lifestyle. Fast food, shopping malls, suburban living and cultural isolation aren't to be missed. I certainly miss the variety of ethnic food that we don't have in Buenos Aires. Since I travel frequently for work, my return luggage is always full of food items I can't easily find at home.

It's also very easy to make friends in Argentina... almost everyone is an immigrant from two generations ago, so there's not much stigma to being an expat. Cultural offerings are a great way to meet people (classes, theater, concerts, etc.) and are easily available.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
I've got so many plans that I'll never be able to accomplish them all! :) At the moment, I'm in the process of writing up the walking tours that I do so that people can guide themselves. Hopefully I'll be done with the first one in a couple months so it can be published by October. I'm also working on adding another walking tour to those that I currently offer. It's difficult for me to travel because of my own business, but there are many parts of Argentina I'd like to explore. We'll see what the future holds.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I am currently renting an 82-square-meter, furnished apartment in what many consider to be the nicest neighborhood in town. My rent is 990 pesos per month plus building expenses (220 pesos per month). That comes to approximately US$400... a real bargain. I moved to this place in 2002 just after devaluation, and the owner and I get along well. He's only raised my rent once since I've been here so I don't pay what it's currently worth. The influx of expats to Buenos Aires has made real estate more expensive than before the devaluation of the peso. I could have purchased my apartment for US$45,000 in 2002. It's now worth about US$150,000 just four years later.

-What is the cost of living in Argentina?
The cost of living varies a lot depending on the neighborhood where you live. There have been some increases in the cost of services (gas, telephone, electricity, water) but those are minimal if you earn income in dollars, euros or pounds. Inflation since devaluation has been a big concern. In 2003 it was 3%; in 2004 it was 6%; in 2005 it was 12%. Fortunately it won't be 24% for 2006... it will probably be 12% again.

Food is still the most affordable thing in Buenos Aires. The current Minister of Economy has negotiated price controls on basic food items, but that's seen as a temporary measure at best. It's difficult to say what the future holds for Argentina.

-What do you think about the Argentine people?
The Argentines are wonderful people. They are incredibly attractive, full of energy, and sometimes fit the stereotype of being arrogant. But they don't take themselves too seriously. Argentine slang for an American is "yanqui" but I've only been jokingly called that by my friends. I'm pretty much accepted by everyone here, especially when they find out that I know Buenos Aires better than they do. But that's my job :)

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Argentina?
Negative aspects are easy - even though Argentines like to think of themselves as European, bureaucracy is definitely Latin American. It's long, slow and usually full of corruption. From the tour guide point of view, Buenos Aires has amazing architecture and historical heritage, but few people seem to care. Monuments are collapsing and history disappears daily... yet I can hardly complain when there are people who don't get a decent meal on a daily basis. It's all about priorities.

Positive aspects are easy to mention as well. It's so easygoing and relaxed here... show up late for a meeting (it's expected), occupy a table at a cafe for hours (it's expected), get psychoanalysis whether you need it or not (it's expected). Argentina may not be efficient, but it's much more real and human.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Argentina?
I think most tips can be inferred from the answers above. If you plan to live in Argentina, bring spicy food, bring lots of patience, bring a desire to integrate yourself, don't take yourself too seriously. Most of all, be passionate. Moving here because it's cheap is hardly worthwhile and will only lead to frustration. Do your homework on Argentine history and think about whether you are willing to ride the rollercoaster.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Argentina?
I have a blog, Line of Sight (http://www.wrighton.com.ar) that mainly focuses on Buenos Aires and my day-to-day experiences living here. It also contains a photo gallery section with over 450 pix of Buenos Aires plus ten other destinations within Argentina. More are coming!

There are many good blogs about living in Buenos Aires since the expat population has exploded. The best resource is: Bloggers in Argentina (http://bloggersinargentina.blogspot.com)

Enjoy!