The Travel Chica

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Buenos Aires Sucks You In

By

I have lived in Buenos Aires for four months.

I have met many expats who have come here for a long-term visit to “try out” the city…

And they never leave. 

After living here for four months, I totally get it.

Buenos Aires sucks you in.

You always feel as if there is so much more to see and so much more to do.  The people are so diverse, both the Porteños and the expats, in their cultural backgrounds, personal styles, and interests.  It is easy to make friends and find others that relate to you.

It is impossible to be bored in this city.

There are thousands of galleries, museums, cultural centers, and theaters.  It is impossible to walk a block without seeing flyers advertising classes in anything ranging from stand-up comedy to playing the ukulele.  There are different neighborhoods to explore.  There are beautiful buildings to see.

Any night of the week, your options are endless.

Should I go to a wine tasting?  Should I see a ballet?  Should I go to a gallery opening?  Should I go out dancing?

But it is not just the diversity of the people and having lots of nightlife options.

Photo of building downtown

There is something special about this city.

If you chat up a local, you will quickly hear from him or her, “Buenos Aires is the best city in the world.”

I just realized that I have never asked the question of why.

When I first arrived here, I shared 5 things I love about Buenos Aires.  Those were my first impressions as a tourist.  Over time, I have shared even more of what I love about this city from the plethora of cultural activities, many free or very affordable, to the beautiful tree-lined streets and European-style architecture.

Photo of tree-lined streets

The Truth About Buenos Aires

The nice thing about living in one place for a while is that you learn more.  You start to understand the environment in which people are living and how it impacts them.

When a local claims that Buenos Aires is the best city in the world, I have to wonder how they overlook the not-so-glamorous aspects of the city.  So here is the truth about Buenos Aires.

The economy of Argentina is doing poorly.

The government is lying about inflation (about 30% last year).  There seems to be a lot of corruption within the government, which ultimately affects the economy.

Almost everything is expensive.

Apartments.  Restaurants.  Groceries.  Clothing.  Thankfully, the amount of free and low-cost entertainment is abundant, and public transportation is cheap.  Otherwise, I could not afford to stay in this city for so long.

Electronics are very expensive. The government taxes imports at a ridiculous rate (around 50% I think), so it is difficult for locals to afford things like computers.  I assume this is because they want people to “buy local,” but Argentina doesn’t produce certain things.  I am guessing it is not exactly cheap for an international company to just set up a factory in Argentina either.  In my opinion, you put your own people at a disadvantage when they cannot buy the tools they need to be competitive with the rest of the world.

The poverty is palpable.

Even in the nicest neighborhoods, you see homeless people sleeping on the streets in the middle of the day.  They are filthy, and their clothes are barely stitched together.  I wonder if there is anywhere they can go for a shower or a meal.

Small children spend their days begging for change in the subway, on the streets, and even in some restaurants.

I once saw a woman trying to sell some cheap product on the subway train with her newborn baby in tow.

Crime has increased.

I was warned when I got here that Buenos Aires is not as safe as it seems.  The architecture makes it seem like such a grand city.  People dress fashionably.  There are lots of trendy bars and restaurants.  People spend their afternoons enjoying coffee and medialunas with friends at a café.

But because of the poverty, economic instability, and political issues, Buenos Aires has a lot of crime. I certainly am not an expert and do not know the statistics on this, but it seems that the majority of crime is more about theft and not particularly violent.  So that’s a plus I guess.

If you have nice things, you take care not to make it obvious.  A friend I met was visiting Buenos Aires for a wedding, and a thief took her iPhone right out of her hand while she was sitting in a taxi at a stoplight.  I have met travelers who have been pick pocketed on the subway.  I have met locals who have been robbed on the street.

Workers are on strike every day.

I am certainly not one to judge whether an organization should be on strike or not.  All I know is that there seem to be a lot of strikes.

The city is dirty.

And I am not just talking about dog poo on the sidewalks.  It is not so bad in the nicer neighborhoods like Palermo and Recoleta, but there is a lot of trash in Buenos Aires.  It seems to be perfectly acceptable to throw your trash on the street rather than use a trash bin.

Photo of trash
I think the garbage crews were on strike this day.

So why is Buenos Aires so great?

The same Porteños who tell you that Buenos Aires is the greatest city in the world will also tell you all of the problems.  Same with the expats who choose to make their lives here.  They are not in denial.

How do they look beyond these problems and still think so highly of their city?

They believe that Buenos Aires has the potential to overcome the problems.

This is a city full of people that WANT Buenos Aires to be the greatest city in the world.

And while the city and the country work on their problems (slowly), the people enjoy the best parts of Buenos Aires.

There is something exciting about the challenges of living in this city.

For me, Buenos Aires is just modern enough yet still has the typical Latin American big city challenges.

Figuring out how to take public transportation to a new place is always a fun challenge. I love the bus.  I have mastered a few routes now, but I am also not afraid to take a new one.

Getting through a government process is worthy of a medal. I was proud that I figured out how to navigate AFIP to file complaints against my evil landlord.

Knowing where to find the best deals makes you feel like a local. I know where to buy the best and cheapest baguettes.  I know which vegetable and fruit stand always gives me the best prices.  I know what part of town has the cheapest clothing.  I know where to find the cheapest cup of good coffee.   If I cannot find something, I know who to ask.

Not getting ripped off by taxi drivers is a personal goal. When I catch my taxi driver trying to drive me the long way, and I can call him out on it in Spanish, I feel pretty damn good about myself.

Buenos Aires, you are exciting, inspirational, and at times frustrating.  And I accept your flaws because of everything else you have to offer.

Comments

  1. I think that learning why a city is not the best in the world happens to every expat after a few months! It certainly happened to many people I know in Santiago too. The thing about that original fascination is that once you’ve been in a city for more than few weeks, things that once seemed quaint or interesting (aww, how old funny, you have to stand in three different lines to buy a pair of scissors!) become annoyances because you realize they’re permanent (dude, seriously. Why do I have to stand in three different lines just to buy a damn pair of scissors?!).
    Kyle recently posted..The Appreciation Post

  3. Great post (and thorough!) – about a city I’d love to get to but haven’t seen yet. I do love getting to know a place properly like that – I have lived in Osaka, Bratislava and a small town in Germany and loved learning both the good and bad sides – much better (to me) than just visiting. Of course the only problem is there is not enough time to do more than “just visit” most of the places in the world …
    Amanda Kendle recently posted..Weekend Wanderings: Asia, Asia and more Asia!

    • Thank you! This experience has been so great for me.

      Time is definitely the challenge. I may change up my travel itinerary in order to be able to stay longer in another city. It is worth getting to know a place you really like and maybe not see 2 or 3 other destinations.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Gallery Nights in Buenos Aires

  5. Nice post! This is great motivation to go to Buenos Aires, and it’s good to see the pros and cons from an insider’s perspective. Every city has its challenges (although some may be more challenging than others, haha) and it’s always a fun puzzle to figure a city out!
    Danalynn recently posted..Best Banks for Travelers and Nomads

  6. I don’t think any city is the best in the world in itself. It’s how you feel living there that makes it the best or worst for you.

    I’m living in Dallas now and it’s definitely not the best for me, although I know it feels like paradise for many immigrants who come from less fortunate circumstances.

    As to BA, it can be a pain in the proverbial, but I love it unconditionally warts and all.
    Ana recently posted..What the Brits left behind: the railway

  7. I’ve always wanted to check out BA! Good points to watch out for- unfortunately, I’m one of the most oblivious travelers I know…sad!

  8. Stephanie,
    One has to do that or the Western World would never visit some of these countries in Central and South America. :)
    Cheers,
    John D. Wilson

  10. Thanks for the realistic look at Buenos Aires. I know someone who spends every winter there (her husband is Argentine) and she loves it for many of the reasons you mentioned. I hope that the city will be able to overcome their problems. It seems that they have the will to do it.
    Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Hemingway: Chapter One

  12. The economy isn’t doing poorly. Unprecedented growth would be more accurate. Yes, there is hellish inflation but there is more to economy than inflation. In August, I heard on the radio that more new cars had been sold this year than in any other year. And there are four more months to go. Many people have more money and more access to money now than in the past 30+ years.

    Personally, the sentence “It is impossible to be bored in this city.” is comical, as I can’t imagine a worse place to live. I guess its a matter of tastes, interests, etc.

    At the same time, Buenos Aires is a great city and certainly a nice starting place for many to start exploring the country and continent. I’ve always said it’s like a brand because everyone wants to go to “Buenos Aires” even if they haven’t a clue why.
    Jeff recently posted..Postcard: Perito Moreno Glacier, Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina

    • Please not, the bit about the economy was not to suggest that the poverty isn’t also palpable. It’s terrible and unbelievable the difference from one block to the next. If you go from Villa 31 to Plaza San Martin, its about 4 blocks and look at the difference.

      I was merely showing evidence that the entire economy isn’t in the tanks.

      There is a lot of foreign investment in Argentina at the moment because of the financial growth being seen in educated and young people.
      Jeff recently posted..Postcard: Perito Moreno Glacier, Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina

      • Sorry but those comments are not 100% correct. Our economy is already feeling the whiplashes of the populist measures taken by the current government. We have a rampant inflation that is higher than our anual internal revenue, also if it werent for high soy bean prices we would be in the gutter. The economy Is slowing down and that is due to the LACK of foreign investment,contrary =to what your post states, Argentina recieves less Foreign Direct Investment than Brazil,Chile,Uruguay, Peru and Colombia.

  13. great post. i think the best part of travel is really spening some substantial time in a place and learning about it – both good and bad things. i like the comparison to your initial impressions. its amazing how differently you start seeing things after a while.

  14. Hermosa! has hecho una muy buena descripción de BA. Soy una porteña con unos cuantos años de edad y te puedo asegurar que 15 años atrás BA era realmente hermosa. El porteño es amigable (he vivido en Londres y N.Y) y sale ganando en la comparación. Casi siempre dispuesto a dar una mano. Te deseo lo mejor del mundo y Dios quiera
    que tu bondad y gentileza jamás te abandonen. Un fuerte abrazo!!!!

  16. Great post! There definitely is something about Buenos Aires. I spent over a week there few months back, and it was the first city on my South American tour, that I added to my list of cities I want to live in (which at that time was a fairly short list). And everybody going to Buenos Aires seemed to want to spend more time there.
    Jarmo recently posted..Disconnecting at Bamboo Island in Cambodia

  17. It’s such a cool experience to be an expat. When I was going through it for the second time, the first time in this world of social media, and most of the adventurers in my circle were backpacking. I felt alone in my decision to stay awhile, but I was so fascinated at peeling back the layers. Every time I learned something super-local or got invited to something hyper-local, I felt the hugest sense of accomplishment!
    Abby recently posted..Do You Recognize This Man?

  19. We are considering Bueno Aires for a year. How are rents in a centrally located, not so fancy neighborhood? The place seems like a good fit for Vonda and I and we are HIGHLY considering it.

  20. It’s not just BsAs that has these problems – we saw these kinds of things all over Argentina. The country has some serious problems and it’s very sad when you know that most of them are caused by the government. We took a wine tour in Mendoza and our guide told us about some of the things that most tourists never see: the violence in schools, cocaine addiction, extreme poverty as you mention. I hope Argentina is able to become its better self and overcome these problems. The history of the country is a difficult one – it will take a lot of hope and forward thinking to extricate itself from such a mess.
    Andrea recently posted..Exploring Hundertwasser’s World in Vienna

  21. Despite all the shortcomings, you’ve managed to find the bright spots of the city! You truly are a great traveler at heart! You’ve convinced us to “embrace the challenges” of Buenos Aires and give it a visit one day!

  22. Thanks for this post.
    Argentina sounds like so many places – there’s good and bad — but underneath the potential for a lot of good. Just like us humans. Beautiful post.
    InsideJourneys recently posted..Goodbye, Irene

  24. Very nicely done! After a year in Buenos Aires, I couldn’t agree more. I hate when people compare Buenos Aires to Paris… it’s not even close (except the architecture and that people like cafes). It’s rough, there’s a definite edge but also, there’s an irresistible passion that permeates everywhere. Love it.
    Gareth Leonard recently posted..FOTO FRIDAY: San Diego Pandas

  27. I love learning about local politics and such, it makes you so much more intimate with the city you live in.

    I’m looking forward to BsAs, hopefully we will have enough money to hang out for a while once we’re there. Do you know if they hire bartenders under the table.. or do anything where we could make cash?
    Erica recently posted..Myths of Scuba Diving

    • It’s kind of difficult here because it’s competitive. I think bartending might be possible. Some people teach English, but it’s hard to find a company that will pay you a decent wage and not screw you over. Email me when you are closer to arriving, and I’ll ask some of my friends who live here.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..I’ve Still Got It

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  35. i live in buenos aires, born in buenos aires and i hate it.
    i can understand, from a turist view it may look great, ppl so friendly and so much to have fun … but when u have to live here, “friendly” turns rude and fun becomes lights, noise, smells and more ; reading a book or breading clear air becomes a life goal.
    the city is DIRTY, well dressed yes …. but with bad maners. i can’t wait to move far away.

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