29 June 2012

To Be a Girl in BA

While in Buenos Aires last August, I noticed that the quality, availability, and style of clothing in most stores was just...not...me. Although Buenos Aires is a metropolitan, cultural center, it is not as globalized as other major cities. No H&M, no Target. The women's clothing stores are mostly boutiques with poorly manufactured, overly priced, teeny tiny tops and bottoms. And the postal system, particularly in the case of international shipping, is hit or miss. People generally don't shop online lest they have to pick up their packages at the airport for a fee!

Being an avid online shopper and frequent patron of stores such as H&M and Target here in the US, you can see how this would make shopping in BA a near impossibility, if not a huge bum out for me. The icing on this bittersweet cake is that I'm a full two sizes larger than any store in Argentina would even consider carrying. It's not that the Argentines are tiny, they're pretty average in size. It's that the "ideal" woman's body as portrayed by the international fashion industry is so pervasive in Buenos Aires that stores refuse to tarnish their image by carrying anything close to average. For many stores, to carry larger sizes would suggest the support of a less than ideal clientele, which would in turn attract a less than ideal clientele. This puts many average to larger sized women out of luck and perpetuates the unhealthy "ideal" in the "fashion capital of Latin America."

There are, however, plenty of empanadas!

Interestingly enough, Buenos Aires boasts the Ley de Talles, or Size Law. In the capital, this law requires stores to carry at least sizes ARG 38-48/US 8-18 with a mandate on size standardization. The compliance rate as of September 2011 was 25%. No wonder I couldn't find anything in my size!



Enter...AnyBody. This organization began a grass roots campaign in 2011 to award and draw positive publicity to Size Law compliant shops. Through investigation and surveys, AnyBody found that 50% of women shopped at these few stores! Proof that the stores that do not offer the range of sizes required by law are not catering to the majority of women that actually exist! Size Law compliant shops have received store front window stickers from AnyBody identifying them as women-friendly retailers and the publicity that has come from the campaign has been effective and rewarding.

All this to say...there are places for a size 12 to shop in Buenos Aires?! I did not come across Portsaid , Yagmour, or Ver, the top Size Law compliant shops according to AnyBody, on our last trip. But you bet I'll be hunting them down as soon as we return!



Big ol' disclaimer: I haven't done any research on this issue regarding men.

Check Out My Guest Spot

I am so excited to say that my first guest blog post has been published at DiscoverBuenosAires! It is a rewrite of my previous post regarding my use of social networking to keep abreast of the things going on in Argentina.

Big ups to Dave, the host, for including this newcomer...one who isn't even in Argentina yet! Please go over to his site to check it out. Feel free to comment, share, and repost. Thanks!



25 June 2012

Fun and Familiarity

I just want to give a shout out to Jonathan over at Buenos Aires Local Tours. This English dude moved to BA a few years ago and has made his way giving free, off the beaten path tours of the city! Sandro and his dad and I (and the elderly German couple that showed up!) went on Jonathan's tour when we were there in 2011. We saw so much and learned so much in just a few hours and a couple of bus rides. It was relaxing, exciting, and super helpful in getting us through the rest of our trip. It was also really motivating to watch someone move to Argentina and make it work doing something so fun. And for free!


On the tour, we offered our respects to Gauchito Gil at this handmade curbside memorial.

Another great thing that Jonathan is doing down in Buenos Aires is pub quiz! Referred to as Quizzo here in Philadelphia, trivia over beers with friends is one of my ultimate past times. It will make the move easier to make some new friends and teammates!

23 June 2012

Blogs About Blogs

It's so great how many people are talking about the BA expat experience online. There is no shortage of first hand accounts on the internet! It's exciting to see how many people have migrated to Buenos Aires from around the world and are so willing and eager to make it easier for us newbies. I've been obsessively investigating and reading some of the more up to date blogs, forums, apps, and review sites to make our move a little smoother. I hope this blog is included in that list someday for all those who make the trip after me!

My current favorite source of social, political, and environmental information is The Argentina Independent. The site is modern, readable in English and Spanish, and offers current events, issues, and nearly anything I want to look into that is happening in Latin America.

I've also been following @BuenosAiresLife and Agenda Cultural on Twitter. The former tweets everything from serious political issues to celebrity sightings, while the later focuses on where to eat, drink, and dance any night of the week. All important things!


Where can I get a Philly cheesesteak in BA??

Discover Buenos Aires has been my go-to blog for figuring out the practical matters of moving to Argentina. The author, Dave, is a NYC transplant who offers his experience and valuable advice regarding how to ride the city's notoriously chaotic public transport, how to get an iPhone to work on the cheap in BA, and the best and worst deals for travel, banking, eating, and more. They're now accepting guest posts, so wish me luck!


Sandro on the A Train, Aug 2011

BA Expat Hub is exactly what it sounds like; a place for non-natives to be in contact, share experiences, and get information. I like that it includes fun polls (Question: "What is your poison of choice for a night out?" Current winning answer: "Fernet y Cola!") and new bar and restaurant reviews. I recently submitted my first forum post asking the community for a head's up on available apartments for October. We'll see how the response goes!

22 June 2012

Same Information, Different Registration

Another precaution I'm taking before moving to Argentina is registering with the US Embassy in Buenos Aires. It's a simple online registration process that offers protection should I lose my passport or am stuck in an emergency. Aside from my friends and family in the States, I think it's wise to let someone know I'm there.


La Casa Rosada, Argentina's House of Government

Funny, all this registering, profiling, and tracking feels Kafkaesque. I wonder how much of this information is being used to 'protect' me in my travels and how much of it is for control and keeping tabs. The conspiracy theorist in me wants to rebel against it all, just get there with nothing but my bag, my partner, and my wits! But then my rational, Capitalist-raised, responsible adult voice says, "Don't screw yourself! Take all the help you can get! You're moving to Argentina!"

Absentee

I have a confession to make. I've never voted. Ok, so I've voted in cooking contests, and for the haircut I think would look best on a girl friend, but never in an actual government election. I know. At 18, I felt under educated and quite frankly, disinterested in the whole process. As a middle class high school student I had no idea if and how such things even effected me. As I got older and educated myself on the roles of government and the social and economic power it had over me and everyone else, I became overwhelmed by the idea of choosing. How could I decide which one person I believed should be in charge of a country, much less all the other people working in less glamorous positions for some concept we're calling 'democracy'?

When Obama began his campaign for the presidential election of 2008, I jumped on the bandwagon. It seemed like for the first time, the spirit behind the Obama camp and my interest in politics agreed. In my late 20s, I was beginning to see first hand the effects of an incompetent and corrupt administration (read: student loan debt, social oppression of certain groups, unjust war, I could go on). I understood the importance of the people's voice at that point. I still, however, did not manage to register to vote before the election. I have to admit, part of me was proud of the fact that I hadn't participated in my punk rock brain's version of the 'corrupt and oppressive system'. The other part of me was nervous and lazy.

Well, I'm over that. I'm at a point where opportunities to do anything even possibly important or helpful are exciting. And even though I'm not much more politically educated or confident in voting, and even though the system hasn't gotten any better, I can see what I don't want. So I've decided to choose what seems to be better.


US President Barack Obama and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner


All this to say, I'll be in Argentina for the next presidential election! So today's task was to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot at the same time. This all seemed very daunting considering I've never made my way to the polls, but in 2012, everything is just internet paperwork. No big deal. You can take care of all of it over at the Federal Voter Assistance Program. Fill out a form, print out the form, mail the form away, get a ballot in my email when November rolls around.

Done and done.

20 June 2012

Llamame!

Today my "How to Move to Argentina" research has been dedicated to getting a cell phone. Because of strict import/export laws, most gadgets are hard to find and extremely overpriced there. Month to month or year long wireless service contracts are only available for those whose permanent residence is and has been the city they're applying in. This makes obtaining and using a cell phone pretty tricky for an expat!
Luckily, there are many brave souls who have forged this path before me, whose patience and blogging are proving a tremendous help!

Option 1:
Wait til I get there. Buy a cheap, voice/text-only phone with an Argentina ready SIM card in it. Buy prepaid minutes as needed.
Pros:
Though the prepaid minutes can be a bit pricey, the companies offer deals every week that double or triple your credits for the same price. So, cost effective.
Also, the end of internet phone addiction!
Cons:
This leaves me without a cell phone from the day before I leave the States until the day I get to BA and can work it out.
It also leaves me without GPS, which even for a walker, can be nerve wracking in a new place!

Option 2:
Buy a used, older model, unlocked iPhone here in the States. Buy an Argentina ready microSIM card when I get there. Buy prepaid minutes and data as needed.
Pros:
I get to continue the internet phone lifestyle I've come to enjoy/rely on. This includes the ever helpful GPS, social networking on a whim, and constant email access.
Cons:
I still won't have cell phone access until I get to BsAs and can get to the wireless store.
Obtaining the proper SIM card for each iPhone model and successfully connecting to a network has proven shoddy at times for some people.

The first option seems like the easier of the two; the second more familiar.




A simpler time, Palacio Barolo, Aug 2011

Email, Facebook, and Skype (on my laptop) will probably end up being my primary sources of communication for work, social affairs, and for keeping in touch with home. However, I will have to have a contact number for jobs, emergencies, etc. and to get in touch with Sandro when we are apart. I'll update once I've made the decision and my contact options are in place!

19 June 2012

Los Boletos

I can only describe the colectivos in Buenos Aires as a chaotic method of inexpensive transportation. Chaotic due to over 140 different bus lines and routes; inexpensive because the fare is government subsidized. One bus trip costs between one and two pesos, or 25-50 cents USD, depending on the distance traveled. I came across this article from BusARG (via Honey Kennedy) detailing the history of the bus system and los boletos in Argentina. I love the colors, design, and thought that went into these pieces of ephemera. Though environmentally more friendly and efficient, the subte passes of today are just not as interesting!

Quiero hablar Espanol contigo!

My Spanish studies have gone like this:

Two years in high school - Spanish 1 & 2, Freshman and Sophomore years,
so 1994 and 1995.
Two semesters in college - Spanish 2 and Conversational Review, 2008 and 2010.
Personal time spent reviewing old text books and worksheets, 2012.


Street art, Chacabuco in San Telmo, Aug 2011

This has made me the kind of second language student who can read and translate better than I can speak; who's conjugation is better than her grammar; and who's enthusiasm for practicing Spanish with native Spanish speakers is disproportionate to her ability to make a ton of sense.

I recently discovered DuoLingo. Still in it's beta phase, this online language tutorial site makes learning Spanish (or English, French, or German) really fun. Users create a profile and earn points as they complete lessons. Each lesson builds on the previous one, using reading, writing, and listening translation tests to teach vocabulary, grammar, and conversational skills. The social networking component of the site allows users to follow each other's progress, race for lesson completion times, and connect to other social media sites to invite others to the community.

And so far so good! I've been able to review the Spanish I haven't used in years, and am already learning new concepts. Though I believe that immersion is the best way to learn a language, it's exciting to think I'll be able to get by when we arrive in Argentina. So if I start practicing my Spanish around you, I'm not being a pretentious weirdo! I'm just working hard on this thing!

18 June 2012

C&E

A year or so ago, Sandro and I just happened to be talking to someone about possibly moving to Argentina someday and she said, "Wait a sec. I have a friend from Philly who has been there living the dream for five years now. Let me put you in touch."

Claire and I met on a popular social networking site sometime last summer. She just happened to be on her way back to the states with a friend and would love to meet up for drinks! It was fun at first sight and Claire was super generous about sharing her experiences and advice about moving to Buenos Aires.

Sandro and I have since vacationed in BA and spent sometime eating tons of meat with Claire and her Argentine boy, Ernesto. Then they came back to Philly last week! How we caught up with these two awesome friends will remain a mystery of the cosmos to me. But it is so exciting and helpful to have people to show us the ropes, or at least light a somewhat path for us!



Claire and Ernesto,
Thanks so much for answering all my crazy questions and introducing us to your sweet friends and family and being altogether hilarious and great!
When you get back to BA from your Chilean adventures, we'll be there!
Besos,
Amber

Adult Life Choices

Being a grown up and moving abroad takes a lot more research, work, and preparation than it did when we were students. If only we could write a check for a sum of money and have it all taken care of! Some of the things we're working on (that I never had to think about until now)...

Banking

I'm currently keeping my money in simple checking and savings accounts at the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union. Works out pretty perfectly...because I live in Philadelphia, USA. Using my PFCU ATM card in Argentina equals transaction fees, currency conversion charges, and lot of hassle if my account gets hacked or my card is lost. A friend recommended Charles Schwab; a totally online bank with lots of account options and zero fees, wherever we are. Seems like a winner.

Insurance

I don't have health insurance now, so why get it for this trip? Because in the US I have family and the system (whatever that is) and I know where all the hospitals and doctors are if I ever really needed something. An emergency in BA would be far more problematic. Turns out Traveler's Insurance (through TravelGuard) is relatively inexpensive (we're looking at $75/month/person). It covers all emergency medical stuff (transportation, hospital stay, medication, etc.), all expenses should you need to come home in an emergency, and even replacement of lost or stolen baggage. Feels like a pretty solid real life decision to make.


Sandro a La Boca, Aug 2011

Also on the To-Do List:

-Get MegaBus tickets (PHL to NYC, Oct 9, 12 noonish)
-Book an apartment (for the first month, while finding a place to lease)
-Have a yard sale
-Move stuff we're keeping to Sandro's dad's house in West Chester
-Stock up on stuff we need to take (aka shopping!)
-Have a Going Away party!

17 June 2012

Who/How/Why Argentina?

I grew up surrounded by Spanish speaking Mexican immigrants.
I learned Spanish in high school and college.
I did some Latin American studies stuff and discovered that there was more to the Spanish speaking world than Southern California.

Sandro grew up with Italian and Spanish, thanks to his brilliant and well traveled parents.
His mother spent time in Buenos Aires writing her dissertation for a PhD is Sociology.
After some traveling and academic work of his own, he decided that living abroad was in his nearish future.

After three years together in Philadelphia, worthwhile but ultimately unsatisfying employment, more amazing summers and blizzards and best friends we could handle, and a trip to BsAs with his father, Sandro and I are going.


The view of BsAs from the Palacio Barolo, Aug 2011

Our experience there last fall was everything we wanted; an historic, metropolitan city where Spanish is the first language; an affordable lifestyle where we can work part time and spend our lives enjoying it; opportunities for English speakers to work and travel without too much restrictive bureaucracy; and an adventure, while we still can!

Today we have airfare and a whole lot of gusto! On October 10, we will land in Argentina and see how it goes!

Buena Onda!

It's June 2012 and Sandro and I have one way tickets from Philadelphia to Buenos Aires for October 9. There's a lot to do and a lot I want to share so this blog will serve as my to-do list, my sounding board, my photo album, and my letter home.


BsAs Aug 2011