So true FuturoBA. I'll be honest with you. Up until a few months ago I had my profile on BAExpats blocked to even request PM's. Why? I had NO interest in hanging out with them. Other than chris from the board that I first met in my office almost 20 years ago and still kept in contact with via emails (every few months for 20 years!!) and we had a coffee together a few weeks ago at La Biela, I didn't want to meet anyone.
The funny thing is Chris just found out yesterday who I was! LOL. I've known him for 20 YEARS and I never told him "earlyretirement" is me. Even though he knew me for 20 YEARS and reads this board often he had NO idea it was me. That's why I laugh when people try to accuse me of self-promotion! Funny huh?
So I"m fairly well known in business. I've been in the WSJ, New York Times, Economist and dozens of other magazines. I am NOT mentioning that to brag. I'm just saying my background is well known around the world. That's how I wanted it. I didn't try to get business. Or make money. Hell, no one even knew who I was!
To answer your question, how do you fit in? You LEARN Spanish ASAP! I'm not sure if you speak Spanish but learn. NO excuse these days as so many programs free online, listen and learn type apps like Dual Lingo. I took Spanish in high school and some in College but I did because I had to not to learn. When I found out I'd move to Buenos Aires I was doing classes at a school (Lenguas Vivas). I had a professor for 1.5 hours EVERYDAY. Most importantly, I'd make flashcards and memorize 20 words a day. I'd actually make flashcards and go from room to room. So you learn each item in each room first before moving on.
Even if you couldn't speak fluently you could eventually name everything in a kitchen, then living room then bedroom then restaurant, etc. The #1 reason why I never wanted to meet up with Expats is most of them don't take the time to get fluent or even want to learn. They want to hang out with other Expats that don't speak Spanish! That's just disgusting to me.
You find a local friend and be a good "American" not an ugly American. I got lucky and found it ASAP and he is like my brother. We talk everyday via WhatsApp. He got to know me and then he invited me to Asados (they all have them). Then he introduced me to HIS friends. I went on trips and then they became MY brothers.
You hang out with LOCALS NOT American Ex-pats. I'm in Buenos Aires in November, and if you're in town I will invite you to one of these Asados with my Argentine brothers. My friends will become YOUR friends. That's how you do it. That will change your experience. Locals do NOT care how much you make. In fact, you'd be shocked that some probably have a higher net worth than you. LOTS of these Argentines, especially that live in Recoleta or Palermo are from wealthy families. They might make you look like a pauper. I can assure you your money won't matter and you don't talk about it with them. You can be nice and offer to pay for coffee but I can promise you they will offer to get the next one. They won't expect you as the "rich American" to pick up their checks. This was the same with my poor office workers. They are generous. I always try to pick up the check but my friends never let me always get it.
So forget with the notion that how much money you make matters. It doesn't to locals. They will like you for you. Like I mentioned before, it IS difficult to enter into that group. But you know what? Each foreigner (all my clients like 100% of them were foreigners and mostly Americans, Canadians, UK, Australians, Hong Kong, etc) I'd introduce them to my friends, and then my friends became their friends. And even 20 years later they are close.
I will invite you to an asado with my friends. You will never experience anything in life like that. And you WILL fall in love with Argentina like I did 21 years ago.
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