16 January 2009

What's not so good about Rosario and Argentina?

What's not so good? I was fully aware that I wasn't in the "good old" USA anymore and most of the inconveniences I can deal with easily and not think twice about it. I don't want Argentina to be like the US, it is it's own entity and thank goodness for it. This country has an educated population, great natural resources, and aboundant land, why does it seem to continually be falling towards 3rd world status? Anyway here is a list of some things that do bother me.


  • The state bureaucracy and government in general. Corrupt to the bone. In the US our politicians can be corrupt as well but they are amateurs compared to the professionals in Argentina. This will be one of my favorite future rants.
  • Worlds Worst Drivers. Death rates on the highway are among the highest. No one respects any traffic regulations (stop signs are only a suggestion). Trucks, cars, bikes, motos and busses all compete for space on the very narrow streets of Rosario.
  • Worlds Worst Pedestrians. People cross streets wherever and whenever they want, making driving even more hazardous.
  • For all it's beauty Rosario is one of the dirtiest cities I have ever seen. This makes me very sad especially when you consider that until a couple years ago it was even worse. The city IS trying but people litter everywhere. I have been told it is because they are angry and are losing hope, this may be true but why take it out on yourselves?
  • Crime. Crime is rampant and the police do nothing, or very little, about it ... sometimes because they are in on it.
  • Poverty. We have some of the worst shanty towns (villas miserias) I have ever seen. It is horrible to see the little kids begging for money in the streets. I have my own theories about this and will speak to it at length later.
  • Barra Brava. These guys are the scum of the earth (outside politicians). They are the hooligans of Argentine football. They are simply criminals, nothing more, who extort money from clubs and have gone a long way to damaging Argentine futbol.
  • Try finding your way around this city, it is nearly impossible ... there are very few street signs so it is anybodies guess where you are. The same applies to the highways ... they never post a sign with route name.

5 comments:

  1. Don't take it personally, but I still do not get why people from the 1st world choose this shithole to live in. They may be masochist. Isn't it obvious that EVERYTHING is going to be worse than in USA or UK or Swiss? Could it be that Americans or Europeans move in here as a Safari-like experience, but with sub-humans? I would not move to Mexico or Ruanda because I know those countries are 100 times worse than mine, but I'd move to London, Berlin, or New York instead. There's no Hip-Hop, but there is cumbia villera, same shit, different languages. Well, I still don't get it, but don't take it personally. The point is that I've read several expats' blogs and all of them post about the same stuff. What I want to say is this; I wouldn't move to Cuba or North Korea because I know that I will be in a worse situation than here. Nonetheless, this is a free country, you/we can say whatever we want without the Commie spies :)

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  2. Thanks for the comment and I don't take it personally. My family doesn't understand why I moved here either. Since I am new to this I probably am not yet explaining myself well enough but hopefully that will come in time. I came here because I had visited many times and genuinely liked the people I met AND it was affordable on a retiree's salary. I also decided I wanted one more adventure before I kicked off. I knew what I was getting in to (i.e. I am NOT in Kansas anymore Dorothy). But it is an adventure. There are times, it must be said, when I do realize how lucky los norte americanos really are but having said that they do pay a price for that luck. I will try to write about that soon. Thanks again for the comments.

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  3. Yeah the complaints are the same on pretty much every expat blog. Why do we live here? For me it’s because I can also make a list about why I would not live in say London one of the places on your list....
    1, Better police but with no real power... The villains are now in charge. Crime is rising. I have seen and been the target of more crime in a year stay in London than I have been 4 years here in Rosario.
    2, Prices. The company i worked for had to pay for my rent and raise my wage by %30 while I was working for them in London because of the ridiculous prices.
    3, Stupid pace of life. Work Long hours for little reward.
    4, The people. In a year I never spoke to or got to know any of my neighbors and not for lack of trying.

    And the list goes on....The cities you stated are great places to visit but no good to live.

    Of course that’s my personal view.

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  4. Hey Mark, Its been more than a year since your ¨What's not so good about Rosario and Argentina?¨post, I was wondering if you changed your mind about Rosario. I have been in Rosario for 4 years now and know the place for 10, I frequently change my idea of the place but see it progressing with some idea´s and regressing with others. Have you been in contact with Andy, above.

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  5. are you still posting or is this a done blog

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