Welcome to our expat interview series!
In these articles, we interview both long-term and new expats in Argentina.
We ask them about what brought them here, what they like, and their recommendations.
What’s your name, country of origin, and how long have you been in Buenos Aires?
Nina Petrovic from Serbia…I came to Argentina a year and a half ago.
What brought you to Buenos Aires, and how was the initial adjustment process?
Might sound silly, but Coldplay brought me to Buenos Aires. The initial plan was to stay here for 3 weeks, then I decided to extend it a bit… three months later, I thought ‘Okay, I could stay a bit longer’… and here I am, a year and a half later, still loving it and not planning to leave any time soon.
I can’t say that there was an adjustment process in place because the vibe of the city felt so familiar that it felt like home instantly.
I did struggle with some technical stuff like the apartment search (several times) and money transfers, but that is about knowing the right people and searching for the information in the right place (that being said, you already found the right place since you are reading this).
What’s been the most challenging aspect of living in Buenos Aires?
Apartment search. It is a massive struggle if you speak broken Spanish and are still trying to get used to the local accent.
I didn’t have anything arranged before I came here (at least not a long-term option) because I wasn’t planning to stay, so I ended up renting a few places short-term until I found the one that I actually liked.
The entire process gets way more frustrating if you have certain expectations from realtors based on your previous experiences in other countries, and well… Argentine standards are different.
Eventually, you get used to it. Just ask for help from the community before you get to that point. 🙂
And what has been the most rewarding aspect of living in Buenos Aires?
People. When I first got here, I was living on the 8th floor, and that meant a lot of elevator small talk with locals.
They would, of course, figure out that I am a foreigner and offer help in case I needed it…’I live in apartment 10C, feel free to knock on the door in case you need something…and welcome to Argentina.’
You don’t get to experience that everywhere.
What’s your favorite local restaurant, bar, or cafe, and why?
My absolute favorite is Roux in Recoleta. For some reason, it is not as popular among expats, and I don’t understand why (maybe because it is not in Palermo xD ).
Cozy little restaurant, not too pretentious… amazing service, and even better food.
What hidden gem in Buenos Aires deserves more recognition?
Old colonial houses in San Telmo.
I missed them a couple of times when I first got here because I was bouncing around like an average tourist would.
Some things stay hidden if you don’t have a local guide.
Go on a walking tour with locals. I learned more about San Telmo in a few hours of a walking tour than I did in the two months prior to it.
What advice would you give to new expats in Buenos Aires?
Explore.
Not just Buenos Aires, but the entire country.
Argentina is huge, and there is much more to it than its capital city.
That’s it for this expat interview!
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