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?
Viktor from Croatia, in Baires since August 2023.
What brought you to Buenos Aires, and how was the initial adjustment process?
I knew I wanted to settle down somewhere in Latin America.
I love the laid-back culture of South America and I could already speak decent Spanish.
The day I arrived blue dollar (unofficial exchange market dollar) got 20% stronger, which made me 20% richer, as I didn’t have any pesos and had dollars.
Everything was so cheap that I was tipping even the taxi drivers as I was feeling bad for everyone earning their living in pesos.
What’s been the most challenging aspect of living in Buenos Aires?
Living in Argentina is living in constant crisis or turmoil.
I understand why some people say that in Buenos Aires one year is like seven years when living abroad.
There’s always something happening.
Not everything that’s happening is necessarily good. but there’s always something.
The challenging part is to adapt to constant change.
Another challenging aspect for me is getting the residence.
Even though getting an Argentinian residence is not that complicated, there are still many unknowns and many different routes one can take to obtain residence.
And with constant turmoil, one day you can have everything planned and the next day your plan no longer works because the rules changed.
And what has been the most rewarding aspect of living in Buenos Aires?
Buenos Aires is an incredible city.
I’m an outgoing person and, in Buenos Aires, there’s always something to do.
This city really never sleeps.
The main reason I decided to stay and settle down in Buenos Aires is all the amazing people I’ve met here.
What’s your favorite local restaurant, bar, or cafe, and why?
I love how in Buenos Aires it’s normal, even mainstream, to work from your laptop from a café.
There are many coffee chains or even some older, traditional restaurants where you can come, have a great coffee and breakfast and work away.
Registrado, Usina cafetera, Hortaleza on Av. Santa Fe, Portus, to name a few.
What hidden gem in Buenos Aires deserves more recognition?
The city is full of hidden gems and you’d need several lifetimes to visit them all.
My favorites are various speak-easies such as Floreria Atlántico in Recoleta, Verne, Boticario, Rey de Copas, and Frank’s.
These last two are not really hidden but are incredible places to go on a date or just enjoy a few cocktails with friends.
What advice would you give to new expats in Buenos Aires?
1. Figure out how to get/transfer efectivo (cash) and 2. In Buenos Aires, there’s a WhatsApp group for everything.
That’s it for this expat interview!
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