Little Trouble in Big Argentina

I've been moving around South America for a few months and with Christmas coming find myself in Buenos Aires. I'd been travelling with my girlfriend but things didn't quite work out as planned and so we decided to called it quits on that front ad go our separate ways. For a change there was no animosity in the split and we've happily hung out as mates and will continue to do so until she flies back to Oz next week.

My dilemma is what to do with myself now and to make the best of this situation. So firstly my limitations...I'm here on a 90 day tourist visa and can extend this for another 90 if I want, but that's too far off to think about right now. I'm not supposed to work and given my qualified field is finance it'll be hard to find something steady that would pay in that area.

What do I want to achieve? I would like to leave the city with as much or not much less money than I have right now because it won't stretch many more months. In a couple months the high season will tail off and ill be able to get down to Patagonia without forking out a small fortune. I'd also like to be close to fluent in Spanish before I leave.

Now I know there are a ton of people on this forum who have landed in London and found their way. Having followed the academic route I've never really found myself in this situation without a viable skill to sell so I'd really like some advice or suggestions for things I could do or try.

Bumseks

On the visa front I can recommend daytrips by ferry to Uruguay when youve used up your second 90. They used to stamp me with another 90 each time I came back in. I know a few people who managed to stay for 5+ years that way. Always a risk that you'll end up stuck in Uruguay though and that place sucks balls.

I might be going to a wedding in BA in the new year. Ill hit you up if it happens.

Always a risk that you'll end up stuck in Uruguay though and that place sucks balls.

U mad?

Cheers hedge definitely let me know if you head out.

As for Uruguay, I'm pretty sure you can only stay for 180 days in any 12 month period, though I'm no expert on that.

Bumseks

I'm saving the brown wings for a rainy day. More romantic that way.

BA pretty grinds to a halt as of next week. Most people head off to the beaches of Uruguay or Mar del Plata. Plenty of work if you fancy working in a chiringuito on the beach. The alternative is to start tutoring or teaching English.

If you stay in buenos aires you'll have a lot of fun but you'll burn all your cash and won't be fluent in Spanish when you leave unless you find a house share with non-English speakers. You definitely won't be fluent in Spanish if you teach English and you'll still lose cash.

Do some wwoofing! http://www.wwoofargentina.com

One of the best experiences of my life and learned a tonne of Spanish, and spent hardly a penny.

From speaking to the locals BA will still be busy up until Christmas Eve then it seems pretty much everyone heads to the beach or the country before New Years. I've actually signed up for a 1 week intensive Spanish class that straddles Crimbo so ill definitely be here for that. I'm hoping I can find a decent couch for that week.

I'm open to bar work and teaching English and was thinking about places I could go to do this...outside BA is probably best given their English here isn't so bad.

Cheers greeno I actually had heard about this in Bolivia but had totally forgotten to check it out. I'd be keen to learn a bit about organic and natural construction methods (less keen on picking grapes) and actually taking something from the experience. It'd also be cool if I could find something in Neuquen or the lakes and check out some dinosaur bones while I'm at it.

What sort of farm did you work on?

Go to a cheaper country and learn Spanish there? Cusco maybe? Tons of schools.

Or just sack it off and go to Brazil and blow all your money on hotties and parties.

#twocondoms

I would but I want to head south after so going up to Peru Bolivia then back down seems counter productive. And I've just spent 2 months in brazil when I'd only planned to be there for a few weeks, hence a completely blown budget!

And it's one big myth that all Brazilian women are Venus like. Great PR job by someone somewhere.

Peru is meant to be cheap as chips and there's lots of work for forrins. No visa required and in general flights home are free as well. The hostelries provided for such workers are quite rough according to some well placed sources.

One of the best ways to earn money can be teaching. Some English schools will employ native speakers without qualifications to teach ESOL. Callan and Berlitz schools are usually a good bet as they do all their training in house and don't require a TEFL or CELTA.