I’m Erin and I run Sol Salute as an expat in Argentina. I’ve always been obsessed with traveling and always wanted to live abroad. Right after college, in 2008, I pursued a post-graduate degree in Spain and have been abroad ever since.

I started my blog a year ago. Whenever friends would visit (or their friends visit Argentina, or co-worker or neighbor, etc.), they always asked for advice. After writing so many long and detailed emails, I thought it would be useful to put it all into a blog where anyone can read it to plan their vacations in Argentina.

How long have you been an expat in Argentina and in Buenos Aires? How long do you plan on living there?

I’ve been in Buenos Aires a little over 8 years and will be here indefinitely. I got married here and for the foreseeable future, we’ll be living here.

Where did you live at before coming to Buenos Aires and Argentina?

I was living on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

What made you decide to move to Argentina?

Island life was hard for me, it was a very tiny island and I felt isolated and lonely (even though I was lucky to make amazing friends!). I planned a trip to Argentina to visit a college friend and decided to stay! Just like that. I missed city life and wanted to practice my Spanish.

Do you have a temporary residence or work visa? If so, what was the visa process like?

I have permanent residence because of my marriage and it was very easy to get. However, if you are able to get a company to sponsor your work visa it’s also very easy to stay in Argentina. After 3 years with temporary residency, you can apply for permanent residency.

How do you make a living as an expat in Argentina?

I work a variety of freelance jobs online and I also teach private vinyasa yoga classes.

What is the average cost of living as an expat in Buenos Aires, Argentina?

It’s actually not very cheap to live in Buenos Aires. The rent is high (especially if you want a furnished apartment because those rentals are tied to the dollar) and local salaries are low.

What have you learned since becoming an expat in Argentina or other countries you have lived?

I’ve learned patience, in that I can’t have everything I want when I want it. And I’m talking about the shallow sense of the word, there’s not exactly anything like Amazon Prime here and nearly everything can cost 2 to 3 times what it would cost back home (re: electronics, variety in foods etc). I’ve also learned to cook and bake so that I can have any foods that I miss. I was a horrible cook before!

READ: How Being an Expatriate Taught Me About Minimalism

What is your favorite thing about being an expat in Argentina? What about in Buenos Aires particularly?

I like the challenge of living abroad, it was honestly what drew me to leave home in the first place. Buenos Aires can be a difficult place for me because I’m from the country and this is a huge, overwhelming city sometimes. But Argentina as a country is gorgeous and has so many beautiful landscapes from Patagonia to deserts to jungles and wetlands.

What’s the worst thing about being an expat in Argentina?

Being 5,000 miles away from your family or best friends when they have kids, not being able to just get a bottle of wine and watch the Bachelor with friends you miss, sometimes silly things like that, the missing out. (That and being away from good queso and Mexican food, obviously, ha).

READ: 39 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Mexico

What do you miss most about home?

Order and efficiency!! And good customer service, which is slowly getting better here, but it’s absolutely not the norm.

Do you speak Spanish fluently? What has the language learning process been like?

I do. I started taking Spanish when I was 13 but didn’t take it seriously until college when I studied abroad and majored in Spanish. Since then I’ve spent a year and a half total in Spain and 8 years here in Argentina. It’s taken me a long time, it didn’t come naturally for me.

How did you meet friends and integrate into your new community as an expat in Argentina?

I was lucky to have a group of friends here already, of other foreigners, thanks to my college friend (hi Rob!) who was already here.

What customs/habits have you found to be the most different from your own culture or have found to be the most difficult to adjust to?

Punctuality, or lack thereof. I find it insulting when people make me wait, when I rush to show up somewhere on time and have to sit for half an hour or an hour for a friend or work appointment, I find it very inconsiderate. But it’s just the way it is here. Now when I ask friends what time they want to meet up, I ask for the realistic time (the Erin time), because no matter what, I will be on time, even if I know they’ll be late. I just can’t help it!

How do you feel that the locals view you? Are you treated any differently as an expat in Argentina?

When I meet someone new they usually want one of two things: to hear how amazing Argentina is and how lucky I am to live here, or how amazing America is and how I’m absolutely crazy for leaving the U.S. for Argentina.

What is a myth about your adopted country?

That they only eat red meat and red wine, just kidding, that’s pretty accurate.

Also, I disagree with the reputation of Buenos Aires being the Paris of South America, perhaps a century ago but it’s not at all European these days, in my personal opinion.

What is your favorite dish in Buenos Aires, Argentina?

It’s really hard to beat a good steak with a glass of Malbec, my favorite steak in town is the Lomo a la mostaza (tenderloin in a mustard cream sauce) in Desnivel in San Telmo, go there immediately.

What advice would you give someone when traveling to Argentina?

Plan a LONG TRIP. Buenos Aires is a huge city and Argentina is an enormous country. Things are far apart (think 2-4 hour flights or 10-20 hour bus rides to Mendoza, Patagonia or Iguazu) so budget your time and money wisely. I see so many people try to see Buenos Aires, Patagonia, and Iguazu in 7 days and I just don’t know how they do it!

READ: The Ultimate Guide to Buenos Aires

Any fun facts about culture or life in Buenos Aires, Argentina?

They’re very family oriented. Most people still live within blocks from their parents (unless they moved to the city from another province) and it’s normal to meet with your family every Sunday for dinner or an asado (barbeque). If it’s an asado you can expect to spend the entire afternoon with family. It’s a huge time commitment that isn’t the norm at all where I’m from!

What are your travel plans for 2018?

I’m spending 2018 getting to know more of Argentina. Past years have taken to me mainly to the U.S. or Europe to visit family or for weddings and I don’t know enough about my home country, this year I’m fixing that.

You can learn more about Erin’s adventures on her blog Sol Salute or through social media on Facebook or Instagram.

Check out more of our interviews from our Latin American Expat Series with women from Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru.

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