Based on your questions, I think you might have some unrealistic expectations. I suggest that you bring enough money to carry you through or be prepared to return to the US to get more. You can bring $10k per trip per family.

I am in the Punilla Valley - Cordoba province but some of these issues are country-wide. Don't forget to go online to pay your reciprocity fee and bring the completed receipt or you will not be able to get on the plane.

1) Job: How easy is it for an English speaking expat to find a job there. Am venturing into new field. Something fun eg apprentice in professional photography
- not easy - nearly impossible. Wages are very low around here - the equivalent of $2 - $5/hr. We hired a 60 year old professor to teach us English and for the two of us charged about $5/hr. The economy is pretty sucky down here and people do not spend money freely.

2) During my visit, I hope to land a few interviews. How to get started on that
- Don't expect to get an interview if you don't have a product that is in demand, you are not an expert at something and you don't speak Spanish (Castillano).

3) During the visit is it possible to study Spanish course?
- There are many people who you could hire to teach you Spanish. It'd be best if get a working knowledge of Spanish before you leave.

4) Where to live for 6months, travelling with my 2 pet dogs
- I would suggest that you find a Realtor that speaks English. He/she would probably be your best bet for finding a rental. He also might be your best bet for getting introduced to a money changer so you can get more pesos for your dollar (blue rate). Our Realtor found us a beautiful short term rental in La Cumbre and has introduced us to some key people. However, he is motivated to help us because we plan to purchase a home in the area.

You might want to leave your dogs with a friend in the US for the duration of your trip.

5) Keeping busy: How to make friends. I appreciate the city is filled with lots of things to do but no fun doing that stuff alone all the time so how to make friends if not in job or in Uni
- Argentines are very warm - making friends is not difficult. A big challenge for you will be the language barrier.

6) Banking and Insurance: How to get that sorted for an extended stay (3months + 3 months)
- Banking - forget it. Bring cash. You can buy insurance with cash. If you are renting, you won't need homeowner's insurance. If you are going to buy a car, you will need auto insurance - in cash.

7) Starting an online business & taxes: Would that be easy, would be in the creative field.
- The same difficulty as in the US - it's not easy to make money online. You could start your online business in the US and then continue it in Argentina. Getting the money into Argentina at a good rate would be a challenge. Also, the internet is not very fast - at least in this area (La Cumbre).

8) Tax on income from overseas: DO we need to pay income tax in the first three months stay if just as a visitor/ tourist

9) How to open bank account and get credit card .
- Cash. Gotta have cash. Forget about an Argentine credit card. And even if you did use a US credit card, you would be spending dollars at the official rate which is nearly half of the blue rate.

10) Phone card and transport pass?
- You can get a month-to-month phone chip with your passport. - We use Claro (a phone provider). They let us put $100 pesos at a time on the phones - which will cost you about $7 USD at the blue rate ($12 at the official rate). Bring an unlocked international phone from the US as buying one here is more expensive and will use up your cash.

Using the bus is cheap and is a cash transaction - and the buses are very good. Taxis are also cheap but not nearly as low as buses. They are also paid in cash.

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I also comply to the previous comment. I Left the USA 3 months ago and spent 2 months in Central America so obviously didn't bring a lot of hands on cash with me. I've been in Argentine for two months now and its,very difficult to get money in and out of this country. They are so paranoid amd controlling it's like the Haulocost. You'll have to bring cash with you when youmtravel here p, that's theonky way.....the country is a mess!!!!!

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Extremely well put, kevincor, I totally agree based on 12+ years of experience with Argentina (ex-porteño por adoptación, now Mendozino por adoptación).

I was about to answer the questions, but decided against as I a far too brutal against naive Yanquis.

Glad you did, and in civilized language :)

Un abrazo,
J. St.John

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