Looking for a Dentist?

One of the common complaints about being an expat is not being able to find the kind of services and attention to detail that perhaps you are accustomed to in your homeland. Often this is just a matter of time until you stumble across someone empathetic enough to be of your liking, but in some cases, and I say some, this could merely have something to do with a language barrier. 

Let's face it, you can be completely fluent in another language, but the technical terms of say, giving birth or going to the dentist, are probably not the most polished words in your dictionary. Which is why, I, like other expats, tend to seek out doctors that speak English.

That is how I met Marina, ehem, I mean, Doctor Marina Grossi, bilingual dentist. 

Marina is not just bilingual, she talks as though she were from the US. In fact, I had to ask her where she was from as even her slang and mannerisms seemed to be straight up yank. Her consultorio is complete with all the sort of trash magazines you might see in a US dentist office: People, Cosmo, etc and she prides herself on making a normally uncomfortable experience (I mean, who really enjoys going to the dentist?) into a comfortable one by making you feel right at home. 

So, if you are looking for a dentist in Rosario - she is your gal! You can contact her in the following ways. 

Her phone number: 0341) 525-4205

Her office: Rodriguez 2688, 2000 Rosario, Santa Fe

New Job Alert!

There is this cute little cafe that contacted me today looking for some part time afternoon help of "worldly air" varietal.

Como una Cabra - Great name! Cute place! The food looks amazing and one of the coolest parts is that they often have local live music! So, even if you aren't looking for a job, you might want to check it out! If you are looking for a job, you need to talk to Sabrina. Tell her you saw the ad here.

Common cold or something more?

I have been waiting for the right time to write this post, a time when, hopefully, it won't make your stomach churn at the thought or send you into a paranoiac flurry of "what if's" but the longer I sit on the idea, the more I realize there is not good time to talk about it so I'll just have it out.

For nearly all of 2012 my son and I were suffering from a very "insistent cold." Or so that is what everyone told us. Snotty noses in shades of yellow and green and constant congestion leading to bronchitis like symptoms only to be followed by prescriptions of antibiotics, breathing treatments, inhalers, and steroids, and then magically reappear some 3 weeks later. "You must have caught a cold due to the rain," my mother in law confidently stated some 10 times over the course of the year. "There is a bug going around," was another common explanation. Yes, a bug nails it pretty much on the head. Well, I just wasn't buying it. I am a healthy girl raising my son on a healthy wholesome diet of home cooked meals full of brown rice and wheat pancakes for Christ sake! But our immune systems just couldn't pick their heads up and fight off whatever it was that was ailing us.

So, I went to a specialist. An ear, nose and throat specialist, who adamantly rejected the idea that I could have some sort of a larger infection going on, but sent me for a tomography in high hopes of appeasing me with his assumption of allergies. Yep, allergies, he said. Allergies!? I have never in my life had suffered from allergies, and how do you explain then, the sudden onset, the coming and going, and wait, has anyone ever heard of allergy onset bronchitis? Yeah, didn't think so.

Nonetheless, we changed our diet, eliminating wheat and dairy hoping to see change, and yet, none came. "Maybe it was environmental," I said to myself, in a futile attempt to convince my intuition of a lie. Upon returning to the US, I thought, my home town, I pondered, surly the air I have always breathed with such ease, would clear my stuffed up head right away. Wrong again.

It was only when a childhood friend of mine told me a well known doctor using a dark-field microscope was coming to town and taking patients on an appointment only basis, that we finally, after 1 long year, got to the bottom of it.

For those of you unfamiliar with what the dark field microscope, you can watch a video here.
For those that don't have the desire to see an entire tutorial about it, here is a short brief: It is a revolution on medicine which explains why westerners are trying ban it's use. It is no huge science, it is merely the use of a microscope with a black-lit background. This is then projected onto the wall so that you can see for yourself what your blood and it's cells look like. But wait, there is more, the blood is taken and analyzed right then and there so it is still alive and moving, not like most blood tests where analysis are made hours after our little cells (and in my case, bugs) stop moving.

As the doc pricked my finger and placed the droplet on the slide, he began walking me through an explanation of what we were seeing, saying things like, "OK, well you are really anemic, and your kidneys and liver are not eliminating fats, so you are storing those like cholesterol in the blood, and your immune system is firing like crazy, you have a very efficient body so that is strange that you are not absorbing proteins, oh wait, there is the problem,"  he said, as a fast squiggly things raced across the screen. You have a parasite and he is, "Whoa, a big one! Not like any I have ever seen here in the US!"

Yes, folks, the bane of my year long struggle with "allergy triggered chronic sinusitis" was actually a parasite that had invaded my body and was compromising my immune system so much so, that I couldn't fight off even the slightest infection or bacteria.

We, as a family, did a 30 day parasite cleanse of the pharmaceutical varietal (I didn't want to risk battling through the longer more drawn out healthier way of expelling my wormy little friends the holistic way) And now, after more than a year, I can breath. I do not have a cough, or a snotty nose, or a splitting head ache akin to someone pinching my face with a vice grip. I am, if the word makes any sense at all, back to normal.

And, I am writing this here on the expat's blog because, when all of this finally came to a head, I was struck with the memory of a fellow expat, more than 2 years back, complaining of her "Allergies in Argentina." and I can't help but wonder how many other people in the world are currently experiencing the very same snotty nose, stuffy head symptoms and being told it is "just allergies."

Anger comes from what we don't understand...

or, from what we can not control. Well I think I am starting to understand, so I suppose there is just one option left: acceptance.

As many of you have heard, our old time sherriff is cracking down in firm new ways - yes, unfortunately, I am talking about taxes.

This Monday the AFIP - the Agentinean Federal Tax Agency - issued a new 20% tax on all tourists packages, tours, and flights purchased and issued in Argentina. This tax is applicable not only to Argentinean residents, but also people just passing through. Wait WHAT! Yes, that is right, you can just call it what it is: shit.

But, not so fast. Our first reactions are typically disbelief, then anger, and then...yes, that is where we are, understanding (or not).

So here is my take on it so far. I get what they are doing, or at least I think I do. They are attempting to avoid a huge, and perhaps, all time devaluation of the peso, as has happened nearly every 10 years for the past 50 or more years of Argentina's history. The problem is, in attempting to avoid the devaluation and the excruciating inflation that would likely come with it, they are taxing the acquisitional power of those that have the means to travel and consume. If you are one of those people then your liberties are being touched, and that is when, you, like me, start to feel uncomfortable.


The more I analyze this, the more I think it is the Government's way of acknowledging the official exchange rate to be a farce, and, in reality, is likely to reside more around 6.5 or 7 pesos to the dollar. (20% above the official dollar at the moment).  And, with so many things, if you begin placing obstacles to be able to acquire a much needed (or desired) good, there will likely always appear a black market for said desire.  And that is where the value 8.5 comes in.

In reality, it doesn't matter why all of this is happening and I will refrain  from appearing long winded in my attempt to explain any view I might hold. What I will do, however is leave you with a few how too's and do not's to keep your travels and stays a bit lighter at heart and heaver in the pockets.

According the the AFIP you will be charged 20% to all tours and tourist packages purchased here in Argentina. If you have a tax ID number from your home country, this 20% tax can be returned to you upon your return.

What this means for you if you live here and are not just passing though?

1. If you pay for your trip in dollars - most of the travel agencies will give you a great exchange rate, usually an intermediate point between the official rate and the black market rate. So, while you are paying a 20% tax, you are often earning a 35% gain on your exchange rate. In short, you are saving 10%.  
2. Another loop hole - which is likely why this country's economy is so effed up to begin with, it's vast quantity of loop holes - is to find a "cave" to sell your dollars on the black market where you will be making anywhere from a 40-60% margin on your money, so the sudden 20% tax doesn't seem like such a big deal. The dangers of this are, many times they will try to pass off fake bills on you, so often there is a margin of loss as well as gain. But, if you know a reliable place, you should be alright. 

So I guess what I am getting at is this: My initial reaction was the same as yours, but after mulling it over and thinking about it a bit more critically, I think this is just the government's way of avoid the inevitable, and rather than a rapid free fall that would have people up in arms, they are doing it little by little. The destination is likely the same, it is merely the velocity in which we arrive at said destination. Cross your fingers we hit an up turn before the dead end.

Why You Should...

drink artisanal beer.

I will not claim truth or rights to the following, but I will take full responsibility for it's difussion!

Beer is the oldest drink elaborated by man and has single handedly propelled some of the most important inventions to come after: mathematics, literature, the wheel..

It contains 0% fat and loads of vitamin B and fiber, for a healthy diet, has been recommended to intake at least 2 pints per day.

Containing approximately 5% alcohol and 85% water, some consider it to be the best option to rehydrate your body after a long exercise.

Local beer, elaborated by hand is better for the local economy as well as the environment as it incurs no bottling, no preserving, and no transporting bi-products and finally, all of the taxes and earnings stay right here in the city of it's creation.

Drink Artisanally and Locally Made Beer. 

What is that old saying about time?

IT FLIES! So, let's see, January came and went, February was a mere blink of an eye, and March is halfway over...Where did it all go? I will tell you: having fun. Yes, I know, cliche, but true.

So, what have we been up to, you might ask...

Here at Spanish in Rosario, we started February with a bang, and exploded through the first part of March with friends from Singapore, South Africa, France, USA, England, Australian, Irish, Belgium, and more...noches de tango, asados, happy hours, futbol games, dinners and lunches, (did I mention that the better part of my life revolves around food and drink?) a new website, new projects, (yay!)

You can call me superheroe, if you want.

We even have a new Pope!

So now that we have caught up, I am sure that what you are dying to know, is not what you missed out on, but rather, what is to come. So, drum roll please....

Barlingual is back for 2013! So you can start keeping track of our next dates by liking us on our facebook page: Barlingual Rosario

Another "save the date" event is this:
 

Then we have Semilla Negra! Semilla Negra is a Jazzy Blues duo with roots in Afro-American beats. Wait, what? Ok, let me go deeper: Think, Ella Fitzgerald meets Bessie Smith after rubbing elbows with Louie Armstrong, and finally, graced with a touch of pre-war gospel sounds. You can contact me for info on pre-sale tickets.

Finally, there are new English speaking events to come, Yoga in English, a return of the Wine Tastings, and a new English Literature course. So, if you are interested in that, you can write me here, or like our page: English in Rosario

Looking for a Job?

Over the course of the last few weeks, I have received various emails inquiring about the work market for expats here in Rosario, so, I figured it was about time I addressed the topic publicly.
The job market in Rosario is really quite a broad topic, so I suppose I will begin by breaking it down into a smaller categories.

On the books
As an expat, getting a "legal" job, (when I say legal I am referring to being on the books with the whole nine yards of paper trails and work visas) will likely be a bit of a struggle. What I mean is, if you do not already have residency because you have dual citizenship or have married an Argentinean, finding a company to take you on as a documented employee, providing you with a work visa, which would, in turn, provide you with residency, would require that company first prove there is no local talent to take the position. In other words, unless you are an expert in your field, and that field is not a very common one, going this route will likely be quite difficult, but not impossible.

Off the books
Off the books there are a plethora of opportunities in the way of language teaching, in fact, if you are a native English speaker with teaching experience, you will likely feel overwhelmed by your work load. BUT...and that is a big but, this won't help you in the way of residence and/or work visas. You will be flying under the radar. If teaching isn't your cup of tea, there are always little cafes or bars that are willing to hire part time help, however, like most immigrant positions, the pay will not take into account that you have a college degree from an ivy league school. You will likely earn the wage of most immigrant, undocumented workers: low.

But here is the upside: If you are a go getter, a looker and a finder, a creative mind looking for a niche, you can easily create your own little project. That is what I have done with Spanish in Rosario, and what Sabine has done with Rosario Connection. Or, for example what Jorn is doing with El Desafio Foundation.

Ok, so now you are saying, great, but then how do I go about the whole residency thing. That is a darn good question. My answer to you is: where there is a will, there is a way. Though the ways are getting a bit more strict with time. I am sure you will think of something if you have your heart set on staying.

So now that I have chatted your eyes off, I have a really great job opportunity for someone that:

• Plans to stay the entire year of 2013
• Has experience working with children
• Is available from 9-12 Monday through Friday 
• And finally, is a native English speaker.
  

The English Kindergarten is located in Funes, just about 20 km outside of Rosario. They are currently looking for a part time Native English speaker to work creatively through integral methods of teaching English to children between the ages of 2 and 6.

If you feel you meet the criteria and are interested in the opportunity, please forward your CV to contact@englishkindergarten.com.ar