[quote=briansd1]
There’s something special about an American living abroad. As an expat, you’re cool and special. [/quote]

But I am already cool and special without having to go somewhere else.

Seriously brian, listen to earlyretirement, he is the first person I’ve seen post about the realities of living abroad, not just as a tourist, but as a grown up. You are young, your experiences abroad are probably mostly about going to a cafe, nightclubs, museums and theaters with other young people. Early retirement tells of the reality of doing big boy things like raising a family, buying and owning property, paying bills, paying taxes, dealing with the government, having employees, etc. Argentina is one of those seductive places, Buenos Aries in particular is one of the places that seems perfect to a young person and as you age it will make you nuts. I have a close personal friend, not just an aquiantance, who has lived there for 25 years and also owns a summer home in Punta Del Este and tells the same stories as earlyretirement, only far worse. She’s has been more than a tourist, she has lived more of her life aborad than she has where her citizenship is. Guess what place she wishes she could live? San Diego. In fact she is even envious of my little suburb.

I could detail a hundred things about the reality of living abroad, none of it will sink in until you either see it in person or find someone close to you who has. Being the cool American guy has it’s benefits, just make friends, get the girls and move on. The grown up stuff sucks. I consider it alot like living on a boat, it looks like such a cool idea, then reality sets in and it’s probably better to just rent a boat once in a while.