Posted: 6/19/2012 4:59:20 AM EDT
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The wife’s out playing with my youngest son. Spike, our English Bull Terrier, jumps around them like a big-headed white grass hopper. My oldest son came home yesterday with his report card with excellent grades, which is outstanding for a boy that knew English as a second language up until a few months ago. Life is just perfect, it’s the happiest we’ve ever been, and here I am, looking back to how life has changed for us and trying to capture some of those thoughts and feelings. When I think about the entire process I remember well that all the preparation for moving, all the stress of worrying of something going wrong at the last minute. That was the worst part. Though close friends and family knew we were leaving, we didn’t tell neighbors and other people about it. Its this kind of mistake that got people hurt before. You mention you’re moving to the girl in the grocery store, she mentions it to someone else, and all of a sudden you get kidnapped for the money you’ve obviously been putting aside to move abroad. Selling stuff, getting rid of it, giving it away to friends, charity, when you pick your home clean that way its both a stroll down memory lane and a painful experience because we tend t get attached to things. Some are less dear than others but here is where quantity makes the difference. Most normal people can get rid of a few boxes of material possessions without a second thought, but when instead its just a couple boxes that you get to keep and the rest must go, that’s pretty different. Experts say moving like this is the most stressful experience a person can go through, with stress levels in the organism comparable to losing a close family member. While it may be the case physiologically I wouldn’t trade it for losing a loved one, but I know for a fact that it is very hard on you. Landing in the Antrim International Airport was the beginning of our new life. We might as well have landed in Mars, it was that foreign to us. Its impossible to explain what it feels to live surrounded by poverty, dirty streets, crime and every day general violence, to all of a sudden find yourself surrounded by perfectly clean streets, painted buildings that aren’t falling apart and people that don’t shout with every word. Its one thing to travel and see these things, its another to make it your own and know you’ll be living there. Its not that different from American or European tourists traveling to South America or poor Asian country. Oh, its lovely, so Grunge Chic. … Right. The difference is that the guy you see over there, he didn’t pay 400 dollars for a used jean in a Beverly hills boutique, he really did pick it out of the trash! For a tourist, poverty in a country he’s visiting doesn’t affect him, but make him live there for a few years under those conditions and see how he likes it. One of the things that comes to mind when thinking about those first days was how surprised we where by the variety of products found in supermarkets. As time goes by there’s less and less products in Argentine stores and its getting worse with the importation problems. When you walk into a supermarket in Argentina you have maybe three or four types and brands per product, and that’s it. You don’t have like ten different brands for each product and each brand offering maybe five variations or more. It was so overwhelming that it made me feel dizzy and disoriented. I told my wife and she said it was making her feel sick too. For the first few weeks we just got in an out quickly, just hurrying to buy what we needed, not being able to handle the overwhelming visual variety. Sounds strange, but that’s what happened. Other than that it was just pure bliss to finally live safe. We went from not being able to walk in dirty streets or go for a stroll in run down parks that hadn’t been kept in decades to being free to safely walk in some of the most beautifully landscaped gardens and parks in Europe. The contrast in life quality is just staggering. It´s when we take into account this second part of our lives that we’re able to put into perspective thanks to the contrast of both and truly see how we had been living, what had become life as a given for us. You don’t see that around here. People often forget to closer their doors and many consider it an inconvenience. It sounds incredible to someone like me but then you walk around the streets and you get it. You don’t see those faces, faces of people that would shot you where you stand for whatever is in your pocket or the clothes you´re wearing. In Argentina you see those faces every single day. They don’t do anything because they are not “working” that day, or because you don’t look like a potential victim, but you see them. Not here. Even small time criminals or little punks, there’s just so few of them. The threat they represent in just small compared to toughened criminals that have killed several people before they hit eighteen and are still walking free as if nothing. Having lived in such a society all our lives means there’s things we just don’t do, like leave our doors unlocked no matter what, keep an eye on our surroundings, things that have become second nature to us. But we just know and now see it clearer than even, that’s no way of living. It has become a bit of a joke between my wife and I, I ask her where she’s from and she says she lived here her entire life. “Sure? You never lived in Buenos Aires, had a business in Dock Sud?”. She says “No, not me. I lived here all my life”. While its 90% joking around, its also %10 not wanting to accept how we were once forced to live like. Always worrying, always alert. When my oldest son said he was already forgetting what things were like in Argentina she said “Good, the less you remember the better”. I’m proud of where I come from and so is my wife, but she would have preferred that he never saw all that poverty, general decay and learning about people getting murdered every single day. As for me, while I’m very happy as I’ve said many times, there’s also this feeling of well, I cant explain it very well. Its not boring, its not lack of sense but maybe a bit of both. A way in which I could explain it could be the following: You know those fish that live in the deep sea, used to the darkness and high pressure. If you take them to the surface they just die. I’m not saying I’ll die, but maybe that I´m already too much used to living under 2000 psi. Guess I got used to living with that tension. Don’t get me wrong, I like living in a safe place and as much as I like shooting I never want my family or even myself to live with that constant risk, but I admit I got used to it and its hard to be “normal” again. Heck, that was “normal” for me, even though I knew it´s not by other people standards, and its when you experience life in better places like we are doing now that you realize how insane it is to believe for a second that its ok to spend your life like that, just because millions of other people do so as well. Take care folks, Fernando |
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Fernando, Something Americans often take for granted is reverse culture shock. We expect the shock when we move in the direction of poverty, as when visiting developing nations, but we tend to be surprised that there's an equally jarring shock moving in the other direction–– away from poverty, the developing world, or crisis toward safety and plenty. It's a very real thing. I'm glad you got your family out. Don't let a sense of ennui or purposelessness overwhelm you. Stay sharp and be thankful. Above all else, keep talking to us here in the SF. You are not alone. |
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Ferfal, i agree with Red_on_Black...
You have earned your respite from insanity and your information and insight is invaluable to us here on the SF forum. Enjoy the down time, but don't feel like you are out of the game. Now, you have the added ability to see the other side, going from chaos and anarchy to peace and stability. You can provide a better comparison for us, as you come to grips with both sides of the spectrum. There is no doubt that you will have the PTSD effects for a long time, likely forever. As many of us do, from our time in combat/chaotic situations. But it can be used to keep you sharp and with time, it will ease up somewhat. I have not enjoyed what you had to endure in order to share your experiences with us, but we are all better informed / prepared for the possibilities, because you did. For that, i offer a heart felt thank you. I only wish the best for you and your family in the future, and hope you continue to teach us with your unique perspective on life situations. Best Regards......David |
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Fernando,
I am glad you got your family out and wish you well. I think that, with your experience, you could be a voice of warning to the countries about to fall into the same pit Argentina fell into. If circumstances don't change soon we could all be living in similar fashion. When I was in the navy we had port of call in the Philippines. I was too young and ignorant to realize the level of poverty I was seeing at the time. I don't want to ever see that sort of thing in the US. our really any country. Maybe that is your new calling in life. Respectfully, Gregg Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
| It's good to hear you're doing well and that your family is safe. I have read your blog off and on for years and it provided me insight as to how decayed a culture and society can become and what to expect. Thanks for that. I've been to Ireland several times and found it to be one of the most pleasant places to visit. The countryside is beautiful and the people friendly. If you're ever down in the Dingle Peninsula driving the main windy road and you come across an old church that has been converted in to a restaurant, stop and eat! It is an amazing place and apparently held in high regard in Europe. Surprisingly, the food was reasonably priced and somewhat exotic. Not what you'd normally find in Ireland :) Again, glad you and yours are safe. |
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FerFAL -
Congradulations on your brave move and the reletive safety that it has brought to you and your famiy. Relax and enjoy but do not become complacent. Continue your studies and the blog, we will always be interested in your "take" on the evolving situation. G0VT_MULE - also an FAL affectionado. |
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Ferfal,
Congrats on your move, Ireland is indeed a pleasant place to live and a world apart from where you came from. Culture shock does cut both ways. I have lived and worked in a couple of third and fourth world countries, and enjoyed it very much. There were a lot of risks and a lot of challenges, but that was all part of the fun. I can say "fun", because even while I was living in these places I knew it was a temporary thing. In a year or eighteen months I would be going back to The States. But even after only a year or eighteen months, there was a big adjustment period when I got home. I can only imagine what that adjustment must be like after a lifetime (or decade) of living on the edge. One of the benefits I have taken away from my experiences is a level of independence that is rare among my peers (except many here in SF). I am not rattled by many of the things that many would consider SHTF, such as power outages, storms, or shortages. In some of the places I have lived this was a daily event, often made worse by some sort of civil unrest. It also fueled my need to prep. Having seen and lived in these places, I know just how bad it can get. And I know it can get that bad anywhere, including here in the US. So, I consider it time well spent, and rate it right up there with my military service as formative experiences. You have been shaped by what you have experienced, and forged into something that is just a little bit tougher and more resilient than your average Joe. Nothing wrong with that, and it will serve you well regardless of weather you are in Argentina or Ireland. Remember, bad things happen in Ireland too, just look at their emerging drug problems and the violence associated with that. There really is no complete escape from the shit, it is everywhere in some quantity all the time. You are better equipped to recognize and avoid it than most. stasiman |
Thanks guys, thanks for the kind words. I went for a walk with my wife after posting that to stretch the legs a bit and such. We saw some squirrels and ducks. The last time I saw ducks in a park in Argentina was in La Cañada in Cordoba many years ago. People had eaten them during the crisis. 
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ferfal, what is your take on the apparent imminent collapse of the Euro, and that whole house of cards? I imagine it is feeling a bit like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire for you! Hope it all works out. Well, Republic of Ireland is the one with serious economic problems. Northern Ireland which is where I am is part of the UK and uses Pounds, so it’s protected form the Euro to some extent. I think the Euro will be losing value which for the economy may not be that bad but it usually has Argentine-like consequences for the people.(more poverty , lower standards of living, etc) Northern Ireland is special because while part of the UK it’s a separate place, in many ways sheltered form most of the things I don’t like that much about England. As bad as the economy is in Europe and especially places like Spain, it really has to fall down a LOT before ending up like Argentina. I have my parents there, my old man travels all over the world on business and visits Argentina many times each year. In spite of the crisis, theres really no comparison. Many Argentines kind of feel better with the “Europe is going through the same thing we already got over”, and without knowing they are lying to themselves in two clear ways. Europe isn’t nearly as bad as Argentina, and Argentina didn’t get over it, it just got USED to it. Quoted:
Congrats on the successful transition to a new life. I am curious how/why you chose Europe/Ireland given all thats going on over there as well as their laws. I do realize its still better than Argentina but just curious. You probably read a lot regarding Ireland, but that’s mostly Repulic of Ireland. Northern Ireland being part of UK is much better off. Northern Ireland tends to have a bad reputation because of the Troubles, and in a way I like that because people think it’s a hell hole, that means that few immigrants come this way. All I can say is I’ve never been in a safer place. An American blog reader visited here recently, his distant relatives live in Republic of Ireland and warned him about going to NI. When they finally did go along with him they were surprised by how nice and safe everything is. Compared to Argentina where people are killed every day during various robberies and such , well, theres no comparison. Other than that some of the things I looked into: English speaking country, GBP instead of Euro, low popualtio, LOTS of water, not too cold in winter, we had no snow at all this winter. Good schools, some of the best in UK, affordable living, some of the cheapest in UK while at the same time hosues being nicer and bigger. very few immigrants, basically here youre either Catholic or Protestant, and while there is still some sectarian activity, you dont see that at all in middle class palces. Even the "bad" parts of town... lets just say that my idea of "bad part of town" is different. Crime is also the lowest of UK. Of curse, I have EU citizenship so I can live here like any other citizen, which is why my options were narrowed down to South America and Europe. South America I coudl reisde anywhere because of the Mercosur, but no way in hell am I living in SA again. Quoted:
Remember, bad things happen in Ireland too, just look at their emerging drug problems and the violence associated with that. There really is no complete escape from the shit, it is everywhere in some quantity all the time. You are better equipped to recognize and avoid it than most. stasiman I know, we talk about it often with my wife. For example we see these little kids, less than 10 year olds walking back home from school on their own, we would never do that no matter how safe it is, psychos and perverts are found everywhere and its got little to do with well organized crime. This little girl we see her all the time walking back home on her on, she must be ten at the most and she comes back walking across some wooded areas . My wife was telling me the other day “WTF, don’t these parents know anyone can pull that little girl into those woods and none would even see her get abducted, and some pervert rape her in those woods without anyone seeing or hearing a thing?” But people here don’t think that way, they are in constant “green” mode. I worry about my niece and nephew still in Buenos Aires. They live with my brother’s ex wife but thankfully we get along ok. Were talking about having the kids come live with us after finishing school, so they can have a better life, go to college in peace and well, live as youre supposed to. I just pray nothing happens to them and that they can one day come here. Those kids, they lived in Scotland when little and man did they suffer when they went back to Argentina after the divorce. We don’t see ourselves going back, not even to visit. Maybe in the future we may change our minds but we want nothing to do with going back there for now. Sucks that I still have some family there. My granda, she’s 88 years old and she knew when I left that I wouldn’t come back, and she’s too old to travel so she basically knows she’ll never see me again or her great grand kids. We talk on skype but still, knowing you’ll never be together again hurts. That’s the kind of thing that sucks the most. FerFAL |
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Lower population means less jobs, so yes, its not easy. That's why lots of people move to places like London. Crouded, expensive, and at least in my opinion, it just sucks to live there, but its where the jobs are. The good news is that you can do lots of job hunting online, and you really should have a job before moving anywhere or at least have very good friends or famiyl that help you out until you get a job.
FerFAL |
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Lower population means less jobs, so yes, its not easy. That's why lots of people move to places like London. Crouded, expensive, and at least in my opinion, it just sucks to live there, but its where the jobs are. The good news is that you can do lots of job hunting online, and you really should have a job before moving anywhere or at least have very good friends or famiyl that help you out until you get a job. FerFAL After 20+ years in NYC, at no time having a steady job, my younger brother finally hung it up and moved to London. No job lined up, no friends in place, just hopped on the plane with some cash and a suitcase. Pretty ballsy. In six weeks he landed the first real job he's ever had, and they pay him pretty well. Despite that, he does not like London and is not thrilled with his job. You'd think they were treating him like shit and keeping him in chains the way he moans, and this right before he mentions the promotion and the company car they just bought him  . (Do you have any idea how rare a company car is in the UK?!)
But you're right, London is not the greatest place to live. I like to spend time there, like a week or so, then GTFO. I think NI is a pretty slick choice for relocation. I was surprised when I read that you moved to Ireland given their economic woes, the Euro, and your experience in Argentina. Silly me, I should have known better. stasiman |
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I've done the move twice. first in 1996 when I came to the US with my parents to finish school and then again in 2002 when my wife got tired of Africa.
Sold everything I own both times. Came over with a suitcase and $200 to my name the last time...basically fled the country
That said, it is a massive culture shock. I'm still adapting, 10 years later. I find it difficult to sleep in a wooden house, leave doors unlocked, sit with my back to open doors, etc. I don't drive with my windows down and try not to stop at traffic lights. Always make a right, avoid stops, etc. Don't walk outside at night. A lot of things. This is as good as it gets, Ferfal - it is not perfect, but this is as good as it gets. I see places like Ireland and the USA as the last stand. Our backs are against the wall and quite honestly I'm not moving again. Congrats on making the move and adapting so well! |
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ferfal, Thank you again for sharing your story. I've often admired your life, the good parts anyway. So much sadness while you were in SA though. Having to walk away from family has to be painful. But living your life safe, your kids safe. That has to feel quite wonderful. You've done amazing things, and I appreciate you sharing your life. It's like reading an action/adventure novel. But real. Thanks again for sharing. And my prayers that all goes well. |
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Fernando,
I am so happy you guys are doing well and it sounds like you made the right move. As to the section below, you are by no means the only person who has ever felt that way. I had never considered it, but you are going through the same (or pretty close) things a serviceman goes through when they return to normal life after a deployment. I went through it. Everyone I came back with went through it. It does go away, it fades with time. One thing I found that helped me was finding a hobby. Actually a string of hobbies and collections. It gives your mind something else to well, for the lack of a better term, focus on. You basically feed that part of your brain that was constantly on edge and subconsciously constantly worried and at a high state of alert something else. Might work for you too. Quoted:
As for me, while I’m very happy as I’ve said many times, there’s also this feeling of well, I cant explain it very well. Its not boring, its not lack of sense but maybe a bit of both. A way in which I could explain it could be the following: You know those fish that live in the deep sea, used to the darkness and high pressure. If you take them to the surface they just die. I’m not saying I’ll die, but maybe that I´m already too much used to living under 2000 psi. Guess I got used to living with that tension. Don’t get me wrong, I like living in a safe place and as much as I like shooting I never want my family or even myself to live with that constant risk, but I admit I got used to it and its hard to be “normal” again. Heck, that was “normal” for me, even though I knew it´s not by other people standards, and its when you experience life in better places like we are doing now that you realize how insane it is to believe for a second that its ok to spend your life like that, just because millions of other people do so as well. Take care folks, Fernando |
| Congratulations, glad you and yours are doing well. In light of stuff like this, what advice/experience can you share on getting cash out of the country when leaving? |
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Thanks everyone. Too bad I couldnt end up in USA, you guys are great.
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Congratulations, glad you and yours are doing well. In light of stuff like this, what advice/experience can you share on getting cash out of the country when leaving? Oh yes, the infamous dollar sniffing dogs in Argentina. People are taking their money out of the country via the ferry to Uruguay, so that’s why they are doing this. How do you prepare for that? You leave! Fast! That’s why I left, I saw this coming and decided it was just too much. Good thing we left when we did, now its much harder than before. They investigate you to see the funds used to buy the plane tickets, they basically don’t want people leaving and use every method they can to avoid that or make it as hard as possible. Its pretty simple. They don’t sell you uSd or other foreign currency through legal channels, so if you travel abroad, how can you explain the money you’re taking for the trip? When we left the controls were just starting to get bad. We hid our dollars in our clothes, even our underwear. I didn’t have a lot of silver but it was close and I was worried about it. I don’t know if I would have gotten through today with the extra control. Gold is much more compact!! Don’t forget that. I get it that it’s a nicer feeling to have more coins at hand, but when you have to bug out you fully get it. When I was packing everything up I wished I had more gold instead of those big silver eagles, just from a viewpoint of concealment and bulk. As for transferring money abroad through the banking system, its not possible any more. There are some financial “caves” (cuevas) that do it but it costs dearly, last time I heard costing 10% to 20% of the money transferred. The only advice I can give you is to have the tools to move money around fast if needed and act fast when you see the balloon go up. FerFAL |
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A little update from ground zero, Fer.
This is what's happening RIGHT NOW at an oil refinery in Chubut. It's a good thing I'm stocked up in "survival items  " I need to go through this. I wouldn't say that shit has hit the fan though, for now...
Union workers, raided and took by force this oil refinery in Chubut cutting the pumping of crude to the refinery in question, hence stopping the company's production of oil subproducts, like gas, propane etc. The reason? Pan american energy company granting a 12% salary raise, when they wanted a 23% raise. Is a 12% raise enough to keep up with inflation? NO. Does this give them the right to do this? PHUCK NO! Here are some pictures: 
Correction, what they raided and took over, was Argentina's biggest oil well and by doing so, they deprived pan american energy's refinery of its much needed supply chain of crude oil. It's very dangerous to be right, where MORONS are the majority. Lee el Clarin de hoy Fernando. HTR. |
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Hey Hunter, yes, seem that the K empire is falling apart. The unions led by Moyano and the other “Gordos” are rebelling. An American friend of mine in Mar Del Plata that has been living there since 2000 emailed me today saying there’s long lines in gas stations. He says he’s leaving as soon as they sell the house. Not an easy task given that no one has dollars, those that have them don’t want to spend them and even if that’s solved, you still have to get the money out of the country which wont be cheap. But hey, Tinelli has a girl with Down Sindrome and a guy with only one leg in Bailando (Local Dancing with the Stars) so there’s plenty of bread and circus to go.
Again, feels like I left just in time. FerFAL PS- Is that a car on top of that building? ... WTF? |
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dont sweat it,,, i hear ya guys are going to re take the falklands...the oil well's will be the least to worry about There's a million things I hear about 'you guys' from people from all over the world, but we all know they ain't all true, don't we? 
Let's try to keep this thread within the limits of respect, shall we mate? 
HTR. |
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Quoted: Quoted: dont sweat it,,, i hear ya guys are going to re take the falklands...the oil well's will be the least to worry about There's a million things I hear about 'you guys' from people all over the world, but we all know they ain't all true, don't we? Let's try to keep this thread within the limits of respect, shall we mate? HTR. well it's what was in the news on what your prez was going after last week iirc. that said..bugging out to someplace better is always a wise choice...glad to see it;s working out for FF. |
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Ferfal, I hope you haven't just jumped from the frying pan right into the fire. England may be "safer" than Argentina but safety is a relative term. As an American I wouldn't call Britain "safe". I know its a relative term and bad things happen everywhere but here in Northern Ireland, its one of the safest places in Europe. What little crime occurs its usually among people engaged in shady business, and even among that, murders are just very rare. I know enough of USA to say that there's very few places in the States safer than Northern Ireland. Even in small American towns, crime has gone up a lot lately, you have to look harder to find a place in the Sates as safe as the one I'm in. Having said that, I'd trade my current locaiton for a slightly more dangerous one in exchange for better gun laws and more freedom in general. FerFAL |
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Ferfal, I hope you haven't just jumped from the frying pan right into the fire. England may be "safer" than Argentina but safety is a relative term. As an American I wouldn't call Britain "safe". I know its a relative term and bad things happen everywhere but here in Northern Ireland, its one of the safest places in Europe. What little crime occurs its usually among people engaged in shady business, and even among that, murders are just very rare. I know enough of USA to say that there's very few places in the States safer than Northern Ireland. Even in small American towns, crime has gone up a lot lately, you have to look harder to find a place in the Sates as safe as the one I'm in. Having said that, I'd trade my current locaiton for a slightly more dangerous one in exchange for better gun laws and more freedom in general. FerFAL My bad. I thought you were in England. 
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