Hola,

As you may have heard, I will be leaving for Argentina

in a few days.  About a month and a half ago, I was

admitted to a Master’s program in International

Development, housed at a university in Buenos Aires. 

This is a chance for me to study the field I’ve wanted

to pursue for many years.  I will be in Buenos Aires

for about 18 months, but will be back in the U.S. to

visit in December of this year.  

In the past, when I have found myself overseas, I have

sent periodic updates back home.  I plan to continue

this practice while in Argentina.  If you would like

to receive these dispatches, reply back and I’ll add

you to the list.  You may also notice that I have a

new email address, [email protected].  This was done

partly in response to complaints I received that I

should have updated the old address to reflect my new

residences.  I thought SeanInWashingtonDC would be a

bit much, and since SeanInBuenosAiresArgentina was

already taken, I decided to eschew the geography

altogether and keep it simple.  I’ve included in the

remainder of the email a few notes about Buenos Aires

and my place in it.  I suppose we could consider this

the first edition of this series of updates.  Please

keep in touch.

I have already received several offers for visits,

with the first planned for August.  I would remind you

that Buenos Aires is billed as the “Paris of the

South,” a European-style city nestled in the Southern

Hemisphere.  The city is famous for its beef, touted

as the best in the world, and the comeliness of its

denizens (some of whom are aided in part by popular

plastic surgeries).  

In response to some of the questions I’ve been hearing

lately, I’ve prepared a few notes.  

Yes, the economy did collapse there two years ago. 

Yes, they did have three presidents in the course of

one week.  Argentina had a great run in the 1990s,

riding the wave of economic liberalization and the

stability of the U.S. dollar, to which the Argentine

Peso was pegged.  Unfortunately, the peso could not

keep pace with the dollar, and, in December 2001, the

peso had to be floated; and it crashed.  After having

been equal to $1 U.S. dollar, the peso dropped to

about 20 U.S. cents in value.  It has since risen to

about 33 cents.  Middle-class unemployment and general

civil unrest resulted, and while the riots have for

the most part passed, the unemployment and hardship

remain for many Argentines.

On the other hand, the devaluation has also resulted

in an export boom and increased tourism.   The economy

has grown by 11% in the last year.  Despite its

difficulties, Buenos Aires is still tourist friendly. 

Visitors are advised to watch for pickpockets and to

stay away from large demonstrations, advice I would

give to anyone visiting me in Washington, D.C.  

I have arranged for housing in Palermo, one of the

more posh neighborhoods in the city.  I will be living

with a family for the first month or so, and will

likely make more permanent arrangements once I am

familiar with the city.  I’m still not certain what

I’ll be doing after I finish the program, although

based on what I’ve heard, working for the United

States Agency for International Development (USAID)

sounds appealing.  An independent federal agency,

USAID does most of the administration of foreign aid

for the U.S. government.  We’ll see.  

I’m off today.   I can be reached at the new email

address, which I will be checking often.  As the

porteños (Buenos Aires natives) say, ciao.

             Sean