'Not so', says my friend Adrian Genesir - a South Carolina computer whiz - all you have to do is vacation in his native Argentina. He and his partner Peter spent 6 months living in the lap of South American luxury on the cheap (by US standards).
Cordoba is his city of choice. And it's not a bad one. As Argentina's 2nd largest city (Buenos Aires is 1st), it's loaded with culture, great buildings, great food & great people who will engage you in great conversations.
But since - he says - the average salary here is about $12 thousand per year, your American paycheck puts you into upper class rich man status.
Don't be fooled - he warns - by the high price of apartments listed on the internet. These are for unsuspecting tourists. Instead, when you arrive check out the local paper for rentals. Here you'll find the much lower prices the locals pay.
Adrian says he had a maid for $1.50 per hour, bought fine food for about 1/4 the US price, could take a 20 minute cab ride for $4 & rented a high rise apartment for a little over $500 per month. Electricity & natural gas were about $10 & $4 each.
And Cordoba is a place where people 'work to live' not 'live to work'. Many people take daily siestas. Shops often close noon to 4 & re-open until 8 or 9 at night. Dinner is from 9-10 & bars open at 2am & close at 8am. Many go right from clubbing to church.
'The problem here,' says Adrian, 'is not when to go to sleep, but when to go out on the town.'
And if you go, be sure to try the local favorite 'mate' - a herbal brew sipped through a 'bombilla' (a type of straw) - that locals like to share while socializing.
'In Cordoba,' says Adrian. 'it's time for dinner when you're hungry. Time for bed when you're sleepy. This city is very spontaneous.'
If this all sounds like your cup of mate, perhaps a trip to Cordoba should be on your travel radar.
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