23 Comments

This is so good. Citizen journalist theory come true.

Expand full comment

Excellent post once again, Mara. Absolutely loved my time in Argentina earlier this year — all the diverse natural wonders, the women, and yes, the blue dollar rate for USTT. Was planning to come back early 2023 and visit Patagonia mountains again but I’m not so sure now given the turmoil. Appreciate your honest advice and insights into the shit situation. An absolute shame that bad actors in politics (for decades now) have ruined such a potentially-great country. Wish everyone down there well

Expand full comment

Love this post Mara

The comment about Switzerland is such an Argentinian thing to say, video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q_BvCEMvfY

Expand full comment

@BowTiedMara, even if you do have 100% WiFi $$, would you still recommend visiting Argentina given the political turmoil?

Expand full comment

We’ve been keeping our eye on Argentine peso for a while. We have even considered hiring developers in Argie on a strictly BTC based relationship.

Textbook economics really. Capital controls are toxic for a country, and in a sovereign individual world, people are going to punish bad governments that implement control by leaking value out of the tradFi system into computer coins.

Expand full comment
founding

It looks like most of the advice is "be a tourist" and earn tourist money. Any advice from a local perspective? What business/industry survive and thrive in a hyperinflation environment?

Expand full comment

Thanks Mara for sharing. The picture you paint helps reset the perspective of anyone on the outside. How is the older generation taking it?

Expand full comment

If you’re spending time in Argentina, is it better to use your American credit card or to convert dollars into pesos on the black market? Which gets the better rate?

Expand full comment

What is hiking and outdoors activity like in Argentina?

Expand full comment

What happens when capital controls come in though? At a certain point my own country suddenly split currencies (local vs external) and as such you couldn't get the USD in without using the central bank. Do you leave at that point?

My largest issue with saying that people will overthrow governments and remove them from power is that post populism there always seems to be a worse politician elected, and through taxes, exchange control and other issues we get a worse situation (since often the passport of that country gets rekt too and you struggle to migrate to better countries). Rather panic early than panic too late. I've been living like an expat in my own country for a decade now, just in case SHTF.

Expand full comment