One year in Escobar

We have just completed our first year out in Escobar. Well, we really are in Pilar ( by about 1 km) but as we have to drive to our place via the Escobar branch route on the Panamericana, I tell people I say in Escobar.

Over all we have thoroughly enjoyed it – the quality of life is certainly better for us and our 7 year old son.

Clearly its not for everyone but we like living in a quiet residential “barrio cerrado”

I have started playing golf again and we do a lot more walking than we did in the capital.

GlasgowJohn Jr has had an excellent summer and he absolutely loves it. His school is great, and the class sizes are smaller than we experienced in the capital. Now we have to convince him with all sorts of bribes to go and visit Granny in the city when we have a night out with friends.

I do one trip a month to the capital and do all the stuff I have to do in one day. I pick the time I go so I avoid rush hour traffic.

Mrs. GlasgowJohn has to do one trip per week, and she is able to pick her times and avoid the heavy traffic

What are the disadvantages?

You have to plan shopping in a different way.

The nearest chino is 4km away – so basically you have to plan your shopping routine and be more methodical. So, whoever does the school run has to make sure that he or she knows what has to be bought.

We have a big Jumbo about 12kms away and an even bigger Coto about 25kms away. So, we tend to do a big shop every 15 days or so, to stock up.

There are lots of small granjas and fruit and vegetable stores and we initially found that prices were better than in the capital. I would imagine that that is still the case, but we have lost track with prices in the big smoke.

There are also a couple of frigorificos you can buy meat and poultry at decent prices.

The immediate plan is to stay for another year and probably a bit longer.

I certainly would recommend it to anyone who isn’t tied to the big city for professional reasons.

Quote from Rice

That is quite an endorsement, GlasgowJohn. When you lived in the city, in which barrio were you? Do you have a fairly low crime rate in Escobar/Pilar? I assume that a car is a necessity?

I’m glad you and your family are happy there.

We lived in villa del Parque - not much crime where we were.

Yes a car is necessary ...or a bike !

Quote from serafina

A friend has started a business of healthy frozen food and she is 'in' some barrios cerrados. She explained that since there is nothing around these gated community, families stock up food. A family of 4 can easily have 4 or 5 big freezers, they freeze also fruit, vegetables, ice-cream, and dishes.

She told us that you just need to have someone inside these barrios gathering the orders of the families, and then arrange the delivery. They started this business at home through her sister's mom group and it is taking off.

It like a healthy version of BoFrost and Eismann.

We briefly considered a barrio cerrado on the outskirt of Buenos Aires but we didn't have a car back then. Plus, we do not need to be around Buenos Aires at all, so we considered also somewhere else in Argentina but couldn't come up with a decent option. I never lived in a big metropoli and I am enjoying city life. Just being in San Isidro the food/restaurant options were much less. Being further away it would be even worse.

If I had to live in the countryside, let it be in Europe where crime is not an issue and you do not need to pay any barrio fee.

About this - are they comparable to building expenses or are they lower / higher?

We are currently paying 160 USD per month and I cannot understand how we could spend so much in a building of 9 units with no doorman.

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We are paying about 250 dollars per month . that includes fairly decent security 24 x 7 , our ARBA ( which is like ABL) , water and sporting activities ( Free golf for me!) !!!!

Yes there are some people who deliver frozen foods of various types and some people who make freshly baked cakes as well !!