An Expat moves back

A friend posted on Facebook (FB) an article in the Argentine Post about Americans fleeing the economic crisis and moving to Argentina. It seems Argentina continues to be a destination of choice for many who are seeking greener pastures. For my part, I have met, through our monthly Start-Ups Buenos Aires After Office, more Americans coming down on short-term visits and scouting missions from the US to check out the possibility of setting themselves up longer-term in Buenos Aires. Whether they decide to stay or not, only time will tell.

We, however, are getting ready to move to the US in the next couple months. San Diego, California to be exact. The timing is obviously dubious, but that's life. My girl friend got accepted to Scripps to do a Phd in Oceanography. Scripps is one of the best in this field, so it's an opportunity not to be missed.

Because I have never lived in San Diego and have no contacts there, I'm treating our move like a move to a new country.

What this means:

1. Pre-search online
I'm conducting google searches to figure out what life is like. What neighborhoods will be on our short-list to live in. What is the cost of living so I can build a realistic budget. What to expect in terms of transportation and social life. For this information, there is a helpful relocation forum called City-data.com. I found there are a lot of East Coasters who ask many of these same questions to local San Diegans.

2. Reaching out selectively to my network
One advantage I have over expats looking to move abroad is that at least I have a network already in place in-country. My network may be mostly in Boston and Buenos Aires, (see my "touch graph" map on FB above), but reaching out to some close friends and family is starting to bear some fruit. An ex-coworker and good friend from Japan put me in touch with a an ex-coworker of his that works in San Diego. We've already spoken via Skype. It was an excellent opportunity to confirm a lot of my pre-search notions, get additional insights from a person on the ground and have a contact for my future scouting visit. My mom also reminded me of a former high school classmate who lived in San Diego for a few years. This classmate and I have a coffee meeting setup for when I'm back home this summer and has already graciously put me in touch with her brother via FB who still lives in San Diego.

3. Casting a wider net via Social Media
I'm making a concerted effort to connect with people in San Diego via Twitter and scouting local blogs. Another advantage to moving to the US is the world of bloggers and twitter is much larger than Buenos Aires giving me more opportunities to create connections and initiate interactions. For example, per Twellow here are over 7K people on Twitter in San Diego vs less than 2K in Buenos Aires. Of course the majority of tweets in San Diego are in English which makes it all the more easy. In fact, I've already contacted a person who plays in a roller hockey league there!

4. Preparing to reach out to my entire network, ie Facebook
Interestingly, I haven't until very recently posted anything about our move on FB and that's only because FB now publishes Wall comments on the News Feed (which I allow). Facebook is my most powerful social networking tool, filled with a plethora of close friends and distant acquaintances. One would think facebook would be the first place to post. Normally I'd agree. But I'm holding out a bit longer to better prepare to catch those important fleeting glances.

Before announcing on Facebook, I've taken steps to integrate FB with my online job search which mainly resides on LinkedIn. That's right. The line between professional contacts and friend contacts has been officially blurred in my case. Why? Facebook has a much wider reach because I have been accepting friend requests from casual and professional acquaintances as well as some online only personalities. All of which I manage distinctly through FB privacy settings. For a tutorial on FB privacy settings read this article. In contrast, LinkedIn is populated with only people I have actually worked with, so in my case, it is a smaller universe of potential contacts.

a. LinkedIn
Even though it is more limited in reach, LinkedIn is more career focused and has become almost as addictive as facebook. Before letting all my FB friends know about our move, I've revamped my LinkedIn profile, including the sending of a request to ex-coworkers, ex-bosses and ex-clients to write a recommendation. I've also posted my intentions to move to San Diego on my status. I've had a few of my contacts even send me email asking what's up and offering help.

As a second phase of LinkedIn I've joined groups. I've selected groups that are relevant to me either professionally or geographically. The idea is to interact in these groups and build a professional brand through the demonstration of one's knowledge. To be honest, I haven't found too many of the conversations very engaging, and many somewhat gimmicky. (Swampland in Florida anyone?) but it's early.

Now that my LinkedIn profile is ready, I've moved on to integrating it with my Facebook profile. I've added a small blurb about the move and ask for referrals in the "about me". I've also put a LinkedIn badge and a Professional Tab for those looking for a more complete work history. For other useful business tools for Facebook, I suggest you read this Mashable article.

b. Blog and twitter integration
You'll notice, I had taken some additional steps already for this blog by adding a LinkedIn badge, a gadget that links to my facebook and twitter profiles (also revamped to announce my employment search) as well as a gadget to read past tweets. All of this is to create a web of links and content where I can catch the attention of my busy friends, new contacts as well as make life a little easier for those who will research my profile when they consider me for a position.

5. Traditional Job Search
Is the traditional job search dead? No way. The key difference between my social media actions and traditional job search is the measure of control I feel I have and the inevitable overlap that occurs between the two.

For traditional job search I'm using:

a. Job Boards
I've created a list of every job board I can find. Here in no particular order:

Craigslist
Idealist (non-profit)
Simplyhired
vault
indeed
realmatch
monster.com
dice.com- tech jobs
hotjobs.com
careerbuilder.com
jobimachine.com
execunet.com - paid
Ladders- paid

What I've found out quite quickly is that large job boards are a waste of time right now in the fields where I'm looking. After a couple of weeks, you see many of the same low quality jobs where they need a tsunami of resumes to fill them. Am I giving up on job boards, not entirely. For the time being, I keep tabs on them with key word email alerts. I find SimplyHired the best for this. But in general, job boards are a lower priority on my to do list until the economy starts to rebound.

b. Recruiters, professional organizations and job fairs
I'm digging down another level and looking for San Diego based recruiters, recruiters in my profession, local professional organizations, networking events and job fairs. I'll do some pre-contact and also keep them on my radar for when I do my own scouting in San Diego this summer

c. Targeting specific companies
Most companies with jobs, are not posting them on mass job boards now. They are either posting them internally or on their own career websites. So I'm targeting them and my network for inside connections while checking their websites regularly. In fact, as I write this, a contact at a former company I worked at just sent me their internal announcement of job openings. How about that!

d. Alumni organizations
I'm updating my profile on my alumni websites for my past schools, perusing the directories for alumni living in SD and checking out the career centers

6. Keeping in touch with my inner expat and inner entrepreneur
Are there jobs to be found? If you read the newspaper, it's armageddon. California in particular is in dire straits. So what are you to do? Over the years as an Expat, I've had to take initiative, be creative and be persistent when macroeconomic conditions are not going my way. So moving back to the States where I have a wider network, more support and a common culture, will be a piece of cake in comparison.

Being an entrepreneur means more than starting your own business. It means you need to be resilient and an eternal optimist. A job would be great, but according to many reports, the average time to find a job is 5 months. The NYtimes also points out that because of the lack of jobs, many are getting in touch with their inner entrepreneur. So like a blood hound on the hunt, I'll keep my nose to ground while keeping my eyes, ears and mind open so no opportunity slips by.

Have a resource or a connection you'd like to share? Throw a dog a bone!

Start-Ups Buenos Aires After Office gets first podcast mention

I love it when cool things happen without you knowing about it. It's makes it even cooler when you stumble upon them. Today I had this happen when listening to a new podcast called "Awaken", by Mattias Dutto and Alexis Garbarz. I decided to give it a try since I have met Mattias and his wife Lindsay a couple of times, and had heard Alexis is behind OLX, a popular free classifieds website. I figured at the very least it would expand my podcast listening beyond my current selections of NPR On Point radio, This American Life, 60 Minutes and the Bugle all of which are in the English language. I wanted to add an Argentine Spanish podcast to the mix.

I'm very happy I did. In only their 4th progam, the production was top notch, the commentary lively and most of all lots of Buena Onda (good vibes) . They sound like they are having fun and you can't help but have fun with them.

I also found it very interesting to get an Argentine perspective on a number of topics ranging from movies to social media. The cherry on top was when they spoke about events going on in the city and to my surprise Start-Ups Buenos Aires After Office got a nice mention and a high recommendation on our choice of venue.

What podcasts do you recommend?

Start-Ups Buenos Aires After Office Wed, Jan28. 19:30-22:30

We are back for our first After Office of 2009!

Where:
CARNAL on Niceto Vega 5511, WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28 from 19:30-22:30.

I'm very excited that our group continues to grow and our turn out to this After Office just gets bigger and better every month. Our official group on Face Book is about to crack 250, plus we have another 20-30 on our mailing list. Because the group has now expanded to a point beyond our collective circles of friends and acquaintances, we will be encouraging the use of name tags. This will not only help new people identify us, but also help Name Retention Disorder (NRD) sufferers like me.

We highly encourage you to bring friends who have or are interested in StartUps, especially your local Argentine friends so we can have a good mix of perspectives, opinions and more opportunities to make valuable connections.

Look forward to seeing you all there!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Estaremos lanzando el inicio del primer After Office Buenos Aires del año el Miércoles 28 de Enero en Carnal. Asegurate de acercarte y mirar en la terraza.

Este es un gran evento de networking para conocer otros empresarios, freelancers y candidatos. No olvides tus tarjetas de presentación.

Espero verte allá!


Jonathan

Top Five survival tips for spending New Year's in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Happy 2009!

Expats find out very quickly that Buenos Aires is not the IN place to be for the holidays. The city empties as people find family and friends anywhere else they can. The most popular place to head, of course, is the beach. There are options in Argentina such as Pinamar and Mar del Plata, which I'm sure have their supporters, but the fashionable place to see and be seen is Punta del Este in Uruguay.

When you go to Punta del Este you need to clarify if you are staying on the peninsula of Punta del Este or if you are out on one of the other beaches like La Barra or Jose Ignacio etc. These recommendations are for those who are staying on the peninsula of Punta del Este. After 3 years of navigating crowds during New Year's on the peninsula with family and friends, we have slowly managed to turn this art into a science.

Why stay on the Peninsula?
What it has is infrastructure (lots of shops, restaurants, and beach with mostly calm water, all within walking distance) As you will find, this is attractive to families with small children and seniors. Secluded and natural it is not. For that you should head further north to Cabo Polonio.

Top recommendations for Expats:

When to go?
Shoulder season is the best time to be on the peninsula. Late November/early December and Easter are perfect since the weather is usually still good, and their are no crowds. New Year's in particular, all bets are off. It is a zoo. So the name of the game for New Year's is crowd and ripoff avoidance.

Eat Fish
After spending the year eating nothing but the cheap and plentiful meat in Argentina, fish is a welcome respite. The king of fish to eat in Punta del Este is Corvina Negra (Black Drum) and the place to eat it is at La Marea in the port. They cook the fish over the grill with the scales on one side and with a thick provencal topping of parsley and garlic which steams the flesh. One piece is enough for two people who order a couple sides. The price is very reasonable which makes it an even rarer find.

My other recommendation is right next door. El Artico. This restaurant is a fast seafood type place perfect for your after the beach munchies. The highlights are the Rabas (Fried Calamaries) and new this year, they added fried chipirones (squid) which were also scrumptious. Want to fill up a little more, buy some extra bread and make little fried calamari sandwiches.

Bring white wine and then drink Clerico or Medio y Medio
Argentine wines are very expensive in Uruguay. Bring over a couple of bottles in your bag and you won't regret it. The temptation to bring red wine will be great, but with the heat and the fish, white wine is the way to go. Once you go through your bottles, try the Clerico (white wine Sangria) or find some Media Media (half and half), an Uruguayan invention which is simply a blend of white wine and spumante. It's very refreshing.
If you drink beer, Patricia is the one. It is brewed by Salus who also sells the best bottled spring water you will ever taste.

Hit the beach early
The beaches on the peninsula during New Year's remind me of a National Geographic special where you see the thousands of seals laying next to and on top of each other. The key to hitting the beach is getting there early. From 8-11am or so, the beach is empty since everyone went out eating and partying the night before. It's also the best sun.

If you have some transport, even better. There are some very nice and less crowded beaches on the Mansa side over near Casa Pueblo. One of our favorites is Las Grutas which is about 15-20 minutes by car. For New Year's make sure you reserve your car far in advance and prepare to stretch your wallet.

Speaking of transport, don't try to save a few bucks and go the long way to Punta del Este by bus. The bridge that connects Uruguay and Argentina over at Gualeguaychú is a popular place for locals to set up road blocks, especially during the high season, in protest of the cellulose processing factory that Uruguay built on their side of the river. .

Get a nice work out
The salt air and sun is a great contrast to the dreary city heat of Buenos Aires. A relaxing way to work out is to walk the peninsula. The far end of the peninsula has smaller houses so you don't feel as urbanized as in the center. There is a walkway next to the ocean where you can burn off those extra calories and take in the sunset. The best kind of multi-tasking! For the more athletic, keep on going to the front of the Conrad Casino where they have an open, outdoor gym (pull up bars, push up stations etc)

So there you have my top 5 survival tips for Punta del Este. Enjoy!

Startups Buenos Aires After Office, Wed Oct 8th, 7pm @ Casa Bar

This coming Wednesday at 7pm, StartUps Buenos Aires is organizing a free After Office at Casa Bar Rodriguez Peña 1150 and Santa Fe, (+5411) 4816 2712. There will be special discounts and a happy hour available to our group. Join the StartUps Buenos Aires facebook group for details.

My friend Tom and I recently lamented the small number of social gatherings for Solopreneurs like us. People who have started a business, work from home or in a small office and looking for opportunities to socialize with others in the same boat. So this is our attempt at filling this gap: StartUps Buenos Aires.

I've written previously about the importance of those starting up a business or even just their new life abroad to connect with in-the-know expats and locals. I have my thoughts, but it's always best to get as wide array of opinion from as many people as possible. This will be an opportunity to do just that in a casual way.

In particular, I am encouraging folks to invite their Argentine Startup friends to our After Offices and to join our StartUps Buenos Aires Facebook Group. It seems to me there is an untapped potential for Argentine and Expat Entrepreneurs to help each other, both online and off. I would love to see more of this happen.

Finally, the StartUps Buenos Aires Facebook group page encourages Shameless Self Promotion. I hate to even admit how fuzzy I am on the details of what some of my new friends do here, let alone how I could help them out. So the space is open for folks to introduce themselves, their business and whatever else they are looking for from the group. No need for apologies, because we all understand how it is.

And you will have an opportunity once a month to shake the hand, pat the back or buy a beer for those new and old friends who make something happen for your business, or maybe even twist an arm for those who don't. ;-)

Again, please join us on Wednesday Oct. 8th from 7pm at Casa Bar to kick things off.

Best,

Jonathan

Moving Abroad? Get insider info from expats on the ground anywhere

I'm not sure if this counts as part of one's 15 minutes of fame, but I got interviewed for expatinterviews.com. No lights, no camera, just a little action: a pleasant email from a woman named Lizza asking me to fill out a questionnaire about living in Argentina that would be posted to their website.

Getting random emails from people who you don't know, asking you to spill your guts about a place and yourself, to be published on somebody else's web page can be emotional. I felt surprised when I received the mail, followed by a little suspicious, then curious and finally convinced. All in less than 10 minutes. What a roller coaster!

What convinced me to do it was:

1. The quality of interviews already published and information available about the owners of the site
   
2. The overall value this site gives to those looking to move abroad (not just Argentina, but anywhere)
   
3. Link Love
   
4. The fact that a couple of the interviews are with expats I know here to be good peeps

This site is a must read for anyone looking to move abroad. Though my responses and my shout out links for other interesting sites in Argentina were pared down , none of my thoughts, opinions or recommendations were changed. Multiply this by the hundreds of interviews from hundreds of countries and you have some fascinating insight into taking your next step.

Check out the full interview at: http://www.expatinterviews.com/argentina/jonathan-harada.html

What other sources would you recommend for wanna-be or gotta-be expats?

Update 9/23/08: After reading this post, Lizza sent an email to me apologizing for the missing links explaining it was an oversight and that she had made the corrections. In my opinion, this is yet another reason why expatriotinterviews.com deserves your participation. Thanks Lizza for your follow up.

How you can be Santa in the summer

I'm in Massachusetts for a visit home and enjoying the last hoorah of summer. I usually travel home once a year, whether I like it or not, due to the use it or lose it clause on my ticket.

I always find my visits home very refreshing. Obviously it's a wonderful opportunity to catch up with family and friends. It's also an opportunity for an update.

First, I always update the hardware. A good thing to check into if you are planning on relocating abroad is the cost and availability of items you are going to need for your personal and/or business use.

I throw these items into two buckets: Nice-to-have stuff and Wanna-Gotta-have stuff

Nice to have stuff

Nice to have stuff is very personal, like books or sometimes things you don't realize that you miss until they're gone, like Hot Sauce. Argentina is a loong way from Mexico in terms of spice. Sure you can find Tabasco in BA, but I like to have a little variety in my hot sauces and have some favorite brands like Frank's. Other things I've heard people bringing down are maple syrup, peanut butter, brownie mix. I'll even confess to bringing down stove-top stuffing once, but highly doubt it will make it in this trip.

Wanna-Gotta-have stuff

Stuff for work and play like computers and consumer electronics would fall into this category. These are typically higher dollar value items that go astronomic because, like many south american countries, Argentina levies high taxes on imported products. Unfortunately between these taxes and importer mark-ups the price can easily double for a product which often times is yesterday's model or an undesired configuration.

Just to give an example, an Apple corded keyboard I needed to buy costs $100 at the Apple store in Buenos Aires, but only $49 USD here. If I would have broken down and bought it in BA, I would have had to settle for the Spanish keyboard in a sense paying double for a keyboard in an undesired configuration. Instead I bought some crappy $25 local keyboard to get me by for a few months and made the apple keyboard purchase on my next trip. I still ended up saving about $25.

When it comes to trendy gadgets, prices are ridiculous. Check out Mercadolibre (South America's version of eBay) and lookup an unlocked 8 Gb, iPhone 3G. I just did...and it will run you $1,499.99 USD. If I compare apples to apples (sorry couldn't resist the pun), the same unlocked iPhone here goes for about $600 USD on eBay.

So as you can see, taking advantage of my one opportunity per year to buy Wanna-Gotta-have stuff is important. I always arrive home with a pent up purchase list that I've been adding to over the year. I go to the store with my list, checking it twice..feeling a little like Santa. Why Santa? Because all of a sudden I find many items on my list are for friends and I realize I will need a sleigh with 20 reindeer to get all the stuff back. But can you blame them for asking? I complain about the price differentials in dollars. Imagine if you are earning pesos!

So take the opportunity to be Santa to yourself and also to your friends. But be aware, you will have to prioritize and set expectations, less you should be seen as the Gringo Grinch. Unlike Santa's magic sleigh, your allotment with American Airlines is a measly 23 kilos per checked bag which fills up fast.

So now you know. Don't buy unwanted gifts for your friends in Argentina. Just consent to bring back one of their purchases and you can get a little bit of that Santa cheer any time of year. But be aware. Santa is welcomed by millions around the world with milk and cookies...you might be welcomed by customs.

What do you Gotta-wanna have from home and plan to bring back?

A different tack

I recently got to meet and hang out with some folks who are, or are connected with some of the movers and shakers of the blogosphere here in Buenos Aires. What I've quickly realized is how boring my blog is. So boring that I don't even want to read it. So to take a new tack and make this blog less of a yawner.. I'm expanding the subjects to include an expat perspective on the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires and thoughts on the ups and downs of international, entrepreneurial start-ups. (mine and shameless plugs of others) Of course latest happenings with TutorAmigos, bilingual education in the US and now obviously education in Spain will be hot topics. I'm looking forward to writing about these additions and hope you will be too.