Cities

I'm checking them out
I'm checking them out
I got it figured out
I got it figured out
There's good points and bad points
Find a city
Find myself a city to live in.

Those are lyrics to one of my favorite Talking Heads songs and it is, in a sense, the soundtrack to a conversation that Julia and I have been having for the last year.We've been talking about Place and the many aspects of it: the place where we keep our stuff, the place we go to earn a living, the places we've been and those we've yet to see. The place we go to buy food. The places of our friends and family. What emerged after a year of talk and research was the understanding that our Place could be found in the Megacity.

A megacity is defined as:

A recognized metropolitan area with a total population in excess of 10 million people.Some definitions also set a minimum level for population density (at least 2,000 persons/square km).

According to wikipedia, there are ~20 megacities. Here's the critera we used to narrow down the choices:

• Temperate climate
• Affordable Internet access
• A lively arts scene
• Affordable real estate / rentals.
• Safe
• A Culture that we have an affinity for.

Once we had a short list, we did some research and came up with Buenos Aires, Argentina and we are now in the process of selling everything we own and learning spanish.

Here are answers to common questions people have asked.

Q: Where will you live?

A: Our plan is to rent an apartment while we search for a place to purchase. We're hoping to find a nice loft in Palermo or Ricoleta? Let's just hope that inflation holds at it current pace.

Q: What are the housing prices like?

A: Nice apartments in the city can be had for USD $150,000 and up. Some folks think the BA real estate market is a bubble and over valued.

Q: What will you do for work?

A: Julia will take time off from work to focus on her studies and my situation is evolving. Either I will [a] continue to work for my current employer as a telecommuter, [b] become a freelancer, [c] find employment in Buenos Aires.

Q: Do you speak spanish?

A: A little but I am actively studying and becoming fluent is my first priority. Julia speaks enough to get us by when we get there, but she is studying as well.

Q: Do you Tango?

A: Nope. But I will fear no milonga.

Q; Isn't this a bit Extreme maybe even reckless?

A: Yep. ;-)