Uruguay, anyone?

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

For those with a passing interest in living elsewhere, you may find Uruguay amusing.

Here are a few interesting accounts on the web. (Other good ones have disappeared already. I save them as Word documents as soon as I find them.)

http://www.uruguayliving.com/

http://fromuruguay.blogspot.com/

http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/83/Uruguay_expat_diary.html

Lee Harrison wrote a nice little $25 e-book (which I bought and enjoyed) on the country for Escape Artist and a couple of derivative articles for International Living. (I got burned once paying for an early e-book advertised on Escape Artist that was never written, but have bought a couple since with no problems.)

http://www.escapeartist.com/e_Books/Uruguay/Live_In_Uruguay.html

"Uruguay has the lowest poverty level in Latin America, and the second-lowest level of corruption." It is also one of the cheapest countries to live in in the Americas and, from several accounts, easy to get citizenship.

FYI. Enjoy!

Gypsy

 

[Arif]

"Uruguay has the lowest poverty level in Latin America, and the second-lowest level of corruption." It is also one of the cheapest countries to live in in the Americas and, from several accounts, easy to get citizenship.

The country looks really nice from the pictures. I wonder what makes Uruguay have the lowest poverty level in Latin America? Maybe other countries can learn from them. I am sure that like most countries in Latin America, the wealth is concentrated amoung a small group of people. Even more so than the US or other developed countries.
THe cost of living looks even lower (especially for housing) than Panama. Sounds like an undiscovered gem.

BTW-What is the political situation there?

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Hi, Arif,

In his e-book, Lee Harrison talks about the political situation. It looks very quiet these days. When he visited, he noted a spirit of optimism. They seem to have fewer delusions of grandeur than their neighbor to the south. The country has a history of social reform and socialism (govt ownership of some industries). They had a social security system (which is expensive, they are finding) and a public health system before anyone else down there. They just do things a little differently than the others.

Clearly, a few families are at the top. See how often the name Batlle shows up.

I found the 118 page, $25 e-book entertaining and informative, much more than I expected. Recommended.

 

[uncledrz]

Ed
Interest sites, thanks.
Uncledrz (o tio medico z)

 

[haha]

In his e-book, Lee Harrison talks about the political situation.  It looks very quiet these days.  .

I have never been in Uruguay, so I have no first hand experience. I know the beaches are unbelievable. One thing it has going for it is they are not either major growers or processors of coca, so there isn't a tidal wave of narco-money subverting everything.

Also, the Indigenous / European conflicts that are roiling the Andean countries are a non issue in Uruguay.

But 30 or so years ago they had serious problems-- the Tupamaro guerrillas and the government crackdown that defeated them.

http://encyclopedia.com/html/T/Tupamaro.asp

Ha

 

[kcowan]

An acquantance from here goes down there every winter. They started in Argentina and eventually migrated to Punta Del Este just east of Montevideo. They are planning to buy oceanfront property north of there this year. Same latitude as Sydney and Cape Town.