This is not a guidebook. THIS IS AN ESCAPE BOOK. This book, describing our family’s move to South America, is a kind of “how to” book for people thinking about moving to San Carlos de Bariloche, Queen City of Patagonia, Capitol of The Argentine Lakes District.

We are a family of three (sometimes four), who left the USA and found a beautiful place to live. We found overwhelming beauty in safety and peace. We are fine. All of the people telling us we were/are crazy to leave the safety of the USA are still complaining about the boredom and expense of their lives. We are fine…

Life captures you. The sad fact that things have you, instead of you having them, becomes more apparent. When you decide to move, just deciding what to do with your things is a major hurdle. Moving to South America, and keeping your stuff, means hiring a container and paying thousands of dollars to have your old things in a new place. We didn’t do that. We calculated that shipping costs, versus buying new things (that didn’t require electrical adapters) would cost about the same and be so much less hassle.

Your family and friends don’t want you to go. Your insane sister tells you everyone is out to get you, where you are going. The ‘natives’ will “be mean to you,” she says. “No one outside the United States is safe,” she says. There are a million reasons to give up and fall back into your same old life, and this is what happens to most people.

People who know that there is a better way to live, in a place that gives them pleasure, may still give up their dreams of living on the beach or being in an ‘Alpine Paradise.’ They are CAPTURED. No one can set you free but many people can ‘help’ you to stay captured. They are afraid and want you to stay and be afraid with them.

What irony. Life is SO much safer here, in South America, than in the USA. So this book is for all the people trying to get OUT.

“The absolutely true legend of our first trip to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, is the statement from my Mom-in-Law: “Let’s sell everything and live here,” after an hour of looking out over Lake Nahuel Huapi... And that is exactly what we did. My Mum-in-Law didn’t know (at that moment) I had been moving to Bariloche all of my life.”

There are very few insect problems in Argentina. There are no screens on the windows even in the million dollar homes. Don’t need them! There are no snakes in the Lake District, no wolves, no bears… As always, people are the only threat to your personal safety. The police and the local government are very concerned with your personal safety. Bariloche is a cash machine for Argentina, and they don’t want even one incident of robbery or violence to scare away the players. Don’t do anything really stupid and you will be safer than in any American city.

I get asked all the time why I moved to Argentina and I always think of that first moment on the shores of that magnificent lake, staring at the surrounding mountains and I just knew this was the place…

In this book you will find our discoveries. You’ll learn what you might want to try and what you might want to avoid as you plan your escape to this beautiful place. This eBook contains plenty of helpful information about the language and culture and way of life in Bariloche, about residency and health care – practical advice that may help you decide whether to stay where you are and give up your dreams of living in a safe and beautiful place. But most of all it is for all the people trying to get out of captivity, for those of you who are ready to find your Shangri-la, to inspire and cajole you into escaping to this place.