DETAILS

Expats in Buenos Aires

GETTING THERE: Numerous airlines fly from the D.C. area to Buenos Aires. Nonstop service is available from Dulles on United, but prices are high, starting at about $1,375 round trip. Connecting service is cheaper, with fares from about $960 on Continental from BWI. Delta, American and the Brazilian airline Varig also offer connecting service.

WHERE TO STAY: Short-term apartment rentals are available for as low as $150 a week for studios. Long-term sublets start at about $500 a month for one-bedrooms. My Space BA (011-54-11-4793-3496, http://www.myspaceba.com/ ) lists long- and short-term apartment sublets. ByT Argentina (011-54-11-4821-6057, http://www.bytargentina.com/ ), an Internet-based agency, offers apartments with pre-installed Internet phones that provide tenants with a U.S. phone number that rings in Argentina and free calls home: A large one-bedroom in trendy Palermo Viejo goes for $1,200 a month.

Buenos Aires has a wide range of hostels and B&Bs. A fun, inexpensive place to stay near the Recoleta Cemetery is Milonga Hostel (011-5411-4815-1827, http://www.milongahostel.com.ar/ ). Dorm beds are $7 and include breakfast and free Internet. In Palermo Soho, 1555 Malabia House (011-5411-4833-2410, http://www.malabiahouse.com.ar/ ) is a chic and airy B&B with rooms from $105 to $140.

EXPAT ADVICE:

· Two companies offering information for expats on buying property in Buenos Aires are Escape to Argentina (215-825-5352, http://www.escapetoargentina.com/ ) and Argentina Homes (011-54-11-4801-9291, http://www.argentinahomes.com/ ).

· For information on obtaining a work visa, contact the Argentine Consulate in Washington, 202-238-6400, or consult the New York consulate's Web site, http://www.consarny.com/ .

· The Young Expatriates' Society of Buenos Aires (011-54-11- 5353-6414, http://www.yesba.org/ ) has monthly gatherings and a newsletter listing apartment vacancies, jobs, sports clubs and Spanish tutors.

· To learn about the parts of Buenos Aires that few visitors see, consider joining one of the charity programs organized by Insight Argentina (866-491-5639, http://www.insightargentina.org/ ).

· The Buenos Aires Herald ( http://www.buenosairesherald.com/ ), an excellent English-language newspaper, is a good source for expat activities and resources.

· For broader expat information, American Citizens Abroad (1051 N. George Mason Dr., Arlington, http://www.aca.ch/ ) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association for U.S. citizens living worldwide. The Association of Americans Resident Overseas in Paris (011-33-1-47-20-24-15, http://www.aaro.org/ ) represents more than 4.1 million Americans living and working abroad.

TANGO: Many foreign women arrive in B.A. wanting to tango but worry about language and social barriers that might prevent them from finding dance partners. A small industry has developed in which dashing young male dancers rent themselves out -- chastely -- as dance partners. Laura Chummers of Tanguera Tours can help make arrangements: 011-54-11-4953-2775, http://www.tangueratours.com/ .

INFO: City of Buenos Aires Tourism , http://www.bue.gov.ar/ . Argentina Tourism Office , 212-603-0443, http://www.turismo.gov.ar/ .

-- Allen Salkin