Young Argentinians on Milei’s Reforms: Inflation, Taxes, Hope and Daily Life in Mendoza

In Mendoza, Argentina, October 2025, I interviewed Juli, a lawyer, and Tomi, a small business owner/engineer, about changes under President Milei after recent elections that ostensibly strengthened his position in Congress. They describe life before Milei as marked by extreme inflation, product shortages, import restrictions and high taxes, with people using instalments to cope and some abusing government benefits due to weak oversight. They discuss “ventajeros” as taking advantage of situations, including with tourists, and explain how heavy taxation and instability made professional salaries feel insufficient. Under Milei, they report greater price stability, more predictable salaries and hope that young professionals may return from abroad, though they note the transition has been exhausting and that pensioners and public services still struggle. They also share views on Trump, corruption in past governments, and Argentina’s welcoming culture and natural beauty.

00:00 Introduction to Mendoza and Guests

00:53 Election Win and Hopes

02:03 Life Under Inflation

03:13 Import Controls and Shortages

04:57 Welfare State and Abuse

07:07 The Ventajeros Culture

09:29 Taxes, Travel and Chile Runs

10:59 Installments and Beating Inflation

12:18 Young Professionals' Frustration

14:36 Stability Under Milei

16:45 Dollar Pricing Logic

17:20 Peso Swings and Brazil Trips

18:03 Hopeful Economic Outlook

19:22 Work, Wages and Brain Drain

21:24 Fairness and Public Services

23:13 Milei Crazy or Genius

24:31 Trump and Immigration Views

26:22 Corruption and Voting Change

29:36 Why Argentina Is Special

31:35 Farewell and Invite to Mendoza

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How do we deal with trauma that bubbles to the surface years down the road? What can that journey look like?

In this episode, I’m speaking with Catalina in a cafe in downtown Santiago, Chile. What starts out as a conversation about her background and her unconventional career path turns into a multi-layered story of navigating the buried trauma that eventually becomes impossible to ignore, and what it means to face the inevitable. A bold, brave conversation—with a pinch of streetside noise.

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Is it possible to find strength in traumatic events? How can we empower ourselves despite life’s challenges?

In this episode, I’m speaking with Marian, a young law student from Mexico City, interning in Ottawa, Canada. Despite losing her father at a young age and having her trust abused by another family member, Marian has an appreciation of the unique things life has taught her, a deep desire to support other women and grand visions for her future.

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In some ways, given current world events (for posterity, it is early March 2026), this interview could not be better timed: in this episode, I’m speaking with Jenny, a US citizen who moved to Ottawa, Canada, in mid-2025 and who has an eye-opening perspective on what is at work in the top levels of the US administration.

We actually spoke only two months after her move—about how her dating experience has given her a whole other level of insight into the current state of US politics. Chillingly, in the months since I spoke to her, a lot of what she highlighted back in September 2025 has found resonance in the actions of the US and their consequences for the rest of the world.

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Do you believe in right and wrong, black and white? When that dichotomy no longer serves, can you exist in the grey zone?

In this episode, I’m speaking with Betty, a nurse living in Ottawa, Canada, who grew up in a religiously conservative family in Iran. Living under the “dictatorship” of her own father and then, later, the Islamic Republic, Betty’s story shows us how it is entirely possible—perhaps even necessary—to navigate the grey zones of life.

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Have you ever felt like there must be more to life? And have you been brave enough to follow that feeling?

In this episode, I speak with Oana, a Waldorf teacher currently living in Ottawa, Canada, whose life took her from rural Communist Romania to Mexico, learning about alternative approaches to understanding the world, and finally to Canada. Her story is driven by her joy for learning—and shows us that even a joyful journey has its challenges.

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What do you know about Yemen? Does it hold a special place in your heart?

In this episode, I’m speaking with Mohammed, a Yemeni legal scholar living in Ottawa, Canada, whose life has been directly touched by some of this century’s most defining moments and who takes us on a journey of discovery as we delve into Yemeni geography, history and culture.

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