Nobody knows how to fix it. Every person you ask in Argentina, they have their own view

"I have a friend who lives in London who really has this dilemma, who wants to do something for his country. But I think it's not valid that one person can make a change in my country."

E-mail misery

Although Alexis worries about his family and friends, the crisis has opened up a distance between him and friends back home which makes his life more lonely.

"They feel that I'm safe in the UK, that I made it and sometimes they try - I won't say they use me - but what happens is they express all their frustrations, they give me an account of all the difficulties they are having.

"But I am struggling here - I am really struggling to have a life here, to make a place (for myself) here, to make friends."

At one point, he even asked friends not to unburden themselves to him.

Friends divided

About a month ago, his isolation was eased after he met a dozen fellow Argentines at a film show in Glasgow.

Bank queues last for hours

They're a mixed bunch - a couple of research physicists, a graphic designer, a tango teacher, a computer scientist. Often, they try to avoid talking about events at home but never succeed for long.

"We talk about what has happened to Argentine society, why this has happened, why in the UK you have a prosperous society and we can't have a minimally prosperous society."

Stale arguments

Argentines are divided between those who identify with the United States and those who look towards Latin American governments and developing countries, he says.

"Nobody knows how to fix it. Every person you ask in Argentina, they have their own view.

"I don't know whether to blame the United States, or just cronyism in the government. Just mismanagement is a lot to blame."

His family has not suffered as badly as some though the peso's devaluation coupled with the limits on bank withdrawals means one close relative has lost the money he was saving to study abroad.

"If he gets 20% of that money, he would be very lucky."

The memory of past crisis led many of his friends and relatives take precautions.

Painful choice

"Many people have their savings abroad because with the banks in Argentina you just don't know what is going to happen."

But rising unemployment is biting. "One friend lost his job in December, just three weeks before getting married and he has a six month old boy.

"Many of my friends have unstable jobs.

"Now I feel I'm an economic exile. The social disintegration and grim and uncertain future for my country does not give me any option but to consider staying in the UK permanently.

"It's a very difficult decision and I know that many people may consider my position as selfish and unpatriotic.

But if there is no future for me in Argentina, what else can I do?

'Don't come home!'

Even family have unwittingly underscored how betrayed and pessimistic many Argentines feel.

"My father and his wife came to visit London when I was already employed. She told me 'Please don't go back to Argentina - if you go on holiday, go to Madrid. But don't come to Argentina! It is so depressing what is happening.'

"I was speechless...very sad. In a normal country this wouldn't happen."