Whats the best s.american country to visit, looking for beaches and reasonably affordable,good xchange rates.

Montevideo, Uruguay has the highest standard of living of any capital in South America (the rest of the country ranks highly as well). It might be a little more high-priced than others, but it is still pretty cheap for Americans (which states a lot because of our bad exchange rate right now). It has a very European feel, and you can practice your Spanish! =)