allucas has left 13 comments

allucas comments on Suggestions Thread for the New PoorButHappy

another thing, I think you have really put a great site together, I wonder if you could sell this idea to others.... for other countries and even link up with say lonely planet and the like.... the information out there on Colombia does not compare to this site.

There are other expats in other countries, and other men I know of who are marrying foreigners that would love to have a resource like this

allucas comments on Suggestions Thread for the New PoorButHappy

I do not know if it has been mentioned yet, but I think it would be neat to have a services offered/job listings section for some of us who want to be with our colombianas before the visa is finished.

allucas comments on Teaching English in Cartagena?

thanks griffbos

allucas comments on Teaching English in Cartagena?

I would like to teach English in Cali, does anyone know of anything there or have any contacts.

Thanks

allucas comments on Spousal Visa...How long does it take?

Visa Journey.com Visajourney.com is where you want to go to find out all about the visa. I married my colombian wife civilly in March and submitted my paperwork in April. I just now am receiving my receipt of notice from USCIS.

Many different options for chat, Skype is the best, yahoo messenger and windows Live Messenger. These are great, I talk with her all the time on Skype one to one, VOIP.

Hope all goes well

Aaron

allucas comments on My next trip, San Andrés. I'm looking for suggestions from this list of likely packages...

Apartahotel las americas San Andres When my novia and I have our honeymoon in July we are going to go to San Andres. She got a good quote on the Apartahotel las Americas, does anyone know about this hotel? Also she got a quote on a hotel galaxia, any thoughts on this one? We were also looking at Noblehouse and Decamerons.

Thanks,

Aaron.

allucas comments on Peso at 1955?......

news from ap

7 minutes ago

Colombia announced capital controls on some foreign investments Wednesday to try to curb the soaring peso, which has made greater gains against the dollar this year than any other currency.

Finance Minister Oscar Zuluaga said that starting immediately, foreign portfolio investors will be required to deposit 40 percent of their investments in non-interest-bearing accounts in the Central Bank for six months. The measure is designed to absorb a surfeit of dollars and discourage speculative financial transactions.

The controls complement similar actions announced May 6 by the Central Bank to freeze 40 percent of offshore loans and deposits repatriated by local companies. The monetary authority has also steadily ratcheted up interest rates to blunt a resurgence of inflation.

Despite those measures, Colombia's peso has strengthened 5 percent in the past three weeks and 14 percent since the start of the year — more than any other currency in the world. On Tuesday, the peso reached a seven-year high of 1,954 to the dollar.

The measures are backed by conservative President Alvaro Uribe, who said Tuesday that "the government must defend exporters' revenues, taking measures to avoid speculative capital that continues to erode our exchange rate."

The potent mix of inflation and a strong peso are hurting flower growers and other major exporters, which are forced to pay more for materials and wages even as margins on their dollar revenues shrink.

The Central Bank said Tuesday that Colombia has received $5.5 billion in net capital inflows so far this year, up from just $360 million in the same period a year ago. A little more than half of that came from direct foreign investment, which economists say is the main force behind the peso's sharp rise.

Colombia's economy expanded 7 percent in 2006 and is expected to surpass 5.5 percent growth this year.

Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

allucas comments on Calling Card/Internet Calling Website Suggestions for Col to US?

skype question Miguel,

I had the skype phone to take down there and connect to her brother's computer ( he has a studio below her house) and I wish I had.... it would have worked since he has a wireless connection that I always get on with my laptop and I still use skype to call the US on my laptop. As for this other voipbuster... it may be worth checking into... but I know I would definitely be running a virus checker on it, if I did download it. I am happy with Skype, so I am not switching. If you have a computer with broadband connection in Colombia, Skype will work without any hassle. The best thing is that calling to the US is only 2 cents a minute.

allucas comments on Calling Card/Internet Calling Website Suggestions for Col to US?

Skype brother Miguel,

You are paying way to much yourself....

I pay 5 cents a minute to a landline on Skype to Cali to my wife.... which will hopefully be up here soon... and I pay 10 cents a minute to her cell phone.

If you go to Best Buy you can buy a wireless phone that will go through a computer and is used for skype.... or you can buy it from the skype.com site itself.

I rarely have had any trouples with skype.

allucas comments on

the way economics happens The free trade agreement may impact the rich as mentioned. However, the rich can also impact the country by investments and setting up new jobs for those that are less privileged. Economics shows us that even the most greedy capitalist is always making it better for others. A free trade agreement would undoubtedly bring in money into the country. I do not believe entirely that the Uribe administration would try to back away from Plan Colombia, it would be insensible to do so. I do believe that they should diplomatically do everything they can for a free trade agreement however.

allucas comments on Bringing a TV to Colombia

Computer? I would also like to know the answer to this, as I am considering about taking a computer.

allucas comments on Fiancee Visa and more

Follow-up It has been a while since I replied. Here are some updates to my situation. I have proposed over the phone and of course my honey said yes. We have decided to do a civil marriage in Colombia. Later, when all her papers come through we will do a real wedding. I am hiring a lawyer who is a close friend of mine that does immigration law, and he is going to help with all the paperwork. I a couple of questions about getting married in Colombia.

1) How do I obtain a Certificado de Soltería in the U.S.?

2) Besides the birth certificate and the above certificate does anyone know if I need anything else for a civil marriage in Colombia?

allucas comments on Fiancee Visa and more

thanks for all your comments, I am still a little daunted at this moment whether I should get her up here with a k-1, do a JP thing stateside and have a formal wedding down there, that was our original thinking. However, it seems that suggestions seem to be swaying towards marrying down there first. In my heart I want her to be stateside for a bit before marriage so she can meet my friends and family.

Advice?