BAQ has left 725 comments

BAQ comments on eating disorder...HELP

Cheaper to buy a tube of SUPER GLUE and apply it to your lips

BAQ comments on I hate to re-ask questions...Where should I live in Colombia?

SOUT VERY FAR SOUTH IN COLOMBIA, LIKE NEAR THE SOUTHERN BORDER

BAQ comments on I hate to re-ask questions...Where should I live in Colombia?

a house or an apartment would be a good idea

BAQ comments on deciding to seperate or divorce over the xmas period..how common is it

write DEAR ABBY and see what she thinks.

BAQ comments on On foreigners and integration

You are trying to be politically correct, SCREW IT, who cares what others do. You need to do whats COMFORTABLE FOR YOU. If you want to become a colombian citizen, knowck yourself out, if you want to stay in a bubble do that also. I dont understand why people get all worked up of this silly stuff

BAQ comments on I'm in love with Catalina Sandino Moreno . .

Get back on your medication.

BAQ comments on skype is expensive to call colombia

Look for a calling card called THE RED CARD, the connection is usually very clear and when I was in the states, I could talk for about an hour with a $5.00 card

BAQ comments on PBH member has died

John was heavy set, about ummm 55 yrs old, and had a German Sheppard dog. Did you meat him in the airport Buffalo

BAQ comments on PBH member has died

I am going to post PART of the LAST E-MAIL I got from John. we had both recently been very ill and were discussing life in general. THIS IS WHAT JOHN HAD TO SAY; "My advice to you is not a greater purpose in life but one with more meaning. Being nicer to people and animals in general and enjoy your life and the people around you and try to avoid negative thoughts." THAT SUMS UP THE CHARACTER OF MY FRIEND, and since his passing, I have tried to take his words more to heart.

BAQ comments on PBH member has died

John´s full name as John Zalinskie, he was a good friend of mine here. We met by accident one day while he was in barranquilla. John had both legs amputated because he was a diabetic. He had an oceanview condo in Rodadero and boat that he loved to go fishing on. He was one hell of a nice guy and never had a bad word to say about anyone and I miss my friend.

BAQ comments on Fishing in the Rodadero/Santa Marta area

IT IS WITH VERY SAD NEWS THAT I MUST REPORT THAT RODADERO JOHN HAS DIED. This occured several months ago and I am just now posting because I didn´t know what name john was using on PBH until today. John died suddenly from a heart attack at his home. At his request, his ashes were taken out to sea, the place he loved so much.

BAQ comments on Bank Account for Gringo?

ROBI, I have no doubt you have an account but how long ago did you get it? The banking regs are changing RAPIDLY here, it isnt like the "good old days"

BAQ comments on Bank Account for Gringo?

Even if you open an account without a cedula, remember that the COLOMBIAN GOVERNEMT monitors ALL money sent and received from the USA, and to the point there are limits on the amount that can be sent each month.

BAQ comments on What do I need to get a working visa? urgent

REMEMBER Colombia is now enforcing the work laws with the employers by REQUIRING WORKERS provide the "companies" with their R.U.T. number. In order to get a rute number you need a CEDULA. You can work for CASH but if you want to work for an established company, they will probable be asking for YOUR R.U.T. If they (Company) get caught by DIAN paying people without a RUT number, they are being heavily fined.

BAQ comments on Do you miss your own people?

ALBRATROSS, you are just killin me. "You could suggest Detroit", Oh god, HOW TRUE !!! Yea the days of "A GREAT AMERICA" are behind us. As you mentioned about growing up DITTO. Everyone knew each other, watched out for each other, helped each other, the list goes on. Now its burglar bars, ya hve no clue who is living on your street, they want to take Christmas out of our culture, the list goes on and on. Honestly, thats one of the reasons I didnt have any heartburn about moving to Colombia, the America I grew up in is on its death bed so there is NOTHING LEFT to really miss ! If I could go back to the days of the 60´s, would move back tomorrow ! And yes, being politically correct is killing our country. Everyone is SO WORRIED about "offending" someone. Hell, if you are offended, GET OVER IT and move on!

BAQ comments on

Medellin and Cali ???? What about Bogota and Barranquilla ???? GEEEEEZZZZZZZ

BAQ comments on Black Motorola Q for sale $75

well where are ya at, Bogota, Cali, Barranquilla?????

BAQ comments on Do you miss your own people?

Simple fix, MOVE to a city where there are more people who have the same cultural background. And if I might sugggest, she get along better if she said "MY CULTURE" rather than "MY OWN KIND". I say this because if someone is conversing with me and says "my culture", I understand and would be sympathetic. Saying "my own kind" would honestly, piss me off and I wouldn´t care much to speak with them further. Just a thought

BAQ comments on Death threats against Houston area man

Well, lets sum it up this way, "It´s better to be tried by twelve than carried by six"

BAQ comments on Bloodthirsty American kills 2 Colombians

ELK, beg to differ with ya, I spoke with the commander of the local police here in Barranquilla about force and he told me, if they are trying to enter your home, you can shoot em, no problem. If they are trying to steal light bulbs from your front porch, then less force is needed UNLESS they are armed with a weapon, and weapon being a knife, club, crow bar ect, then you can shoot them to.

BAQ comments on Health Care in Colombia

Wife and I are paying 56.000.00 a month for Coomeva, yes service is ok, only downside to Colombian healthcare is no prescrition coverage above basic antibiotics ect and a fairly high co pay for MRIs other procedures that are considered expensive. Then again, you cant beat 56.000.000cop per month. HINT, if your spouse is COLOMBIAN, get the insurance in her name at the minimum pay scale, as an independent worker then add you as a dependant on her primary coverage and you will be paying 56.000.00 per month.

BAQ comments on Bloodthirsty American kills 2 Colombians

And the problem is what exactly. FIRST, if they hadnt illegally entered the U.S. they wouldnt be in Texas in the first place. SECOND, if you are stupid enough to decide to burglarize homes in TEXAS , yea, you best expect to possibly get shot. I KNOW I am hard line, but screw em, throw their thievin bodies in the garbage can. Just two less thugs to deal with. And NO, this has nothing to do with them being Latin, Colombian ect, I would shoot anyone illegally entering my home, HERE in Colombia, in Texas or anyplace I hapened to be in the world. And SO WHAT if it was a neighbors house, hell, if it was my neighbor who shot a burglar takin stuff from my home, I would take him out and buy him the biggest steak and lobster dinner in town.

BAQ comments on Health Care in Colombia

Colombia, you got a major health problem and money, you will probably be OK, you got a major health problem and NO money, well, check the yellow pages for the local funeral director and start to hagle over the price, saving your family the grief

BAQ comments on Medical emergency and EPS

Glad he is ok, but the medical services here as a whole still sucks. It depends on the DOCTOR AND THE CLINIC you go to. And I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE. I almost died 18 months ago due to a screwed up clinic with very little diagnostic equipment and a doctor who couldnt find his ass with both hands. AND let me add this was a COOMEVA clinic and a COOMEVA surgeon. AFTER my wife got a private doctor, cost 2 million pesos. and I was transfered via ambulance to a decent clinic, cost 3 million pesos for a second surgery, everything turned out ok. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR AN HONEST NURSE WHO TOLD MY WIFE TO GET ME TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL ASAP, I would be 6 ft under right now. ALL BS aside, and I am very very very serious, if you have a MAJOR MEDICAL PROBLEM, get your ducks in a row rapidly and make sure you are being taken to one of the GOOD clinincs and not dropped off at the CLOSEST ONE out of convenience by the ambulance driver. AND IF YOU HAVE EVEN 1% OF DOUBT IN YOUR MIND, SPEND THE MONEY TO GET A SECOND OPINION FROM A PRIVATE DOCTOR IE SPECIALIST. AGAIN, GLAD YOUR FRIEND IS OK.

BAQ comments on Retire In Colombia? Cail 1500 Mudered 2007

BARRANQUILLA, we got ya beat, yesterday, we had three murders in ONE HOUR. Average here is usually about 3 a day, so less than Cali, and YES, the further south you go, the worse it gets. BUT, as my wife says, AHH MI AMOR, ES COLOMBIA !

BAQ comments on ATM Camera - Records - Money Stolen Eventually??

Best advice is to change your PIN number every 30 days, thats what I do and have never had any problems

BAQ comments on

YOU NEED TO GET A LIFE AND SOME THERAPY, GET SERIOUS

BAQ comments on opinions about which moto to buy in Colombia

I would suggerst you forget the entire idea, they way they drive here, you will probably be dead within a year and NO, they dont have level 1 trauma centers here to fix you up. Dont get me wrong, its not YOU I am worried about, its the other idiots on the road, you are prabably used to rules of the road and people following them. Here, the rules of the road are NO RULES, drive on the right, left, pass on the right, left, drive at night without headlights, tail lights ect. So beware.

BAQ comments on

Another thought, IF you bring a truck in with Venez.. tags, you will be given a permit to drive the truck in Colombia which is goot for about 45-60 days. After that, if you are caught driving the truck in Colombia with an expired permit, you just lost your truck. Yea, cars and trucks are LOTS CHEAPER to buy in Venez, thats why Colombia is so strict on them crossing the border. Either way, Colombia is going to get their taxes and %%for the truck.

BAQ comments on

You cant do it, well used truck that is, and if you import new, the taxes will end up costing yo more than what you would pay for a truck here. Colombia is VERY PROTECTIVE about their auto industry and the taxes are crazy

BAQ comments on Apartments in Barranquilla

ELMO, you got my email, give me a shout and I will give ya a phone number to call me at, will give ya the scoop on the Apts here, barrios ect.

BAQ comments on Colombian Mindfuck #683

Contact a MOVISTAR agent, all you need is a credit card to guarantee payment ie, security deposit and you should not have any problems. As far as Bancolombia and Avianca, never had much problem, meaning no more than any other bank or airline in Colombia. Just remember, this is Colombia, not the USA and yea, they dont give a damn if you dont want to use them. That seems to be part of the culture. CUSTOMER SERIVE is not in the latin dictionary.

BAQ comments on Going to Colombia

Several trips in a short time often catches the eye of customs agents when you re-enter the USA, This applies to ANY country that has a long history of drug trafficing, ESPECIALLY COLOMBIA. Might be a reason for the problem.

BAQ comments on Work With Pension Visa?

SHIT, If this is true, and I will check it out, will hop a plane and check out the cost or housing ect. Just might move afterall. Wonder if ya get a FREE PANAMA HAT with that pension visa

BAQ comments on Work With Pension Visa?

yea Vic, you would think they would be begging for those foreign pension dollars to be spent in Colombia, but NOOOOOO, they want to make it a pain in the ass to stay here. DAS, those SOB{s are so rude, they dont give a damn and to top it all off, just to screw with ya, they give you bad and wrong info. HOWEVER, Colombia sure doesnt have any problems begging our Govt for handouts, military advisors to help train their military ect. Have thought seriously several tim about packing my toys and moving someplace else, but the wife always convinces me to stay. But as I always say, ITS COLOMBIA.

BAQ comments on Pics of the Hail Storm?

whats it lookin like now, things gettin back to normal? Am curious cuz will be in Bogota on Wednesday

BAQ comments on hailstorm in Bogota

whats it lookin like now, things gettin back to normal? Am curious cuz will be in Bogota on Wednesday

BAQ comments on Work With Pension Visa?

It amazes me that once you are a RESIDENT of Colombia, regardless of visa type, that you are restricted from working. I will never fully understand Colomias visa system.

BAQ comments on Which visa if any?

Get ready for LOTS of paperwork and LOTS of money for documents. THE FIRST VISA is the worst, thats what requires all the docs from the USA and translated ect. Everything needs to be translated to spanish if its in english, and has to have an Appostile, just notorized wont be accepted. PLUS the documents need to be FRESH, so plan around the time needed to get everything.

BAQ comments on Looking for a Visa and Job

It was not a personal attack, it is simply the truth, again, do your RESEARCH before crying HELP EMERGENCY.Welcome to the REAL WORLD. .

BAQ comments on Mr. Uribe kisses sweaty gringos' ass

We should not give Colombia ONE RED CENT. Shit, as much money as DIAN sucks in, Colombia has more than enough money to solve their throubles. The PROBLEM is that most of that money goes into the pockets of the political machines. SCREW URIBE and the horse he rode in on. That SOB is only begging for money so he can have more of it to line his pockets with.

BAQ comments on Mortgage in Colombia

The interest rates for a home are around 13%, credit cards are around 26% and cars are around 19% and those figures are on the LOW SIDE. You will need to have residence here for about 6 months BEFORE most banks will open an account for you, then another 3-6 months of HISTORY with the bank before they will consider extending you credit. To get the dredit, you MUST PROVE a steady monthly income and a HISTORY of that income. If you have CASH, you can buy a home with only your passport. Also know that these AGENTS are not free, even if they do not charge YOU, they are charging the seller usually 6-8% of the selling price so you still pay in fee in the price of the house. ALSO know that Colombia charges a SALES TAX when you buy your home, As TIMBA said, you are not in Kansas

BAQ comments on looking for work in BAQ

Good point Tinto. Carramberochris, yea, they are CHEAP and TIGHT here in BAQ, they want something for very few $$$$. I have turned down several job offers because they dont want to pay. For $20.000.00 pesos per hour, I would rather stay at home or be out and about than teaching. Thats the problem, they cant afford or dont want to pay GOOD teachers, thats why 95% of what you see in the schools are Colombians who have very POOR english skills standing up and saying they are the ENGLISH TEACHER. There is lots of good talent around but the majority refuse to work for such low wages, myself included.

BAQ comments on Looking for a Visa and Job

Yea a quick suggestion, PACK YOUR BAGS AND GET READY TO GO HOME. A Job, A work Visa, you need A FEW MORE YEARS of college, try taking RESEARCH 101. There is no way you are going to get a work visa, assuming you qualify, in just two months.

BAQ comments on Uribe being driven a lot closer to Chávez

I jest got to weigh in on this one. LOGIC says the US would under no conditions force Colombia inot a position of swinging to the left with Chavez and that Washington would do whatever it takes to keep that from happening. Now that is LOGIC, but who says Washington is logical. The Bush administration AND Congress have their heads so far up their own ass that anything is possible. In all my years on this earth, this is the FRIST time that my governement scares me, becaus our ENTIRE Govt is disfunctional. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, its the entire Govt.

BAQ comments on Who has been mugged in the last two years....???

Dont worry, bring your motorcycle and ride all over the country, you will be fine. The security problems here have all been solved, Colombia is safer than fort knox. No need for the police or the military any more, they will all be out of work beginning next week, the govt has disbanded them to save money.

BAQ comments on Questions about Colombia!!! Need your knowedge!!!

Stay away from the coast, Cartagenia, barranquilla, santa marta ect, they speak REALLY FAST here and if you dont understand any spanish before you arrive here, it will be harder for you to learn. They speak alot slower in Bogota and the accent is different which i think makes it easier to learn. .

BAQ comments on Job for American

SON, stay in the marines, your DREAM of living here without problems and burdened by anything is just that, a dream

BAQ comments on Barranquilla Flooded

have been lots of homes destroyed that were in the low areas. Mostly people with very little money, thats the sad part, they dont have the income to rebuild and had very little to start with. Most of the deaths are from getting caught in the running water or kids who begin playing in the water and get swept away.

BAQ comments on Barranquilla Flooded

yes, I live here, and it has been a problem the past week. The problem exactly is water run off. Barranquilla is an old city so there are very few streets with sewer drainage. We have had losts of rain and the ground is soaked and cant hold any more water, so when we get the heavy downpoors all the run off hits the streets and low areas. If you have a house in a low area, you are screwed when it rains. Another problem has been retaining walls. Again, with the ground soaked, some of the walls have been falling down, which causes another problem. IF IT IS RAINING HARD, STAY OFF THE STREETS, the water will run off and the streets will be back to normal about 30 minutes after it stops raining but while it is raining, the flash flooding is something you have to see to believe. USUALLY, the water run off is not that big a problem but this year, as in the USA, the rains have been heavier and longer lasting, which is why there has been more flooding this year.