borat has left 46 comments

borat comments on Visa - apply before or after arrival?

don´t know what kind of work you´re looking for but you need to find a job before you apply for a work visa, it will be the company which applies for your visa.....and yes, it is often good to be here and be interviewed face to face....I know that it´s the only way to find teaching work here.....other than at the british council.

borat comments on Unions plan mass marches across Colombia in Protest

sorry Desi, haven´t been on line for a couple of days, it was in Simon Bolivar plaza.

borat comments on Unions plan mass marches across Colombia in Protest

brave people, when I stumbled across the May day labour demonstration this year the military police were swift to move in tear gassing everone from children to old people....No speaking in Colombia.....all paid for by the good old American tax payer?

borat comments on Unions plan mass marches across Colombia in Protest

maybe from fox news?

borat comments on 90% Of Colombian Homes Have Computers

90% of homes in Usaquen!???

borat comments on ENglish teaching course info (TKT)

I've never heard of it and the information provided on the web site says that following the course you can apply to do the Internationally recognised CELTA. This is expensive for a foundation course and as that is what cambridge is advertising it as....why not just do the CELTA which is internationally recognised. Only problem is that I don't know if you can do it in Medellin. The British Council run the CELTA in Bogota.

borat comments on Latin America: the attack on democracy, by John Pilger

there is no doubt that the population here is controlled through force, all paid for by the US taxpayer

borat comments on

The indians in south america aren´t actually indians. The colonialists named them indians when the arrived because they though they had reached India.

borat comments on H3 Hash House Harriers

I saw them a couple of weeks ago on a sunday at the bogota beer company in Usaquen.

borat comments on The names behind the numbers

London Independent Johann Hari: Why is Britain allowing money and weapons to pass into the hands of right-wing militias? Monday, 24 March 2008 On the website of the British Foreign Office, a small photograph recently appeared. It shows Kim Howells, our Foreign Office minister, looking into the camera, smiling, as he is surrounded by gun-yielding men accused of murder. He had not been taken hostage. No: he was there to represent a government that gives these men money and military aid. By tracing the story of this photograph, we can trace the worst aspects of British foreign policy – and find clues to why the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have crashed into their current bloody dead-end. Howells was in Colombia, a country locked in one of the nastiest civil wars of the past century. It began more than 40 years ago, when some parts of the hungry, mixed-race majority began to fight against the fact that a tiny, white, land-owning elite held virtually all the country's wealth. Since then, it has hardened into a conflict between two gnarled human rights-abusing wings. To the left, there are a slew of guerrilla groups – most prominently the FARC and the ELN – who fund themselves by kidnapping, extortion and "taxing" drug-producers. To the right, there is the Colombian government and the right-wing paramilitary death-squads it has unleashed against any community of civilians suspected of leftish sympathies, or of challenging the elite. That's why to be a trade unionist in Colombia – organising for better wages and working conditions for your colleagues – is to carry a tombstone on your back: more are murdered there than in the rest of the world combined. Between them, these violent wings have killed more than 30,000 people and driven three million people from their homes. Howells – our representative – was posing with some of those alleged to be the worst abusers. He was huddled with the High Mountain Brigades, who Amnesty International says have been involved in hunting down and murdering trade unionists. Here's what our taxes help deliver to ordinary Colombians. On 10 January, at 10.30am, Colombian soldiers wearing balaclavas burst into the house of Rosa Maria Zapata, a 56-year-old indigenous woman. When the soldiers pointed their guns at her and barked that they wanted to know where the guerrillas were, she screamed back that she didn't know; she doesn't know any guerrillas. They told her she was hiding weapons for the FARC. They told her they knew. She howled and protested. So they started searching – and a moment later she heard gunfire. The police announced they had killed the guerrilla. She went running – and found her severely disabled 22-year-old son dead. The British pro-peace group Justice for Colombia believes these soldiers received British training. They have documented 36 other civilians murdered by potentially British-trained forces in a six-month period, and they are asking the Foreign Office to outline exactly where our money goes. How has Kim Howells responded? Easy. He says his critics "support FARC, a band of gangsters and drug smugglers", and that FARC is responsible for "most" of the murders in Colombia. In reality, Justice For Colombia is supported by more than half of all Labour MPs, and opposes all violence within Colombia. And the FARC – while unequivocally disgusting – is responsible for far fewer murders than the government and right-wing death squads, according to every major study. So how did this happen? How did a minister in a Labour government end up parroting the propaganda of the Colombian hard-right? The British government says they have become the second biggest military donor to Colombia – after the US – because they want to promote human rights there. But if you had a few million pounds to support human rights in that country, the idea you would support the High Mountain Brigades is simply surreal. No – the explanations for British backing lie elsewhere. The first is a desire to support the United States, because we project our power by being a loyal adjunct to American military might. If Britain wasn't offering these funds, the Bush administration would be alone in the world in backing the Colombian military. We also do it to support the global "war on drugs". Since Bill Clinton's presidency, the US has been spraying hundreds of thousands of tonnes of chemical poisons onto the vast tracts of Colombia where the coca leaves essential for cocaine production are grown. All plants and trees die in their wake. Birth defects and cancer rates are rising. And the effect on drug production? It simply moves to another area. Drug production is so profitable and so popular that it cannot be fumigated off the face of the real world. Drug prohibition simply hands great swathes of the Colombian economy to armed criminal gangs, from the FARC to the right. It ensures they will always have enough money to buy enough guns to preserve their patches of territory. There is another way. More and more Colombians believe it is only by bringing drugs into the legal economy – where they can be controlled and taxed by the state – that the guerrillas and paramilitaries can be stripped of their cash-flow. From the current Conservative Interior Minister, Carlos Holguin, to the former Attorney, General Gustavo de Greiff, to the country's most popular singer, Juan Esteban Aristizabal, it is being argued that an end to drug prohibition is the only long-term solution to the civil war. Yet Britain demands the opposite. There is one more crucial reason why we are supporting the Colombian military. The British oil firm BP controls half of Columbia's petrol output. The historian Mark Curtis argues the UK is keen to ensure resources "remain in the correct hands" – that is, "our" hands. In a highly unequal country angry at seeing its resources siphoned off by foreigners, that means supporting an elite who are willing to keep the majority in their place. These three factors can help us to understand why the military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq have gone so wrong. As in Colombia, we got in, in large part, out of loyalty to the US. As in Colombia, we are inflicting the "war on drugs" on Afghanistan. If we turned up in any country and announced that we were there to destroy 40 per cent of their economy, the people would fight back. This is why we are losing southern Afghanistan even to the hated Taliban. And as in Colombia, the US-UK Coalition has misgoverned Iraq so catastrophically because it has been primarily driven by a desire to ensure that control of the country's resources went to the Right People. The protection of the Oil Ministry, while Baghdad's museums and hospitals and universities were looted and burned all around it, is only the most bleak symbol of this. The image of Kim Howells squatting with a unit who are alleged to have tortured and butchered trade unionists can be seen as a Rosetta Stone for the dark side of our foreign policy. It is a reminder that, if we want to turn Britain into a force for human rights in the world, we have to campaign long and hard to turn much of it around. If we don't, it will end with more women like Rosa Maria Zapata, clutching her dead disabled son and asking why.

borat comments on Uribe is Breaking it Down

Can't understand why so many people seem in support of Uribe's actions. The Geneva convention and the international laws that have been established after what happend under Hitler's Nazi Germany are a good idea.

borat comments on Latest Colombian crisis news

the americans were making a lot of profit up to then.

borat comments on Let Colombia Win

the colombian government have refused to release any of this evidence to the press, there is so far NO independent conformation that there is any truth in these claims.

borat comments on Latest about Colombia More news

The BBC is largely funded and supported by the British government. Remember what happened to David Kelly.

borat comments on Latest about Colombia More news

I find Al Jazeera to be one of the most ballenced news mediums available.

borat comments on Noam Chomsky's statement supporting the vigil on March 6

funny

borat comments on Noam Chomsky's statement supporting the vigil on March 6

9/11 happened because of Amercan policy and funding of that policy across the middle east. In Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Afganistan, Syria, Lybia.....etc. I don't for one second condone the crimes against humanity of 9/11 but if you continue to murder at will, it's going to upset some people.

borat comments on Noam Chomsky's statement supporting the vigil on March 6

Chomsky has never condoned the genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge, his position (and mine) was that they had the popular support of the Cambodian people to overthrow the unpopular elitist american backed Lon Nol.......... (who came to power through the aid of an american backed coup to overthrow democratically elected king Sihanouk, who would NOT let the Americans carpet bomb the south)..........after he and his mates had turned a blind eye to American carpet bombing of South Cambodia and the murder of thousands of innocent villages. Initially the Khmer Rouge had popular grass roots support.....it's surprising what thousands of tonnes of bombs can do.

borat comments on Noam Chomsky's statement supporting the vigil on March 6

Noam Chomsky - 'At War With Asia'. 'Reasons of State'. 'Deterring democracy'. All contain extracts on American carpet bombing of South Cambodia and the subsiquent uprising of the khmer Rouge with the attrocities that followed, carried out by Pol Pot and his organisation.

borat comments on AA no more

I had a similar experience on the only flight I've ever taken with AA which was to Bogota. Except your experience with the cabin crew, they were as misserable as the rest of the service, I think they're definitly the worst airline that I've ever flown with.

borat comments on English classes?

This is a standard rate for a qualified teacher, at the bottom end, (globally). I'm sure you could get classes a lot cheaper but would you take your car to a hairdressers to be serviced?

borat comments on English classes?

I'm an English born, qualified English teacher with 2 years teaching experience. I work for a reputable school in Bogota and would be interested in giving private classes, I charge 40,000cop per hour. PM me if you're interested.

borat comments on English School for Sale

Medellin 1975, where are you working in Medellin, I'm also a qualified teacher with 2 years experience and have just arrived/started working in bogota and would be interested in what's available in Medellin, regards

borat comments on We need 7 reliable English Teachers immediate start! for Petersons Bogota.

You know that when a school doesn't publish the rates that it pays, it's because the rates are crap

borat comments on We need 7 reliable English Teachers immediate start! for Petersons Bogota.

Beckloud.....no it isn't Wastelandlive.....they don't have a school, they send you to companies to teach privates, (they offer travel expenses).

borat comments on We need 7 reliable English Teachers immediate start! for Petersons Bogota.

maybe you'd have to do more than 20 contact hours per week

borat comments on We need 7 reliable English Teachers immediate start! for Petersons Bogota.

20,000cop per hour

borat comments on Retiring Abroad May Not be Paradise

don't forget, it's hardly in the interests of clients of the wall st journal for nationals with cash to spend to take it and spend it elsewhere.

borat comments on

I believe my apartment is in an estrato 6 area, (usaquen)?

borat comments on

I rent a room in a 2 bed apartment, fully furnished, my own bathroom.....a completely acceptable standard throughout, in a very nice and safe area.....500,000cop per month, it's a good deal but they are there to be had

borat comments on Any Motorcycle Dealers?

"I've travelled all over the world. The only place I have seen several dead bodies on the street is in colombia and they were all motorcycle accidents." ............cambodia........laos....thailand.......vietnam?

borat comments on Whats the best way to get TEFL ceritifed??

like mranderson said, it´s the CELTA that you want (it´s the most widely recognised), so google the CELTA

borat comments on English premier league in bogota

cheers MIR.....I agree with most of what you say but don´t forget how long it took fergie to turn it around at utd, and it took him 15yrs to win the european cup, spending much more then and now than what benitez has access to. Benitez has stated time and again that this is about the next 10yrs, not just this season......that´s if he gets the chance with these 2 clowns above him.

borat comments on English premier league in bogota

I think he knows how good babel is, just doesn`t want too rely too much on him while he`s so young (not that I agree, I think he`s ready now). Thing is, take him off the wing at the moment and there isn`t much quality left to play there......and the league just isn`t goint to happen this year.....but yeah, drown my sorrows is pretty much what happened!

borat comments on English premier league in bogota

cheers for those wise words manINred. I went to the irish bar that you recomended noelito, I hadn't visited that area yet so it was cool to have a look around, plenty of bars etc.....nice. And so yeah....I did see the game....and yes, very dissapointed....but I still believe we're going in the rigfht direction, once he realises that Kewel is never going to do it (we need a couple of wingers) and he starts playing babel up front with Torres......I think we'll get there....have faith mate, I still think we'll be running out in Moscow come May

borat comments on English premier league in bogota

I´d take 2-1 to the reds at the moment....might make my way down to calle 84 then, cheers for that

borat comments on English premier league in bogota

thanks noelito but I´m staying with a friend in the north at the moment and he doesn´t have a tv, maybe I´ll get one when I´m more settled....but in the mean time if you think of any bars that might show games (the liverpool villa game should be on at 3pm here) let me know, cheers

borat comments on

hey clyde, did you get laid yet?

borat comments on Warning to you romantic gringos

but it's all about the money wherever you are, if you what to generalise, this is probably the most general perception anywhere. I haven't been to colombia and have spent minimal time in Venezuela but I have spent over 4 years in south east asia and you can see examples of what you're talking about at every turn. Young beautiful women with dodgy old westerners, (gringo = falang in asia) really old, falling to bits and you know where their motivation comes from. On the other hand I've met many genuine, nice girls there???

borat comments on renting a motorcycle or scooter in bogata

Can anyone answer this question, I too am interested, is it possible and what are the rates? Also any info on buying a second hand bike would be appreciated.

borat comments on Foul language

what about twat

borat comments on Chavez wants to ban mini skirts

ONE HUGO CHAVEZ..... THERE'S ONLY ONE HUGO CHAAAAVEZ...THERE'S ONLY ONE HUGO CHAVEZ......ONE HUGO CHAVEZ!! I love mini skirts....

borat comments on Chavez wants to ban mini skirts

ONE HUGO CHAVEZ..... THERE'S ONLY ONE HUGO CHAAAAVEZ...THERE'S ONLY ONE HUGO CHAVEZ......ONE HUGO CHAVEZ!! I love mini skirts....

borat comments on Anyone know...

fox... still tuned in here in Kabul? How else would we find a balanced view of what's happening in the world!

borat comments on Updated salary figures for English teachers

I am also planning to arrive in Bogota sometime late January in search of TEFL work. I'm a UK national with a bachelors degree and 2 years post CELTA teaching experience (London, Cambodia and Vietnam). I've been in touch with friends of friends who have been teaching in Bogota and other parts of Colombia for a number of years. They lead me to believe that there are decent and well paying schools around and with a little patience I'll find something suitable. Anyone with any futher information to add to this post would be greatly appreciated, regards...

borat comments on shared furnished apt for rent in la candelaria, bogota

Dear Evalin 101 I'll be arriving in Bogota sometime in January with the aim of staying indefinately. I'm a 33 year old (male) English teacher. I'm interested in the room to let and would like any other information you can send (PM me - however that works, I presume - email me) such as pictures of the apartment. For any further information you require from myself, please don't hesitate to ask, best regards, Lee