caslug has left 1541 comments

caslug comments on anyone from orange county california

hey guys.. i've been working n vietnam, where the girls are not as hot and there's no blackjack tables n the casino.. Also, to the OP, the good thing about a "trusted" taxi driver, is he'll GO INTO places with you to help with anything.

caslug comments on Debit/Credit Cards Clonning

one way to avoid it.. is to use banks that have 24 hr security guard. example in Medellin at the san deigo mall(w/ the casino) there's a citibank. you have to walk into the door(which is locked at night-you can get in w/ your ATM card).. it has 24 hr guard. same w/ casino..

caslug comments on anyone from orange county california

i live n south OC.. but what does living n OC have to do w/ Medellin? but i did I spend about 6 months n Medellin before. if u really hard up for "tour guide" for the nightlife.. just hire a taxi driver for 4 or 5 hours(12 to 15,000 peso/hr).

caslug comments on vacationing in Medellin

you're right morphus.. unless you come to colombia(medellin) w/ contacts n hand. weekdays(monday thru thurs) is pretty dead.. unless you're hitting the "other nightlife" then it doesnt matter. but it's easy to meet new friends n colombia if you're a little friendly and speak alittle spanish. also, if u meet a friend and they(he/she) have job. then during the weekdays(and sat morning) they're at work. so u better find stuff do during those times.

caslug comments on My First Colombian Experience in Bogota, Cucuta, and Villa Del Rosario

this soo.. funny.. the LARGEST group of guy who takes advantage of "3rd-world" women are NOT.. GRINOGS/WESTERNERS.. it's....

LOCAL GUYS! fr Rich ones to poor ones(that have a little money now and then). They know the language, know the game, know the price. It's there screwed up society that has men being over women in the eyes of society/law. Soooo instead of focusing energy on preaching to a small group of ADULTS male on PBH. Maybe people here that are soo passionate about that, should go move down to those countries and open some business or other activities that help these "poor/defensless" women.

Actually, as a business a rich Indian banker did JUST that! His bank started doing mircolending to poor women to help them become financailly independent from their sometimes loser husband/bf and offer them(the women/child) a chance for a better life. People like that put their "money where there mouth is".. That has alot more positive impact on raising the quality of life for these "poor destitute" women a few posters here seem intent on saving.

So maybe you guys should band together and start a little SBA(small business administration) type organization to help out poor colombinas fr having to put out for rich/wealth guys(COL or Gringo). So they can have a life with their poor col bf, who sometimes cheat on them(leave them knocked-up), but HEY! at least it isnt with a gringo!

In COL, there are TONS of young unwed mothers that struggle every day to get by to feed their kids, put them thru school, etc., In the VAST MAJORITY of those situation, the FATHER(who sometimes support sometimes DOESNT) is not some Gringo/foreigner, but their first or second local BF. Who does that with them and then moves on to his NEW GF(who he aslo will knock-up)..

caslug comments on I almost got shot! be careful out there!

i think.. if you notice the other teller.. coming over and talking.. then walking out.. and had a bad feeling.. you should have a) return the money or b) ask the bank manager to have security escort you to the hotel or at least to the taxi..

but walking out w/ that much cash.. AFTER you suspect something is NOT right.. was not a good idea..

isn't great to be monday morning quarterbacking! hehe

caslug comments on Need Native English Teachers - Bogotá Medellin Barranquilla - ASAP

very good post Carita! i'm teaching english.. and agree with everything you said!
typically good schools dont need to advertise on web. just like the goods jobs are never advertise.

That said, if you do advertise a job position, you(employers) should list more info as you stated Carita.

caslug comments on I almost got shot! be careful out there!

while.. i think.. you did couple of mistakes.. BUT.. THANK YOU for posting your story! Some other insecure people, are afraid to tell stuff that is bad.. but at least you had the balls.. to post here.. sometimes, people need to hear/read these types of stories so they STAY ALERT.. sometimes, when you live there long enough you let your guard down for a second.. stories like yours.. gets people to remember.. not to do that

i think you mention that you didnt feel right.. you should have listen to your instinct.. always listen to your instinct.. if you did.. you may have return the money.. took a cab..but sometimes we override our instinct.. because it's "incovenient" to override it..
we forget.. and shit happens after that..

caslug comments on Colombian will buy 1,600 McDonald's of Latin America by 700 million dollars

Monpirri.. there was study a few years back.. they found that AFTER asian(japanese) moved fr asia to US.. they had a HIGHER rate or heart related problems. They attributed this to change in eating/living habits. So it's not anything magical about rice, it's alot more than rice that makes asian thin or fat.

BTW, asian-american kids are bigger/fatter/fitter than their counterpart in the home country. and they still eat lots of rice but they also eat bigger portion. heck my family in US.. eat huge bowls compare to what my family in VN use.. but many asian family in US.. still eat the same way(ie, same portion size), especially older generation. So they are less fat. BUT also, many asian-american(just like many other americans) also exerecise alot go to the gym, want to keep in shape, look good.. so of course they're not fat. BUT there are ALOT of overweight asian kids, young adults, adults, and older folks that have weight, diabiete, & health issues

caslug comments on Petersons Centro de Idiomas

cadalaria.. since you're an owner of a business(english school) looking to hire PROFESSIONAL staff(teachers).. going online to call posters names is not helping your school's reputation with prospective teachers. PROFESSIONAL teachers, do not want to have a vindictive, unprofessional BOSS/OWNER. We're afraid, those type of bosses/owners will treat us badly and during and after employment. In USA, a professional owner/manager would just have their lawyers right a long-winded, polite, legal letter.. INSTEAD of calling names..

If you want to rebut people's "hersay", simply write nice, well-manner, business like rebuttal letter. Then posters can judge for themselves, who to believe. But when you stoop to name-calling and such, YOU look totally unprofessiona, childish, and vindictive.

You post your email on several handles, so it's not hard to see you(or your school) has to use several handles..

BTW, i'm a native-speaking ENGLISH TEACHER fr USA(4 yrs degree PLUS TEFL). But working in Vietnam now, when I was applying in COL in 2005, most starting pay was about 15 to 20,000 peso/hr(6 to 8 dollars/hr). Here in VN, a much poorer country(per captia income is 40 dollars/month), the pay is 12 to 15 dollars/hr, plus cost of living is alot cheaper. I really dont know why, latin american countries pay English teacher soo low, compare to Asia..

caslug comments on Colombian will buy 1,600 McDonald's of Latin America by 700 million dollars

Monpirri.. looks like you never been to china(or asia).. " I always thought that rice did not have any calories because otherwise everyone would be fat in China or in the Oriental countries. "

First.. 1/3 of chinese kids are fat now.

Second.. the reason many people in Asian countries DONT get fat is due to portion size at home. In Asia, NO WAY, would ONE person eat a typical american or even colombian size portions at home(or at restaurants).. typically the bowls are 1/3 the size of a dinner bowl/plate in US or latin america. EVEN in Japan and Korea(which are "richer" asian nation)..

Third.. many asian country is still very poor, so sometimes, people DONT have enough food(hence small portion size). Even when they make money and can BUY more food, and prepare bigger portion size. THEY DONT. It's quite accepted that a under 21 yr old kid, that moves to US will get bigger/taller possibly fatter by the time he reaches 21. AND they asian family in US STILL EAT 90% rice. So it's mainly due to portion size than rice itself.

Fourth.. ANOTHER big factor in "size" in Asia, is people(until recently) did not eat lots of meat(especially red meat). I typical meal for a poor/middle class family is 50% rice, 30-40% vegatables, and 10-20% meat/fish/chicken.. The richer you were the more percentage of meat you could afford. HECK.. i eat the common bowl of PHO(VietNamese noodles) here in US they give HUGE BOWL(super size) and give about 10 pcs of meat.. while in Vietnam, the bowls are 1/2 the size and they give about 3 pcs of meat.

Fifth.. RICE(white rice) is actually bad for you if you are worry about high cholestrol. My sister switched from white rice to brown rice for that reason.

caslug comments on Handling women, colombian or from where ever!

i've always thought.. that women.. really like a guy with... a sense of HUMOR! and ELMO has that in abudance.. and some posters here should emulate that more often..hehe

women like decisive men.. heck MEN like decisive MEN.. AND WOMEN.. being decisive means sometimes, telling people what you WANT(or want them to do-or not do).. sometimes it doesnt go over well.. but it's ALOT better than not saying anything or let people walk over you because you are too polite..

caslug comments on Illegal immigration: Are we just too stupid to solve it?

If we(USA) lets.. cuban in for free.. then why not OTHER commie countries? how about VEN or CHINA??
HECK in CHINA.. they DONT allow internet PORN!!!! now that's VERY INHUMANE!!! ESPECIALLY with China having more boys than girls(due to their one child policy)! talk about cruelty! imagine being a boy/man and not having internet PORN!!! EVEN in the US, while putting the screw(no PUN intended) to our civil liberties, the ONE thing that US gov't hasn't dare to do, is take away our PORN!

If chinese govt lift those restriction, i can see US/Europe trade defict go from a defict to a CREDIT! US/Europe produce most of the world's internet PORN!

caslug comments on Ok, so you wake up one morning, and YOU are the President of Colombia...

i would.. push thru decriminalization of drugs NOT only in COL, but in Western Europe and US.. OR get those countries to send EVEN MORE massive AID! because, unless the major users(US/Europe) decriminalize drug use(AND start TAXING IT). then it'll never end. criminals, paras, AND FARC all use drug profit to fund their violence and control. Reduce price(and start taxing it), force them to become CORPORATE(if they want to produce/sell), then they'll battle in the courtroom and boardroom(just like the tobacco companies), instead of in the society.

HECK, you dont see US tobacco/alchohol companies getting in to shoot out for controlling turf/market. They just fund superbowl ads or magazine ads in playboy!

caslug comments on Pereira?

Captain.. if your GF if fr Peira.. just asked her to give you three location.. there are LOTS of hotel near the center.. parque de boliver in pereria.. i think the one i stayed at was pretty cheap, 40,000 peso/night.. two years ago.. but it wasnt the best..

you can also buy a lonely planet colombia and they will give you a few options. but best is to simply have your gf check for you. btw, it's not that difficult to ARRIVE there then go around to check.

caslug comments on Drug Turns Crime Victims Into Zombies

the best thing to do.. to avoid this.. is goto a bar w/ friends(ie, chicas).. there's enough chicas in COL that will gladly accompany you to a bar! haha..i dont think i've ever been to a BAR in bar in COL alone. ONLY because i went to a bar, i would invite an amiga and they happily go!

caslug comments on It's not only violent in Colombia

yeah UTC.. especially when they get 2 for 1 deal.. hit the wrong target, then go back for the right! haha.. talking about padding your score!

caslug comments on It's not only violent in Colombia

wasn't there a guy.. in ecuador.. that off 40 or 50 kids? I remember John Leguizomo, made a movie base on him and the reporter that help catch him. In Russia, DURING the soviet time, there was a mass murder that offed over 200 people.

I belive Mr. H. reason is correct and logical, in countries that have easy access to violence.. then the psycho kids can go into that route(FARC/AUC/Trafficos). In the US, you could STILL join a gang these days, if you dont mind violence and care little for consequences. but the opp't to off alot of people when in a gang is not that much in US.. But, in violence countries like COL or Cambodia(during the pol pot years), a physco kid w/ "potential", can really rack up head counts!

caslug comments on Exporting Colombian Violence and Murder ?

well.. the news confirm he's a..korean student.. FYI.. all korean male go into the army for 2 or 4 yrs.. IRC.. i forgot which.. So that would somewhat explain his competency with firearm.

caslug comments on Exporting Colombian Violence and Murder ?

can you LEGAL buy a gun.. if you're on a student Visa? I thought to LEGALLY buy a gun in US they're(the business) are suppose to run a background/criminal check. And if you've been in US less than a year, then how can you "pass" the check?

caslug comments on Medellin to Armenia by Bus...

it's a beautiful ride.. pick a GOOD bus company.. because you'll be jacknifing thru mountain roads.. and premium is on BRAKES! hehe.. but seriously.. if you get woozy easily.. bring your own bags(barf).. i took that ride one time.. the the lady in front was chucking it in a bag.. then she threw the bag out the window.. and some of it splatter on the english guy sitting in window seat(window open) in the back of the bus! haha

caslug comments on Latin America(Colombia Included) Could Draw Many More Tourists-A. Oppenheimer Column

Peru is a great country.. and as other poster mention.. if you travelled there.. AND have been to COL.. you automatically.. wistfully think, "WOW! if only COL can change(ie, eliminate the major source of violence(civil war and drugs) like peru!".. BUT then you relize that the Shining Path was alot smaller than FARC AND AUC.. Once Peru caught the leader of the Shining Path.. it the rest of the organization was dismantle pretty effectively. BUT as my understand w/ FARC and AUC.. there's no MAIN guy/gal that you can take out.. and the whole things falls apart..

And even now.. Peru still has to deal w/ remanent of the Shining Path/drug dealers.. One thing I notice in my stay in Lima is that Security/safety wise.. you have to be on your toes more.. In COL.. at least the taxis(from the legit companies) are safe. In Peru there's no MAIN taxi companies.. it's a bunch of independent guys.. and prices and safety varies.

BUT i love Lima! food is GREAT! the weather in the summer months.. is beautiful! THe girls are not as pretty.. but there's more historical sites to visit, because Peru was the center of the Incas and Lima was a MAJOR spanish port/city, it was the seat of govt after they destroy the INCAS. Interestingly there's not alot of africans slaves in Peru, so the mix is more indian-spanish. I was told this was because most of the African slaves that went to the spanish colonies.. went to Ven, COL, etc., and they all went to the costal cities on the carribean first. So very few tricklied down to Lima/Cusco..

caslug comments on Birds don't shit on your shoulder en el centro.

moneybelt.. when i was in colombia.. especially going to little "shady" areas.. always wear money belt. I would have only about 100k in pocket.. and about 300-400k in money belt, with my credit and ATM card. EVEN local COL said be careful in el centro, especially against pickpoketing/purse snatching. In the day you worry less about muggings..

caslug comments on Thinking Of Using The Bus In Colombia? 27 Killed in Crash Friday,,,,

that makes sense.. mike.. i wonder how "reporting" is done? by police? in both case i did not see a policemen for over 20 minutes(maybe they did arrive afterward to report it). I would think they at the MINIMUM need to arrive to determine who's at fault so drivers can process insurance. One of the accident I saw, the tax was badly wrecked! after hitting the motocycle with little damage. The tax panicked and swerve off the road and hit a tree crushing the front. luckily both the passanger and driver were OK. They'll probably had whiplash.

caslug comments on Thinking Of Using The Bus In Colombia? 27 Killed in Crash Friday,,,,

in 4 months in cali and medellin.. ON the city street, i've PERSONALLY witness TWO accidents. both involving a car and motocycle. typical.. happen at intersection on the participant did not pay attention when cross intersection. in both cases, the motocycle driver was THROWN over 10 feet THRU the AIR. AND SURVIVE WITHOUT INJURY! hehe BUT CRACKED HELMET!

caslug comments on

people here are confusing.. lack of money w/ lack of consumerism.. it's hard to be "consumerism" when you're poor colombian working 6 days a week for low wages, spending most of your wages on necessities(food&shelther) with barely enough left over to go out everynow and then. BUT they all dream/hope to make MORE money so they can go shopping and buy "consumer stuff". BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU CAN SAY THAT ABOUT ALL poor people around the world that's been "EXPOSE" to consumerism(ie, malls, advertising, etc.,). HECK! Even in IRAN there's consumerism!

One funny/telling story.. one of my paisa friend in Medellin, is a very sweet/hard working young single mother. she works 6 days a week from 7 to 7. all her money goes to pay rent/food/schooling(for her 4 yr daughter). We were relaxing/watching TV one night and she commented, that if/when she ever gets money, she wants lipo and boob job! haha.. she's ONLY 23 yrs OLD, and very attractive! I thought maybe she would want to spend her "imaginary wealth" on education, starting a business, traveling, house for family, etc., but NO it's lipo and boobies! haha..

caslug comments on Going to laos

it's probably cheaper.. to book a plane ticket to Vietnam(Ho Chi Minh) or Thailand(bangkok) first. THEN when you're in either cities go to a travel agency(tons of them) and get ticket/hotel to Laos. Traveling withing south east asia is pretty cheap. I'm living in VN now, and I can get a 5 day/night vacation package(air fare/hotel/food) from HCM to Bangkok, for 260 USD! SO dont bother booking over the internet to Laos, you'll pay more.

caslug comments on Gringo Assassinated in Cali

I talked w/ Robert.. on my first trip to COL. I rented his apartment in la flora, he seem like a nice guy. at that time he was spending most of his time in CT, USA and his wife was handling his COL business(dating and apartment rental business). Talk about small world!

Hopefully they can find the killer and get to the bottom of this.

caslug comments on Funny chit Colombians have to face

didnt churchill say.. Royal Navy was ALL about "flogging and sodomy"?.. so i dont know how you can say only N. American joke about male rape...

caslug comments on Cali Lounge Clubs?

LAID back.. or getting LAID Granada has quite a few LAID BACK places to chill out.. as for getting laid.. ask any taxi driver!

caslug comments on Word to the wise about Colombia

who in their right mind would.. exchange 3k USD to some stranger???

BUT look at it this way.. tell your brother that.. he's just contributing to plan Colombia.. His 3k will go a long way to make many colombian happy.. starting with the con artist that got the 3k.. then all the hookers and shop owners that will get that money.. so he made lots of colombian happy! so it wasnt for naught!

caslug comments on Enough with the England bashing

candian contribution.. i forgot what the actual numbers were.. from 1939 on, RCN(royal candian navy) handle convoy escort duties almost 50-50 with RN. Most of time convoy escort was boring/dangerous works, but it was a important contribution, allowing precious naval assets to be used elsewhere. Even after US invovlement 1941.. CAN(with the use of US/UK equipment) were a significant part of the North Atanlic convoy protection, providing both naval and air(anti-sub patrols). Allowing valuble US naval/air assets to be used elsewhere(ie, Pacific).

PLUS, prior to US involvement, Canada served as a major logistical center for supplies going to Britian AND a valuable training base for commonwealth soldiers(especially aircrew).

Battle of Dieppe, candian ground forces were slaughter, i believe losing more than 2000 men. BUT it was not in vain, the lesson learned a Dieppe allow ALLIED planners to fix lots of problems that would have been distarous if allow to happen at DDAY. So while CAN contribution was small compare to US/UK/Russia, they still earn a rightly significant place in history books.

PS. of the commonwealth nation, Australia came out of WWII, little bit embittered with England and no love lost between Australia and CHurchill(who many australian blame for losing two of their precious professional division-one a tobruk and the other at signapore).

caslug comments on how to rent an apartment without being "cheated"

using US credit card overseas.. SOME US BANKS(Credit card company) will charge 1 to 2% currency exchange fee when used with foreign businesses.

caslug comments on Colombian Mentality

GMAN.. international calling card.. ANY NATION is a big screwy business.. I had the SAME PROBLEM with calling card to VIETNAM! I buy a 10 dollar card that ADVERTISE 120 minute, and got to use ALOT LESS.. SOMETIMES 50% LESS.. NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.. on the website, it on many calling card, they have the right to change the rate AT WITHOUT WARNING.

caslug comments on A warning to travellers

2 oz of the stuff is ALOT! ONE OZ is half a zip loc sandwhich bag IRC. AND the stuff SMELLS from a mile away! NOWAY the police wouldnt smell it! She AND YOU should have just ATE the stuff before the checkpoint! EATING the stuff would NOT have killed you! haha.. or at least ate most of it to get it down to a managable level! Could you(OP) just ask nicely to the cops, "i'm sorry office, we didnt know, do we have to pay a FINE or something? Can you write us a ticket and we can pay the FINE to you?"..

AND as someone said early, if the cop is driving around looking for a place to weight it, could you(OP) said, "hey, if it's ok with you is there any option for us to PAY A FINE NOW and let us be on our way.. PLEASE".. AGAIN.. 2 oz is ALOT!

caslug comments on

That's a great point POD.. I never look at the negative drawback of artifically low currency like you mention(foreigners buyers can buy up properties). But gov't can put laws in place to prevent that. In china for example, just enacted a new law, where foreigners can only own ONE property at a time. This was to prevent EXACTLY what you mention. It WAS HAPPENING, foreigners were buying lots of properties, the new law went into effect recently. Foreigners that have multiply property today cannot buy ADDITIONAL ones, but they dont have to sell the ones that already have.

Interestingly with China, the country is really export driven as we know. BUT with higher wages from lots of manufacturing jobs, there is a growing market for consumer goods. There's slowly becoming a the market that all the foreign business drool about.. hoping to sell to them. I work in international trade, and our sales to China is going up every month. They buy US stuff from us, and they pay a higher price because the currency is weak. BUT they still do it.

Colombia is would be hard press to follow's china's example. I think COL is better off to develop transportation infrastructure, that will decrease cost of goods being transport and increase ineffeciency. Right now only havea few major highways that semi-trucks take to get goods from major cities to major cities. Even in many places, those roads are single lane and very slow. Since they dont have a rail system, cost of transporting goods in COL is higher than it need to be. Of course some of this is because of geography, with lots of hills and mountains. Going from MED to CALI, is a heck of a ride, jacknife turn up the mountain. Heck in US, FEDEX GROUND charges about 15-20 dollars to get a 10 lb box from FL to CA!

China is able to get lots of it's good to the major port/airline terminal very cheaply using trucks/rail. If colombia can build a good rail/road network then imagine how much more productive and efficent colombian business can be. People here on PBH has mention that col has access to TWO ocean, but what good is that if you can get goods that is dropped in Buenaventura to BAQ cheaply and quickly? It all has to go by truck on roads that are single lane at many places.

caslug comments on

FIND OUT WHAT.. the import tax in the country of destination is.. THAT'S the FIRST THING.. then find how much to ship fr country of origin..

of course.. find out if your market has a need for it..

i find import regulation in developing countries are usually much harder to navigate.. and the import tax is HIGHER.. versus developed countries..

BUT on the plus side.. in developing countries, there's more corruption at the lower level(ie, custom officials)..so there's more wiggle room.. if you know which palm to grease.. and you have sufficient "leverage"..

caslug comments on Interesting Article: More Colombians Leave Despite Increased Economic Growth

isn't another factor is post 9/11.. it's HARDER for foreigners to get visa to the US.. so there's less people that are able to come and overstay now.. than it was before..

i remember talking w/ an american in cali that use to use the marriage agency alot.. he said that pre-9/11, the marriage agency had brisk business, because guys could get visa(tourist/finance/wife) EASIER than post-9/11.. AFTER 9/11.. lots of agency went belly-up, because it became more work/paperwork and little longer to get the neccesary visa..

caslug comments on Black Market Money Exchange

i guess i THEORY.. it could work.. You start w/ $10,000USD in your citibank acc't. current exchange rate.. $2300COP per dollar..

1.. local gives you 10,000 USD.. you exchange it for $18,000,000COP..(1800 per dollar) Which u got by withdrawling LOTS of times fr your citibank ATM in MED..you have a citibank acc't in US.. so YOU NET $5.0mil COP..

2.. you fly back to US(or give it to someone you trust).. they get back to USA, writes you couple of $5000USD checks.. which gets deposit in to your citibank acc't couple of times a month(or week)..

BUT how are you going to do this on a big scale? I assume your "local" customer wants to exchange MORE than $10k USD per month.. you cant just deposit tons of cash into the US bank.. not to mention how are you going to BRING more than $10k USD back into the US per flight?

Of course.. one LEGAL way of doing it.. is to setup businesses..

caslug comments on

aztec.. comment was on the mark.. about both racism in US(back n the days) AND COL(now).. None of the US posters are denying that racism DOESNT exist in the US EVEN NOW.. BUT it seems SOME posters are denying that racism exist in COL(because COL dont have KKK, or cops beat up black-colombians)..

At least most americans can admit that we're not perfect when it comes to race relation, but we try, and the gov't does it's best to ensure fairness. and you certainly have the courts to help.

Of course it would be great if people treat people as INDIVIDUALS rather than allow sterotype to color their views.. but that's not going to happen in COL or US or ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. so the next best thing is to have a society that punish(by lawsuits/loss of business) behaviors that goes against the "moral" of that society..ie, racism/discrimination.. with threat of loss of money/business, companies or institution will become more tolerant of people/customers that dont always look/behave like them..

Interestingly, there's a report in the US media that hispanic purchasing power has passed african-american. You can BET that US companies have notice that and are beginning to be LOT nicers to capture that business. Which means they will become more tolerant and less discriminatory, BECAUSE it's in their(business) BEST interest..

caslug comments on I guess I did not beat the odds...

what's with the "test quesion"? words are words.. the gal can say the right thing.. when you(thru the translator) ask your "test question"..

Did you meet her in an agency(you're using a translator)? If you did, it doesnt suprise me she wants to come to the US. Afterall, women in agency ARE looking for a foreign husband. If not YOU then someone ELSE! So if you are paying for english lesson, good for you! at least if things dont work out between you two.. you given her a gift that is usefull to her after you left.. she can speak better english w/ the next guy! No wonder she accept the gift!

caslug comments on Definitely Moving to Santa Marta!

sallya.. sounds like u have a good idea of what to expect.. the bonus will DEFINITELY help.. but see if you negoiate bi-annual bonus, instead of lump sum annually. that way, you're a little less expose if the school tells you at the end of year, "sorry? we have no money to pay the bonus." then what can you do?

Also, int'l school in COL(outside of bogota), are 99% colombians, well-to-do, same as YOUR school. but seems like the money situation(w/ your husband working) is not going to be a problem. so you'll be able to enjoy colombia. I would think most househould in santa marta will not have a/c(electricity is expensive), so right away if you are planning to use a/c, you'll be living above the average person.

caslug comments on Is it easy to buy drugs in Cali?

colombia's is like many countries..re: drugs.. if u want to find it, you'll find it..
if u NOT looking for it, IT(drugs) WONT find YOU!

caslug comments on Definitely Moving to Santa Marta!

is your husband teaching? if not then what is he going to do for visa? tourist visa only gives him 6 months(he has to renew every month after the 2nd month). Or he can try for a student visa at the local uni.. that might give him 1 yr. also if you're TOTAL pay is 1.8million peso for TWO people.. that's not that much. that comes to about $800usd/month.. the cost of the apartment doesnt include utilities i believe, and you'll be using the a/c ALOT. plus internet. food is pretty cheap, but lots of other things are alittle expensive.

Also, as a certified public school teacher, you can apply to the internation school(i dont know if they have one in santa marta). but the pay in those school are ALOT higher.. 2000USD PLUS free housing..

caslug comments on

Web.. i agree some US politician/leaders make very stupid comment about races/gender/etc., BUT the moment they make it.. the media jumps over it.. and vilifies them.. it's NOT publicly acceptable to for people in position of power to make comments like that..

After Bennet made that comment, he was "jumped" on by his own party. Same the other polictians making stupid racist/sexist comments. Also, I read that COL does have laws ON THE BOOK that prohibit discrimination based on race(IRC, a PBH poster made that statement). Having laws on the books and actually enforcing it are TWO different matter. HOW many lawsuits has black/indio colombian WON(monetary) against discriminatory practices?

TONE mention one that's about to go forward in CTG. In the US, those lawsuits happen ALOT more AND get media attention AND MONEY. Business understands MONEY! Many years ago, DENNY'S a famous restaurant chain got sued for treating black/hispanic customers badly and had to payout many millions to the victims AND retrain their employees. That lawsuit got some big media attention(due to no small factor that one Denny's restuarnt discriminate against black SECRET SERVICE AGENTS!)..

So how many of those lawsuits have been won and how much money has been award IN COLOMBIA?

caslug comments on Racism in Columbia...

last year i gave a lecture at Universidad de National, Medellin (i think that was the name).. to a classroom full of future colombian teacher.. I was invite to speak about educational experience in the USA by the head of the department..about 20 future teacher, none of them ever visited the US before.. Except the professor(dep't head), who has visit US and Europe many times.

When we came up to the issue of prejudices/racism/discriminatory in education, both in USA/COL.

I asked them, "what is your(col society) view of colombian-indian?"
they all said col-society views indio as "un-educated, poor"..
so I asked, "what about black-colombian?".. they replied with words like, "un-educated, poor, a little dangerous(criminal)"..

I then asked, "what about chino-colombinas?".. they replied, "hardworking, well-to-do, educated,"..

They recognize that those where all prejudices and that it was based on stereotypes that they grew up with. AND was able to discuss it intelligently and objectively. I wouldnt call the students racist, they held on to these beliefs and only when they were confronted with it, did they recognize that it was wrong to PREJUDGE people(especially their future students)..

caslug comments on Cali, Aqui estoy!!!

Ringo..i was not n col this year.. I'm stuck working n Vietnam this year..

caslug comments on Racism in Columbia...

any reasonable person.. would say that there is RACISM/DISCRIMINATION in COLOMBIA. I mean, what country DOESNT have it? the real question is what is the society doing to reduce it? But why reduce it, people could ask?..

Ulbrich is an excellent example. If she could get work BASED on merit versus class/skin then COL would not have lost out on a productive(tax paying) citizen.. who is now working and contribution his/her skill to another country(and paying taxes in the new country)..

Of course, poor people in colombia have it difficult without even discussing race/skin color. so the bigger challenge for the government/society is how to help people rise out of poverty first, before battling discrimination. of course, it would be a very powerful message for the head-of-govt to make statement AND action to enforce anti-discrimitory laws.

US still remember Pres. Eisenhower putting US trooops to ENFORCE civil right legistlation(brown vs. Kansas board of education).. or Kennedy putting troops to allow black student to go to college.. those were VERY POWERFUL LEGAL AND MORAL ACTIONS.. that the whole country/society stood up and notice.. I mean when was the LAST time you heard of a country using it's Military to ENFORCE/PROTECT a minority group from discrimination? I think US is the ONLY country in the 20th century to do that.. Most nations use their military to PUT DOWN/PROSECUTE minority groups within their border.

caslug comments on Cali, Aqui estoy!!!

hate to break the news to you.. but cali has very little nightlife OUTSIDE of the weekend. On weekend, the party area is still around avienda sexta, packed w/ people. The south of cali has some decent malls, but many close around 11pm. You COULD go to Juanchito(but that's slightly outside the city border, and slightly dangergous) they have bars that open till 4am..

i've spent over 2 months in cali last year. it's not what i would call a party city. if you have a friend(s) in cali, then it's you can have a very fun time with your friend(s).. you can take quick 3-5 hr bus ride to small towns around cali during the week, and come back to cali on the weekend.

caslug comments on Death of Pete E.

OHHH.. we lost a good poster.. and human being.. i had the pleasure of staying at his place for a month last october.. he's definitely a class act.. always willing to give advice and help a newbie.. when i was n cali last fall.. he just finish his first round of surgery.. he was weak/tired.. but seem to be recovering.. his g/f beatrice is a gem of a person.. truely love and cared for him..

i fortunate to have an opportunity to meet him.. i always counted on the fact that if i return to cali.. i would look him up again..

he touch lots of people's lives..