american looking to live in medellin

coffee beaner says on Apr 8, 2007, 21:35:

semper fi... once a marine always a marine, so why re-enlist!

cali373 says on Apr 8, 2007, 21:42:

that´s great. Good luck. hope it works out.

Smile if you are a thinker!

goin_south says on Apr 8, 2007, 22:10:

I don't know. I think it's an okay move, and maybe one I'd make myself, in the future, but it's starting to sound like a new movie all over again:

"AMERICAN IN MEDELLIN"

and, thank you.

utopiacowboy says on Apr 8, 2007, 22:14:

Let me guess, you're going to move to.............









El Poblado.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Man Tequila says on Apr 8, 2007, 23:40:

You probably would have made it if it wasn't for those Medellin kids.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

analyzethis1 says on Apr 8, 2007, 23:44:

I hope you're for real Semperfi... that it's LOVE bringing you to Colombia. Your story has been a "fresh of breath air" lately on PBH...sigh... :)

There are two kinds of gratitude: The sudden kind we feel for what we receive, and the larger kind we feel for what we give. E.A. Robinson

Beef27 says on Apr 9, 2007, 00:02:

if you do semperfi make sure you let me know....it's always good to have a Marine watching one's back. I'm thinking of buying a place as well since I get so much vacation time a year. Semper Fi...semperfi! beef27

Paul WallSemper Fi

jmbone says on Apr 9, 2007, 05:45:

Semperfi...for more about Medellin check out: www.medellininfo.com

It´s a Not For Profit project (promoting Medellin and Antioquia ) that I have dedicated myself to. The people, the city, the mountain settings, are all very special. It takes but a blink of the eye to fall in love with the area.

If "Colombia is Passion", than "Medellin is Seduction".

I want to present the Portal in Spanish, and so I´m looking for a translator. Can´t afford to pay much, but the publicity for the translator would be (visit the site and check out the graph/statistics on the growing numbers of unique visitors) a positive springboard for doing translations while working out of the comfort of one´s home-located perhaps, high in the mountains looking down into the beautiful Aburra Valley?

Semperfi, you have found a very special place (and I´m sure, a good woman) in a great Country-Colombia.

Enjoy.

famsearch says on Apr 9, 2007, 05:47:

i was discussing this very thing with my wife... ...and this is what she told me: it's not like the u.s., where you can drop your bills in the mail. you get to go stand in line to pay them (electricity,phone,water,etc. are all lumped together), and if the bill isn't paid, they cut off all of them. just calling someone is different too. unlike here, where you can make as many calls as you want for a set price, in colombia you pay for each call by the minute. when she told me about internet access in colombia, it reminded me of the bad old days of when aol charged by the hour. not trying to dissuade you, just adding a few of the practical things of life that my wife mentioned to me.

dan

dan

jmbone says on Apr 9, 2007, 06:21:

Famsearch....tell us, when was your wife last in Medellin? Just within the last few years in particular, many things have changed for the better, through out Colombia.

Colombian´s who have not been "home" in many years, and even those who live and remain in remote areas of Colombia, often voice their "honest opinions" which many times are way out of date with actuality.

For many, the long ago reasons that forced them to leave Colombia remain forever etched in their minds, and present day reality is not to be believed.

Bring your wife back for a visit, and the two of you just might decide (based on facts) to return for a lifetime!

griffbos says on Apr 9, 2007, 10:05:

hmmm Medellin phone service I think has changed in the last year as has internet service you can now buy unlimited I don't remember what my friends are paying for it. One thing you have to consider is what kind of visa you plan to live there with.

Robert Jorge says on Apr 9, 2007, 11:16:

Yep, phone and Internet have changed for the better. But Famsearch's point is Colombia can be a shocker to a person who moves there from the US. Famsearch is correct. No mail service. Pay bills at little kiosks that also sell cell minutes - or at the actual service building. Lines at the banks are ridiculous. Getting a service hooked up can be an adventure and take weeks. Etc, etc, etc. But, the biggest challenge, like mentioned above, is the visa issue. Without a visa, you will only be allowed to live there for a maximum of 6 months. (Details are everywhere on this topic) It isn't like you'll get kicked out after 6 months, but you will have to pay fines for the over-stay.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

famsearch says on Apr 9, 2007, 13:14:

jimbone... she was last in medellin around mid-november of last year, so her info is fairly current. matter of fact she lived in a town just outside the city. you also get to stand in nice long lines to pay your service bills too. i can check with relatives who are still there to find out what the current conditions are for phone and internet service. one thing, depending on where you're planning on hanging your hat, is to keep an ear out for the propane guy who shows up about 3 times a week. listen for the bells. another thing, if you like hot water, depending again on where you're gonna hang your hat, plan on getting a water heating tank, about 25 gal, electric, for use in the shower, or you can get one of the electric on demand heaters for the shower, because the only kind of water there is cold. just a few more things to keep in mind.
dan

dan

southern151 says on Apr 9, 2007, 19:58:

UC and his typical hard-on for Poblado... HMMM? What the hell happened UC, too much rejection in that area for ya? Maybe Centro is more your style since you are into the hard stuff? LOL

Saw a chance and had to give you a hard time.

Correct me if I am wrong but, I thought that your wife is from Poblado?

goin_south says on Apr 9, 2007, 20:53:

A 'fresh' of 'breathe air'....analyzethis1,... did semperfi tell a story somewhere that I missed?

Hey, famsearch; ask your wife if one can pay bills 'online' in Colombia, please.
All?
Most?
Some?
None?

I imagine not. I feel like technology in Colombia is about 6-8 years behind the EEUU.

and, thank you.

utopiacowboy says on Apr 9, 2007, 21:05:

No, she is not from Poblado. However she does have hot water in her apartment. So much for the comment "because the only kind of water there is cold". Believe it or not there are Colombians with hot water although a large majority do not. Apparently if they have hot water and credit cards, those are the "elite" of Colombia. Who'da thought.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

famsearch says on Apr 9, 2007, 23:37:

but uc.... is the hot water provided by the apartment building, or does the apartment have a seperate hot water tank? also, does the hot water go to the kitchen too?
dan

dan

Desideria (Moderator) says on Apr 10, 2007, 00:16:

gods we are discussing hot water once again...
famsearch, when I lived in Cali we had three hot water tanks, all large. One was always disconnected because we didn't use that shower, ever. The one providing hot water to the kitchen was connected only when I didn't have a maid (maids) because I like hot water when doing dishes; takes less detergent and the dishes get cleaner, but the maids didn't want to have it. The one in the main bathroom was always connected.

At my in-laws' they had one small water heater that was connected for half an hour every morning for those who didn't want to shower with cold water. Gods have mercy on the slacker who forgot to disconnect it after the allotted time; my father-in-law would give him/her one of his famous lectures on "things being there to be used, not to be wasted". Anyway, one small water-heater per household seems to be the standard in middle-class caleño home; most of the time disconnected so you didn't know there was hot water available if you didn't ask.

No, I don't think hot water is EVER provided by the apartment building. Perhaps in Bogotá or Medellin, but not Cali.

Cheers,
Desi

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe
they are free." —Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

Cerealkiller says on Apr 10, 2007, 06:20:

Ive had hot water everywhere ive been to in Colombia. I cant live without it, i take warm showers in Cali and Cartagena...and this "no hot water" deal sounds so freaking exotic, I almost cant believe it.
Also, queueing to pay bills? Thats not necessarily a rule...you can pay your bills over the phone and all banks have direct debit option, you can also pay for bills online.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

quindioman says on Apr 10, 2007, 07:36:

damn...the more I read the more I'm beginning to think I'm from trailer trash family in Colombia.....I've never had a hot shower in Colombia (well maybe once but that's another story).In Armenia none of the houses I've lived in have had a hot shower (and I've lived in a few). In Cali I wouldn't even want to take a hot shower even if I had the option.

just-me says on Apr 10, 2007, 07:37:

One more Loser...Who find a wife in Colombia, because american girls look at you ....and right away know you are a L....

aztec says on Apr 10, 2007, 07:47:

Cerealkiller,You haven't been around very long. Yes I know you have been a member here for about 2 years but you should still remember the droughts in Colombia. Bogotá even had to go to alternating days and/or hours when the electricity was cut off. No hot water since most water heaters in Bogotá are electric.

I remember hurrying with my shower and shave before the electricity was cut off. Actually had several showers with out hot water. North Bogotá especially out at Sindamanoy can get very cold.

ElViajero says on Apr 10, 2007, 08:39:

Jmbone, I can help you with your translations. I am from Medellin, but living abroad and I like to promote also my country, and of course, my city, Thank you for your interest in it. You can send me an email (albeiror24 at gmail.com)
El Viajero Paisa.

Cerealkiller says on Apr 10, 2007, 08:47:

Aztec I have been living in Colombia on and off since I was 3 (When I havent been living there, I have been visiting at least once a year). So I have been around for the past 19 years, if this happened before, then fair enough I have not been around very long. I remember when electricity was cut off in 92-93 if I am not mistaken, and I also remember it only got cut off from 4 to 7 pm. I am used to taking showers in the morning so it really never affected me. Plus, if you have that huge tank connected all day, chances are you wont run out of hot water just like that.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 10, 2007, 08:56:

I always remember having a I always remember having hot water in the showers ,and so my friends, it was an electric water heater, so if the electricity went off then no hot water. brrrrrrrrrrr

engage brain before opening mouth

quindioman says on Apr 10, 2007, 08:58:

katica...it was always brrrr for me....I had to dance and jiggy and shadowbox, anything to withstand the cold showers in the morning...I tell you what though I felt good once they were over!

aztec says on Apr 10, 2007, 10:19:

Cerealkiller, sorry my response... ...does appear a little curt. Didn't mean to be so abrupt.

Believe you must be about right concerning the years. It was in the early ninety's. The house we were in had no water tanks but rather used the electric water heaters so prevalent in houses there.

Probably the coldest I have ever been in Colombia was in this house in Sindamanoy. For those who don't know the area is North Bogotá outside of Chia and is a few hundred feet higher than La Sabana de Bogotá.

Engineer George says on Apr 10, 2007, 12:04:

HOT WATER I can't believe this message board has turned into a HOT WATER topic!!! Buy a water heater, hook-it up into your existing piping system and your done....Easy as that. End of topic...

and about staying in line to pay your bills, the people that are up to date on technology, can pay the mayority of bills online. Maybe not in the remote areas but I really don't see any metrosexual living in those locations....It's that simple...End of topic...

famsearch says on Apr 10, 2007, 12:16:

as easy as that... lol but what if your existing plumbing only has one tap in the kitchen?
dan

dan

Ctg Bound says on Apr 10, 2007, 12:19:

famsearch You put a second site of pipes in, labour is cheap in Colombia.

Strobers says on Apr 10, 2007, 12:34:

I Couldn't Live Without a Hot Shower The last time we went to visit family in Bogota, the contraption used to heat the shower wasn't working. My wife couldn't stand my crying, so every morning she would fill one of those empty, giant, detergent containers with water and then cap it off with two pans of boiling water so I could take a shower. Even though taking a bath with a pan isn't the most fun way to bathe, at least the temperature of the water was absolutely perfect.

"Life is too serious to be taken seriously"

Engineer George says on Apr 10, 2007, 12:38:

Tapping a pipe is very easy. Here are the steps (depends on the material of pipe)..

In the States, most water pipe in a house is copper not sure what it is in Colombia...

1. Turn off the main coming into you house..
2. Cut the pipe..
3. If copper, sodder a tee into you system.
4. Run the new pipe into the new water heater tank and run it out to the shower...

not too hard...I know they have plumbers in Colombia that can do this work and like Ctg Bound said,"labor is cheap in Colombia"...The cost of the water heater will be the most expensive part of this process. But I'm sure a 40 gallon water heater won't be required, depending on number of people that live in the house and it's applications...

poco says on Apr 10, 2007, 12:40:

I love talking about hot water I can't believe this message board has turned into a HOT WATER topic!!! Buy a water heater, hook-it up into your existing piping system and your done....Easy as that. End of topic...

That's really bad advise. Many houses only have one faucet. When two are installed they likely are "plumbed" together and imbedded in cement.

The really bad part is the PIPING is probably NOT suitable for hot water. Most piping is relatively THIN WALL PLASTIC. Ha,, don't know what you're doing and BINGO, potential big problem.

Of course I have hot water. On demand electric. I installed "TWO" systems in the shower because 4 years ago the thinking was HOT WATER WILL KILL A PERSON !!!! Ha,, it's been years since the cold system has been used. Washing hair is different,, cold water makes it look better and it won't fall out as soon.

I love advise. PBH should be the sole source for SCREW IT UP YOURSELF PROJECTS,,, also cooking hints,, bingo and your goose is cooked.

PS: I'll eagerly awaiting the subject of throwing "ass wipe" in the trash can instead of flushing. I love that shit and Vicshere knows his shit so you can depend on his advise.

"Violence is the first refuge of the incompetent" - Isaac Asimov

Mononoke28 says on Apr 10, 2007, 14:09:

I won't be talking... ... about hot water but the one thing I missed in Colombia was having a dryer in my apartment in Medellín. So we bought a washer/dryer unit and then we noticed there's no "hole" for the hot air to come out to the street. The guy who installed it said it was no problem. But now that I'm back in the States I've been thinking, don't we need to install that big silver coil that hooks up from the dryer to the outside to get the hot air out???

Anyway, my husband and I were able to pay our bills at any BBVA ATM machine. That was nice since there were almost no lines.

Diana

aztec says on Apr 10, 2007, 14:50:

Mononoke28 don't we need to install that big silver coil that hooks up from the dryer to the outside to get the hot air out???


You are joking aren't you?

tejasmarcos says on Apr 10, 2007, 19:14:

i walk down to Pomona during the daytime to pay my utilities. no lines during the day.

my glass is getting shorter on whiskey, ice and water...

panthdave says on Apr 11, 2007, 04:52:

Patience and Making the Right Move That is a big move..Want to the do the samething but taking my time and YES I have an apartment in Castropol but travel back and forth from Miami where I work. Will not leave my job in Miami not yet and still want a presence in Miami.. Have a girlfriend in Medellin and were getting along great. I travel back and forth every two to three weeks depending on my workload here in Miami as we are still in Tourist Season.
First of all Medellin is up to date.. You don't wait in lines to pay our bills. You can do electronic banking transfer payments online with EPM and Comcel. Yes my apartment has hot water and want it. Currently working on Visa for my cedula so I can get a bank account at least with a Visa debit card in Pesos. Telephone Service you can get US Number via Vonage with unlimited minutes hooked with your Banda Aancha Internet which has 200KB to 1.5MB Service also your local service telephone have a 1000 Minute package.

To get to the point I am tired of hearing about Colombia being backwards it is not anymore and there up to date with many things like the US..For people who want to experience and have living conditions in the ghetto good for them not me..I like El Poblado which many Colombians live too. Maybe not for a house very expensive because future will look in Sabenta or Envigado for a house. I have a great girlfriend who is 27 and we get along great and we both work hard and hoping our relationship will stick for the future and going great.. We are going on 6 months next month. Nothing wrong thinking about moving to Medellin but don't lose your presence in the US financially again Medellin work permits are hard to come and the pay sucks still and of course you want a business you have the same risk as the US you can make it but you can lose everything.My girlfriend agrees with me not leaving my job after 10 years.. We are preparing to work together of many things but definitely want to stay in Medellin.

Be patient on your move make trips down to Medellin and get a feel for everything and get comfortable with your surroundings which I am now.

Peace Out
Take your time just like a relationship take your time and see how things go.. The work out better.



panthdave Miami

panthdave Miami

Brians says on Apr 11, 2007, 05:25:

Panthdave what is the cost per month of that Vontage package? Basically a person dials a US number and it rings in Colombia and that is unlimited? Curious and any info. would be appreciated.

semperfi says on Apr 11, 2007, 20:48:

THANKS thank you for the advice, i've been with my girlfriend for almost two years and it's not easy, i travel from new york and i visit her maybe every other month and she does the same. I've been to medellin about 7 times and i love it there but i need to speak more spanish , i think being down there and around people that only speak spanish i will learn faster. ive been looking for an apartment in el poblado and for work i would like to invest into something for an income every month, i am always thinking i'm 46 and i have a beautiful woman that i am so happy with and i would like to finish my life with her, i hope it all works out for us . thanks again chris

rocinante says on Apr 12, 2007, 06:09:

pantherDave knows his shit.

The problem is that the family of the wife or the wife herself doesn't really know what's going on in the arena of technology and cell phones and stuff like that - they don't use it alll that much and they stand in line to pay bills and such.

Ask my parents about Vonage and voice over IP and paying bills on line instead of mailing them in an envelope. Ask my parents about how cell phones work and voicemail and shopping on line. They have no friggen clue - just like the family of the Colombian wife.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

rocinante says on Apr 12, 2007, 06:13:

Brians VOIP Brians, you can buy a phone router, have the mac address inside programmed to a Vonage owned US number and take that router anywhere in the world that has a fast internet connection and receive and make phone calls with that number.

The long of it is: You can get a Vonage number in an area code where you mom lives, say Newark New Jersey, a 201 number. When your mom calls your Vonage owned US number, which is a local call for her, the call goes to Vonage and Vonage converts it to data and they send it through the internet and it gets to your router - your router is a like a browser, sort of. Vonage doesn't care where your router is as long as it's attached to the internet. Same theory as a cell phone - you could be in Chicago and someone is calling your number in NYC and they have no idea you are in Chicago. Just like any website doesn't care where you are - when you log on to Bank Of America website to pay bills from Siberia you are having a back and forth conversation with the BofA webiste and your computer's browser. Packets of data info are being sent back and forth between you and BofA and the BofA servers know to keep the "conversation" private and remembers where you left off and doesn't confuse your session with another person loggged into BofA.

The same thing happens with Vonage except the packets of data are 0s and 1s that get unscrambled into voice.

Vonage is on hot water with Verizon for a patent infringement that is basically a load of shit. The big bad Verizon lawyers think they have the patent on Voice over IP (internet protocol) and really they were slow to market and are "legally" shaking down Vonage.

This is what happens when the big guys start losing money to a smaller competetitor - court extortion. I hope Vonage sticks it up Verizon's ass. But that will never happen. Vonage will end up paying a big fee to Verizon and Verizon will compete in the VIOP market.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

rocinante says on Apr 12, 2007, 06:16:

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Oh, and in Colombia most folks don't really want hot water. They have been living without it for centuries. I'll stick to my guns and say that 80% of the households in Colombia do not have hot water other than boiling it on a stove. Unless you are in a luxury hotel or in a tourist area or in an americanized/europeanized home...

It's just not the norm. Just like Colombians being the frenzied shoppers/consumers maxing out their credit cards every weekend.

Just trying to keep the other 80% of the population in the forefront of these discussions. No harm, no foul.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

panthdave says on Apr 12, 2007, 18:10:

Medellin is Modern has Hell...... Hot Water heaters are selling everywhere..Hooks right next to your gas connection. My GF at first would take cold showers but now she is taking hot and says shit this is good...LOLOLOLOLOL...Just to let you know her cousin has maxed her Credit Card and there credit app booths everywhere..The devil is coming to Colombia...Shit thinking about a Check Cashing and Pay advance business in Medellin or Poblado for the office workers who get paid in checks also pay advances. Sorry Medellin is becoming Americanized...My GF and I are both only using debit cards and seen what credit can do. Shit things are so cheap compared to Miami unless you go crazy on imported items things are cheap I love the IVA system in the supermarkets there are two different IVA depending on the item. I have the luxury of bringing electronics on the plane because I can go back and forth Love EBAY..

To the Point Medellin is really modernized and like it..Some people out there want the original Colombia but that is changing I hate one point of it inflation is hitting hard buying now the groceries and meat and liquor in Centro...Use to go to Exito and Carrefour but prices are going higher.

Love Medellin you know its not even the money anymore.. I just think the city is so nice and refreshing how it sits with mountians all around..and the people and just an awesome city fell in love..

Enough Peace Out..

panthdave Miami

panthdave Miami

goin_south says on Apr 12, 2007, 21:56:

Okay, if not about hot water then... what about just simply HAVING A BATH TUB, as opposed to only a shower??
My novia lives in a pretty nice place, gated/guarded apartment, very nice inside...high quality interior BUT....NO BATH...TUBB; ONLY SHOWERS. Si, plenty of hot water.

Do most have only showers and not the luxury of kicking back in a 'HOT' TUB OF WATER?

and, thank you.

famsearch says on Apr 13, 2007, 05:33:

only place i'd seen a bathtub... ...was in the hotel where we spent our wedding night. other than that, only showers. when you think about it, if you had only a cold water hookup, of the amount of gas you'd use heating up the water, or if you had a heater, depending on the size of the heater, you may not have enough hot water to fill the tub in one try.
dan

dan

coffee beaner says on Apr 13, 2007, 21:02:

Motel Punto Cero in Medellin has bath tubs... you get 6 hours to use it if you know what I mean.

goin_south says on Apr 13, 2007, 22:10:

Intercontinental Hotel... Park 10 Hotel...
Hot Water...Giant tubs...
24/7.
I like that, unless I'm.....CAMPING.

I like Colombia, but... a day running around Cali is a little like Tijuana... you feel dirty at the end of the day.

and, thank you.