De Regreso a Colombia!!

Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:06:

Consejo número uno: No le prestes plata a nadie!

Consejo número dos: Tienes mucha familia donde vas a vivir? Si la respeusta es 'sí'....múdese lo más lejos posible de ellos!

Si preguntas porque digo esto...ver consejo número uno.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:10:

4 years?, well that is not that much time really, how much Colombia change in 4 years? specially Bogota.

I think you might find everything the same maybe very slightly changes.or am i wrong?

engage brain before opening mouth

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ietk says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:40:

You tell me that kat1, I left Bogota in 1987 and Colombia in 1993 I have not been there since then and I am planing in going for three weeks in the next couple of months, I expect to find a different Bogota and Barranquilla hope is for the best.

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alezzz says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:43:

jajaj Simon eso es muy cierto, triste pero cierto.

---Music is the strongest form of magic.---

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:53:

Lo que dice Simon...muy verda!!

Creo que mucho si cambia en 4 anos, imposible que un país, su ciudades, su gente no cambien en 4 anos! Espero que te sigas enamorando mas de Colombia en su viaje.

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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dwr says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:56:

Colombia has changed. Much more expensive!

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chester says on Apr 23, 2008, 10:59:

arepas are 5 big ones for 2000 pesos

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:03:

Of course everything go up in prices, but what have really change in 4 years tell me.

jetk for you it will be different from 1987 to now yes it has change a lot. but from 2005 to Now not much not significantly

engage brain before opening mouth

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:08:

I found a HUGE change in Cali from 2005 to 2007....
people change, neighborhoods change...even the zoo changed!

Same with Pereira....

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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dwr says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:09:

Bogota has really changed alot in the past 4 years. Construction, construction ,construction

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:15:

well i have been going to Bogota every year and from 2005 apart from the odd constructions i haven't seen a major change like when the Avenida Jimenes was totally change, Avenida las Americas or the transmilenio came in circulation that kind of change i am talking about.

engage brain before opening mouth

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:18:

Well he will find few new roads because of the transmilenio.
and the mess that is the airport now :))) because of the building of the new one.

engage brain before opening mouth

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jorgegdiaz says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:22:

Get used not to having a dryier machine...

"To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so."Robert Orben

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dwr says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:22:

the airport really is a mess. Hope it doesn't take 10 years to finish!

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:31:

maybe he has to get used to to go back to chaos :))) and looooooooooooong queues :)))

engage brain before opening mouth

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:34:

maybe that the thing he wont find significantly changes but he has to go back to get used to so many things that maybe he took for granted in the USA :)))))0

engage brain before opening mouth

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:51:

So what can I say? I left Colombia in February 1964, I think it has changed quite a bit since then. Un consejo importante! Para los que vayan a Colombia despues de vivir en el exterior un buen tiempo, nunca digas esto o el otro es mejor en USA. Cuando a mi me preguntan que pienso de Colombia, siempre digo: Muy lindo todo, Colombia esta muy moderno, etc. nunca critico nada si algo no me gusta me reservo mi opinion negativa.

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:54:

Mrgizmo, I could not disagree with you more. How do we expect Colombia to progress if those of us who have seen more organized ways of life keep our opinions to ourselves?


Mierda, ahora me hicieron escribir en inglés por acá!

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:58:

the best thing is not to compare.

engage brain before opening mouth

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 11:58:

Mrgizmo...You are 100% right....I always promote our beautiful Colombia.

I grew up in the states and would never think of comparing them- it's comparing apples and bananas...

Colombia es una pais bellisimo, y cada dia cambia mas...
Y no necesita cambio porque es una tierra muy exotica, y bella!

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:10:

"Y no necesita cambio porque es una tierra muy exotica, y bella!"

Ai Mafe, espero que ahí estés charlando! Qué no necesita cambio? JA!

Te parece muy buena una sociedad donde lo pueden echar a uno del trabajo por cualquier razón? Donde cualquiera puede contratar a un sicario para matarlo a uno y lo más probable es que nunca arresten al autor intelectual? Donde hay una justicia para los ricos y otra para los pobres? Donde la gente maneja como unos salvajes y ni siquiera hacen un 'PARE'? Donde se ven niños de diez años vendiendo dulces en una esquina cuando deberían estar estudiando? Donde han arrestado a mas de cincuenta congresistas por nexos con criminales? Donde la gente se la pasa pidiendo dinero prestado y nunca lo pagan? Donde la gente alcahuetea y hasta admira a los que se meten a traficar droga? Mejor dicho, me podría quedar aquí todo el día enumerando los problemas que tiene Colombia.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:13:

"I found a HUGE change in Cali from 2005 to 2007...."

BTW, so did I...cambió de fea a inmunda! Qué pesar!

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:16:

Simon, if it was up to me, I'd change a lot of things, like traffic for instance. To me constructive criticism should be done with a solution instead of just saying traffic here stinks, etc. Usually when I go there I'm a tourist in their eyes and I don't want to say anything negative. Too many times I've heard people comment about friends who go to Colombia for a visit after living in the states for five years and they already feel and act like gringos and even speak Spanish with an accent. That's an extreme, but it has happened. Again if I had the power to change things I would fix the sidewalks everybody and organize traffic with stricker laws and stiff penalties. I love Colombia and I accept it the way it is.

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:17:

I meant to say I would fix the sidewalks everywhere etc

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:17:

simon!!!! how could you.. ;P

actually everybody say the same the also say Cali is becoming more dangerous

engage brain before opening mouth

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:20:

Simon says on Wednesday April 23rd, 2008 12:13:

"I found a HUGE change in Cali from 2005 to 2007...."

BTW, so did I...cambió de fea a inmunda! Qué pesar!


Hay Simon!! Eso me duele pero es la verda...yo amo a mi ciudad y me duele mucho como esta ahora....but you know what?
I still love Cali, and nothing will change that!

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:21:

"when I go there I'm a tourist in their eyes and I don't want to say anything negative."

I guess that's where we differ. I go as a Colombian who can see how much work we have ahead of us and am I'm certainly going to express what I think is best for Colombia.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:28:

Simon and what have you fixed how far? How many people have taken your advice and done something about it? If you criticize everything while you're just visiting I bet there are a lot of comments people are making that you don't hear.

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:37:

I agree with you there, I can tell my uncles and cousins get a little bothered when I tell them about the poor civic culture in Cali, with everyone throwing garbage onto the sidewalks and streets, and when I then tell them that in the US this is not acceptable behavior. Or the one time I got into an argument with my cousin who dared to defend that POS Pablo Escobar, telling me he wasn't such a bad guy after all, yeah right! Whether they take my advice or not, I don't know, but I do my part by telling them how things should be so Colombia can be a better, cleaner country.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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dwr says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:40:

Though to be honest, I prefer the Bogota I arrived to in 1988. Maybe because I was young and dumb and full of come on down to Colombia!

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:48:

I always tell my wife, if I was mayor of Bogota I would fix the traffic, clean up the streets, I would try to pass a law that would issue a cedula with the address in it so you can track people down. I would give stiff penalties for lottering the streets. I would fix the sidewalks instead of having every home owner fix their part of the sidewalk, I'd make them all uniform. I would penalize unfinished constructions after a certain amount of time, etc. I know I'm starting to sound like I'm campaigning already. They (Colombians) already know what their problems are and they don't need a tourist to remind them of them.

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:52:

Keep going mrgizmo, I like how you think!

"They (Colombians) already know what their problems are and they don't need a tourist to remind them of them."

Actually, I think many Colombians do not know what their problems are because things that are just straight out wrong to us appear 'normal' to them since that's all they know (cracked sidewalks and streets, driving like maniacs, corruption, etc).

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:54:

I think Simon is right.

That is the difference between cities like Cali and Pereira, where Pereiranos take such great pride in their city...
I still love Cali.

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:55:

Hey, I love Cali too, that's why it pains me to see the sad state it's in right now.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 12:58:

Simon, when I was in Cali I had a similar argument with my cousin and his friends. His friends just threw all the trash on the ground, I went off on them! They told me that I wasn't Colombian enough to understand! I of course told them I am more Colombian because I care about this city and the country more than they do! It literally hurt me to see people litter!

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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Simon says on Apr 23, 2008, 13:01:

"They told me that I wasn't Colombian enough to understand!"

Qué respuesta tan boba, muchas huevas! Eso es lo único que saben decir. Menos mal que tú sí les dijiste cómo es la cosa!

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 13:56:

And then again, if we had everything we wanted and needed here in the states we wouldn't have the need to keep going back. There's a magnetism in Colombia that keeps pulling us in!

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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MaFe says on Apr 23, 2008, 15:03:

mrgizmo says on Wednesday April 23rd, 2008 13:56:

And then again, if we had everything we wanted and needed here in the states we wouldn't have the need to keep going back. There's a magnetism in Colombia that keeps pulling us in!

For me that manestism is the countryitself; the food, the culture...I could care less what anyone thinks of me...I go to Colombia, enjoy the fresh air, enjoy every second of it....As much as I have seen, no hay nada en el mundo como Colombia....

It's in our blood and no one will ever take that from us...

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire. "-Aristotle

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mrgizmo says on Apr 23, 2008, 15:16:

I agree with MaFe, that's why I keep going back

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

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robert555 says on Apr 23, 2008, 15:21:

i think about colombia everday at work which keeps me going, a reason to work in this usa to return soon to enjoy life for a while

robertscotland

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jorgegdiaz says on Apr 23, 2008, 18:52:

Sorry if I was rude before. Now I´m drunk so I have to be honest (right?) By the way I found Ancla beer after 12 years, and it´s still as good as I remember it. I also found out that beer was bought by a German company ! That beer is produced in fo*in Germany. It thrumps my beloved Shiner bock by far !! at $3000 is a fo*in bargain

Bring electronics, power tools, towels, kitchen gadgets, designer clothes as they are expensive here. Don´t bring car, fruits, and 1" thick coats as you won´t need them.

"To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so."Robert Orben

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Mononoke28 says on Apr 24, 2008, 14:14:

Cali is still dirty as hell? Dang, I went in December 2006 and there was trash everywhere. We drove by where the feria is held and man that place was like the palace of trash. So sad.

Btw, I'm with Simon's advice:
- Consejo número uno: No le prestes plata a nadie!

- Consejo número dos: Tienes mucha familia donde vas a vivir? Si la respeusta es 'sí'....múdese lo más lejos posible de ellos!

- Si preguntas porque digo esto...ver consejo número uno.

Diana

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carlosvi22 says on Jun 1, 2008, 10:42:

Personalmente, yo te recomendaría si necesitas un abogado en Colombia la firma colombiana de abogados AYALA, NAVIA & ASOCIADOS. Esta firma esta ubicada en la ciudad de Popayán y puedes tener su asesoría en las principales ciudades del país. Tienen una página web en la cual puedes encontrar información general sobre la firma y lo que hacen, su página es www.ayalanavia.com.

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luiseduardoacuna says on Jul 13, 2008, 06:45:

Gracias por sus comentarios a todos, nadie responde a mi pregunta. Conozco como funcionan las cosas alla en Colombia y obviamente no espero leer bellezas, pues se todo lo que sucede alla y aun asi ya tome la decision porque adoro esa tierra y porque se que estamos progresando. Lo que quisiera saber es de experiencias respecto a dejar este pais y no cerrar las puertas. tengo una visa H1b que va a expirar en 2 años, pero descubri que no disfruto vivir en este pais y esa es la razon principal por la que me voy. Sin embargo aqui dejo contactos comerciales muy claves para mi desempeño profesional. Solo Quiero saber de experiencias respecto a la mudanza, como mantener un buen credito aqui aun estando alla?, como manejar la situacion de mis impuestos aqui?, si debo direccionar todos los asuntos financieros a Colombia? como manejar un 401k que estableci con mi empresa? si debo o no retirarlo en fin todo lo relacionado con esos cambios.

Gracias un vez mas!!

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; Second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." - Confucius

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jorgegdiaz says on Jul 13, 2008, 07:35:

* H1B visa expires after 30 days of your last paycheck. After that you´ll have to get another visa (tourist, trainning, investor, religious worker, whatever).
* Watch your credit periodically (you still have a SSN) try freecreditreport.com (free check once a year w/o your score, for which you´ll have to pay).
* You can watch your 401K, bank account, credit cards, everything through the web.
* Taxes: YOU HAVE to pay income taxes for the part of the year you lived thereonly if you had any income (same for federal and state if such is the case). Make sure you tell your employeer(s) to mail you a W-2 to an address that you have access to. After that you have no bound to the IRS unless you are citizen or permanent resident.
good luck

"To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so."Robert Orben

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luiseduardoacuna says on Jul 21, 2008, 15:20:

Gracias Jorge por su comentario.
Otra pregunta, si voy a trabajar desde Colombia como contratista para la misma compañia que es mi empleador como manejaria mi situacion de impuestos entonces?
Que me recomienda para sacar el mayor provecho viviendo alla y recibiendo ganancias por mi trabajo en una cuenta en estados unidos.

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; Second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." - Confucius

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jorgegdiaz says on Jul 23, 2008, 15:15:

Si te van a pagar en U$, todos felices !!!
Igual si te dan un W-2 debes pagar taxes (no estoy 100% seguro, per creo que debes declarar alla).
Igual con ingresos en U$ y gastos en COP es bastante ganancia.

"To err is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so."Robert Orben

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