Going to Cali

Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 3, 2004, 10:37:

Read the archive This question pops up about every 3 days on this site. It's been covered in detail. Search the archive for all the info you could possibly want.

In short, that fact that you're in tight with locals and that you've been learning Spanish will help you a lot. One of the most important things to remember is that the reality of "good" and "bad" neighborhoods in Colombia is even more stark than in London. Hopefully your hosts live in a decent part of Cali and can tell you with clarity what areas to stay out of.

You'll have the time of your life, though.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 3, 2004, 10:58:

you're not a target Stop thinking that you'd be targeted. You're not especially interesting to the Colombian guerrilla. What would they get in exchange for your freedom and life?
Yes, they will notice that you're not Colombian. They'll be asking a lot a questions about you, your country, about what your people think about Colombia and colombians. Be prepared to answer them. You already know the basic rules for survival in any larger western city,not showing off and not being conspicuos. keep a low profile, stay with the locals, heed the warnings and you'll have a lovely time in Colombia. Good luck!
Cheers,
Dd

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Gator says on Apr 3, 2004, 14:46:

Has anyone got any tips to reduce the risk of me getting targete Ask yourself this, "why would ANYÖNE want to targe me." Bet you can't come up with a good answer. In truth very, very few gringos are grabbed. So unless you work for a big corporation or are the illegitimate son of Bill Gates don't sweat it.

Yes, you have to use caution in certain areas just like most any place else in the world and use normal precautions. But all in all you will return with everything you arrived with.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 3, 2004, 15:20:

everything? that was being pessimistic:(
saludos,
Dd

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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RobertoNY says on Apr 3, 2004, 15:28:

Yet another guy in love with a woman whom he's never met I don't get it. Either you're a teenager or you're not in touch with reality and/or the meaning of love. Perhaps you should use the word infatuation instead of love. Or, perhaps, it's just me. I can't imagine how one could fall in love via the internet. It just doesn't make sense to me.
She's everything you want in a woman? And exactly what is that, a penpal? Get serious.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 3, 2004, 15:38:

RobertoNY Why are you always so aggressive with people who say they've fallen in love or have girlfriends they met through the internet? Welcome to the 21st Century, my friend. No need to get your nose out of joint.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 3, 2004, 15:39:

I need help I met this Colombian guy when chatting on the net. He's everything I've ever wanted, a loving, caring, sweet and considerate person. We have mailed each other for two months and talked on the phone twice. I've seen his picture and I think he's gorgeous. I've made plans to travel to Colombia in May, meeting him and his wonderful, loving, caring and sweet family and bringing him with me to live in Sweden. How do I know that he'll love me for myself and not just for my money?
I made a little mistake and told him that I just totalled my Volvo on a holiday in Spain, and he thinks I should buy a BMW instead. I'm thinking about it. I have agreed to pay the medical bills for his cousin who has a chronical skin disease in Sweden.
I am really scared to go to Colombia, because I'm white, blonde and look obviously like a Scandinavian, which of course is true. Do they kidnap blond people in Colombia?
Greetings,
Inga from Sweden

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 3, 2004, 15:40:

Love in the time of For more literary insight into how people can fall in love with each without being in physical proximity, you could always read that great Colombian classic, "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

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RobertoNY says on Apr 3, 2004, 16:22:

I don't care what year this is.... I don't believe that one can fall in love without having met someone in person. Even if they've met them once, I think you can go on from there. But via the internet and pictures alone, I'm not a
believer. It may be a good start, but the meeting in person will seal the deal.
However, Mr. Hollywood, to answer your question about my agressiveness: I'm this way because it bothers me to see so many fools supposedly falling in love with women they've never met in a country they know nothing about. I could see if one had experience in a particular country and prefers women from there. However, more often than not, the lovers here are just surfing the net looking for anyone that will talk to them.
I hope they all stay away from Colombia because of their fears. That will keep the country from becoming a haven for gringos looking for women. I don't want to go to Colombia to see gringos all over the place. I don't want more of their influence there. I don't want them bringing their feelings of superiority there.
Let them find a woman in the states. Hell, there are millions of them there. Yeah, I'm angry, but you just don't get it.

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RobertoNY says on Apr 3, 2004, 16:25:

Desideria, didn't you say.... that you've lived in Colombia before? I could have sworn that I saw that on another post.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 3, 2004, 17:11:

Question for RobertNY Are you a Colombian living in New York City?

I understand how the mail order bride, "Lonely gringo, come to Colombia and get yourself a wife" business can get to you. It bugs me, too. But the object of your ire in this post is just a guy who met a girl online and is giving it a go. Nothing crass or cynical about that I can see.

Love and live are hard. I'm happy for people wherever they find it.

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RobertoNY says on Apr 3, 2004, 17:28:

Mr. Hollywood..... perhaps I should relax a little. It obviously bothers me immensly when I see people interested in Colombia solely because of a woman. The country means nothing to them other than a chance to find a girl/woman. I still maintain that if one cannot find a woman in their own backyard then they have problems. Again, I'm not talking about someone that has traveled to a specific place and would like a partner from there. That person is much more likely to be aware of the woman's culture and her country's customs. He more than likely appreciates them also. I take exception to the bozo who's cruising the internet and "falls in love" with any woman that will talk to him. I especially hate it when it's a Colombian woman.

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AngelGabriel says on Apr 3, 2004, 19:10:

Colombian Women... Guess there's something about a Colombian woman that attracts a man. Í live in New York & know a couple of "Colombian Women". They're A pleasure to talk to. Ones I've met are pretty smart, upbeat, even intelligent to keep up with in conversations, dynamic in a way & some don't even want to talk to you if you don't drive a good car, the latter applies to other nationalities as well. Superficialty, then they thrown stuff on us (in NY). Don't take those seriouly. All latin women change when in the USA, there are no buts. A guy must thinking with his other head firmly to bring a girl he just met a few months ago to the US, that should be a no-way-jose. The original post of the of this thread is 36 & his other half, 34. It might be different since they both have been thru some life and on their own, they might fit just right for each other. Personally, if you're single & between, 18 - 35 (?), just have fun. Relax, go to Thailand, Sweden (Inga still single), Colombia ( Maria is not there anymore), have fun, enjoy life in a healthy manner, don't go looking for a woman to have a serious relationship. The best thing to do is to be "friends" with women & someone will come along or you'll find one eventually, just don't go looking for serious thing, from whatever nationality she is. Take it for what it's worth. See her as a great human being that makes us guys lifes exciting & fulfilling. That's a mutual thing actually. Yeah, you've heard all of this before.

Siente el Mambo YoYo

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 3, 2004, 23:09:

inga from Sweden is just a joke. "Inga" means nobody.
Roberto, disregard my previous post about "I need help", it was an unsuccessful attempt at irony. Yes, I have lived in Colombia, and quite a long time too. And like you, I don't want to see my favorite places in Colombia become cheap playgrounds for gringoes who, like the Canadian guy said, "call the operator just to hear a woman's voice". There's nothing contemptible about solitude, not being popular with women/guys/ whatever, but if you have to start paying to get company then maybe there's something that's seriously wrong with you.
I looked at the sites that tinto gave us links to. I really don't care what anybody says...most of it is downright pitiful and pathetic. I saw some very unattractave North American men posing in photos with girls who looked like they could have worked in my kitchen in Cali, but here they are called "models".
I'm not against internet *dating*, but like roberto, I don't think it's for real. It's a great way to make contacts, get to know the other person (if done over a longer time), andmake friends. But to fall in love, propose a marriage... I don't think so.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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vladimiro says on Apr 4, 2004, 09:12:

Foriegn Wives I met my Colombian girlfriend through work, but if circumstances were different would definately consider using the Internet to meet someone from Colombia...or India,Russia,Italy,France,Egypt,Iran,Azerbaijan...someone from a country I would love to visit or live in, speaks a language I would love to learn, with a distinct culture and world view,etc.

Why should I limit myself to a girl from Texas? I don't even like Texas!

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 4, 2004, 12:00:

yeah, sure Tinto,
I haven't seen the commercials, so I don't know. What's their branch? Swimming?
Yes, I think all these questions about net dating and mail-order brides and such could be best discussed amongst others that are really interested and into this same thing. I don't mind reading the (almost)identical posts every now and then, but frankly, I'm getting a bit bored discussing caleñas ("our little brown sisters south of border" as somebody said somewhere else) all the time.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Tinto (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 4, 2004, 12:45:

Swimming? Haha...No, I think floating, due to their artificially enhanced buoyancy, would be a better description. I promise this will be my last reference to high-brow American culture for a while: The Swedish Bikini team was prominent in a series of beer commercials a few years ago...a bunch of guys drinking a cold one, high up in the mountains near a rushing stream..."what could be better than this?" says one. "Well, a visit by the Swedish Bikini Team," says another. Magically, the team appears (via parachute, I think). Anyway, the commercial fell victim to old age or political correctness or something. Think about the chicas Aguilas plastered on the billboards in Colombia...same thing.

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