How do Colombians make money?

miamimike says on Jun 23, 2008, 00:19:

A Friend of mine in Bogota travels to Miami and buys lightly used second hand clothing in Miami's various flea Markets, has it drycleaned if needed and returns to Bogota where she peddles it off as brand new. She threatened to behead me if I ever told her friends and family. LOL On the Gas sales, the Miami cubans do a similiar thing but with Stolen gas. They load it into secondary large tanks on pickup truckbeds covered with a camper shell and sell it half price throughout the neighborhoods.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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viajero123 says on Jun 23, 2008, 00:59:

I have seen in some neighbourhoods in Bogota that you can hire a washing machine and pay by the hour. A guy in a motorcycle comes and brings it to you, and then pick it up and takes it to the next house. That way you you don't really need to own a washing machine if you can't afford it, just rent it. And the owners have several machines which are all the times being used or transported from one house to another.

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el flaco says on Jun 23, 2008, 01:13:

And of course the ability to "hire" a mobile phone anywhere. At the Reinas event at Cartagena someone rented me a plastic chair to sit on (money well spent).

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miamimike says on Jun 23, 2008, 03:06:

Someone in Bogota ought to invest in a Container Load full of chinese Umbrellas and sell them on high pedestrian count traffic Intersections daily from 3pm to dark for all those daily afternoon rains. Seems you never see anyone selling them when the skies open as they do every day.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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viajero123 says on Jun 23, 2008, 04:26:

It is full of umbrella vendors outside Transmilenio stations when it is starting to rain. And they sell a lot of them cheap umbrellas. Maybe those spots are more profitable than other streets.

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Monita Linda says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:06:

People do just about anything to get money, from selling chewing gum in the street, stealing money, begging with a (hired) baby on the arm (beware: those beggars that carry small children generally DON´T carry their own children..and NEVER give them money), renting out washing machines (some people cant afford to buy one, but can afford to rent one for a while), selling juices and cut up fruits.. just about anything you can imagine!!!!

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el flaco says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:16:

At Pereira at the zona rosa at night the heavens opened and litle boys appeared out of nowhere carrying golf umbrelas. They would escort you to a taxi for a fee.

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curramberochris says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:25:

People in Barranquilla take a plank of wood, and when the arroyos starts they charge you for dry passage over the road to the other side.....genius

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:37:

200 PESOS TO CROSS AND THEY'LL EVEN HOLD YOUR HAND WHILE YOU CROSS FOR SAFETY

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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webmanco says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:38:

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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bickerss says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:39:

Theres a guy in the Zona Rosa who has approached people selling little blue tablets. He wore one of the pharmacy shirts.

A girl I know in Bogota works for plastic surgeons and prowls around Zona Rosa and P 93 with her photo and price book. If she spots someone for eg who is fat she goes and speaks to them with her book, showing lipo pictures and prices. She used to actually get up from having a drink with me to tail a prospective client. Best thing was that the person was never ever offended. She makes some commission if she gets a 'sale'.

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:41:

i used them last time to cross an arroyo in curramba. that modefoque gave me his hand but i refused his help. That sonamanbiche had filthy greasy hands and dirty nails.
most eat leftover pescao for breakfast and that smell stays with them for days

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:47:

i was in cartagena and my girl wanted a fruit salad, i was gonna have one too, but after i saw the old lady with her dirty dress and greasy hands and rusty old knife and flies all over the fokin place, i says fok no.
chit, I'm becoming a real colombian scum bag, just like the ones i hated all my life
maybe i should cut my own fokin throat

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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webmanco says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:49:

Elmo
I'm becoming a real colombian scum bag



I wish I never age hehe

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:54:

web, the older you get the more bitter you get, you hate everybody
just like many colombians, now i've become racist modefoque too!

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 05:59:

i only buy chicklets and tinto from injuns and i don't even drink coffee.
i still have like 300 boxes de chicklets and salted peanuts in my suitcase.
as for so called "white" colombians, i trust them only as far i could throw them

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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elmodefoque says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:01:

oh chit, i better run downstairs, my walker should be there waiting to take me for my walk.
good nite

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one. CURRAMBA, EL MEJOR VIVIDERO DEL MUNDO!

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Monita Linda says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:21:

Please never give money to beggars on the streets (with or without children - children they rented), nor to people that "help" you get a bus or taxi...

There is also another way some women make money, but I think it´s too graphic to be described here...

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webmanco says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:24:

Elmo could elaborate, once he is brough back from the daily walk.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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Monita Linda says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:24:

Funnily, yesterday we got approached by a young women with a tiny baby that I recognized from before... 1 year ago and the baby hasn´t grown an inch... it was a good laugh.. she just rents newborns.. must be extra expensive to rent those..

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Philly says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:31:

Hey, that is not funny. I have rented washing machines plenty of times. 1,000 pesos a hour. (depending on what city you live in). It usually takes around 4 to 5 hours to do all of your laundry because the freakin machines are soooooooooo slow.

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morphus says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:34:

Better off washing by hand.

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Philly says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:53:

Oh, lets not forget the people who help you park your car in the street. They carry a stick, not sure what it is really used for, and they call themselves helping you. They watch your car the entire time and when you want to leave, they help you pull out of your parking space(well so they think). You are expected to give them something for this service. I live right across from a hospital. The same guy works the parking spaces every day. This guy keeps a haircut, is always eating lunch, and for the most part relatively maintained. I once saw him exchanging his coins for bills in a store. he had over 25,000 pesos and it was only 2 pm.

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webmanco says on Jun 23, 2008, 06:58:

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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Lowell says on Jun 23, 2008, 07:38:

A man drawn big cart always gets my eye. Now that's some real tough work. The old guys who off loaded bricks for my construction and reloaded the truck with debris had to be in at least their mid 60's and in damn good shape.

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

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el flaco says on Jun 23, 2008, 07:40:

At Bogota I saw men in white overalls walking in the street carrying silver metal cylinders on their backs, they looked fantastic very B movie science fiction types. Turns out they are selling coffee, mainly to office workers in fact they actually enter the offices.

Colombia what a country, I once paid a trio of musicians to seranade me in in street at Barranquilla.

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romy says on Jun 23, 2008, 07:41:

crazy is that all these people are considered 'employed' by government standards... and their unemployment rate is still very high

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jorgegdiaz says on Jun 23, 2008, 08:48:

I`ve seen people "working" on poorly mantained roads and aksing for $ to support their efforts...

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

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 23, 2008, 08:56:

Oh yeah JorgeG ive seen those. And Ive also read articles on how they cover the pothole during the day just to open a new one at night so that they can collect the day after. Its a logic Ive only read on 100 years of solitude (the woman who knits endlessly only to pull the yarn and start all over...)

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

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jorgegdiaz says on Jun 23, 2008, 09:30:

well, at least we know that those people read GABO...

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

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mranderson says on Jun 23, 2008, 09:47:

Sometimes those guys that help you park on the street will block off spaces with buckets or something like that and will let you park there only if you pay them. But you can tell them to fuck off and move their shit out of the way.

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tasco66 says on Jun 23, 2008, 09:48:

“And Ive also read articles on how they cover the pothole during the day just to open a new one at night so that they can collect the day after"

They don’t need to dig potholes, there are enough of them

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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vicshere says on Jun 23, 2008, 09:53:

"""And Ive also read articles on how they cover the pothole during the day just to open a new one at night so that they can collect the day after."""

OH yeah I have seen this guy begging for money with his leg with full open wounds...I swear he goes home at night and picks the scabs off...cause the wounds are just as fresh as the day before...he been there for years

listo

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viajero123 says on Jun 23, 2008, 09:56:

"crazy is that all these people are considered 'employed' by government standards... and their unemployment rate is still very high"

romy, this is in Colombia and everywhere else. Unemployed is anyone not actively looking for a job, and these people are not actively looking for a job. Not only a lot of them already gave up, but surprisingly many make more than a formal job would, and that is without a schedule and a boss.

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tasco66 says on Jun 23, 2008, 10:02:

Good point viajero123

From Wikipedia:

Unemployment is the state in which a person is without work, available to work, and is currently seeking work.

As usual romy has no idea what he is talking about

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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spigrimace says on Jun 23, 2008, 10:07:

collecting cardboard boxes, empty plastic canecas, and empty bottles and selling it to recylclers. I have fun and make an over/under bet with the employees on how long a cardboard box we put out on the curb will last b4 someone snatches it. I always take the under at 8 minutes and I almost always win.

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jorgegdiaz says on Jun 23, 2008, 10:17:

Guys covering potholes are found more often in La Costa...

Romy seems to have an opinion about everything and doesn`t mind voicing it everytime !

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

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tlextoo says on Jun 23, 2008, 12:05:

I'll show my usual ignorance...if you can't afford a washing machine, and can't rent one, I am going to assume there isn't a coin-op laundry facility anywhere near. So the option is washing laundry by hand?

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tasco66 says on Jun 23, 2008, 12:15:

Anybody knows where I can rent a dryer for half an hour?

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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Monita Linda says on Jun 23, 2008, 12:38:

Yes TLEXTO, the only other option is by hand.

You can also get a credito and pay a monthly quota (something typical Colombian - every product has payment plants on the tag) and still buy a washing machine.

We bought a 22 or 25 pound (cant remember exactly) washing machine from LG. I am very happy w/ it. We did NOT buy it with credito because than you pay easily 20% more.

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jorgegdiaz says on Jun 23, 2008, 13:47:

Our 15 pounder SAMSUNG signs happy tunes at the end of every cycle.
It probably got jealous of the microwave...

I`ll have to make a video and post it

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

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 23, 2008, 14:46:

Tlextoo, There is also the option of taking your clothes to a place that will wash, dry and fold for you (they also pick up and deliver). That's expensive, though, I think I pay $12,000 pesos for up to ten pounds of clothes.

There might be self-serve laundry-mats in Colombia, but I haven't seen them.

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Monita Linda says on Jun 23, 2008, 15:12:

Jorge Diaz: my LG also makes funny noises when it finishes (and about 10-15 minutes before its finished). Funny thing is that the neighbors below is have a similar sounding washing machine and do laundry at similar times, so they are competing, sometimes. LOL!

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jorgegdiaz says on Jun 23, 2008, 17:44:

we can have a laudry machines competition ...

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

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 24, 2008, 00:33:

Yes Tasco, but potholes are only found in cicites though. Try autopista Medellin, Via al llano....these are concessions, they are supposed to be in prime condition, and are for the ost part except the bits where these people are 'working'... how very odd.

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

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miamimike says on Jun 24, 2008, 00:49:

If a Colombiana is Smart, she will meet an American Online and Con him into sending a Monthly Moneygram/Western Union check for $200 monthly and the better the story is, she may get the monthly remittance upped to $400-$500 but the story has to be good. After they have met in person and a little Sex, then the higher amount(400-500) is a very real possibility. Hey, she needs this much for the Sick Mother and the local boyfriend. LOL

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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Monita Linda says on Jun 24, 2008, 06:38:

Miamimike.. LOL!

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tasco66 says on Jun 24, 2008, 08:51:

Cerealkiller I've only seen them working on potholes in cities like Bogota...working the autopista does not seem very convenient to me (far away and cars going too fast to stop for a donation).

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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tasco66 says on Jun 24, 2008, 08:53:

miamimike looks like you’ve been burnt badly…did you not follow the Elmo etstrata rule?

Bravo, Presidente Uribe for the perfect operation!

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 24, 2008, 08:58:

Potholes like this?

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

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 24, 2008, 09:00:

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

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 24, 2008, 09:02:

Now this is where the money is collected.
And then it's time to move on to next street.

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

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 24, 2008, 09:05:

Ive seen it mostly in autopistas far away from bogota and usually 40 miles away the nearest town...say la Linea, autop Med between Guaduas- Honda...Boyaca in the middle of effing nowhere...it boggles my mind.

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

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miamimike says on Jun 24, 2008, 09:30:

tasco66 says on Jun 24, 2008, 08:53: flag

miamimike looks like you’ve been burnt badly…did you not follow the Elmo etstrata rule?
===================================================================

I haven't but I've seen my fair share who have been.Same Old Story each time only the wording has been re-arranged a bit! In past years I've seen it posted more then a few times here as well as on other websites and I believe it happens quite a bit more then some posters want to admit. Maybe they are embarassed,,,LOL

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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dwmte7 says on Jun 26, 2008, 05:54:

no potholes on autopista medellin......that's a gaf.

dwmte

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morphus says on Jun 26, 2008, 06:09:

Where in Colombia can you safely drive 70 MPH? I have'nt seen.

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vicshere says on Jun 26, 2008, 09:35:

on the way to santa marta from B/manga in the flatlands i have managed 140 kms...does that count

listo

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ColombianoGringo says on Jun 26, 2008, 09:37:

I heard on the radio last week that speed limits were being raised in various places. I think they said that some highways would be getting limits up to 120km/hr. They were raising limits on certain roads inside Bogota as well, but I forget the new limits.

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