how much is too much?

ColombiaBoard says on Nov 5, 2006, 14:16:

Where to live Whether you study at Javeriana or Los Andes you should be living in the north part of the city. As you probably know Los Andes is in the downtown area whereas La Javeriana is in the Chapinero district.

I think you should rent a studio the first year while you get accustomed to the city, the university, the way of life and then you can start looking for an apartment to buy.

I'd recommend Chapinero Alto, they have some very nice little condos there, this area is east of La Septima (La Javeriana is located along La Septima) and very close to La Javeriana, if you study at Los Andes you'd have to take a bus.

North of Chapinero Alto is Rosales which is outrageously expensive (that's where diplomats live), then if you continue along La Septima towards the north you can choose anyplace to live, it's safe, it's expensive, but it's very nice.

Use this site to look for apartments, it's the best real estate website for Bogota, I assume your fluent in spanish, more or less, no?

www.metrocuadrado.com

What do you mean by "gringo tax"?

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Wastelandlive says on Nov 5, 2006, 17:38:

Hi Quinceanera Well, you certainly are dedicated!

I'd second the notion of renting. Buying might be a great investment, but as a blond gringa who's a student, and obviously not paying a mortgage, buying a place just advertises that your parents have money.

That's probably not your goal.

Santa Barbara and Alhambra are nice neighborhoods, too.

Wasteland

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Attorney says on Nov 5, 2006, 19:06:

look for another city Well, i would recommend you that look for a less expensive city, maybe Medellin. The rent is lower and it has most of the things that bogota has.

And the weather is better!

greetings

Esteban
lawyerscolombia at yahoo.com

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 5, 2006, 19:12:

i have some friends in Chapinero Alto, that was the only area name i knew besides, Rosales, because i have a friends whose dad is a colombian general, and puento largo/suba, which is where my ex boyfriend lives, and i thought about there, but its pretty far from both schools, but what is the average price? i see people advertising monthly prices for apartments but those are mainly for short stays, whats the average price a month for a small apartment in some of these districts??? thanks for your help!!! and yes im more or less fluent in spanish, maybe a slight bit of the less, but im taking alot of advanced spanish courses these next 2 years

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 5, 2006, 19:17:

also i was wondering how safe do i really need to be, the times ive been in colombia ive always been with a national never alone, but i want to have a true experience not a super nice apartment thats just like home, could i pretty much stay anywhere north side and be ok? anyone know any good apartments or studios??

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adrimm says on Nov 5, 2006, 21:58:

Share a place with another student, ie rent a 2 or 3 bedroom and sublet one or two rooms. Its a very studenty way to live and you'll have ops to expand your social circle.

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ColombiaBoard says on Nov 6, 2006, 08:34:

Did you check Metrocuadrado?
That site is excellent, give it a try.

I think for a studio they'll ask between 400K and 600K depending on the area. There are also many "student" buildings, they rent only to students.

I think that for your safety you should find a studio with a 24 hour concierge (common in Bogota) located near La Septima, and either in Chapinero Alto or north of Calle 72. Rosales is too expensive and Suba too far away from these universities.

Security concerns: you should get acquainted with other foreign students at the university of your choice, have the standard precautions you'd have if you were to study, let's say, in NYC. Don't go out alone at night, always take taxis, you should give yourself about 6 months to get to know the city, the good and bad parts, so you acquire the "street smarts" needed to live in Bogota.

Chapinero is very diverse, it has good areas and bad areas, personally I've stayed in Chapinero Alto several times and it's OK but if you go, say, three blocks west from La Septima you're already along Caracas avenue and that part at night is not so safe, more or less.

Also, there are other mid sized universities near Javeriana, so it's full of students all the time.

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 6, 2006, 16:24:

Awesome Thanks for thge help everyone you have given me alot to think about, now comes the hard part, waiting to be accepted and then getting my visa. which from alot of these stories sounds like im in for alot of waiting. but i will be so pscyhed to be there finally!

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Haz says on Nov 7, 2006, 12:04:

renting hi there, about the studio, my gran just recently bought a aparment near la javeriana if you are ever intersted i will give her a call, dont worry its not that expensive about $400.000 a months wich is ot bad for the area.

hs

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 7, 2006, 14:41:

thanks for the offer about the apartment near javeriana, but i wont be there until spring or fall of 08 still quite a bit away, i could care less if anything i do in college/ med school holds up in america, i dont want to work in the US... ever! i would love to work in free health clinics in colombia and bolivia or work for a peace corps type organization in colombia. im so fed up with the us government and their view of how thigs should be i realized as long as i stay in the U.S. i cant really change anything and if i want to make a difference, instead of sending 20 dollars a month to a company that gives 5 dollars to a kid in colombia, i can just go and actually help

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 7, 2006, 16:01:

i talked to one of my friends and yold him kind of what i want, a studio, kind of bohemianisk, very scene, and stuff to do and places to go, he recommended some place near 15 ave. and 93rd. and also pasadana, does anyone know these places or what they are like? anyone live there now?

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ColombiaBoard says on Nov 7, 2006, 18:08:

Bohemian, eh? If you're into the "bohemian - student" lifestyle then you must find something in Chapinero (preferrably Chapinero Alto) and close to La Septima, that's where all these bohemian and sort of underground bars are located.

Avenida 15 x Calle 93...that's too expensive, believe me. Not bohemian at all, very upscale. That's close to Parque 93 which is very upscale, and Avenida 15 is just full of shops but not exactly "bohemian".

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 7, 2006, 19:59:

thanks alot, im trying to keep it no more than 1,000,000 a month because thats about what it would cost to stay in a dorm in the us, but thanks how about this pasadana place, hows that, my friend (he lives on the west) kind of wants me to be somewhat close to him because he is helping me with school (he goes to los andes) and alot of stuff, and will be my life saver when i get there, but chapinero is bohemian like... awesome, very excited, i woul like to be close to 93 but i dont want a rediculous rent payment, like i said under 1,000.000 is nice, and everyone has told me a can get a pretty good studio for that. im really excited!!!

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Diez Y Siete says on Nov 8, 2006, 19:09:

i would rather get my degree in the us, but i cant afford it, because i would have to pay back off my student loans, and i wouldn't make enough anywhere i would want to work to do that. And the education in Colombia is better, i don't care what people think, but i have friend in college in the us and more than a few in Colombia, and my Colombian friends could school the others anyday, and i dont care about the red tape and i know the Colombian government is crap, but that doesn't mean the people are, and they deserve to be helped, i have no sympathy for people in America, none at all, we get soo many opportunities others don't even get to see in a life time, and so many people waste them away. so i owuld rather help people who would be grateful for my services

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