I want to live in Medellin? But will it be safe for living as a foreigner?

utopiacowboy says on May 20, 2004, 14:25:

You will be fine if you live in the better areas of Medellin, i.e Poblado, Laureles, Belen. If you blend in by looks so much the better.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombiaBoard says on May 21, 2004, 08:04:

Medellin You´ll be ok if you choose a good area to live, as the previous reply says, the best areas for you would be El Poblado, Laureles, I´d add Conquistadores and Estadio near the metro stations (Estadio Station, Floresta station).

0 funny, 0 helpful.

viewpoint says on May 21, 2004, 09:47:

Medellin is a beautiful city and it will be the best year of your life. I am an american man that has lived in Medellin for the past five years. There are far more dangerous places in the USA than Medellin. Yes you can find trouble anywhere if you look for it and yes you can even find it in Colombia like east LA, west Phoenix or many other areas in the USA major cities. The news services in the USA just print garbage about Colombia and don't talk about the 42,000,000 honest people who work hard every day to feed their families. All we hear about in the USA is the 70,000 people engaged in drug manufacture or Guerrilla activites and not the other 42,000,000 people with good hearts and a beautiful country. The Colombian's that leave Colombia for other countries with a better economy may gain financially but they will never find a more beautiful country or it's people than Colombia and especially Medellin. You will find good friends and they will look out for you.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

vladimiro says on May 21, 2004, 19:12:

Watch Bowling For Columbine For another perspective on safety I suggest watching the documentary Bowling For Columbine. Initially I thought it was just about gun control and was not interested, but its a more profound film than I orginally thought. Among other things, it investigates why US murder rates are so much higher than most of the world (11,000 people shot to death in the US, and only 48 in the UK for example). After watching this documentary I realized why it won an Oscar.

Some places are much more dangerous in the US than equivelant places in Colombia. For instance, have you noticed the difference between bars in the US and bars in Colombia? I have never seen Colombians pick fights for fun, while American bars have an army of steriod enhanced bouncers to break up fights. Many Americans go to bars specifically to fight; they carry guns in thier cars, and it can become very dangerous.( And I'm referring to bars in the rich, classy US neighborhoods ).

Other places are more dangerous too. Police in the US make public appeals for drivers not to make eye-contact with other drivers as this often leads to Road Rage and highway shootings. Nowhere else have I seen someone hounding, and violently threatening a woman with children simply for making a mistake while driving. On the other hand, violence in Colombia is mostly related to drugs and money; its just business - no one will shoot you for cutting them off in traffick.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

AngelGabriel says on May 26, 2004, 20:20:

Thanks for all the safety comments in this & all other posts. It does intrigues me that Medellin has the "highest per capita murder in Colombia" How can all the women (and kids) be in the middle of it all?

Siente el Mambo YoYo

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoX says on May 26, 2004, 21:28:

Vladimiro,

I agree with everything you said. The comment about the bars sure is true. Another thing that comes to mind is the problem with bullys in US schools. I didn't grow up in Colombia and I wonder if bullys are also a common problem in Colombian schools. Somehow I doubt it.

ColombianoX

ColombianoX 'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on May 27, 2004, 06:48:

It's not as though there are gun battles in El Centro or in the better neighborhoods of Medellin. Most of the violence is confined to the turf wars that go on in the bad neighborhoods on the hillsides surrounding the city.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

dwmte says on May 29, 2004, 20:59:

living in medellin go for it walter. after 8 trips, you at least know where centro is, envigado, las palmas, commercial centers like san diego, oviedo and the new one on the hill in las palmas el tesoro...and without doubt, the pearl of all, el poblado. now another poster mentioned belen and laureles...well only god knows why anyone would choose to live in belen...to work at das...god forbid. laurales, is a touch above that, but it's not even comparable in the same sentence with poblado.

so you at least have a clue as to where not to go...like barrio nikitau, or triste or further north in bello on the east side on the hill (the university of sicarios). then there's other dud areas like itagui or caldas (a bit better)

then there's close in pueblos for exploration that are genuinely nice and generally safe, many which you may be familiar with. like el retiro, rio negro and more unknown like maranilla, san antonio and best of all, llano grande, don diego on the hill, and tablaso. i lived my first 2 1/2 years in el poblado and the next two in llano grande. once you've developed your sensible colombian legs and gave up bull shit for serious commonsense, you'll be fine. stick with those places that are safe, entertaining and cultured. places like barbosa, amaga, primavera, and last and worst, la ceja are best avoided and not visited for general health, your safety, and your cultural wellbeing. these last listed are basically, ' zeros'.

if you're going to stay for a year, i'd highly recommend living up the hill in llano grande, san antonio as it's more enlightning and more fun and calm. if you like a steady diet of youth and bars, clubs and chicas...well i guess you're poblado bound, ad that's where the best of that action is. but, if you really want to know colombians, colombia and it's beautiful inner secrets, go to llano grande. take a drive to a place called gualanday. it's on the don diego/rio negro road just outside of rio negro across the street and a couple of hundred yards north (?) of tutucan, a confama entertainment park. it's great fun.

now gualanday is the homiest, best, all wood, unpaved centro commercial in all of colombia (or at least to my knowledge) it's so damn homey. artist, architects, craftsmen, writers, a bakery, a great small market, a pizza parlor (the best) with a fireplace, a couple of galleries. a bit of a half building on the side where mass is held on sunday mornings. used for selling on a day basis during the week. an antique shop with absolutely great owners. a hotdog place that seems to always try to survive to support it's wonderful big family of owners. god! it's heaven. it really spoiled me.

llano grande is the land of the 'kings' fincas. the very best. the finest paso finos are from there. pablo escobar was born on a finca in tablaso, the very heart of llano grande. do, do, check it out.

i've travelled this planet extensively and lived for many years in other places...europe, middle east and africa. and for me there are two killer cities in the world...for climate, beautiful people, culture and entertainment. those cities are los angeles, california and medellin, antioquia, colombia. and i guess i prefer, ultimately, medellin, because it has paisas and all the treats that paisas love!

go for it friend, if you have any questions about specifics, i've had good exposure and experience there; had two children born there, a little boy--whom i buried on the las palmas mountains above medellin--and a daughter, now 11, laura juliana, who's the delight of my life. my wife is from envigado. married about 15 years. are colombianas good wives, the best. tough? unbelievably. pains in the ass? for sure!! but treated right, they are wonderful--albiet demanding--women. and for the most part, if they receive it, faithful.

so, for a gringo, california born and bread, i've had a really good look at colombia, medellin and it's folk and fancies. you should have a wonderful and growth-full time. again, go for it.

dwmte

0 funny, 0 helpful.

walter says on May 29, 2004, 22:25:

Gracias pana!! Thanks for the indepth comment. It was appreciated alot by me. You inspired me to make the move. Yea, I think medellin is the best place I ever lived in my life. It reminds me of Los Angeles in some parts and Hawaii and Georgia, all wrapped in one. It is my paradise. The place I want to retire when I am older. My goal this year is to learn the spanish language fluently. I am 34 years old and have been studying the language for a year now. Getting better each day. But I want to be in the enviroment for a year solid. Depending to speak and comprehend. I recall many of the places you mention, but not all, because not knowing spanish well makes it hard to comprehend when someone tells me I am itague, etc.. I never knew the north part of Bello was rough..Good info Dwmte....And about the women being good wifes, I think you nailed it! Hard, but good.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

viewpoint says on May 30, 2004, 13:31:

Medellin Walter Let me know when you are returning to Medellin as I would like to meet you.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Hunter says on May 30, 2004, 14:52:

Go for it, I have lived in Colombia for 2.5 years and just over 1 year in Medellin.

I see far more trouble in London than Medellin or Cartagena where I lived before Medellin.

Just keep your wits about you as in any big City and you should be fine.

I have an American friend who rents out rooms in some apts in El Poplado to foreigners, I wouldn't recomend staying there long term, but it might be a good place to start from, his name is Robert and his e-mail is below:

chgo01 at aol.com

Hunter

0 funny, 0 helpful.

walter says on May 31, 2004, 00:17:

Hey Gary That sounds nice to meet a fellow american in Medellin. I will be heading back to Medellin in July. How can I contact you?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

walter says on May 31, 2004, 00:19:

Hunter How can I email you? I like to ask some questions off the board. Thanks

0 funny, 0 helpful.

viewpoint says on May 31, 2004, 05:03:

Contact Info Walter:

Just post your email address or a phone number and I will contact you immediately.

Gary

0 funny, 0 helpful.

walter says on May 31, 2004, 11:52:

Sure My email address is Nickels4470 at hotmail.com.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Walter

muchos gracias

0 funny, 0 helpful.

walter says on May 31, 2004, 11:54:

Email me... Nickels4470 at hotmail.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

observer says on Jun 1, 2004, 19:57:

Colombia is better than any think Colombia does not ususlly have the highest murder rate per capita in the world, it hands down does, but you need to realize that there are only 42,000,000 people in the country, and the majority of this murder happens outside of the cities, with FARC, drug, etc. related happenings. And since Uribe has enter in to office these numbers have been falling, for example in 2001 murder in colombia was 30,000, and in 2002 that murder rate was cut over half down to 14,000, since it has improved more no doubt. I have researched the facts, but I would say put a little time in and research it for yourself. It is pretty shocking like tinto said, but for the most part colombians are only afraid of themselves, they are a very good people, who are afraid of there own shadow, because of the FARC, and criminals. Realy it is because Cocain is produced here, and because of that, per capita that are more criminals here, but as long as you don't get involved with those type of people, and don't go tramping around in the jungle you will be just fine.

I have been to the seedest parts of Medellin, Bogota, and cartagena, I am not sure why, I am just very curious when I travel, well anyway, there is no way that any seedy place I have been in this country even compares to bad parts of oakland, let alone D.C. or East L.A.

0 funny, 0 helpful.