Is the juice worth the squeeze?

timeforachangeofid says on Oct 8, 2007, 14:39:

The best thing about Colombia is the juice.

Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen. Albert Einstein

juli says on Oct 8, 2007, 15:15:

You forget to tell where do you live now. That would tell a great deal.

CEO Fajardo´s Fan Club, Medellín, Colombia

peterNC says on Oct 8, 2007, 15:54:

Hi Juli... I live in Ft Lauderdale Florida... but am from North Carolina... I like both but my wife is from Colombia... I'm fluent in Spanish and although I've traveled a good deal, I've not lived outside of the US unless you count the military years alooooooong time ago... But I don't know how much diference that makes... life in the states is similar thoughout...

RonDubya says on Oct 8, 2007, 16:43:

timefor.. - You forgot to mention the food! I think I could stay just for the food arepas, buñuelos, pan de queso, on and on... I have been living in the suburbs of Pereira for almost 2 years, after living in the US for 66 years (that makes me kinda old, don't it). Anyway, for me living here is different. I wouldn't say better, or not as good - just different. I am still cautious about where we drive in the car. I don't particularly like having to go to the city every month and stand in 4 or 5 lines to pay my utility and other bills, and my command of the Spanish language is little more than nothing - but I get by. On the other hand, the climate here is just about perfect - I have lived in New York State, Massachusetts, California, Georgia, and North Carolina and the closest thing to good weather was San Jose California. Sometimes I do miss the US, but I know if I were to move back, I would miss Colombia. We are planning to move to Medellín in a few months, and fortunately the climate there is just like here - beautiful.

As in other things in life, each person will have his/her own experience. I am experiencing retirement in Colombia, and I am sure I would have a different perspective in another situation. Why not try it for a while, then decide?

Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

la campiña says on Oct 8, 2007, 17:57:

forget the pith, go for the ripe fruit, then you will discover, if you squeeze hard enough, the land of many things. For what its worth I stumbled across colombia fortuitously in my wanderings, for me much better than ecuador or peru to live in, dont know other countries here which leaves a massive hole. The people make a country and in my limited humble experience, locombia is the place to settle. HOWEVER it depends what yor looking for. I left england 5 years ago, being back, worked gathered money etc, but am here now for good, got my wife, guitar, happiness. So stats say colombia is the 3rd most diverse country in the world, I concede and probably one of the most complicated , but I'm learning every day, sure beats the mundain commuter route I used to take on the under ground or north circular road back in london

chewy says on Oct 8, 2007, 18:15:

I am in Puerto Rico now but am moving to Colombia. Much better place to live. I had the idea of moving to North Carolina (Haveloc) and got an acre in a subdivision by the Neuse River, but now I got it for sale once I visited Colombia. Besides, my pension will go much further in Colombia than North Carolina, NY or Puerto Rico.

Reasons besides the pension is the friendly people which are real friendly and not the friendly type of North Carolina. The food is OK, but much cheaper. Juice is good also but don't drink the maracuya juice in hotel 3 palmas. The woman are beautiful and full of love. Real love that is.

dwmte7 says on Oct 8, 2007, 18:39:

been doin it for 19 years and i wont say you can take it to the bank, but from my experience, it's really great.....that is until you get fed up and just have to go back home, where ever that is, just to take a break from the bullshit that is colombia. not that there's no bs back home or whereever, but in my experience of colombia which has been profound and extensive, there are times that it completely blows me off. (no giggles) it just wears on the bones.

back in the 80's it got to me so bad sometimes i'd fly back to california or ariz (where my partner lived) just for the weekend to give me a breath of fresh air. i love medellin and more specifically up country in llano grande....but even there i get the itch and have to take a break.

but as far as latin countries is concerned, colombia, specifically medallo, is the best. try it, you'll like it.

dw

dwmte

john_stark says on Oct 8, 2007, 22:09:

"life in the states is similar thoughout..."

You've got to be kidding me. You need to get out more. You're telling me that Maine is the same as Mississippi which is the same as Utah which is the same as Wisconsin which is the same as New Mexico? Give me a break, dude. Most of the regions of the US have about as much in common as the different countries of Europe do with each other.

la campiña says on Oct 8, 2007, 22:13:

when people bypass my words, i think " WHY bother"

christobeldawg says on Oct 8, 2007, 22:16:

I noticed that too john, that assumption that all of the states were the same. nothing could be further from the truth, even if looking within each state.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

slguy says on Oct 9, 2007, 00:50:

First- I'm pleasantly surprised at the fellow Tar Heels here! I grew up in Winston-Salem, but have lived in Florida for 21 years. except for a few years in Puerto Rico and Brasil.

Secondly...yea, regional differences are real in the States, in terms of weather, culture, blah blah blah. BUT- for me, the comonality is the "keep up with the Joneses" mentality. I'm soooo sick of the idea that one's life is work, instead of working only enough to enjoy life. Sometimes, when we're fortunate, the differences are not so noticeable. More often, it's enjoying retirement only for a few years before the accumulated stress and bullchit take their toll.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

john_stark says on Oct 9, 2007, 05:30:

"I'm soooo sick of the idea that one's life is work, instead of working only enough to enjoy life."

It's clear you've never lived in Oklahoma.

Bill Turley says on Oct 9, 2007, 06:31:

I moved to Colombia from North Lauderdale 10 years ago. I am weak in Spanish because my Colombian wife learned English a lot faster than I learned Spanish. I have faced the problems discussed on this web site and without a doubt the move was the best move in my life. I am totally happy living in rural Colombia. The juice is WELL worth the squeeze

Mr. Bill Somondoco

peterNC says on Oct 9, 2007, 08:14:

pretty funny:
"life in the states is SIMILAR thoughout..." "You've got to be kidding me. You need to get out more. You're telling me that Maine is the SAME as Mississippi..."

John Stark...SAME is not the Same as SIMILAR...though it is similar...hahaha

chewy, dwmte7, la campina, slguy & Bill Turley...thanks for the response... it's nice to hear some positive posts..
;-)

john_stark says on Oct 9, 2007, 21:15:

Similar. Yeah I guess the same way a trained chimp and my boss are similar.

christobeldawg says on Oct 9, 2007, 22:01:

let's see, the people of the delta basin of Mississippi are similar to the people of Boston or Chicago. Life is not all the same here in the US. Those people are as different from each other as they are from people in Medellin.

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

peterNC says on Oct 10, 2007, 13:00:

christobeldawg.... no they are not.... gheese!
I've been to Medellin, Boston, Mississippi and Chicago... and "one of these 4 isn't like the others...one of these 4 is different from the others... one of these 4 sticks out from the others"....the song goes something like that....
I think that the trained chimp, a new friend of mine... and his boss have more more in common than medellin and any of the other two cities mentioned here...

Mr. Hollywood says on Oct 10, 2007, 14:03:

I've often felt that the West Coast of the US has more in common culturally with Colombia and other latin American locales than it does with a lot of other parts of the US.

john_stark says on Oct 10, 2007, 17:07:

Instead of Medellin, Boston, Mississippi and Chicago let's change it to Medellin, El Paso, Laredo, San Antonio and Mississippi. One of these four isn't like the others, can you guess which one???????????

Tinto (Moderator) says on Oct 10, 2007, 17:31:

Yeah, Medellin, because it's not mentioned in any songs by Marty Robbins and there probably aren't any illegal Mexicans living there.

;-)

peterNC says on Oct 11, 2007, 07:48:

jajaja.... pretty good one Tinto...
Oh well... I guess we've run this thread into the ground.. let's just say that hairs can be split but it's only one hair and it just doesn't matter... I'm done on this one...
:-)
.. but it appears that there's some good juice to be had in that Colombian squeeze...

dwmte7 says on Oct 13, 2007, 06:10:

duh, john...let's see, laredo?

dwmte

poco says on Oct 15, 2007, 16:02:

I guess Mississipi.

"Violence is the first refuge of the incompetent" - Isaac Asimov

goin_south says on Oct 15, 2007, 23:04:

has this thread also... went_south?

and, thank you.

kalder says on Oct 16, 2007, 02:37:

Marty Robbins!

When I was a kid, every pub in Britain had 'El Paso' on the jukebox.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon