Living in Colombia

Dan says on Jan 19, 2005, 14:08:

link Thought this could be useful for those wishing to live in Colombia

Can an American own a house in Colombia:
http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/view/3175

God Bless America!

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Olaf says on Feb 8, 2005, 10:43:

School Recomendation for Bogota Hi,

I'm half Colombian and spent two of my high school years in Colombia. My experience there was incredible and now I'd like to give my 13 year old daughter a similar experience.

My wife are thinking of sending her down there for a semester or two (I have plenty of family down there). Any recommendations on a good bilingual school? Unfortunately I have done a poor job in teaching her Spanish and I don't think she could survive in a non bilingual school as I did.

Nueva Granada seems ok but their web site sucks and I can't learn very much about it. She's not the world's greatest student because she's unorganized so a strict school with nice and unpretentious kids would be great. Would also want her to interact with as many Colombians as possible so the lower the American to Cololmbian ratio the better.


Thanks,
Olaf
shibusawao at aol.com

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Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Feb 9, 2005, 18:20:

Byron Farrow says on Feb 15, 2005, 07:49:

School's A low 'Extranjero' to Colombian ratio is not hard to find here. Nueva Granada and the Anglo ( http://www.anglocol.edu.co/ ) are both almost exclusively Colombian in terms of students although they both have a good mix of USA / British / Canadian / Aussie / etc teachers. Unfortunately competition for places is hard, but feel free to give it a go. Personally I believe behaviour standards to be higher at the Anglo, but the Nueva Granada has a more USA style curriculum ( Anglo is more international.)

One point I'd make is that both are VERY cliquey and new students can find it hard to adapt!

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carolain11 says on Feb 20, 2005, 17:30:

schools well, basically most of schools are "bilingual" right now but that's just in theory... I think that 2 good options would be the Abraham Lincoln school or the Anglo Colombiano...
www.anglocol.edu.co
www.abrahamlincoln.edu.co

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Bec says on Mar 15, 2005, 13:00:

Move to Colombia Hi, I spent some time with my husband working in Colombia several years ago - it has left quite an impression on us! We have travelled around a bit with work and are looking at our future options (currently UK based). We have a young family and basic/intermediate Spainish. My husband works in project management/development in a social inclusion setting, I'm a social worker. Where would we start to look for work in Colombia? Anyone got any advice?

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cynthiaschaub says on Apr 3, 2005, 13:12:

Maybe Moving to Colombia in Near Future / From the US Hola! I am currently living in Atlanta GA and maybe moving to Colombia by the end of the year. I own a massage company here and it does very well. I have worked for myself for over 7 years. I wanted to know if anyone knows if the massage business is good. Are massage therapists in demand? Are people paying for it? Are there massage schools? Any information may be helpful. I just do not know where to start. I was also thinking of teaching English eventually. CAS

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medellinmike says on Apr 3, 2005, 19:25:

you can on property in cartagena yes, you can see my site for good deals.www.apts.8k.com
have a great week
Mike

Have a Great Life

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Profesora says on Apr 24, 2005, 00:34:

Being Chaste (or Chased) in Colombia Sex, or the prospects of it, should never be one's reason for going anywhere. I really believe this as I spent a year in Korea listening to my Korean girlfriends cry about how their scummy western boyfriends used and abused them. As a professional ESL teacher, I get seriously pissed off with said scummy western men damaging my profession by using English "teaching" to fiance their sexual forays into another culture.

That said, I am I made of stone, so I want to have a normal social life in Colombia. I don't discriminate on colour or nationality, but I do on education and attitude. I want to ask the colombianos here how to go about the dating scene in Colombia being safe, respecting the culture, and not ending up with a machista monster (not that I can tollerate machismo in its purest forms anyway).

Gracias .. Profe.

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jerry says on Apr 27, 2005, 18:06:

buy a truck Can you buy a new chevy 2500 in Cartagena Colombia? My colombian wife and my are thinking of moving there. Just wondering if I can have a truck? Thanx. Any thoughts if you can get a little land and a 4 bedroom home in Cartagena for about 125,000.00? thanx again for the help.

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jerry says on Apr 30, 2005, 17:40:

hmmmm maybe I think your face might be ugly and you should go into public! Maybe your fat! Maybe you don't make enough money? Maybe you've been devorced and are a bad example. Or is just that you like to critize people? Well I am sure you will get yours too! If your so perfect I bet you make less money then me. May I think and others that you should keep your mind to yourself.

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toknight50 says on Apr 30, 2005, 22:27:

Casinos? I have worked in the casinos in Las Vegas for 20 years and have dealt 21, craps and the wheel and have sat box and walked the floor and I play poker for fun and have dealt it a little. Does anyone know how I could get a job at one of the casinos? William

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jerry says on May 1, 2005, 09:14:

property and a house I see alot of apartments in Cartagena. Can you buy a house and small lot 1/2 acre in Cartagena? Are these availible?

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jjhill says on May 8, 2005, 14:20:

has anyone volunteered in bogota for human rights organizations? I have been to Colombia twice; once on a human rights delegation where we met with different grassroots organizations that help displaced people in the cities. they help "peace communities" meaning those communities who do not support any armed group, the guerrillas, paramilitaries, or the army. i now have the opportunity to work with kids, etc. through a couple of these organizations but now since i will go alone and not with the protection of a delegation, i'm a liitle worried. has anyone done such work?

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Mak says on May 12, 2005, 17:06:

School recomendation I recomend you "the English School" (http://www.englishschool.edu.co/). They usually accept students for short term or you could search for an exchange program. I also studied in Cartagena in George Washington High School ( http://www.cojowa.edu.co/ ). I remember seeing exchange students, and others that only spoke english.

I studied in many countries, and I think that sending her for a year could be great for her.

Maria

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Mak says on May 12, 2005, 17:12:

Massage company Hola Cas,

I lived in the states and am living actually in Colombia. Massage here are a little different, massages and theraphies are very cheap here. I don't know on how the business could work, but taking a different approach towards it may help. I had somo sessions done a month ago, and they where $20,000 each, about US9.
I hope this helps you somehow.

Maria

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Phil Sparrow says on May 18, 2005, 01:37:

Dilema.... Perhaps dilema is to strong a word and I'm sure for many people reading this, it may be the kind of dilema they might like to have. My wife (this is our second marriage) was married to a Colombian and lived for 20years in the northern suberbs of Bogota. She returned, after 20years, back to her home town of Northampton where we met and subsequently married. I'm from Northumberland and live in the hills bordering England and Scotland. Last year (2004) having heard so much about Colombia we visited. During the holiday I drove from Bogota across the linear to Cali (an amazing drive) and back as well as visiting many other places throughout Colombia including San Andreas and Providencia.
I now find myself part owner of a beautiful plot of land (about 5 acres) in a very up and coming area just north of Bogota and with permission to build a house. Through marriage we now have two homes in the UK one of which is rented out. The intention would be to sell one of the UK properties and move to Colombia for a year whilst the house is being built. Thereafter, split our time between the Colombia and the UK. My wife insists that once there I will want to spend a higher proportion of our time in Colombia!
Clearly there are many obstacles to overcome. Infact reading the comments of people on this site only highlights some of the problems we need to overcome. I am very open minded infact being a bit of an adventurer I feel very excited at the prospect. I have to say that despite being 6 feet tall, fair haired and blue eyed I still felt relatively safe nomatter where....yes even in downtown Bogota!!!
I would be very grateful of anyones thoughts or views on this situation....Phil

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rjstuff says on May 24, 2005, 12:03:

Banking delay Issues I sent my fiance a check last month and it cleared my bank (Denver, Colorado) on May 13th, but as of yesterday her bank has still not put the funds in her account! This is 12 days after the money has been taken from my account! Anyone know how long before the Colombian banks credit the customer's account after receiving funds? Am I/us being too impatient? She deposited the check in her account April 28th, my bank cashed it May 13th (a difference of 15 days), I don't understand the slow processing after the money has been taken.
Also, anyone has information on how long after I wire the money will the funds be available to her, maybe I will wire it the next time (Its more expensive though)? She is in Barranquilla but uses a national bank.

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pompano says on Jun 4, 2005, 17:00:

Moving to Cali My wife and I are building a home outside of Cali. I am interested in getting information on shipping appliances from Miami to Cali. The applinces are resonable in Florida and the Quality are good. I want to ship a container to my builder with refrierator, oven, dish washer, Microwave, plumbing faucets, pool motors. solar pool heater, washer /dryer and so on . I find prices in Cali high and models unknown to me. Is the cost of shipping, duty and whatever worth it?

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mamitaruby says on Jun 9, 2005, 17:34:

i want to know I have dual citizenship,USA, Colombian. My husband is an American retiring soom, so we want to go to Colombia for a year or two or more.
What do I need to do to get him in the country for that lengh of time?
Any suggestions?

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:04:

Try colegio ColomboAmericano, its a very nice private school, to give you an idea rich people send their kids to this kind of school.
I am sure if you live in the US for more than a year would not be expensive for you

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:11:

NOp Only if you know anybody in ADUANAS that can help you (i mean to bribe him) Buenaventura is where your staff will come in and burocracy will make it very difficult to get your staff back once in their warehouses.
Last year we send some equipment to Cali, we didn't have any choices but pay someone to help us out.
But i think there are some companies in Miami that do all the paperwork for you ( almost all the paperwork ).
You can get any american brand in Cali, If you need some help let me know.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:14:

Citizenship You have to go to "DAS" in colombia, its just like the INS in the US, they will help you with the paperwork.
You can also apply to get him a colombian citizenship, it will be easier, and cheaper that paying all the fines if he overstay.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:18:

wiring money In the future use Moneygram or a company like that, the money should be there next day, not problem as long as she have all the apropiate ID.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:23:

Living in Bogota I am from Cali, but i can tell you that you will fell in love with Bogota this days, its very clean and cosmopolitan, there are a lot of americans living in Bogota ( in the nicest areas of course).
People is not as friendly like Medellin or Cali but is just because i live there for 24 years and i know how my " rolitos" think.
Good luck

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:28:

Volunteer in Bogota If you are going to volunter in Bogota, try to stay within the city limits.
I am sure that ICBF will gladly welcome your help, its very nice of you to help my people.
But i will not recommend going to troubles zones without the back up of an Organization.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:32:

Truck in Colombia You will find that any car in the US will be sold in Colombia + some european cars.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:35:

living in armenia Try Medellin, i bet you will like the temperature and "I think" is safest.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:38:

Missing el Sapo You can buy the RANA in colombia and get your handy skills and build the box, its not that complicated.
I found some plans long time ago on the internet.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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jbyron1734 says on Jun 15, 2005, 13:44:

You will get carjack comming from Panama, that is sad but true---------- and about women, I can only tell you to look in the big cities, Barranquilla, Medellin, Cali.
You will find the most beautifull women in Medellin (Blondes)and Cali( Brunettes), you pick.
You will find hillbillies anywhere in the world.

jbyron1734@yahoo.com

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Tim Cole says on Jun 16, 2005, 05:49:

How much does it ost to live? Tim

How much does it cost to live in Medellin. I am thinking of being there for six months. Rent a house etc.

What would I need to budget?

Food and accommodation? Going out? Renting a car?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Tim

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jruff says on Jun 21, 2005, 16:12:

to Phil Sparrow: I just got through doing what you're anticipating. QWhat do you want to know?

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jruff says on Jun 21, 2005, 16:20:

jruff English teachers (credentialed) are always in demand.

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jruff says on Jun 22, 2005, 10:26:

buy a truck While you might find a relatively new Chevy, Ford, Dodge truck in Colombia, few, if any, dealers work on the v-8's or larger engines. With the computer driven applications which are standard in the US, you'll find real service problems there. New vehicles are subject to an 85% tax based on the assessed value of the vehicle at time of import. I was quoted US$92,000 for a 2004 Toyota Landcruiser in Nov 2004. Price in the US is just over $40,000. I wanted a Toyota Tundra. Had one before moving to Colombia last year. NONE are imported by any dealer in the country. Saw one on the autopista, but no one can service them. It's best to find a Toyota Hilux (called a Toyota Tacoma in US) but only available in std cab or 4 door. Get something that can be serviced locally and expect to pay a lot more for a newer vehicle that you would in the US.

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jruff says on Jun 22, 2005, 10:33:

visa Get a two year visa in the US BEFORE you go. If not, you have to renew every 30 days and I don't know how long you can do that.

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chaaynes96 says on Jul 20, 2005, 16:07:

retireing in Cali I am retired with a good income, My spanish is fair but I would like for it to be better. I want to live in an appartment or flat near the bus lines. I want to know about the internet, and the cafes that have them. the exchange rate to the us dollar. I lived in Mexico for a while but grew tired of it. The restruants, are they good? What do I expect to pay for rent? Where would I stay while I look for an appartment? Who could I count on for a guide until I was situated?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a single male, 65.
Thanks Charlie

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harrygrz says on Jul 22, 2005, 21:28:

internet service I was interested in the phone service using my home computer. What does internet service cost in Bogota? Can you get broadband? Is one company more reliable than another?

thanks

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vermontgirl says on Aug 3, 2005, 09:37:

schools in colombia my daughter to is going to school in colombia she is 17.SHe attends colegio britanico which is a biligual school.She will pick up spanish very fast.I am very happy & impressed with this school.Marymount & parrish are 2 other very good schools.

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Diez Y Siete says on Aug 4, 2005, 13:39:

billingual school i know that san bartolome is considered a bilingual school and it is in bogota. i dont know if it truely is a good bilingual school. but i just had an exchange friend here in the us and he graduated from san bartolome and is now attending javeriana and he speaks very good english but im sure it wouldnt take her too long to pick up spanish if her teachers were willing to help :)

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bagger59 says on Aug 9, 2005, 22:56:

internet Not sure about broad band but I bought a internet card when I was in Bogota for $10.00 it was good for 10 hrs. I only used half for business communications and will use the remaning when I return this month.

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precession says on Aug 26, 2005, 16:56:

There are upscale massage & beauty parlors.
A massage at a weekend club runs for 15.000
I know of a medical doctor who gives massages
and only charge 30.000 for the hour.

Dont expect to get USD $50 / hour as I just do not think it possible,
though I wish you all the best.

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precession says on Aug 26, 2005, 17:05:

Dating I appreciate your remarks about sex opportunities, but as you say:
Chased or Chaste. No-one (assuming a normal relation) is forced to go to bed with anyone else.

I am a foreigner iving 12 years now in Colombia.
I know many Colombian men, many of whom are not
what I would call macho. So just get out there
and meet people and see who you can find.

Do you belive in destiny?

Cheers,
precession

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mikecolombia says on Aug 27, 2005, 08:48:

Never send personal checks. I don't think you'll ever see the money again. If you wire her the money, she should receive it within the hour.

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anclaisa says on Sep 2, 2005, 11:35:

Money issues The problem is the process that undergoes clearing a check. It is a timely process, because they (Banks) do all type of security check on both the issuer or the cashee of the check. It can easily take 2-3 weeks, so I would encourage an electronic transfer. However, when this is done, the account holder to which you have sent the money to, will have to go into the nearest branch of his bank and "claim" (in spanish it's called Monetizar) that this money iss intended for him and fill out a form in which he states the origin of the money. A more lengthy process will take place if the money transferred exceeds 10K. So if you need to send in more than 10K, send two or more wire transfers, splitting the amount sent. This will guarantee that the money will "clear" faster. All these are measures by financial and police authorities to prevent drug money just pouring into the country. So be patient.

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anclaisa says on Sep 2, 2005, 11:39:

Internet serviced Harry, if you are still wondering, yes you can get broadband in Colombia and the prices are very competitive. Depending on which city you are located, the company/operator will differ. If in Bogota, I recommend CABLENET (www.cable.net.co)which is the broadband business of TVCABLE, the largest cable operator. Subscribing to the two services (TVCABLE and CABLENET) will get you the best deal, vs. getting each on your own (i.e. DirecTv and CABLENET).
Let me know if this was useful.

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anclaisa says on Sep 2, 2005, 11:41:

retireing in Cali Charlie, when is your trip for? I just came to the US after 25 in Colombia and can share with you some information. I just need to know if you still require it. Email me at anclaisa at ixp.net if you believe I can assist you.

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anclaisa says on Sep 2, 2005, 11:47:

For Cynthiaschaub Hello Cynthia. I just relocated to the US and found your message,. Like everything and everywhere, business is good as long as you target the right market and are located in the best place with reference to this target group. I just got of the phone with a cousin who is selling her Spa, very high-end and good clientelle, because she will be relocating to the US by the end of the year as well (her husband will be transferred here by then). If you are still interested, email me at anclaisa at ixp.net and I can put you in touch.

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Manu says on Sep 4, 2005, 12:08:

NO WAY!! Colombia is nothing like what you think, Colombia is a beautiful place and in the last 7 years Colombia has improved even more.
I have many english friends that've been to Colombia and they just loved it, they even described it as "paradise on earth"... visit Colombia and see it yourself... you wont regreat it!!!

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monica says on Sep 19, 2005, 10:30:

INTERVIEW Sorry, my english isn´t good. I,m in Colombia und I try to find American People that lives and works here. I´m producer for Mazdoc (www.mazdoc.com) und we want to do Portraits about American People that want to stay hier in Kolumbien und interactions whit the Cultur of Colombian People.
Hola, vivo y trabajo en Colombia, (www.monicaforero.com)(www.Mazdoc.com) En este momento estoy buscando personas Norteamericanas que esten interesadas en participar en una entrevista. El objetivo es mostrar Norteamericanos que viven y trabajan en Colombia y que al mismo tiempo interactuan con la cultura y las personas de Colombia

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ecarangel says on Sep 23, 2005, 08:27:

my family's home in Barranquilla my parents are selling their home in the Barrio Hipodromo - calle 28 de Barranquilla. We need help. We have lived in the US for 30 years and my parents hoped to retire in Colombia. But with health concerns, they need to stay closer to me (their daughter). Please if you have any suggestions to selling a home in Colombia or please contact me if you know about the area and can give us suggestions for realtors or people looking for homes. Thank you so much - que Dios los bendiga siempre...

ECA

ECA

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diebels says on Sep 25, 2005, 00:43:

Livelihood in Medellin Hi from Germany!
I am planning to spend one year in Medellin to work in a non-profit-organisation.
I would like to know with how much costs i have to calculate, like for example "how much does a room cost", the daily costs, etc.
Can anyone help me with that?
Many thanks!!
Diebels

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steve mezner says on Sep 30, 2005, 12:09:

chasing girls in colombia yes we know how us americans are god gift to all women we set in the bars and and talk how great we are and really we done have nothing to share with with a good loving women no matter where they are from i see alot of that in colombia i have been going to colombia for 7 years i'am married to colombian for 5 years i give of myself to the people of colombia i love them i respect them oh yes they my not have all the material things that we have in usa but the thing they have are more important like lot of love kindest feelings true feelings they are some of the most loving people on earth i have been to romote aears of colombia not one bit trouble if you want respect you have to be willing to give it and get off the ego trip if you take your car to colombia why would you want american tags if you look for trouble you will find it good luck don't let your money lead you always let your heart and good luck

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steve mezner says on Sep 30, 2005, 12:24:

has anyone volunteered in bogota yes i work with kids not in bogota but cali and in other parts i'am married to a colombian and i live part time in cali so if you have any question shoot back with them

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steve mezner says on Sep 30, 2005, 12:42:

retirement in colombia hey armenia is an excelent place to live it is as safe as you can get in colombia cost of living is low sounds like you haven't been there i have and that's where iam going to live when i go back in december i have been to serval places in colombia but armenia is the best my wife is from cali good place if you like big cities the quality of air isn't to good in cali but the people are the greatest don't worry about safety worry about your fears they do the the most harm, self is our worst emeny so good luck you sound like good person you will do all right in colombia your friend steve

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BarryRichards says on Oct 7, 2005, 08:52:

wages What are salary ranges in Colombia ?

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traveler803 says on Oct 18, 2005, 13:07:

Internet service Just returned from almost a month in Bogota. My son applied for internet service while I was there from ETB. The hostel where I stayed used internet service where you could also call long distance (international) via your internet connection. I believe it's going to be about $75 (US) per month to have the long distance service included.

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werowe says on Nov 10, 2005, 08:36:

please delete

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gtpsguy says on Nov 13, 2005, 09:38:

Moving to Colombia Dear CynthiaSchaub,

Regarding your question about the massage business in Colombia, I would tell you that it is pretty bad paid, and you would have a hard time making a living here doing that kind of job. Besides the low payments you would get, many Brothels advertise themselves as Massage centers.

In conclusion, I would recommend you to teach english first and then, once here, take your time to look for an therapeutic school where you can teach new techniques to Colombian therapists.

If you would like some help once you arrive to Colombia, feel free to contact me. I lived in the US (MN) for 5 years, and went to Grad School there. Also, my sister lives in Atlanta, and I am going to spend a month there for vacation in december. I would like to meet some American people who live in Colombia since I extremely grateful with americans for the great time I had there.

I hope to hear from you and very good luck!


Best regards,

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CTina70 says on Nov 19, 2005, 18:56:

Schools Nueva Granada is not all that great a school. The American Embassy sends most of the families to this school. The school has hightened security but most of the people say the education is nothing to write home about. The other schools that are more international or bilingual Colombian schools have a much higher education standard. I know kids who have to have tutors to get through Math and Science because the US is so far behind them in these subjects.
Good Luck.

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CTina70 says on Nov 19, 2005, 19:23:

Broadband We had cable intenet in Bogota. It was through out tv cable company. TV Cable. I am not sure of the price because my hubby's job took care of the bills but they do have it.

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cobbook6104 says on Nov 26, 2005, 04:23:

stay away You turn my stomach with your low expectations of Colombian women and the culture. You my distant friend are a addition we would not like to see in Columbia.
All though Columbia is very safe, I feel you would find grave danger with your attitude.

Stay in Panama,

Florida Bob

florida bob

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aljig says on Nov 29, 2005, 09:16:

Schools Hi,

I'm a teacher in one of the English-bilingual international schools in Bogota. Generally speaking the schools here are very good, trust me every school has its ups and downs. If you want to teach, check out www.tesjobs.com as this site has all of the international schools vacancies listed. It also has a staffroom noticeboard where teachers post cryptic comments about the schools.

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jessicariascos says on Nov 29, 2005, 12:29:

Hi I am looking for help in finding a place to rent in CALI!!!! Hello, I am from the US and my fiance is teaching english in Cali. He is native to Colombia, although we met 8 years ago here, in the US. I am moving there with my baby, and we are going to find a place to live for awhile. I am terrible at spanish and was wondering if someone knew of a good area. I know that I like the area around Chipechape, because I have been there before. But maybe you can help. Please!! Thanks

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herbmanforever says on Dec 13, 2005, 07:18:

ANY CHANCE OF A JOB Hello there , im planning to travel out there in the next 6 weeks anychance of a job , i played football at home and have a small bit of experience on massage looking after the whole team .

HERBMANFOREVER

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Erikin01 says on Dec 21, 2005, 05:35:

To Phil Sparrow Phil

I am a colmbian living and working in East london. I can only tell you that if you have the opportunity to live in Colombia, take it! The quality of life is a lot better, i know there will be a lot of issues to overcome but if you think is right just do it.

I wish i could go back and work and live there.

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Mandarina says on Dec 29, 2005, 12:30:

Going to Colombia on Student Exchange Hello,
I was wondering if it would be relativly safe for me to live in Bogota, Colombia for six months and go to school. I doubt that I would leave the city at all, maybe fly to Cartagena with some friends but I would mostly just stay in the city. I have many friends who live in Bogota and are Colombian, so I would just go out with them. Also, I just have the basic knowledge of Spanish, but I am improving.
I really want to travel to Colombia it seems like such an interesting place!

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etn2 says on Jan 1, 2006, 13:46:

Foreign Home Owner & Colombian Taxes I just funished buying property and undergoing building a multi family dwelling. Three story dwelling. I was able to puchase the land with my U.S. Passport. I had a lawyer, civil engineering contractor, blue prints approved, permits, etc. done. Ownership took about 90 days. Great now I'm an owner with foreign investments in Colombia. I have tried to get information on taxes for the property and have not been able to get any direct answers. With respects to opening up a bank account;I didn't have any success opening an account in Colombia. I even got a Colombian id number to utilize in opening up an account and was informed that I had to be residing in Colombia to open the account. I would like information on Colombia's taxes,which banks would allow for me to open up an account and renters management offices. Thanks you for any information that helps.

Thanks you for your reply.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pista79 says on Jan 10, 2006, 13:19:

Finding Work in Cali To everyone at poorbuthappy and anyone that has lived in Cali. I am in the mist of possibly moving to Cali for a few months starting next fall (yes I am planning early). I have the accomodations side of things taken care of, but would like some help in looking for employment. Although I understand the standard employment advice is ESL schools I am also very open to other suggestions. I am completely fluent in Spanish so language is not a problem.

So if anyone has list of schools and other employment suggestions and ways to apply that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Nick
Toronto, Canada

0 funny, 0 helpful.

tgdavis_01 says on Jan 15, 2006, 11:41:

Moving to Colombia I am interested in moving to Colombia. I have friends in Medellin and have been there several times and have fallen in love with the country, the city, and the people there. I would like to know about what visas I need to get and I would also like to open a business there and maybe get a limited partnership visa. Is there anyone here who has knowledge of that? Will I need to get an attorney for the visa and the business licenses? Basically, what am I looking at to make this happen.
TD

TD

0 funny, 0 helpful.

firebird1975 says on Jan 17, 2006, 04:15:

I need information concerning Columbian women. Hello,

I was lucky to fully retire and have been looking via the Internet since 2001 for a place that might be more to my liking compared to the United States these days. While I am not wealthy, I have a good income.

I am narrowing my choices and hope to visit Columbia in 2007.

Since I am single and American women that I have met where I live ( a major city in Texas) or read about from other men on the Internet all seem to be very cold. That is as nicely as I can put it.

The Columbian women seem to have a reputation for being very aggressive in pursuing foreign men.

I am just curious why or if it is even true.

Any place that I might relocate will have to provide better chances of romance than I have encountered all my adult life in the United States. I have been able to achieve at a fairly young age what most people are lucky to ever achieve. And it is always more fun to have a companion to share life with.

Since I am unusual that I was able to retire at the age of 45 (in 2001) after working for the government, what I would like to do is visit Columbia for a few months and see how I like it.

The lure of the beautiful Columbia women is a large factor in where I might visit and ultimately call home.

One last question. Are the women just looking to leave Columbia and hope to marry a gringo? Because it is very possible that I may not return to the United States except to visit friends and family, if a Columbian woman did show romantic interest, she may not wind up living in the United States but still live in Columbia.

I am not looking for some type of ‘romance agency'. I am nice looking and feel that if I was amoung women that are not spoiled like those in the United States, I would have a decent chance to find love.

I have looked for 20 plus years in the US and unless I have a large income, drive a great car or live in the nicest house, I am basically out of luck in pursuit of an attractive woman with a great personality. Nice guys finish last in the US.

Any 'real' information would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Firebird

BTW: one poster commented that moving to find love is never a good idea. One that issue, I do not agree. It is better to try and fail in hopes of finding the love of your life than never giving everything possible in the pursuit of what makes you happy. And to me, being in love is the greatest thing.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 19, 2006, 17:23:

Clueless In Columbia... It´s the same four guys every time. There´s one guy
with a set of maraccas who´s having an epileptic fit,
another has a little guitar, strumming just two
chords, back and forth, over and over again. The third
guy likes to shout things, normally Áy, ay, ayyyyy!´at
the top of his little lungs, and whoever gave the
fourth guy his trumpet for Christmas should be shot.
But it´s these same four guys who play from every
speaker in every bar, every restaurant, every street
corner, every nightclub and, like now, every taxi in
the city. After a while it just becomes background
music, inaudible no matter how loud, like the way one
ceases to hear a grandfather clock after a prolonged
period of time.

The taxi driver stops behind several other cars which
are waiting for the lights to change, thinks twice
about it, then swings into the left hand lane to
undertake the cars and jump the lights anyway - just
as a pick-up truck comes round the corner. Car horns
sound. These are also background noise, but this time
there´s just cause. The taxi swerves, judders, jerks
violently, then accelerates between the truck and the
queue of awaiting cars. My head hits the roof, which
looks like it´s made of cardboard and held on by Blue
Tac, and Louis laughs.

"We have to tip this driver, mate."

I nod and Louis laughs again.

"They´ll never find us now, mate."

He´s refering to the apartment we´ve just visited
which will shortly be our home; a small two bedroom
flat tucked away behind an ice cream parlour. From the
exterior it looks like storage space for the shop,
perhaps for wafer cones or 99 flakes, but the door
opens into a beautiful, second floor, Shadwell-esque
crack den with no Air Conditioning, no hot water, no
working refrigerator, and a kitchen so small that...
well, let´s just say I´ve seen bigger coffins. And all
for just 75 quid a month.

But perhaps this is jumping the gun. The last time I
wrote to you guys I was in Bogota.

The worst thing about Bogota is the altitude. When
you´re in a city between two mountains it´s to be
expected. The air is so thin you can barely take a
breath, smoking really does kill you, and the effects
of alcohol hit you tenfold. So why I decided to climb
up one of the mountains I have no idea. Well, except
that there was a pretty little church on the top. The
cable car that takes you halfway up, like most things
in Columbia, would never pass the stringent safety
tests of the Brits - the 89 degree angle up which it
climbs would have the thing closed down within
seconds. But Columbia is different like that. Safety
comes second to price.

Do you guys want to know what the view was like?
Imagine standing atop a mountain range. Imagine, on
the horizon, many many miles away, another mountain
range. Now imagine a city that´s tried to take up as
much room as possible between these two natural
obstructions, stretching from rocky face to rocky face
and all the way down the valley between them, and you
get a pretty good idea. As I was watching, I noticed a
cloud was coming right at me, at a pretty high speed,
and showing no signs of slowing down. A cloud. Coming
towards me. I braced myself for the impending
collision, and giggled a little as it´s gaseous form
passed around me. It felt like fog. Then I went
chasing more clouds, skipping with glee towards every
nimbo stratus I could find.

Bogota is supposed to be the fourth or fifth largest
city in the world. I didn´t believe it at first, but
from this angle there´s no doubt about it. You´re so
high that clouds are passing through you, and you
still can´t see where the city ends. Anyway, enough
description. Back to the action.

Have your ears ever popped on a bus before? A plane,
certainly, but a bus? When I landed in Bogota, my ears
didn´t pop. It´s something like 3,000 feet above sea
level. And yet, when I took the bus from Bogota to
Barranquilla, out of the mountains, they were in
agony. I´d called Louis the day before to check how
long this ride was supposed to take, and to my dismay
he told me it took 12 hours. I left at 10am, on a nice
air conditioned bus, and enjoyed scenery that only the
likes of Jurassic Park or Land Of The Giants can
compete with. Huge mountains, huge plants, huge rocks,
rivers, trees, animals, birds and huge everything. I
felt very little.

I was sitting next to a man who held a small cardboard
box in his hands. It was punctured with holes, and
something - I have no idea what, but something - was
obviously caged inside. I was reminded that I haven´t
had my rabies shot.

I fell asleep, and woke up at a Columbian roadside
cafe. You might have seen a few dodgy places in your
time, but believe me this was something else.
Everybody piled into the cafe and started screaming in
Spanish for food or water while little kids tugged on
my pants and asked for pesos. These kids are poor, I´m
telling you. Torn clothes and dirty faces. But if you
give one of them money, twenty more will take their
place. A bleeding heart can be the death of you in
this country. Of course, a bleeding bullet hole to the
chest is far more likely, so you have to watch out for
that as well.

People were throwing huge slabs of mysery meat onto
rudimentary barbeques and shouting ámigo! amigo!´. The
whole community existed, nay depended, upon the bus
loads of people travelling from one city to another,
and their livlihoods were apparently sustained by
stupid American tourists who must say, ´why yes, I´d
love to buy that phoney Rolex which looks like it´s
about to fall apart... how many thousand pesos you
want for it?´

My T-shirt had English writing on it. They just would
not leave me alone.

I ended up avoiding the main cafe, and eating cold
pizza and drinking two beers from a man who´d taken an
ice box and his plastic patio furniture to the side of
the road to make a few bucks. The whole thing cost me
4,000 pesos , which works out at maybe a little less
than one pound.

That´s another thing about the country. I don´t want
to sound like one of these people who go to France to
bring back 20,000 cans of cheap Stella, but you can
make English money go a long way. Unfortunately, so
can the locals, which is why they try to fleece you at
every opportunity they get.

The average beer costs 30-50p, (though Louis has found
a local brand that costs less than 20p), and I used to
smoke Marlboro Lights for 75p a carton until I
realised they were imported and therefore more
expensive. Now I smoke Bostons, which are strong but
smooth, for 50p a pack. A meal in an expensive place
should cost no more than a fiver, and junk food should
cost no more than a pound.

Just so you know.

Anyway, back on the bus I slept like a log, letting
the cold beers warm the cockles of my heart. I was
woken up later by somebody shaking me. When I opened
my eyes, there was a man dressed in a military
uniform, who was holding a gun and ordering me off the
bus.

I can honestly say I was quite scared. No, I tell the
truth, I thought my time was up. Once outside I found
we had stopped in some kind of army boot camp, and the
military were everywhere. My worst fears were
realised. I never thought it would end this way...
gunned down by the Columbian army in the middle of
some highway bootcamp. Seriously, I never saw it
coming.

I was told to turn around and place my hands on the
side of the bus, which I did, while my pockets and
clothes were checked for weapons. I was still half
asleep, and wondered if I´d feel the bullet, if I´d
see my brains hit the bus, or whether it would just
suddenly go very black.

The guy turned me around and said something to me in
Spanish. A kind old lady from the coach, who´d been
watching the whole scene from some distance, yelled
´passpuerta´at me, so I dug it out of my pocket and
showed it to the man. Why didn´t the guy just say
´passpuerta´? I didn´t inquire.

He nodded and that was that. We were hearded back
aboard, me somewhat shaky, and the bus rolled off.

The guy with the unknown animal had gone when I sat
back down in my seat. Instead there was a friendly
looking lady reading Spanish gossip mags. I checked
the time, and saw that it was coming up to 10pm - 12
hours since we left Bogota. My heart leapt at the
thought of getting off this bus and some place safe.
So I turned to the lady.

Érm... Quanto Houres Barranquillä?´ I asked her.

Ócho´she replied.

Surely that can´t be right, I thought. Louis said 12
hours. Maybe she means minutes, I thought.
I´ll make sure.

Érm... Ocho HOURES?´

´Si´ she replied.

Ladies and gentlemen, if there´s one thing you don´t
want to hear in the dead of night, after 12 hours on a
bus through Columbia, it´s that you have another 8
hours to go. My heart sank. I slept.

******************

Barranquilla is exactly what would have happened if
all the cowboys from the wild west met all the
gangsters from 1950 America and decided to have a huge
street party, all day, every day, for the rest of
time. And that´s the nice end. Head a little further
downtown, and the streets are lined with horses,
people are playing cards in bars or rolling dice in
alleys, taxis are gridlocked in the street, all
honking horns, people in market stalls are trying to
sell you all kinds of cheap plasic crap, strange,
unknown foodstuffs are being pushed through car
windows to the people inside, and every other
whispered word sounds suspiciously like cocaiana.
Louis loves the place.

Within 6 hours of meeting the man, I´d been introduced
to two English teachers inside the university grounds,
and been shown an appartment where we could stay. The
plan seemed to be coming together nicely.

Then we went for a drink, and ever since we seem to
have forgotten our exact purpose for being here. Louis
has fallen in love with the exchange rate. I honestly
think he´d marry it and father it´s children if it
were possible to copulate with a ratio. I myself have
enjoyed many a good night courtesy of some fundamental
error of the economy, but needs must, and money
doesn´t last forever. I learnt that in London, and
here you learn it quicker. God forbid you end up down
and out in a place like this. I don´t think I could
fight the street children for the contents of a bin
bag. They´d skin me alive and eat my toenails.

No. Mustn´t succumb to the dark side. Stay focussed.
Keep on the ball. Remember your purpose. Find a nice
place. Barranquilla isn´t nice. It´s Sin City with
iron spikes on. West of here is a town called
Cartegena. It looks pretty. Go. Teach English.

So recently I left Louis, and my new house, and for
the last two nights I´ve been by the coast, the real
coast, of Cartegena. And it´s fucking beautiful.

Last night I met a guy called Pete. He was from South
Africa, but as I hadn´t spoken English in over 48
hours I didn´t hold it against him. Today I´m going to
hit campus and wave my TEFL around till somebody hires
me. Can´t be that hard, right? I´ll let you know how
it goes.

Jesus, I wish I knew Spanish.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 19, 2006, 17:37:

Clueless In Columbia... (part 2) ----May The Best Cock Win----

Looking at the feathers on the stadium floor, you´d
think that the assembled crowd had gathered to watch
two teenage girls have a particularly energetic pillow
fight. But the actual sporting event taking place here
is a lot less cute, and a lot less legal.

I watch.

The white rooster does a backflip spraying a huge arc
of blood into the air before hitting the back wall,
where the Columbian mafia swear at it in Spanish. I
know they´re the Columbian mafia, because subtlety
amongst this country´s mob is a lost art. The main
guy, the head honcho, is wearing a shirt unbuttoned
almost to the waist, and is sporting a huge gold
pendant upon a huge gold chain upon his huge hairy
chest. His beautiful wife, several decades younger
than himself, sits to his left, and his henchmen, all
very scary looking fellows smoking Cubans, sit to his
right. They all swear at the rooster.

It occurs to me that there´s something inherently
wrong about calling a cockerel a son of a bitch whilst
its in the throws of its death rattle on a statium
floor, but I swear at it also. Its death has cost me
20,000 pesos. The black rooster struts around the ring
with pride, letting out a triumphant cock-a-doodle-do,
and the fat man beside me laughs and slaps my back. I
give him his money and make my way to the door. One
stadium attendant carelessly picks up and discards the
white rooster, blood still pouring from the fresh
puncture wound to its heart, while another attendant
mops up the two beady little eyes which lie glistening
on the floor.

This is the galloria - cockfighting stadium - and it?s
just about the most ruthlessly bloody, fiendishly
cruel, utterly merciless sporting event I´ve ever
witnessed. So it?s quite easy to see why the
Columbians love it so much.

I expected this sort of activity to be conducted in
seedy little bars, or back alleys full of broken glass
and chicken bones. What I didn?t expect when I asked
the taxi driver to take me there, was for him to pull
up outside the most magnificent building I?ve seen so
far in this country.

Men and women of all ages, all dressed to the nines,
were queueing up outside the stadium?s ornate gates -
anxiously awaiting an evening of bloodshed and
violence. So I decided to join them.

Once inside I saw that the chicken keepers were
preparing their beasts for battle. Iron spikes, about
two inches in length, were being taped and glued
securely to the backs of the chickens? legs.
Apparently this is fair game in cock fighting, and the
match is even suspended should one of the roosters
lose a spur. The only other time the roosters are ever
pulled apart, is if they?re both still standing after
20 minutes of head pecking, leg kicking, eye gouging
action. This rarely happens though. Generally, it?s a
fight to the death.

Five dead chickens are enough to sufficiently turn my
stomach, and so I hail a cab back to the hotel. I?ve
only been in Cartegena for three nights, and yet I
feel I?ve already soaked up more Columbian culture
than I would have done after 3 months in Barranquilla.
The two cities are a three hour bus ride and a whole
world apart. But as for living here, well... I?m not
sure the locals would ever leave me in peace.

----You?re Never Short Of An Amigo----

On my first morning in Cartegena I decided to take a
stroll along the beach, to blow away the cobwebs,
watch the ocean, maybe enjoy a few glasses of orange
juice from the straw huts scattered along the shore.
You know, relax. I soon realised this was going to be
an impossibility. Within the space of ten minutes, I
was hounded by an absolute multitude of salesmen,
demanding I spend my tourist cash on their cheap
imitation or downright useless merchandise. I was
offered, in order of appearance:

Sunglasses, T-shirts, CDs, paintings, weed & cocaine
(from the same guy, who wouldn?t leave me alone until
I finally arranged to meet him in a bar opposite the
hotel at six - a bar to which, needless to say, I had
no intention of visiting), oysters, a massage, bead
necklaces, deck chairs, inflatable boats, cuban
cigars, big brightly-coloured sombreros, fake Rolex
watches, some kind of ornamental wooden bowl and spoon
combination, sun lotion, more bead necklaces, a
chartered boat ride, and finally crab legs. This was
the only vendor who managed to get money from me. He
did this by successfully palming a crab claw, magician
style, before shaking my hand - thus leaving me
staring aghast at the severed leg of some unfortunate
crustacean while he squeezed lime juice all over it,
saying "eees good, eeees good, now you buy five". I
paid him 1,000 pesos for the claw, threw it away, then
ran to the nearest cab driver - still with twenty or
more vendors in hot persuit crying "amigo, amigo!" and
waving their various wares in the air as if I might
still change my mind.

Yes indeed. This is tourist town. People don?t see my
bright white skin in a place like this, they just see
a big bulging bag of dollars and opportunity. As soon
as I open my mouth to speak Spanglish, their little
eyes light up like Christmas trees and their minds
work overtime for an idea to fleece the living crap
out of me.

There?s a direct link to Miami from this port, and it
shows. Whatever the Americans touch seems to turn to
gold. That and overpriced tacky junk.

Learn this Spanish should you ever want to visit
Cartagena. You?ll need it, believe me. Use step one
when first approached by a vendor, step two when he
persists you buy his wares, step three when he starts
really bugging you, and step four when his sales pitch
borders on harrassment.

1. No gracias senior.
2. Por favor senior, no gracias.
3. No pietro su tiempo amigo.
4. QUE NO!

And if that doesn?t cut it, the only option left is to
hop in a cab and yell Vamos. Seriously, they?ll push
their goods through the damn window if the driver
doesn?t move fast enough.

Luckily for me the driver realised my predicament and
sped off to the old town sharpish, for a spot of food
in a the square, a few drinks, and an evening of utter
madness.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 19, 2006, 17:40:

Clueless In Columbia... (part 3) ----Happy Happy "Yes" Dust----

You guys want to know what the cocaine over here is
like, right? Oh, come on... if you visit England, you
drink beer. If you visit France, you try the
Champagne. If you visit Amsterdam, you try the local
hash. It was only a matter of time before I sampled
Columbia´s most famous export.

This is how I came about it. Anybody in Cartagena who
can speak English becomes a tour guide. It´s that
simple. They earn commission from dragging poor
misguided schmucks like myself into emerald factories,
hotels, tourist stores, restaurants, bars, travel
agents, various little shops that charter boats, and,
last but not least, brothels. All the nightclubs in
this city are brothels. I certainly didn´t find any
honest ones.

One of these tour guides, possibly the most honest and
trustworthy one in the city, is called Johnny. Within
thirty minutes of meeting him I´d already bought a
boat ride to one of the islands, changed my hotel to
an absolute sleazepit on the outskirts of town, and
came very close to purchasing a 500 pound emerald
ring. (That´s 500 GBP not 500 lb - the keyboards here
don´t have sterling symbols.)

Then Johnny took me clubbing.

I realised what kind of place it was in seconds. My
beer had cost me four quid, and some old lady was
trying to rub my nipples.

I paid the bartender for my half pint, downed it in
one, and headed for the toilets. Best to leave on an
empty bladder, I thought.

The coridoor leading down to the ladies´ bathroom was
lined with mirrors and ropey old hookers, all applying
masses of make-up in a vain attempt to make their
withered old faces look like porcelain dolls. A man
was propped against the wall of the gents, staring at
me. I gave him a nod of acknowledgement, and pushed
open the door.

He immediately followed me inside.

Thinking him a rent boy, I headed for the cubicles
praying that he hadn´t taken my friendly, English
courtesy as some kind of pick-up tactic. When I tried
to shut the door, he barged his way inside, then
locked it shut behind him. I´ve always held a certain
fondness for my anal virginity, so I must admit I was
rather scared.

He rumaged in his pockets, held a finger to his lips,
and pulled out the largest bag of cocaine I´ve ever
seen in my life. This is what he said:

"Eeees the BES maaaaan, the BES... eees towtalee
puuuure maaaaan."

My buttocks unclenched as the penny dropped. Not a
rent boy. A pusher.

"No thanks man, I´m good, seriously."

"Noooo maaaan, you try for freeeeeee... you see eees
the BES, man.... the BES"

The man had already pulled a set a keys from his
pocket and had lined up the wicked stuff along one of
the grooves. He then held it under my nose.

My willpower failed me, and curiosity took control.

I inhaled.

A mother and baby are inside my throat, and the mother
is powdering the baby´s bottom. There´s a pool
tournament in my lungs and everybody´s chalking their
cues. My eyes are squeezed shut tight and yet all I
see is white. I brace myself for the impending rush of
confidence and adhrenilin, that sense of knowing that
the world belongs to you and you can do anything you
like within it.

The feeling doesn´t come.

This is not cocaine.

I open my eyes and a big sloppy tranquil grin spreads
uncontrollably across my face. I am a zombie. But I am
happy.

"Now you buy five" says the man in the cubicle.

"Yes" I reply.



----Cartegena Comedown----

I?m on an open top boat in the middle of the Carribean
Sea during a torrential thunderstorm. I have four and
a half grams of some kind of Columbian mind control
drug tucked into my back pocket, which seems to have
the added disadvantage of turning your writing from
past to present tense. And I?m coming down a little.

After leaving the toilets I stumbled outside to find
Johnny patiently waiting for me. He took me to Santa
Domingo square where we drank overpriced cocktails at
my expense until early in the morning. It´s still
early in the morning, and now I?m on a cruise boat.
God only knows where we´re going. It´s absolutely
lashing down.

After one hour the boat pulls up at a jetti and we
climb ashore. Then the rain suddenly stops, the clouds
part and the sun shines, lighting up where we?ve
docked.

A golden, nay brilliant white beach curves off to the
left of the jetty, where crystal clear waters gently
lap at the shore. To the right, a path leads off into
a jungle, which is alive with the strange calls of a
thousand tropical birds.

Five minutes later I?m dipped in factor 30 and lying
on the beach drinking coconut milk. All the usual
strange paranoid thoughts are coming to me as an
effect of last night?s drug test, and so I talk to the
sea.

I?m a little worried about my future, sea.

Ssssshhhhhhhhhh, it says.

I think there?s going to be a terrible, terrible price
to pay for this utterly breathtaking adventure, sea.

SSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh, it says.

I hope I?ll be okay, sea.

Ssshhhh, it says.

God bless, sea.

Sshh, it says.

I heed it?s advice, and sit silently, staring out
across the waves for what seems like forever. Just me,
and a desert island paradise.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 20, 2006, 08:20:

Clueless In Columbia... (part 4) ----The Case Of The Dead Cockroach----

It?s 4am and still dark outside, but the light on my
bedside table illuminates the scene perfectly. There?s
a cockroach on my floor. Its lying on its back. Its
dead.

The only things moving in my room are the smoke from
my cigarette and the enormous fan which hums noisily
from the floor. I immediately rule out the fan as a
cause of death. The only way to fall asleep in this
Godforsaken Barranquilla sweatpit is to set the
infernal contraption to maximum power; three
dangerously sharp metal blades carving the night air
at a million revolutions per minute are almost enough
to cause a mild draft in this city. Poke a finger
through the plastic grill, and you?d probably lose an
arm. The cockroach may be dead, but its body is
intact. The floor fan would have disingegrated the
unfortunate soul.

I go over the facts. There aren?t many of them. I went
to bed at midnight, and there was no cockroach on my
floor. Sometime between then and four in the morning,
the deceased roach, let?s call him Rodney, leaves his
apartment, locks his door, makes his way to the garden
gate then goes back to double check the lock. Rodney
strikes me as a cautious kind of guy.

He wanders the neighbourhood looking for food and
stumbles upon my place on 82nd street. He sneaks
inside, makes it half way across the bedroom floor,
then suddenly feels an odd cold sensation running down
his hairy left appendage. He starts to rub it, but
feels faint. His little heart goes pit-a-pat-pop, and
he rolls over, dead. Heart attack.

Natural causes. Case closed.

I extinguish my smoke, turn out my light, and try to
sleep. Poor Rodney. What are the chances, eh? A
million to one, probably. One minute he?s walking
along, minding his own business, the next it?s all
over.

A million to one.

I?m reminded of that old saying, that if you give a
billion monkeys a billion typewriters, one of them,
eventually, will type out the complete works of
Shakespeare.

A million to one.

What are the chances of just one cockroach coming into
my room an dying of natural causes? I don?t want to
think about it.

A million to one.

It?s too grotesque.

A million to one.

If one million cockroaches cross a bedroom every
night, one of them, statistically, will suffer a heart
attack and die.

A million.

A million Rodneys.

I turn on the light, and don?t sleep a wink.


----Build An Ark-----

So yeah, I´m back in Barranquilla. Don´t ask me why.
I´m sitting by the side of a turbulent river which,
five minutes ago, was a road.

There?s only two types of weather condition in this
town, baking hot and torrential rain. When it?s baking
hot, the best thing to do is find a nice air
conditioned bar and drink until the sun goes down,
because there?s no way you can do anything else.
There?s so little shade in this city it feels like the
sun is constantly directly over your head, and so much
pollution that passing through a cloud of car exhaust
almost sends you falling, choking, to your knees. So
find a bar and drink till it?s dark. You just can?t
get around town when it?s hot.

The other weather condition is torrential rain. As
soon as you feel the first couple of splashes of the
stuff, the best thing to do is find a nice air
conditioned bar and sit quietly drinking until it gets
dark. You?ll notice that I didn?t say "until the rain
stops". That?s because even when you can walk outside
without getting drenched in two seconds by droplets
the size of golf balls, every street in the city
becomes the Gangees. And it takes all day for the
water to wash out to sea. You just can?t get around
when it?s raining.

Unfortunately for me, on this occasion, I?d failed to
get the requisite materials to sit out a Barranquilla
thunderstorm (a bar) and therefore sat by the side of
the road under the tiniest shop canopy, grumbling and
smoking and dripping.


"I gotta tell ya, my friend, that?s a fucken funny
T-shoit to be wearin."

This guy?s sitting beside me who, to all intents and
purposes, looks Columbian. Yet he?s speaking like a
Goodfella. I look at my shirt. It?s black and has
"sniff glue" written across it in white.

"Thanks." I say to him. He looks confused.

"Hey are you English? I thought youse was a Yankee."

"Nope, English through and through. You sound like
you?re from the Bronx."

"Ah, I lived ova dere for 28 yoirs. I gotta wife and
fucken kids ova dere, but they won?t let me back in. I
got inta som trouble, ya know?"

I can only imagine.

"Take a looka dis guy ere wid is fuckn bricks and wood
n shit tryna get enough fuckn pesos for a bite a eat
or sumptin."

There?s a guy in the road building a bridge from
breeze blocks and planks of rotten wood. He?s waded
into the river barefooted with his pants rolled up to
his crotch, and is testing his creation for
sturdiness. It would be almost funny if it didn?t
highlight just how poor these people really are, and
yet I know fine well I?m going to be paying the man to
cross. It?s the only way off the block-island
combination.

"Yeah, my daughter comes ova here she brings a fucken
video camera, takes it back ome to da states. Says to
her friends - hey, look at the crazy ass place where
my pop?s stayin."

The man in the street tries his bridge, which
collapses under his feet. He starts again.

"Hey, you drive?" Jo Pechi asks me. I shake my head.

"Dats a good fuckin thing. You leave ya fuckin car
parked round ere it?ll get washed down to the fucken
sea. That?s where this street goes, all the way down
to the fucken sea."

I know where this street leads, and if any car was to
float into those neighbourhoods the locals would strip
it for parts within seconds. I don?t argue with him
though. Even as he speaks a bicycle goes floating by,
closely followed by a dead dog. At least I hope it?s
dead. It?s in for a big shock if it only decided to
take a nap.

The guy building the bridge is unaffected by the
debris, and finally gets his business up and running.
He stands on he pavement, proud, and becons Al Pachino
and I to cross.

"Not for me, my friend, I own da shop jus? dere." Says
my new friend, and he gets up and goes, bidding me a
quick adios.

I pay the toll booth guy 200 pesos, and make my way
across. At the other side I think twice, return to the
man, and pay him 5,000 pesos instead. He deserves it,
for the story alone.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 20, 2006, 08:25:

Clueless In Columbia... (part 5) ----The Zero Hour----

I look at my watch. Twelve minutes to go. I couldn?t
have picked a better spot to watch my world collapse.

I decided to get the hell out of Barranquilla for a
while this morning, and took a bus to Santa Marta, a
small coastal town barely two hours away. It?s a lot
like Eastbourne, but with twice as many old people and
about half the charm. And it?s also unbearably hot.
Too hot to be outdoors.

I immediately headed for an Internet cafe. I love
Internet Cafes over here. They?re little air
conditioned islands of bliss amidst this relentless
sea of humidity and sweat. It isn?t even twelve yet,
which means the sun hasn?t even reached the zenith of
its ascent. Thank the lord for this Internet cafe.

Nicky is online when I sign into my MSN account, and
so I say hello. We chat for a while, and she sounds
upset. She sounds apathetic, fed up, depressed. She
tells me that she can?t see it working out between us,
with me in Columbia and her in London. She says she?s
sorry. I say I?m sorry. She says she wishes things
could have been different. I say I?m sorry. She says
she has to go. I say I?m sorry.

I?d intended to spend the morning writing emails, but
I lost my motivation somewhat. So I left the cafe in a
daze, partly because of what had transpired, and
partly because of the sudden rush of hot air when I
opened the door.

Lot?s of people have questioned how I see my future
with Nicky. Whether it?ll be long distance, whether
I?ll come back, whether she?ll come with me, or
whether we?ll both split up. Lots of people are also
of the opinion that it can?t really be love if you
leave your girlfriend and move to another continent.
That you can?t really care about them. That much. Can
you?

What these same people fail to realise is that it?s
possible to positively adore somebody, worship them,
want to spend the rest of your life with them, and
still be unhappy around them because of the place
you?re in. You?re wishing for the best of both worlds
ideally, a place where you can be happy, and someone
you love to be equally happy there alongside you.

Of course, upon leaving England, you quickly realise
that this might be too much to ask for - that it might
not work out that way. But that doesn?t stop it
hurting any less when the worst eventually happens.

I felt a little fragile when I hit the main road that
runs along the coast. And for no other reason than
that it had pulled up alongside me, I decided to hop
on a bus.

I sat in silence while the bus left the city behind,
direction unknown, and climbed the rocky winding road
up into the hills. For not the first time since I
arrived in Columbia, I wondered whether I?d made the
right decision.

The bus swung corners, climbed slopes, swung corners,
climbed slopes, and swung a few more dangerous corners
before finally it emmerged at the other side of the
mountains and began its descent. I looked out of the
window.

Before me lay a bay, many miles in circumference and
surrounded by green mountains, with what looked like a
small fishing village sheltered upon the shore. Dozens
of small boats were harboured along a long wooden
pier, and even from this distance I could smell the
charcoal fires and the fresh saltwater fish cooking
upon them.

That?s the most peculiar thing about this country. Hop
on a bus, and you really don?t know what kind of
natural treasures you?ll find. You just have to go
exploring.

Five minutes to go. I push the remains of my shrimp
cocktail away from me and sip my beer. This is Taganga
Bay, and it just doesn?t get any better. But still I
think about Nicky. It?s impossible not to. We didn?t
exactlysplit up over MSN, but it was certainly the
beginning of the end. I wonder what she?d make of this
country, of this paticular bay where I?ve chosen to
sit and watch the sun set and my world collapse. Would
she fall in love with it as much as I have? Would she
want to stay here with me? We?ll never know.

Three minutes.

Two little girls run past me dressed as witches. It?s
Halloween. I remember how Nicky and I once talked
about having kids and the names we would give them.
I?d have liked to have had kids with Nicky one day.
Not in London, but somewhere far away, a nice place to
raise a family. A tear rolls down my cheek.

Two minutes.

The bay is lit red by the setting sun, and it?s
beautiful. Not too far away, two girls in their late
teens or early twenties are playing with their younger
sister in the sea. They have an inflatable dolphin,
and are holding it under the waves then letting it go,
causing it to jump in the air - much to their sister?s
delight. Their mother calls to them from her shaded
hammock between two palm trees, and the the two
sisters pick up the dolphin and the child and make
their way to the shore. Their bodies are wet, and
their film buttocks gleam in the evening sun. Yes
indeed. There are plenty more inflatable fish in the
sea being passed back and forth by beautiful Columbian
twins, but there?s only one Nicky Owen. My God I miss
her.

One minute.

I watch the second hand of my clock as it ticks its
way slowly around. It?s almost 7pm, October 31st,
2005. Back home in England it?s less than one minute
to midnight. Less than one minute to November 1st.

My clock hits seven. Somewhere in England several
Direct Debits whir into action and attempt to take
close to 700 pounds from a bank account with
insufficient funds. My bank account to be precise. I
can almost hear the system buckle, and the small
electronic "beep" that heralds a major pain in the ass
for the bankers who countersigned my loan
applications. My world collapses.

I have no bank account.
I have no job.
I have very few career prospects.
I have a criminal record for fraud.
I have destroyed everything.
I have nothing.

I smile a weary smile, and listen to the pieces of my
life come crashing down. I couldn?t care less. My
thoughts are still with Nicky, and without her
everything else is just a meaningless, trivial
distraction. I really thought we were going to make
it. Now it seems we never will.

I raise my glass in the air and toast the bay. "I love
you Nicky," I whisper, "Now and always."

From somewhere behind the mountains, God lets out an
ominous roll of thunder like nothing ever heard in
England. If English thunder was a dog, it would be a
Yorkshire Terrier. This sounds like a rabid Doberman
on steroids who?s just found a kitten peeing in its
food bowl.

God?s angry. There?s no doubt about it. e?s letting me
know that, yes, there will be a terrible price to pay
for this one.

I drain my glass and, just like magic, the bartender
appears. "Otro?" he asks me.

"Si." I reply with a smile.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 20, 2006, 08:29:

Clueless In Columbia... (part 6) ----Return To Dead Dog City----

"How do you mean I?ve lost the plot? What?s that
supposed to mean? How have I lost the fucking plot?"
screams Louis as he pushes me down the street, away
from the nightclub, waving a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka
in the air and inadvertantly answering his own
questions. I?m back in Barranquilla once again, and
somebody?s cranked the heat up an extra couple of
degrees. It?s making everybody asolutely crazy.

This morning I was playing hopscotch down the streets
of Barranquilla - jumping cracked pavements,
sidestepping bin bags overflowing with maggot-ridden
food, and jumping up foot high curbstones - when I
noticed that all the dogs were dead. They?re always
there, the dogs, just lying on the street in the sun
waiting for it to get dark. But today they all had
flies on them.

I gave one of them a gentle kick. Only the flies
moved.

Ye Gods, what a place. I imagine the beaches of
Barranquilla to be just one long pile of dead dogs and
broken bicycles that have been washed out to sea.
Perhaps, occassionally, one of the dogs, only comatose
from the intense heat, will awake and climb out from
under its brothers before trotting back into town to
stink up the place a little more. I only came back
here to pick up my stuff and get going, to try and
find a nice place to settle down and teach English.
Just get out of Barranquilla and never look back.
That?s where the argument with Louis started.

Two bouncers step away from the door of the nightclub
and stand either side of louis, who still has his
bottle raised with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Louis, look, for fuck?s sake, you?ve got two
Columbian bouncers either side of you just waiting for
you to get violent. Put the fucking bottle down, eh?"

"You think I give a fuck about these fuckers?"

He?d give a fuck if either of them spoke a word of
English, that?s for sure. He?d give a fuck, and then
he?d give them all his money to stop them sticking lit
cigarettes out on his balls. Fortunately for Louis,
these guys aren?t bilingual.

I sigh and run my hand over my face. Every time. Every
bloody time. I look at Louis.

"What do you want?"

Louis?s eyes come back into focus briefly, like he?s
just woken up from a bout of sleepwalking. He puts the
bottle on the floor.

"Look, just give me one more night, one more night to
prove to you that you can have a great time in
Barranquilla."

"I?ve had a great time here, loads of great times... I
just really want to get going and see what Venezuela
is like."

Louis picks up the bottle.

"Fucking hell Peter, I?m not asking you to spend your
fucking life here, just come out with us tomorrow
night and I?ll show you a great time."

He has that mad look in his eyes again. I give in.

"Alright." I say.


----I Fought The Law----

The pick-up truck bounces along the uneven road with
Pepe and I in the back. Don?t ask me who he is, I
barely know the guy. Five minutes ago we were at a
party, and now it seems we?re off to another one,
taking the White Trash Express to get there.

Another pick-up truck pulls parrallel with us. Both
cars speed down the road, side-by-side, and Pepe makes
a swigging motion with his hand to the passengers in
the other vehicle. They lean outside the moving truck
and pass him their bottle of white rum.

I?m drunk as hell, and this is absolutely nuts.

Pepe laughs as the other vehicle speeds off and away
from us, takes a swig of rum, and passes the bottle to
me. I drink.

Several things happen at the same time. The truck
pulls into a petrol station and over a speed bump,
causing the bottle of rum to come loose from my lips
and my ass to leave the pile of tyres serving as my
seat.

I sit up and laugh, wiping my shirt and my mouth, and
look around me. I stop laughing.

No less than ten Columbian Military Policemen are
pointing their guns at our vehicle. I put my hands in
the air, and notice that I?m still holding the rum.
Not that it really matters. I?m covered in the rotten
stuff. I?m couldn?t possibly be more busted than this.

I curse Louis, but he?s not around to hear it. He went
to the casino as soon as the first party ended.

The officials motion for us to get out of the vehicle.
We do so immediately.

They take the bottle of rum from me and lay it on the
floor. They ask for our identification papers. My
heart stops beating. I knew there was something I?d
forgotten.

With gritted teeth and a sense of dread, I pull the
torn, crumpled, soaked then sun-dried photocopy from
my pocket. Little pieces of it blow away in the light
breeze. I hand it to the Military.

There?s a problem, I know that much, but my Spanish
isn?t good enough to even guess at what?s being said
between Pepe and the ten Policemen. It?s pretty
obvious that they?re not happy with my photocopy
though. I need to think fast.

Just as I?m about to ask Pepe to tell them that my
real passport is a mere block away from where we are,
the Columbian Policeman holding my passport shrugs,
gives one final glance at my papers, and hands them
back to me. They leave. All ten of them. The last one
turns back, picks up the rum, and hands it back to
Pepe. I?m trying to comprehend what?s just happened.
Back home in England, they?d have locked us all up and
melted the keys. Jesus, even the driver?s stinking
drunk, and they haven?t even breathalysed him. I kiss
my St Christopher, and climb back in the truck.

Pepe swigs the rum and laughs. He passes it to me. I
swig, and laugh. I laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and
laugh. We drive away from the station, and from the
policemen, and I take another swig of rum. It tastes
of freedom. It tastes of getting away with murder. It
tastes incredible.

"Man," says Pepe, taking the rum from me, "you NEVER
have to worry about those fuckers."

He?s right of course. But never-the-less, I feel I?ve
pushed my luck a little too far in this country.
Broken too many rules. Tomorrow I break for the
border. For Venezuela.

God only knows what´ll happen to me there.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete Bowdon says on Jan 20, 2006, 08:43:

Clueless In Columbia... (part 7) ----The Million Dollar Question----

When I woke up this morning, the question I`d been avoiding for the last 40 days was sitting on the edge of my bed. When it noticed that I was awake, it immediately set upon me, hammering and screaming against the side of my already aching head. I jammed my fingers in my ears and started singing "la la la la la" to drown out the noise... but the question persisted, even louder than before.

I got out of bed. The question rose with me.
I showered. The question showered with me.

I packed my bags while the question danced around the room begging for an answer that I didn´t have. I ignored it.

Dragging my bags into the hallway and fumbling for my keys, it occured to me that I`d forgotten to do something very important before checking out of this Barranquilla nightmare. The question had distracted me though, and I couldn`t quite place exactly what it was.

I threw my baggage down the spiral stairway in a crazy rush to get out of Barranquilla, and it wasn`t until I`d reached the ground floor that my memory kicked in. I climbed back up the stairs cursing, went into my bedroom, opened my set of drawers, and took out the small paper parcel concealed inside. I then entered the bathroom, and proceeded to flush $300 worth of cocaine down the toilet. I`m not ashamed to admit that I cried a little, but I consoled myself with the knowledge that it was so impure it could easily pass for rat poison.

I fled the building, and galloped down the spiral stairway. The question was sitting patiently by my bags. I grabbed them, ignored it, and hailed a cab.

-----

The person in front of me has his chair so far back he might as well have his head in my lap. I can´t change seats though. The question has taken the seat beside me, and is snoring quietly. I have no desire to wake it.

We pass quickly through Santa Marta and it isn`t long before we reach Maicao, the last city before the ColumbianVenezuelan border. It`s practically desert, but for a few houses and cafes scatted around the station. I`d been instructed on what to do here. Don`t talk to the locals. Don`t leave the bus terminal. Keep your cash out of sight. Take a taxi as soon as you arive, and ask for Maracaibo, Venezuela.

This place is so obviously dangerous that the question grows louder than ever before. It`s impossible to ignore it, but I still don`t have an answer as of yet.

A man appears and says "Maracaibo?"

I accept his gracious offer, so he picks up my bags and loads them into the back of a brown and beige Cadillac. It`s parked by several other huge American cars, mostly rusty old Chevrolets, giving the appearance that we`re all about to head off to some kind of prom where we`ll meet the cast of Happy Days, instead of risking our lives in a mad dash across one of the most dangerous frontiers in the world.

The man throws my bags into the trunk, along with the bags of four other passengers, and all six of us set off... crammed shoulder to shoulder on worn leather seats.

The road is wide and straight, and stretches off into the horizon where the ground shimmers from the heat of the tarmac. Either side of me is barren wasteland. Oh how easy it would be for the driver and his Columbian companions to play a small game of mug and kill the gringo. I try not to think about it.

Something appears on the horizon, a building of some kind, and I don`t need to ask what it is. It`s customs, immigration, and a whole load of trouble. I contemplate asking the driver to just shoot me now, but feel I might as well chance it. Who knows? Maybe they`ll let me leave the country with my life, if not my money.

Passports out. Here goes.

Whenever an official asks for identification papers, especially in places like this, I just know there`s going to be questions. Columbians can come and go freely between these two countries, and all they carry is is a small laminated card with their photo, name and address. I have a passport, a landing card, an emmigration card and an immigration card to show these people. My Columbian pass expires tomorrow.

The official looks at my papers like I`ve handed him a brochure on quantom physics smeared with dog shit; an expression of confusion which quickly changes to disgust. He hands them to another official, and asks me something in Spanish. I smile at him. He repeats his question and points to the trunk of the Cadillac. I understand.

5 minutes later I`m standing in the baking hot sun while three customs officers unpack my bags in their entirety. Nothing is left untouched. My laptop is produced, noted, and sniffed; in case I might be hiding cocaine between the computer keys. My shirts are produced, and sniffed, in case I might be hiding cocaine in the pockets. I can`t wait until they find my bag of dirty underwear. Some of those socks and boxer shorts havn´t been washed in a month. Sniff that, you authoritive pigs, and tell me if you like it.

They pull three socks from my bag, clean ones. One contains 2,000,000 pesos, the second contains somewhere above 1,000,000 pesos and 300 euros, and the third contains about 1,000 english pounds and a couple of traveller`s cheques. They count my money, and I savour the sight of it. I have a terrible feeling I might not be seeing this much money again for quite some time.

The officials ask me how much it comes to in dollars. I lie, and tell them roughly 1,000. They turn up their noses. They ask how much my laptop is worth. I lie, and say about 300 dollars. They ask me how much my iPod is worth. I lie and say 200 dollars.

They riffle the notes, counting them, and return them all to their corresponding socks. A bead of sweat rolls down my forehead and painfully into my eye.

They produce six large steel rings, and look at me questioningly. Ye Gods, please, not now... please don`t make me perform an impromptu magical caberet on the Columbian border... please don`t make me do that.

"Magico" I say, not knowing whether the word is right or not. They continue to look at me.

I grab two of the rings, with trembling hands, and toss one of them into the air. It spins and wobbles; a bad throw. I hold my breath and bring the other metal ring upwards. There`s a loud clash of metal on metal, and I open my eyes to see the first metal ring rocking back and forth, clearly linked to the other. I exhale.

"Magico" I repeat.

The officials smile, for the first time in ten years, and shake their heads. They give one last look inside my bag, for hidden compartments, and give the signal for me to repack and go. I don`t waste one more second than I have to getting my stuff packed and back inside the Cadillac. One of the passengers says, "estupido gringo" and I don`t even bother to correct his geographical mistake.

The driver starts his engine, and I look out of the window. The question is standing there, furious, jumping up and down with rage. It wants answers. I stick my middle finger up at it.

As the Cadillac drives off, kicking up huge clouds of dust from beneath its wheels, the question takes a huge breath and gives it one last shot, shouting at me over the noise of the Cadillac`s ancient engine.

"WHY ARE YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF COLUMBIA, YOU SUICIDAL FOOL?" It screams at me.

As we drive off towards the shimmering horizon, I lean my head out of the window.

"I`M NOT!" I shout back at it.

I laugh like a madman, all the way to Maracaibo, Venezuela.



Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for reading my posts (if indeed you did) and my apologies if they´re in the wrong place. I´m pretty new to this site. I can´t post any more entries here (phew, you say) because they all take place in Venezuela. But hey, if you want to read more or have any Columbian related questions, feel free to email me at:

the_nasty_jester at hotmail.com

Cheers,

Pete.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Rentasenlinea says on Jan 25, 2006, 21:38:

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Tim Trimble says on Feb 1, 2006, 11:11:

Bogota Hostel/Apartment Hunting I'm in Bogota next week for about 6 months and wondering if anyone has info on a nice place to stay. I'm in at the Platypus for now. Any info appreciated.

a.k.a. Professor Loco

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Juanita Davis says on Feb 17, 2006, 23:01:

I need help with the steps of moving Ok guys, and/or gals, I am 17 and am planning on moving to Colombia to live with a friend of mine, in Neiva. Well, I am going after I graduate high school, late May or early June of 2007. I have a home set up and basically a job, with the help of my friend, but he can't help me with everything. I know I need a passport and stuff to be able to go there. But I have no idea how to go about getting it. I have looked on the web about passports, and they look like trouble! And while I was searching, I found this site. So, can someone help me, with the steps or whatever. Nobody here can help me, because they don't believe I am doing it. It is becoming very stressful. And I am thinking about it all the time. I wont even know where to put my luggage in the airport! PLEASE someone help me out, as much as possible. GET a hold of me, tell me what you can. Advice is advice either way. BYE :)

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Eva says on Feb 24, 2006, 02:50:

Meeting other young U.S. families in Bogota Hi, we're moving to Bogota this summer, my husband is Colombian and me and my three kids are U.S citizens, all under 6. Since we're not U.S. embassy or anything like that, how can we meet other young families, find play groups, etc. especially from the U.S. Are there any existing groups out there that get together? Thanks.

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mojoj1224 says on Feb 26, 2006, 22:43:

Barranquilla Restraunts ENOTECA: located on "Calle 80 No. 51B-80" 378-0627 3780634. Very nice 5 star restraunt. Average meal 26.000 each.

ZAHLE: located on "Calle 93 No. 46-42" 357-7147. Very good 4 star restraunt. Average meal 15-23.000 each. Arabe and International food.

LA TRAMOIA: located on "Calle 79 #55-42" Average meal 26.000 each. 4 star restraunt. Very romantic setting and very good Itallian food.

Barranquilla Plaza Piso 24: located on the 24th floor of the Barranquilla plaza. 4 star restraunt. Don't forget to leave a tip if you pay by credit card, it is not automatic.

EL CUATE: located next door to La Tramoia at "Calle 79 #55-20" Good Tex-Mex type of food. 4 star

D'Elite Club: located across the street from the Charleston Inn Hotel at Cra 46 #90-40. Good place to eat lunch. They have an economico menu for 6.500 or the standard for about 10.000. We you are finished eating you can go to the casino or play billards.

La Cava: located on "Cra 53 #79-103" Nice place to dine at night and drink wine on the patio

PIZZA LOCA: chain restraunt. Good pizza and atmosphere. Nice place to eat and get a couple drinks. You will probably have to eat outside, because it will be freezing inside. They have an air conditioner there and they let you know how good it works.

PARMESANA PIZZA: located on "CRA 51B #93-137" Huge, good, and cheap pizza and also good juices. A sidewalk pizza joint with the typical plastic tables and chairs, don't pass this one up.

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mojoj1224 says on Feb 26, 2006, 22:51:

Barranquilla Hotels I wanted to recommend a new hotel in Barranquilla. It is called the Charleston Inn Hotel (www.charlestoninnhotel.com). It is a new hotel that open in late November 2005. I was there in Dec for 1 month. The standard rate is 85.000 mil per night w/tax and breakfast included. You can receive a much better rate if you are there for an extended time, but you have to ask. I received a 50% discount staying there for a month. That is a good rate for a hotel, but still about 2 times more than an apartment for a month... live and learn.

It has bigger rooms than the the Hotel Atlantic Blue and is in a better location. Very safe even for the obvious gringo. It is within walking distance of the Buena Vista Mall and Exito and about 3 blocks away from the famous Frog Legs night club. Also it is right next to the University de Autonoma, never know what you might see! The microbus station Marsol is nearby and will take you to Cartagena or Santa Marta for 15-17.000.

Very comfortable and modern accomidations and I experienced no problems. They will furnish you with a computer if you need it in your room or you can bring your own. I recommend a room away from the street because of the noise. Very nice and friendly staff, say hi to Sandra, Yanelis, Antonio, Daniel, and Jairo (Hiro) and tell them that Jason sent you. Jairo speaks a little english and Sandra is learning and trying to practice and the others don't know english.

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LORE says on Mar 20, 2006, 14:30:

SHARING APARTMENT IN BOGOTA Hey all. I'm looking for someone to share a nice apartment in the north part of Bogotá. Very quiet and secure neighborhood. Cable tv, internet, hot water, ect... Any questions please e-mil me at yassirserpa at hotmail.com

Gracias.

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AnnieCoyote says on Mar 30, 2006, 08:30:

shipping a used car to Colombia I am American married to a Colombian. can we ship our used Dodge van to Colombia and if so, what are the taxes?

Thanks...

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Olfrau says on Apr 4, 2006, 19:43:

LOOKING FOR JOB Hi im a Colombian girl and Im just came from Germany. Im planning to stay in Colombia until December. Im looking for a job, part time, full time anything. I have to save for my travel. I speak english and some german.

Suchen Sie helfe in Bogota? Ich kann diese schöne Stadt zeigen ihnen. Ich bin eine nette frau :)

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5percent says on Apr 13, 2006, 11:02:

schools Hi Olaf,
I would not expect to get alot of info from websites from high schools since not many even the nueva granada (the american school) uses those resources to attract students or parents. going to nueva granada will be an Elite school of colombians and americans (ie. the american embassador's kids would go there) English is tought in many private schools and your daughter will find her way (i did in san francisco CA and i did fine at 10). The schools you mention as "strict" or "organized" may very well be challenging for even the best schools in the US. nueva granda although very good it is by no means a "localy recognized acadamically challenging" school as you sound you would preffer compared to other private schools. The list I will give you is of what colombians consider "elite and accademically well off" and at least 20 yrs old.
I come from a well of family and most of my friends graduated from "Elite" schools and most of them went of to Universidad de Los Andes. (i did too).

For Mixed schools (boys and girls) also look at:
Anglo Colombiano (british school, good for arts,)
Liceo Frances (french school academically challenging)
Colegio Andino (german school)
Los nogales (elite colombian and academically challenging)
Only girls
Colegio Santa Maria (elite colombian)
Fundacion nuevo Mary mount (elite colombian)

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thegolfschool says on Apr 13, 2006, 12:19:

massage Hello, I used to live in the Duluth area. I just visited Cali and I got an hour and half masssage for the equilivant of $20.00. Not the $100.00 I paid in Atlanta while living there. A great idea is a massage school, didnt hear anyone mention one while I was there. you have to remember though that $20 us is alot down there. Let me know if you would like investors in a company, I really am considering moving there.

Regards,
Mark Castillo

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Megelafumf says on Apr 26, 2006, 17:15:

Volunteer Hi I am looking for an organization to volunteer for in Bogota Colombia, I have emailed several that I researched on other websites but I have not yet received any responce from them. If anyone knows of an organization that is looking for help I am willing to give it... Thank you very much!
Meghan

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australiandude says on Apr 27, 2006, 02:47:

Where to go in Latin America? Hi, I'm a university student from the Netherlands interested in going to Latin America for 6 months. I've been offered jobs in several places so far: Bucaramanga (Colombia), Marcaibo and Barquisimeto (Venezuela), Manta and Loja (Ecuador), Panama City (Panama), and in São Paulo (Brazil). The job in all of these cities would be that of an English teacher, teaching children, teenagers and/or adults. My question to y'all is: where would you go if you had a choice between these destinations? I'm really doubting between Bucaramanga and Barquisimeto, as they both appeal to me a lot and seem to be similar. The only thing that worries me about Bucaramanga (and the rest of Colombia, for that matter) is my personal safety. Which of the two cities are most interesting in terms of culture, going out, friendliness of people, weather, and safety? I really hope you can help me out!

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JohnnyUK says on Apr 28, 2006, 07:00:

I need help!!! Just got back in to London having been in Medellin and Cartagena for the last 9 days (my 1st time over) ... have fallen in love with the country, and the girl i went over to see :o) i'm already planning my next trip back ... what i want to find out is if anybody on here knows where to get information about moving to colombia and any good websites that advertise jobs. My spanish is ok but im learning by myself at the moment, although i gather there is a difference between spanish and colombian spanish - does anyone know of a book/CD/learning resource that can be used? - any help would be great! Cheers

i'm so gonna move to colombia :o)

i'm so gonna move to colombia :o)

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missmc says on Apr 29, 2006, 00:57:

not-for-profit work in colombia I'm going to be leaving Australiain 6 weeks to live and work with street kids in bogota for 6 months... i was wondering if anyone could give me an estimate on how much i would need to cover basic living expenses like rent and food.
thanks heaps
Rose

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ANGELSTAR1184 says on May 2, 2006, 09:19:

bandeja Paisa hello everyone i am new here but i was wondering if anyone could give a recipe for bandeja paisa especially the grilled steak. I am engaged to a colombian man but of course he doesn't know how to cook just how to eat. He would like me to learn how to make this dish not to meantion it would be great for me because I love this plate. Thanks again .

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rikharley says on May 3, 2006, 14:13:

wherein colombia/ this site is for medellin "mi activo .com " thuse this as reference cause most likely you 'll end up buying a house throuhg word of mouth stay with family first couple months to look around and compare prices dont' buy the first one yiou see and negociate can always talk them down. remember you have the upper hand ! you the one with the cash

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rikharley says on May 3, 2006, 14:16:

no, i tried you have to getmarried to colombia ,then get resident visa like they do to come here

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rikharley says on May 3, 2006, 14:40:

RIKHARLEY MY EX -SISTER IN-LAW DIES THAT MASSAGE IN MEDELLIN. THERE BUSINESS FOR IT BUT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THEM .20,000 PESOS PER HR SHE CHARGES

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rikharley says on May 3, 2006, 14:52:

YES NO PROBLEM THATS ABOUT 300 MILLION PSESOS HOUSE ,FINCA, CAR AND SMALL BAR LOL GO FOR IT IHAVE ABOUT THE SAME AND MOVING DOWN IN DECEMBER 2006!!1

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Centellasa says on May 5, 2006, 10:43:

Moving to Colombia, any shipping Recs from Miami? I am planning to move to Colombia (for the first time) and I am looking for some good recommendations on air shippers or freight carriers that send large packages to Colombia. Does anyone know of good reputable companies in the South Florida area? I had been given a quote for $1.05 a kilo. Is that reasonable?

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mjpinzon says on May 19, 2006, 21:04:

Bilingual schools Dear Mr Olaf,

I am glad you are giving this opportunity to your daughter. I recommend the school that I went to: Santa Francisca Romana. Is an only-girl, Catholic school run by nuns from Rochester, MN. The education is great; one of the best in the nation and strict. I hope this helps

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Mike from Chicago says on Jun 11, 2006, 12:38:

Used car I have had 3 different lawyers try to check this question out.
The answer is no.

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CatherineC says on Jun 12, 2006, 12:01:

Cell Phones in Bucaramanga/Car Rentals 1. Does anyone know how I can buy a cell phone either in the USA or Colombia that is cheap and I can use there? Also, does anyone have any info about Bucaramanga???

2. Any way to rent a car in Bucaramanga - either at airport or in town ????

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bettyadel says on Jun 20, 2006, 15:23:

Im looking for a job in Colombia bettyadel
Im in colombia around two months.Im looking for a job i graduated journalism and tourism (front office reception)i would like to work in Bogota or near bogota. I dont have spanish but i can speak english and turkish please if anybody can help me to find a job in colombia thank you.

bettyadel

bettyadel

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Bruce Burleson says on Jun 28, 2006, 19:20:

We may want to live in Cali My girlfriend is originally from Cali. We live in Boston, Massachusetts but are thinking about moving to Colombia so she can be closer to her family. Question I have is: What are housing prices like? Can I get a decent place for, say, $35,000 or less?

Cheers,
Bruce

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Brian4 says on Jun 29, 2006, 06:56:

Hi all hello im wondering if someone can answer my queary im from Ireland and strongly thinking of moving to Colombia to teach English, and i was wondering is ther any ill will felt toward Irish people because of the 3 Irish men who were charger with training farc? or is this not an issue! any help with this would be much appreciated

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Ron Caña says on Jul 10, 2006, 10:40:

A Home in Colombia Gone Awry A house in Colombia????
My friends had invited me to Colombia. After hearing some things that seemed difficult to believe I visited, flying into Bogota. What I found during my stay was a beautiful country, with nice people. And I agree with those who have stated elsewhere in PBH that the women are beautiful. The airlines Avianca advertises a slogan of something like, Colombia being South America’s best kept secret. They are correct. And just like I avoid certain areas of Los Angeles, Detroit and Chicago in the United States, I avoided specific areas of Colombia. But there is something I found that should be considered for anyone thinking of buying a home in Colombia.

What I discovered could be considered a determent to both Colombia and the prosperity of its honest hard-working people. I speak of what appears to be the government employees pursuit of their own political and financial gain disrespecting its citizens and their well being. This condition it seems is more predominant in the smaller towns where apparent individual greed and corruption of those in power takes precedence over the rights of the people. One incident stands out as an example of others that I also noticed or heard about.

On a Sunday morning my friends invited me to breakfast at the home of one of their friends. The house was in a very quiet and picturesque town, except for one very obvious blight, that will be revealed later. In the one room of the house I noticed a set of earmuffs like the kind that people who work near jet engines at the airport wear. My joking comment was something that it was so peaceful, what were they used for. The owner smiled and said, just wait. He also showed me that all the windows were of the very heavy double-pane soundproof glass with another window a couple inches behind that. The walls and ceiling were insulated with the best insulation that could be found in Colombia.

We were enjoying wonderful OMA brand coffee when it started at about 9:30 AM. This was not church music, but ear splitting excuse for music over loud speakers. “Try these,” the owner said handing me the sound-deadening headset.

“I can still hear it.” I said. That comment just received a smile exhibiting that they already knew what I would say. My friend produced a Buel and Kjaer sound meter. I remember the very expensive device from my days with General Motors and recording noise in the shop. He opened the window and pointed the meter at the stadium. The decibels constantly registered at an amount known to be detrimental to hearing and one that greatly exceeded allowable OSHA levels in a factory.

“Check this,” my friend said and lead me to the end of the house on the opposite side of the stadium and pointed the meter at the homes on the opposite side of the street. Still the registered levels well exceeded healthy levels just from the rebound off the homes.

“You will love this one,” the owner of the house said as we re-entered the house. He produced a copy of an official looking document. It was from the Government entity responsible for environmental protection, CAR was the initials. It stated that the sound levels from the stadium were below allowable levels. The look on my face brought forth the answer before asking. “They always come to measure when there is no or very little activity in the stadium and even then they say it is only 1/10 of a decibel under.”

Ok, so I enjoy playing the devil’s advocate at times and said, “Why would you purchase a house next to that noise?”

The answer came back as simple. “They opened the stadium after we purchased.”

I had questions, but they convinced me to try one of the restaurants in Tabio first. We walked down cobblestone and brick streets where a couple more people joined us. On the way to the restaurant I saw a postcard picture park with a stone fountain, gazebo, trees, benches and an early 19th century church anchoring the one side. The city offices on the opposite side had flowers in front and a decoratively painted railing. The other two sides of the parque principal featured brightly colored buildings. Then in stark contrast to and rising up behind the city offices like a hideous ugly monster was a steel structure covered with cheap plastic. It completely obliterated a view of the green mountains. My thoughts were, not only is the stadium a health hazard it is an eyesore and blight upon the town.

We ate brunch at a very nice place called Don Alirio on Carrera 4 near Calle 6. I give the place two thumbs up for their typical Colombian breakfast food cooked over a wood-burning grill. The clean restaurant is one of the businesses that contribute so much charm to a small Colombian town.

“The stadium is ugly,” I said to my breakfast guests.

“Well, it wasn’t originally designed that way,” replied one of the new people who had joined us. The planning committee for the town had designed and approved it with a lower roof and to be completely enclosed. The roof was built much higher above the stadium than it was suppose to.”

“Why,” I asked.

“Probably because someone thought it would bring air into the stadium.”

I started to ask more questions, but they stopped me with saying that this evening we would be with e people who could better answer my questions. Instead the conversation covered discussions of the various cities around and their country and where I should visit. I must admit they made them all sound wonderful. And later I was able to attest to how great Cartegena is.

After breakfast, we visited some of the small artisan shops surrounding the central park. They offered beautiful handmade items at reasonable prices. I also noticed that the noise from the stadium in the park area was not nearly as loud as on the side street. Walking back I could see why. The design of the roof actually funneled the noise toward the houses. The loud music stopped. But I noted throughout the rest of the day that the megaphone effect of the roof actually allowed hearing of a single basketball bouncing and even conversation. The effect was like having a teenager in your house constantly bouncing a ball and shouting.

With the afternoon some of us took a walk through and around the town. We walked past many small businesses. It was not unusual for people to greet us with, “Buenas tardes.” I could easily see why people would enjoy living there. Soon we were walking past open land. One of members of our group was a contractor from Bogotá.

“See, this land it is for sale,” he said pointing it out to me. “We could easily build six houses here.” And gave me the look like the “WE” part meant me also. “We could make much money,” he continued.

I decided to find the fly-in-the ointment as I was not at this time ready to invest in Colombia. “Six?” I questioned. “In the United States you cannot divide the land into any more than four pieces without special permission.”

“Oh, same here,” he said. Then added, “But with this mayor,” and he put his hand out palm up and rubbed his thumb against the first two fingers.

“Let me think on that,” I said and we continued a very enjoyable walk through countryside dotted with homes and small farms.

Before leaving for the evening, my friend advised me to not start asking stadium questions immediately. I asked why. “Because many of the people tonight either have jobs or business that can be harmed by the mayor.

We joined a group of people at a place called Carambola. Located on Calle 5 near Carrera 4, the quaint place with hand-made tile floor and wooden tables and chairs featured Tango music and dancing. And I was corrected later by being told that some of the music and dancing was Malonga. But since it was not like any ballroom Tango I had seen I asked why it was different.

“It’s typical Argentinean Tango,” an answer came. “ The Tango actually started in the bars and brothels of Buenos Aries. For a long time it was considered a dance only for the lower class people, but eventually it make it’s way to Europe and the rest of the world.”

Everyone seemed to like Rum and Coca-Cola to drink. We just ordered buckets of ice, boxes of rum (yes in comes in a box in Colombia) and bottles of Coca-Cola. Only after the liquor had loosened the tongues did my friend advise me to ask my questions about the stadium.

Since people did not want to be identified, I will present here the conversation as I remember it without specifying names.

“That stadium is ugly and noisy,” I said. “But I was told that it was not originally designed that way.”

“We had designed it with a lower roof and completely enclosed.”

“We?” I questioned.

He hesitated before saying, “I know someone on the planning committee.”

“Well, what happened?” I asked

“They changed it.”

“Who changed it?”

“The mayor.”

Now another person chimed it. “Later, we asked at the mayor’s office for the approved designs and was told by the city architect they were lost and not available.”

Considering things to be in Colombia like the United States I said, “Well, can’t you sue the government.”

“No,” came the answer. “Things are done different in Colombia than in the United States.”

“I mean from what I have seen you should be able to not only get an injunction against the stadium, but receive damage compensation,” I said.

Yet another person now answered. “Someone started the process with the government over a year ago. They also found that according to the law, the stadium cannot be that close to a public park and it has to be insulated.”

“You mean to tell me that the stadium is built not to approved plans, goes against the law in more than one way and is still operating with that noise?” I asked, probably too loud from the rum.

A person at the far end of the table heard me and chimed in, “If you thought it was loud today, you should have been here when they opened it. One night more noise than that went to past midnight. And it was not unusual for games with very loud crowds to go to nine PM. “I remember we borrowed a sound meter and took a reading one evening. It was frequently exceeding the 110 decibel mark.”

Now a new person joined in, “I once was in the stadium for a game and then came out and walked the street. I thought the sound was actually more loud on the street.”

“That is probably due to the funnel effect I noticed early today,” I said. “It is produced by a number of factors including the design of the roof and the material of the roof. From my days back at General Motors, I would say that to correctly do the stadium you will not only have to insulate the walls, but insulate the ceiling. Of course you need to close all the gaps between the wall and ceiling so there is not open space.”

“They know all of that and they are suppose to do it,” someone said. “They knew that a year ago. I saw a copy of a letter sent to the mayor telling him it had to be done.”

“And?” I asked.

“They stopped the night games, but no work is being done on the stadium and they continue to use it. This is even thought they have another stadium more outside of town away from houses.”

“You have to remember that this is Colombia and things take time in Colombia,” one of the men in his seventies said.

A woman added, “I have seen kids in there just messing around unsupervised. Probably they won’t do anything until one night a girl gets raped in there.”

“Why did CAR say that the noise was below that allowable?” I asked.

It was a man who did not live in Tabio who responded. “Probably getting paid off.”

A lady then recounted her incident with another government agency, which I now forgot the name of. But they are there to help citizens who have problems with businesses. She told how she had to miss work, make several trips and constantly call. Finally the man assigned to her case said, “Well, you know I am not making any more money by helping you with this case.”

Remembering the conversation earlier with the contractor, I said, “Do you think the mayor is taking bribes?”

Most of the people went silent and turned their heads. Two people said the mayor was a good man. Then one person said, “The road to Tabio was very bad for a long time. They finally paved it and made it better. But within a short amount of time it started to develop potholes. El Tiempo (the Bogota newspaper) in an article blamed the mayor.”

“How about the police?” I asked. “Can’t they do something?”

A smile came to the face of one man and he seemed to be carefully formulating the words in his head of what he wanted to say. Finally they came, “Well, when Mendoza was the Commandante here, I saw a paper he received from a government agency in effect saying that he had the power to keep the noise out of the stadium. And for two weeks the stadium was very quiet. Then kids playing in the stadium and playing their music loud could be heard. And the Sunday loud music started again.” He paused at this time as if debating whether to go on and how to word it. “Someone called the police asking for Commandante Mendoza and was told that he had been transferred.”

I had heard enough. The rum was starting to get to me and my mind even envisioned trying the dance floor with one of the many beautiful Colombian women in the place. “Sounds like you have a problem,” I said.

“This is Colombia,” The old guy said again. “Everything takes time.”

“You will be dead before they fix that stadium like they are suppose to,” one of the young ladies teased him. I offered my hand to her for a dance. The old man smiled and winked at me.

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Ron Caña says on Jul 10, 2006, 11:44:

another one Phil,

I know a UK resident living on a Farm North of Colombia. He came to Colombia 9 months ago and loves it. Depending upon where you are at north of Bogota, I believe you will find many people who speak English and know about the UK. I was pleasantly suprised to find them when I was there.

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lawyerincolombia says on Jul 14, 2006, 09:03:

Lawyer in Cali Colombia If you want live in Colombia, I can help to you
http://nicelatinladies.com/abogado.html

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lawyerincolombia says on Jul 14, 2006, 09:28:

Lawyer in Cali Colombia I am a certified lawyer in Colombia. My name is Carlos Arturo Dorado and I can help to you about inmigration and legal problems in Colombia.
I am located in Cali Colombia.

Best regards:
Carlos Dorado
http://nicelatinladies.com/abogado.html

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lawyerincolombia says on Jul 14, 2006, 09:57:

Lawyer in Cali Colombia I am a certified lawyer in Colombia. My name is Carlos Arturo Dorado and I can help to you about inmigration and legal problems in Colombia.
I am located in Cali Colombia.

Best regards:
Carlos Dorado
http://nicelatinladies.com/abogado.html

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GVILLA1964 says on Jul 26, 2006, 10:10:

Banking in Colombia Hi. Im a new member but I had been reading this site for quite a while. I am Colombian but Live in the USA for a long time.. My husband and I are considering moving to colombia in the future.With that in mind we are thinking of buying a house/finca there. For that reason I'd like to open bank account in Colombia but so far all the banks that I contacted required that I should be an employee in Colombia, or have a Camara de Comercio documents plus, declaracion de renta, bank statements from banks from Colombia etc.. Does anyone knows how a Colombian who does not live in Colombia can have a bank account in Colombia. I left colombia when I was 17 years old.. never worked there, or file taxes, no references. I'd like to sell my home and my acces in the USA and take my money to Colombia.. How do I do that...? My husband is not Colombian.. can he have a bank account there?.. Thank you for your ideas.

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nina diaz says on Aug 5, 2006, 08:34:

Massage teraphy Hi!!
I would like to know names of very good spas and places where I would be able to get an ayuvedic massage, in Medellin, Armenia, or Cartagena, since those are the places I will visit.
thank you!
Nina

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z_gringo says on Aug 16, 2006, 20:25:

Renting Houses in Pereira We have been looking for a house to rent in Pereira for some time.

Does anyone know of a good way to find a house to rent there? This is for "permanent" long term. The last place, we rented for more than 5 years.

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tina says on Aug 19, 2006, 12:24:

wow, i taught lish in japan for many years and even though the Japanese are one of the worst nationalities of speaking english, even the worst of my students could have corrected your english, now, if someone could just fix your attitude... And by the way, no one cares if you make more $$ than them, you need that $$$ to buy friends and no doubt girlfriends.

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lovinit says on Sep 25, 2006, 00:07:

Have been living in Colombia for 8 months I have been in Colombia now for 8 months and its been quite the experience. Guys this place is paradise. And Women you might feel a little unattracitve and unwanted but the beach is nice. Yes there is danger there is anywhere you go. There are young 18-24 year old women everywhere and i mean everywhere, I still cant believe it to this day. The food,discotecs, the women, aaaaa heaven....Latina women are amazing lovers and know how to treat a man. The beaches are nice but they are not exactly blue waters and white sand. The people are extremely friendly, once all the US residents arrive I am sure this will change but for now its relaxing. Anyways time for a drink with my girlfriends. Chao

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canamjay says on Nov 9, 2006, 18:48:

Clueless; agreed Sir,, could you not at least as these dreadful episodes unfurl, learn to spell the name of the country you purport to be in/writing about? Colombia amigo.. this mindless mis-spelling annoys me immensely, but for those even thinking about visiting, ever likely to have perused a map, a boarding pass, internet signage, totally, yes totally eludes my understanding.

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haldunk says on Dec 5, 2006, 19:31:

School in Pereira Hi, I will move to Pereira with my family. I have a daughter at thge primary school level. Can anybody suggest a school in Pereira? Thanks in advance.

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polus says on Dec 20, 2006, 13:10:

moving to Colombia I thinking about moving to Colombia and have been able to learn a lot online and through friends but still can't seem to find some information. Does anyone know what car insurance runs there? How about utilities (internet, electricity, phone)....
Thanks!

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ThatCrazyDogLady says on Jan 16, 2007, 04:10:

Finding a maid We need a maid! Bogota has turned out to be rather dirty (even tho' you wouldn't know it by the blue sky I'm looking at right now!) and between that and the dog fur it's a never ending job to keep the apartment clean. I'm wanting to go back to substitute teaching and that'll be impossible unitl I get someone to handle the homefront for me. My husband's company is supposed to help us get a maid but I just keep getting the same "It's very difficult to find a maid" statement from the person that's supposed to be helping.

Does anyone know of any good maids looking for work or any agencies where I can start doing some of my own searching?

Would appreciate it!
That Crazy Dog Lady (Eve)

That Crazy Dog Lady (Eve)

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mroberts122 says on Jan 31, 2007, 15:41:

Apartment Hello,

How can I find out if someone owns an apartment in Bogota, Colombia? Do they have titles the same as in the U.S.? Thank you.

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brassmky1997 says on May 15, 2007, 00:35:

that last line was hilarious! yea i have my car in the states to stay! i figured it would just get " jacked " if i brought it down... but i must say that the columbian and venezuelan region ( where i happen to live at the moment... ) happen to have pretty reliable and educated women.. there is so many! not to mention extremly gorgeous.. but thats only stating the obvious!

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gwynethmarta says on May 17, 2007, 09:27:

Looking for a job in Colombia Bec,

I understand you perfectly. Finding a job abroad is not an easy thing to do, especially when you are not fluent in a country's language. I went through the same thing thinking that with my basic Spanish skills, my only options are teaching English, working in travel agencies that need English speaking staff or hotels where I could manage international relations. After searching and sending Cvs to hundreds of companies of the above profile and not succeeding (everybody demanded Spanish plus the recruitment process was held in Bogotá which I couldn't do because first i needed my visa with working permission), I started looking for international (mostly American) companies in Bogotá. I posted my CV on Elempleo.com and specified my profile targeting international jobs. After 3 weeks, I received an interesting offer from Torrenegra, an internet solutions company. I went through the whole recruitment process (several tests and interviews) over an internet and the phone. Moreover the company arranged all visa papers so that I could apply for it in my country (I'm from Poland). I went to Colombia 2 weeks after finding myself in a wonderful opened atmosphere. I would recommend it to everybody!

What I can suggest you to do is look beyond English teaching opportunities and try to look for American or other international companies based in Colombia and go from there. One of the best sources to find a job or apartment abroad is visiting Craigslist.com. Clicking on Colombia and going to job part you can find many interesting offers for foreigners that come to Colombia. Even though that call center might not be in your interest, thats a good place to start. I started like this and after 6 months I started working in marketing in the same company doing what I always wanted to. What's more, being here, working between Colombian people, you will learn Spanish very well and after 1 year you will have chances to apply to Spanish speaking jobs which will widen your possibilities.

I strongly recommend you these sources: craigslist.com, elempleo.com. Please visit also the website of my company where you can apply: http://www.torrenegra.com/group/content/career_opportunities.

If you are interested, there is also a job opening in my company. We are looking for a sales person. You can find details here:

http://colombia.craigslist.org/csr/327007927.html

If you need any other advice or help when moving to Colombia, please count on me. I've been living here for a year now and can move around pretty well :) This is my e-mail: gwynethmarta at hotmail.com

Best wishes
Marta - Polish girl with a Colombian soul :)

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gwynethmarta says on May 17, 2007, 09:34:

Look at this offer Unfortunately I don't know too much about messaging industry. I know SPAs are very popular here and there is an audience that goes there oten. I'm sure that having unique offer and idea you can start up your own business. There is a huge "higher class" in colombia that is paying for such "pleasures".

About teaching spanish, there are also other opportunities here for foreigners. If you are good in sales, you can make really good money (that exceed a lot a regular colombian salary). I would suggest you to look at craigslist.com.

The company that I'm working for is looking right now for a sales person. This is the profile. If you are interested, please write me back at: gwynethmarta at hotmail.com

A leading online business is looking for telephone sales professionals with the following qualifications:

- Minimum 2 years experience in telephone sales or telemarketing
- Completely fluent in the English language (Spanish is optional).
- High integrity & self disciplined.

Benefits:
- Compensation: US$1,500 to $4,000 per month (co$3,000,000 to co$8,000,000 per month).
- Opportunity to work at home after fully trained (varies from 1 to 6 months).
- Salary contract with Colombian firm (optional), includes vacation, health, Sesantias, beneficios sociales, etc).
- Opportunity to earn experience in e-commerce.


Good luck,

Marta ( A polish girl in colombia)

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couto-pequena says on May 25, 2007, 14:17:

I love colombia!!! i live in london, and im looking forward to living in colombia in september. The only problem im currently having is my studies. I want to do university in colombia but i am going to live in palmira-Valle. I have many spanish contacts and before deceding to go to colombia i waz plannin on doin my uni studies in spain, i was going to do "empresariales" which would be law conbined with economics. Does that exist in Colombia??

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jggtovar says on Jun 3, 2007, 16:08:

Can anyone help me? I was born and raised here in the U.S. My parents were born in Colombia and I was brought up with the culture and so much more. I plan to move to Colombia some day soon and work there. My question here is does anyone know if I need a work permit since I am a U.S. citizen? I heard a rumor about that and I'm not sure.

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