Moving to Bogota Soon With Family

camilo says on Mar 5, 2004, 06:00:

Well. for your wife i have teo ideas, some of the bilingual schools with big foreighners communities have kinder gardens, so I figure you can try and get the children in to school, and she can be part of the parents asociations or joint one of their fundations to help less fortunate children. try schools like:

- Colegio Nueva Granada (CNG)
- COlegio Saint George
- Colegio Anglo Colobiano

On the other hand she can try getting some spanish clesses in one of many universities while the kids are at school. try:

- Universidad de los Andes
- Universidad Javeriana
- Universidad Externado de Colombia

There she can also can get in contact with more expats and may be take some other clases beside spanish.

Finally she can try to get a job in a place like the US embassy.
You should try living on a residential complex (houses), in that way your kids can be very safe and have a really nice place outside to play. Dont worry about the safety in Bogota it is as it is in NY or Chicago. I am sure you and your family will be comming to a nice nighborhood.

I hope this help, if do you have more quiestions, go ahead.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 5, 2004, 07:56:

Wow, thanks for you fast replies Thanks for the tips.

When you say a "residential complex" do you mean a big apartment house? A gate house community? We have a nice apartment initially but are free to choose our own housing.

Thanks so much for the link to that guy's website, Tinto. That's very helpful.

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SiempreHero says on Mar 5, 2004, 09:13:

Colombia with Family First, Felicitaciones! You and your family are about to enter into the best experience of a liftime. I recommned your wife join the American Womens club (which is open to americans and colombians as i recall). Joining this gets her and your family lots of invites to family oriented events and get togeathers. Also join the American Society. These two orgs will connect you quickly with lots of interesting people from lots of good backgrounds. I lived in SantAna, at the top of the hill there are some great buildings with HUGE terrraces for the kids to play. There is only one gated entrance in or out. It is a very safe place. Everyone will tell you a different place to live. Chico and Rosales are good options, but for me, i loved Santana. One word of advice married guy! If your having the seven year itch, or are tempted at all DO NOT EVER EVER have an affair with a Colombian Girl unless you really want to crash and burn.
(i just had to add that disclaimer even though I am married to a wonderfull colombian girl. :-)

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Peter (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Mar 5, 2004, 09:51:

camilo says on Mar 5, 2004, 13:47:

by house complex I meant a gate house comunitty, lots of houses with parks and playgrouds where your kids can have fun and make friends and you wont have worries about their well being.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 5, 2004, 19:58:

thanks again Peter, I'll be glad to post periodic updates here about our experience. My wife is good at those kind of things, too, so I'll be sure she participates.

I didn't know that Bogota had gated neighborhoods like that. I'm familiar with the high-end apartment buildings in the northern neighborhoods but there's something very appealing about a setting where kids can run around outside with safety. Any pointers to actual neighborhoods would be really nice. One of my biggest worries about taking my family to Colombia is developing a bunker mentality. Security is important to us, of course, but I want us to have a balanced life. If my family isn't safe or doesn't feel safe then none of us are going to be happy.

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SiempreHero says on Mar 6, 2004, 09:21:

gated house areas Hi Mr. Hollywood. I was also interested in this type of area. However, all the nice ones that i know are very far north almost to Chia. If you go there, your in for a brutal drive to and from work. ( i am guessing you will be working in the North part of the city. Take a drive up the Santana area (The gate is right next to Pomona subermarket just south of Hacienda Santafe ( I guess around 105 off Septima). Got to the top, and look for for rent signs. Also talk to the guards, they can tip you off if a owner wants to rent. Good luck.

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camilo says on Mar 8, 2004, 11:25:

try looking for gate complexes like, Antigua, Cierras del Moral, la Herradura, There are a few otheres in the country club area, as weel as in Altos de Suba. try those areas, the first trhee are actual gated nightborhoods, try looking for houses in what we call Conjuntos Cerrados.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 8, 2004, 15:23:

Gracias Thanks a lot for your suggestions and help.

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litost says on Mar 10, 2004, 19:51:

Also look around the "Belmira" neighborhood, between calles 140-147 and avenidas 7-9... very nice and quiet, and not as overpriced as some other areas.

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perico says on Mar 11, 2004, 09:31:

school and things to do with kids Hi, we have moved fairly recently to Bogota'. I have researched and found a few good things to do with children.
How old are your kids?

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Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 13, 2004, 15:36:

The kids are young Pre-schoolers. Things they like a lot here in Los Estadod Unidos are parks, swimming, the Museum of Natural History, live music, things like that. I'm sure all that exists in Bogota, I'm just not sure where, or how safe things are. We want to be open to experience; prudent, not alarmist. Any ideas you can post here would be terrific.

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SiempreHero says on Apr 12, 2004, 09:22:

Where did you decide to live? So it seems from your other posts that you found a place. In which area did you decide to live? Did you find a big yard?

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Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 12, 2004, 09:30:

Where we ended up Found a nice place in El Retiro with a big shared yard and nearby parks. It's nice. Thanks to everyone for their help.

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SiempreHero says on Apr 12, 2004, 10:27:

South of Nogal? Is that just south of Nogal, above Septima? Nice area. How is the social life comming? I understood you were going to write about your experiences. I am interested in readling regular updates. I have so many fond memories of Bogota, i am always thinking about transfering back there. I still visit quite often, but it is just not the same as living there.

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jemsec says on Apr 12, 2004, 11:11:

I spent 6 months in bogota and built up some very useful contacts. please feel frr to mail me direct at dave at jemsec.com, or visit our website. www.jemsec.com

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Mr. Hollywood says on Apr 12, 2004, 11:22:

El Barrio Below Septima and N. of 82nd. I believe the neighborhood is commonly known as El Retiro but definitions seem to be a bit fuzzy there. Really nice.

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mafalda.edna says on Apr 13, 2004, 07:49:

I think it is going to be hard for you wife because she doesn't speak Spanish and you will be gone at work while she is at home with the kids (if that is the case). Any way I think you should find families that speak Spanish so that they can help you but make sure you don’t isolate you selves from the Spanish speaking people. I have known many families that kind of created their own North American neighborhood and had very little contact with Colombians even though they lived in Bogotá. The best experiences you will have will be from meeting people and establishing friendships with them.
Do you want your kids to go to an all English school or a bilingual one?

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Luisr_pereira@yahoo.com says on Oct 15, 2006, 11:14:

How are things now in October, '06? Hi everybody!
I am a 70 year old man planning to retire in Bogota. How are seniors treated in Colombia, generally and specifically in Bogota? I have a modest Social Security check and I will have to watch my cents and dimes. Do seniors get any breaks, such as half fare in buses, etc?
Is it easy for a senior to rent an apt.?
I can teach English, do translations, (Fluent in French and Swedish, Spanish)to supplent my income. I wll appreciate any info you can supply. Thanks a million!

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