This isn't me. I resent your insinuation

Saltador says on Feb 19, 2008, 17:18:

You're fighting an uphill battle. Good luck.

juicerbud says on Feb 19, 2008, 18:19:

fecherklyn, I am glad you said this. I can't stand racism no matter where it is coming from or who it is pointed toward. Unfortunately, PBH seems to be a forum for a few people. Too many times when questions are asked, the answer is to google it or to call them a mole or turn the conversation perverse or racist. I have been observing for awhile now and last time I made a post I got grief. I just don't think this was the intent of PBH. Good luck to you and your wife.

george jung says on Feb 19, 2008, 19:01:

Bravo Med, I believe still in sterotyping the gringo story of really why they come to Colombia or why they want some part of Colombia to come to them, either way same gringo story, just different players

"Men and fish are alot alike, when they open their mouths, they both get in trouble"

LilaM says on Feb 19, 2008, 19:31:

fecherklyn well we have here a lot of "turismo de chancleta" and guys that come just to take advantage from the ones that let them do that... but I know looooooooooottttttt of people that come to Colombia bc they really like it, and bc they think is a nice place to live in and a sweet culture to grow a family... so cheers... welcome to Colombia, and enjoy the time in Medellín a very nice weather and sweet people...

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer." Ed. Cunningham

Colombiche says on Feb 19, 2008, 19:36:

Turismo de chancleta jajaja.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

LilaM says on Feb 19, 2008, 19:37:

O me equivoco Colombiche... por aqui vienen unos que no tienen ni con que envenenarse jajaja

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer." Ed. Cunningham

fecherklyn says on Feb 20, 2008, 05:07:

Medoblado,
Yes, I have read your posts on both threads.

I have thought hard on how best to reply….and finally decided “Why bother�?

A little suggestion for you……look up bigot and malice in the dictionary.

huskie says on Feb 20, 2008, 06:59:

Maybe we can all learn a little from this


Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

Lauthra says on Feb 20, 2008, 07:12:

F, generalisations are a very easy thing to do, that's why you find them so much. I felt like you when I first joined the site about 4 years ago (?), but I've realised its better to just ignore it, cos it aint going away.

Nato (='.'=)

kat1 (Moderator) says on Feb 20, 2008, 07:20:

the only thing i can say is Pagan justos por pecadores

engage brain before opening mouth

Colombiche says on Feb 20, 2008, 07:39:

Tan chevere the way en que we are hablando sometimes en spanglish....... :D

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

gringoloid says on Feb 20, 2008, 07:43:

yea, F....I agree with Lauthra....don't be too sensitive......you gotta roll with the punches, dude.

Be an activist! write to Peter and ask him why racism, female sexism, homophobia, is forbidden........................but attacks on heterosexual males are OK?

LilaM says on Feb 20, 2008, 07:44:

jajajajaaj colombiche........... hey Kat1 wassup.... The dinner is cold now jejejejej keep waiting for you.... I see that you came back to your country...

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer." Ed. Cunningham

tomtom33 says on Feb 20, 2008, 08:00:

Loid, Gringos are fair game as well.

gringoloid says on Feb 20, 2008, 08:08:

yea, I hear you tom.....i had a female spanish teacher once that hated gringos....all gringos.

i had to stop because I didn't feel comfortable trying to learn with her when she would be blurting out some hateful comment.

it's always amazed me how people can judge the whole world on 30 people that they've known.

kat1 (Moderator) says on Feb 20, 2008, 08:13:

sorry Lila i was so busy in Villavo with the building of Farm. i came few times to Bogotá with my family and but didn't stay long just max 3days and everyday they had something , i couldn't get rid of them heheh

at night my brother and sisters used to take me out,,,so i was to tied up ... hopefully when they get feed up of me we will have that lunch :)))

engage brain before opening mouth

paulr says on Feb 20, 2008, 08:26:

Hi Fecherklyn, Generalisations will not be going away, there are too many people out here that will take care of that. Just do what you are doing and represent yourself as a gentleman and an all round good person then everyone you meet will change there views. Perosnally i don´t have anything against anyone who meets his future wife on the internet or marry here for what ever reason, some instances will bring happiness and some will bring tears, just like any relationship.
I love that Video by the way, wasn´t that a students graduation speach? The words are very clever. "Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders." Maybe we should add "people will generalise"

Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.

Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 20, 2008, 08:33:

Fecherklyn, if it's not you, why resent it?

The world is full of stupid generalizations. Let's not get bogged down in them.

rocinante says on Feb 20, 2008, 09:50:

I have the sense to realize when I am or I am not part of a generalization.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

fecherklyn says on Feb 20, 2008, 16:34:

Mr. H & Rocinante,

For several hours a violent storm has seemingly passed several feet above our heads. The dog has sought sanctuary beneath our bed and I switched off all the main electrical equipments in accordance with my grandmothers counsel (am I the last person in the world to do this?).

But why do I mention this? Because it gave me a while to reflect on what you both said:

"If it is not you, why resent it?". "I have the sense to know when I am, or I am not, part of a generalisation".

I think I have profited from this interval of time as, after consideration, I must agree your observations are valid. The title of this thread was poorly chosen; at least to the extent that "I resent it" incorrectly expressed what I wanted to communicate.

Now I realise I started this thread after a conversation with a local lady I had previously met several times took me into her confidence and decided to speak openly. Essentially, what she had to say was that "now she knew me" she realised I was not "like all the other gringos".

We discussed what she meant by "like all the other gringos". In short, her image was an assortiment of everything negative that is said on PBH. More important to my mind was her admittance I was the only foreigner she had really met.

I was motivated to commence this thread with the above in mind. Generalisations will always exist....YES. However generalisations are of various sorts ranging from the good-natured to the outightly malicious. To my mind only education and evidence can correct those that are maliciously unjust.

Thus my grouse is not necessarily with those who repeat harmful over-generalisations but rather more with those that SPONSOR THEM.

Yes...I believe it is a harmful over-generalisation to advocate that ALL male foreigners residing/visiting Colombia are here for one purpose only. Some PBH'ers are notorious for sponsoring such infamies. The other point of view needs to be defended.

Chelesupercono says on Feb 20, 2008, 16:47:

I always thought that ALL male foreigners come to learn SPANISH.......is that not true? no mi digas.....

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

rocinante says on Feb 20, 2008, 17:12:

We know who we are. UNITE!

(big storm, lots of lights eh?)

Seriously fechrklyn, gereralizations don't just come from the wind. I commented here a long time ago "90% of Colombians don't have hot water". (I got flamed). I could have said "No one in Colombia has hot water". Would have meant the same thing - it's a common exaggeration in everyday language.

Obviously some Colombians have hot water - A vast majority do not.
Obviously some male foreigners are NOT here for "one purpose only" - A vast majority are.

Do you think for one second that vast majority of male foreigners are here, in a dangererous environment, that is not set up for tourism, where practically no one speaks English, etc... because of the Colombian cuisine, Botero's art, Pueblito Paisa and a visit to Pablo's grave?

I don't think so. Get rid of cheap prostitutes and obedient women willing to sacrifice their self respect for short term economic gain by being with men 30 years older than them and you would be left with a few guys like you and Douglass and some others who have family ties here.

Ask yourself this about people who have no family nor ties here: How many male foreigners do you know who have relocated here and have brought along thier non Colombian spouse? How many foreign male tourists come here with their girlfriends? How many female, non backpacker tourists come here in pairs or alone?

Now ask the same questions about non sex tourist destinations.

"The other point of view needs to be defended." Of course there's another point of view - it just happens to be the vast minority side.

To bad we're getting screwed out of the eclipse.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

msaucey says on Feb 20, 2008, 17:21:

Bravo Roci.... I concur....

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

rocinante says on Feb 20, 2008, 17:26:

Sauce, you're getting screwed on the eclipse too?

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

msaucey says on Feb 20, 2008, 17:30:

Yes.......... I even pulled the telescope out of the attic this past weekend, para nada!.....

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

houstongal says on Feb 20, 2008, 17:42:

Same thing in Texas. It's been rainy here all afternoon.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

rocinante says on Feb 20, 2008, 17:57:

"Same thing in Texas"

Houston you have a telescope too? What are you guys doing when there's no eclipse? Spying on the neighbors? I just don't picture the two of you as astronomy buffs. I could be wrong.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

msaucey says on Feb 20, 2008, 18:16:

Actually, I used to love going camping because I could see that stars soooo clearly... Mind you, I lived in L.A. so, seeing the stars was a novelty, fortunately I lived near the observatory and had the chance to go up their all the time.... I love just looking at the stars... I wouldn't say I'm an astronomy buff, but, I am able to identify a few constallations aside from the big and little dipper... oh, wait, I went off on a tangent.... currently, I live in the High Desert, so, I get a wonderful view, smog free, clear skies about 98% of the time, except when there's a lunar eclipse!!!! One of my friends bought me a telescope as a house warming present, since it's really hard not to step outside and see that magestic beauty of the natural night lights... Seen quite a few shooting stars...

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

pedro says on Feb 20, 2008, 19:08:

Please... most visitors to Colombia are not there for one purpose only.

Hookers and blow, that's two purposes.

j/k (kind of)

que nota!

houstongal says on Feb 20, 2008, 19:08:

I'm not an astronomy buff, but I've always loved looking at the moon and the stars. The most amazing skies I've seen were camping on the Big Island on Hawaii in Volanoes National Park where there is 0 light from anything nearby. Probably one of the best summers I ever had.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

houstongal says on Feb 20, 2008, 19:44:

i did see it med...thanks for trying.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

CatGirl says on Feb 20, 2008, 22:31:

The sky is clear hear tonight I watched the whole lunar eclipse - Beautiful

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

CatGirl says on Feb 20, 2008, 23:01:

...you missed out

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

CatGirl says on Feb 20, 2008, 23:05:

There I was (icy cold I might add - wow its cold here) sky is clear...lying on the grass watching the lunar eclipse.....puurr

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

huskie says on Feb 21, 2008, 04:19:

Rocinante, I like what you said, "we know who we are...." You are sooo right on the money!!
Thanks
Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

slguy says on Feb 21, 2008, 07:14:

Until you've been on a small boat at sea, 100 miles offshore to be rid of ALL ambient light, you haven't really seen the heavens...;)

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