eafit2005 has left 34 comments
Comments:
|
eafit2005 comments on A Funny Thing Happened To Me On The Way To Parque Lleras another thread "increasy in scary post about col" or sth. like that was also deleted.... It was just people describing some experiences they had regarding safety in Col. Pretty irresponsible to delete information which might be usefull to some
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Anyone interested in starting up a business in Medellin? I thought about putting up a hostel in Medellin some time ago..... visted the exising ones, looked at prices that you can charge and the rental prices for adequate houses, thought about the investment in furniture, employee, cost to make the hostel legal, even talked with a lawyer about the project. In the end it seemed to risky and I doubt that you can make enough money to live comfortably in Medellin. In my opinion, everything where you want to make a good return on your investment takes very well knowledge of the local market and a local that you can trust who works with you. I don`t think that you can make a living in Medellin on investing 10 k. USD. Of course, if you don`t depend on the money and have other income to sustain you, then you can give it a shot....
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on I was robbed at knife point in Envigado at 7 pm about a year ago. But i was walking around in a dark and pretty empty street feeling a bit toooo safe about Medallo ;-) In two years that was the only time they ever actually robbed me. One time some guy tried to rob me, telling me some bullship about being a "para" who wants some "protection money". I just told him I am a poor student and need the money for myself (if he had shown a knife/gun I would have given away everything but just by talking shit....wtf !). My wife usually tells me that "real" paras acutally protect the people from being robbed in some places like the big food market place close to the city center so I didn`t belive this guy... What I noticed about the whole security issue in Medellin is that people who went a couple of times to Mde or stayed there just a few month often tell people that its perfectly safe and go to unsecure areas thinking that everything is so nice and safe and nothing will happen (I thought so when I first came and even went to places like "La Sierra" thinking its perfectly fine ;-) Then when you talk with people who actually live in Mde for many years or after living there some longer time yourself, you get more cautious, even though I never got as paranoid as many Colombians of the higher estratos themselfes are (many wouldn`t even dare ride in metro or go downtown which is perfectly ok).
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on The Journey to Get to Colombia - How many dreams unanswered? Is it worth the effort? It is worth the effort. However as rocinante said, it is quite expensive and jobs are not very well paid. For colombians working in regular jobs like security personell, regular employees etc. life is really tough. If you have enough money in Medellin, then you can live really comfortably as all service related things like restaurants, taxis, delivery services etc. are much cheaper than in USA or Europe. I finally moved back to Germany (with my colombian wife and my colombian baby) for several reasons. I didn`t make enough money to save and I don`t like spending everything that I earn in a month and not have any "backup" or saving. Then, when my son was born I had to think of his education and chances in life. In colombia education is or expensive or not very good. You can make it in public schools and without a lot of money for education, but look e.g. at the figures for people applying at the U. de A. and the number of students they enroll especially in high paying careers like law, medicine or administration.... I still miss Colombia and me and my wife dream about coming back there in some years (or decades ;-), but for now its all about working, saving..... and dreaming ;-)
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on one of the nicest neighborhoods in Medellin.........Santo Domingo????? I went to Santo Domingo once with the metrocable. It was an interesting experience, had a coffee and some cake a couple of blocks away from the metro. Prices are less than half of what you would pay in Poblado/Envigado/Laureles. Walked around the neigbourhood and had a good time. However I can`t really tell you how safe it is to go there. Probably no foreign tourist who walked around there or spend some time there really can as it might have been sheer luck that nothing bad happended or it might be just the most normal thing.....
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Kidnapping never heard of foreigners being kidnapped in taxis in Medellin. There are bad things happening in Mde. as in any other big city this size, but usually the worst that happens to a foreigner is being robbed (what I heard of). I`ve never heard of anything worse happening to a foreigner in Mde. About a year ago they killed an american in Cali on his way to the airport. Medellin is quite save I believe. Most really bad stuff happens due to struggles between criminals (ajuste de cuentas). Or if you hang around or mess with the wrong people. Has anyone of you ever heard of a foreigner being kidnapped or worse in Mde??? I havent ´t...
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Thinking about living in Medellin - Reality check please Ctg. Bound, Calasanz is the neigbourhood around the street "Colombia" with the "Ochenta", close to the metro station "La Floresta" close to the "glorieta de la calle Colombia" there are some nice parts...... but mostly houses, no residential living units with security....
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Medellin Mansion Continued Hispanic, your post made me laugh, finally someone who stands up against this gringo and hooker bashing ;-) ... even though I don`t agree with everything you say... Does anyone of you read "La Chiva"??? (www.lachiva.com). I do and there I find about a million things that are far worse than prostitution. Examples: oficina de envigado (sicarios etc.), atracos, maltrato y abuso dentro de familias, cobra de "vacunas" en barrios pobres y bares/restaurantes, ... If Colombia wasn`t such a poor country with wealth distributed so unequally many of those problems wouldn`t exist. I remember shaking my head walking around close to Oviedo, seeing a Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne driving down Av. El Poblado with a poor crippled guy begging for monedas at the redlight..... I don`t have anything against the Q7-guy, but in Germany (or USA or any other developed country) the crippled guy would have been in hospital or rehabilitation and not on the street!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Thinking about living in Medellin - Reality check please Belen has some pretty scary parts where I wouldn`t live. But if its a residential living unit with security, you should be ok. Personally I would prever Envigado or Laureles or Calasanz....
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Salsa classes in Medellin yellow pages.... I went to a salas course in Bello once, because the private lessons are way cheaper there than in Poblado....don`t remember the name of the school, however....one block from the "Parque de Bello".
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on What barrios to stay in in BOG/MDE Envigado! As for partying.....most places close at 2 or 3 am some places close at 4 or 4.30 am (Mangos, Dona Clarita, Santhos, etc.) few places close at 8 am (Carnival, Wild Club, ...)
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on San Andres, Providencia marriage loophole question. I married my wife on the San Andres Island because you only need your passport to marry and no other documents. It easy, just call the only notariat on the island to arrange the date. So far the marriage there is even recognised by the German Embassy (my wife later easily got her visa for Germany). I don`t know however, if the marriage in Sand Andres is recognised by other embassies. However, If the purpose is to stay in Colombia (apart from love, of course ;-), then it works!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Flat in Medellin Hi! I studied at eafit for half a year in 2005... If you want a nice room, I can offer you a fully furnished room for about 180 - 200 USD per month including services. The apartment building has also a jacussi, turco, sauna, gym,... its nice and close to the city center....walking distance to the metro, busses are close & get you to eafit in 10 minutes. If you`re interested call me at +57 316 4039 305. Bye, chris
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Rooms & Apartments for rent by the way...the rooms and apartments are located in Medellín, close to the Colombo Americano, La Playa and the calle "Oriental"...
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on A member survey ... just for fun Why bother going to Mangos.... people there are likely to have more money than you and girls are either not interested or TOO interested ;-)
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Megaparty in Medellin? Megaparty probably your friend was referring to the "end of the year" party which is celebrated every las friday of the monht at mango`s...
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Is Medellin safe? well...I am sitting in some internet cafe in Florencia (way up the mountain in the north, other side of the metrocable) right now. I would say Medellin is pretty safe if you can even go to those areas without feeling threatened. However, this could change rather rapidly, especially in some areas. Here, and even more in some barrios close by, the Paras still have a lot to say. Yesterday the jailed one of their leader and consequently the Paras threatened to attack and burn buses which go to the center. -- I had to wait for an hour to get on the metro at Poblado cause of those idiots, cause no bus driver deared to get on his bus ;-)
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Blondes in Colombia.. Don't worry... you won't be noticeable at all. In fact, here in Medellín are more blond girls than girls with black or brown hair. Mateo-FL, how can you say they`re not real? I would actually recommend anybody to colour his/her hair blonde before coming here. If not you would run the serious risk of being detected as gringo by some guerilla (there are so many of them here in Medellìn...).
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Hotels near or around Santa Ana, Bello, Medellin Bello... Bello is not as horrible as the two previous posts imply, but I still wouldn't stay in a hotel there. I've been to Bello several times to go out in the night partying when I got sick of going to the Parque Lleras & staying in Poblado. Actually the area around the "parque de bello" is pretty nice, crowded with many bars & clubs to go out. Still, it really isn't the safest place and even though never anything happened to me, there are better places to go. Envigado for example is really nice to go out, because you have a traditional colombian atmosphere and it is safe & nicer than Bello. If you visit your daughter in Bello, make sure you know some more about which part of Bello you go to. Some parts in Bello are ok to go, others are really dangerous. If you need specifics on the location, send me an e-mail to chris_st81 at hotmail.com and the direction of the place. I could ask some friends of mine who live in Bello & who know better than me. Take Care! chris
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Niquia station Bello I went out in Bello one Weekend to go to some club. Felt kind of strange, as people didnt look that friendly and dressed rather ghetto like. I still had a great time as the music was good & I had good company. When commenting on the appearance of the other guests, my colombian friends told me, that its normal because they are more the "ladrones and sicario types".....most people at my university eafit would never go to such place, but it is an interesting experience and it would be pretty boring to just stay in Poblado, Parque Lleras!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Places to meet single women in Bogota? Zona Rosa? What is wrong with "socializing and meeting educated professional & single women"? The posts before already made some good points & I can only agree with them.
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Rumbear en Medellín Thanks! Sounds good...guess I will be able to learn some salsa there.
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on 27 Americans kidnapped, 2 killed - in Mexico Mexico City Crime "One thing to consider, 99% of the kidnappings in Mexico have occured in Mexico City or the boarder towns" -- That surprises me...I've lived for six month in Mexico City & have been all over the place except for barrios like e.g. Tepico. By using common sense I always felt pretty save, except for one or two stupid situations which I could have avoided as well by being more carefull. I think as a foreigner in Mexico D.F. you really have to do something stupid like accepting an open drink from a stranger in order to get kidnapped. Anyways, I`ll move to Medellín for a year in one week, so within some month I should be able to give a sound comparison of the two places!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on APOSTILLO QUESTION Apostille in Germany Hi Lionheart, I just called the German Consulate in Frankfurt some days ago. They told me that it isn't necessary to have an apostille in Germany, so just any Beglaubigung from the town hall should be fine. As for the polizeiliche Führungszeugnis...that probably depends on the type of visa. For my student visa I don't need one. Just hope they accept my "official translation" by the spanish tacher of my university ;-)
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on mi fufalufa Hey, what do you guys complain about, at least you can remember it ;-) Mine was with my best (female) friend 8 years ago after sneaking out & having a bottle of vodka with her.... I still don't remember everything! But I don't really care much about it...I can just consider the second time as the first time 'cause experience (or rather unexperience) - wise it was the same!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on What about the guys ;-) ??? Paisa29 & ColombiaBoard, I'll sure contact you when I get to Medellin. Do they have German beer over there? If not I can take a few "Tannenzäpfle" along to soften the "culture shock" ;-) (I don't really believe I'll have one, though)
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on DE VERDAD QUE LAS GRINGAS SON MEJORES Hey Arthur Brode Me gusta como generalizas sobre las gringas! Claro que cappuchino tiene razon con lo que dice ("no son todas", "siempre hay algunas blablabla"). Pero esto es lo que siempre pasa cuando uno pone su opinion no totalmente equilibrada. De hecho, si quieres tener en cuenta cualquier cosa (que hay gringas trabajadores, femininas y humildes, que hay ..., etc.), no puedes dar ninguna opinion acentuada nunca. Nadie se molesta cuando gente dice que "gringos no pueden bailar", pero con tu opinion si, porque no muestra "political correctness"....
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on EUR cambio Well....thank God I get my money in EUR when I go to Col. in some weeks. But even here the exchange rate went down quite a bit especialy in the past weeks. Anybody knows how prices changed over the year? Guess Uribe has got inflation down with such a (relatively) strong peso.
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Going to Medellin 2005 Francisco, almost forgot your question... Actually I'm currently studying Business Administration in Germany. But at eafit I decided to go for some subjects which are not really covered in a classical mba program. That is entrepreneurship, int. relations&diplomacy and Business Mngmt. Game. Good to hear that you liked it there!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Going to Medellin 2005 This forum is really a great help. I didn't expect that many people to be familiar with Medellin & the surroundings. Studying at llanogrande also seems interesting, but the stay at eafit is already fixed as the visa is being processed.
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Street Kids, to give money or not? Since you're talking about street children, does anybody know the shoppin area El HUECO in Medellin (more or less in the centre)? There's a charity close by which is called patio13 & I'll be working there in some month...
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Going to Medellin 2005 at paisa29 thanks, actually maybe you can help me with some info about accomodation in medellin. A woman from the international relations office at eafit offered me to help me get a room in el poblado that is close to the university. At the same time, however, I could get a room for free in copacabana. Apart from studying at eafit I`ll help in a street children project called patio13, so the professor running this project offered me to stay with a family he knows in copacabana. As I understand, copa is not really close to eafit & especially when wanting to go out at the weekend this could be a problem. As I've never been to either of these two locations, maybe you can describe them a little or recommend me sth.?
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Going to Medellin 2005 at ColombiaBoard, thanks for the info. Doesn't sound too bad...a swimming pool on campus ;-)...as long as people aren't too posh I guess I'll have a great time! Anyways, I'll sure post about my impressions on Colombia once I'm there. I just fear I could like it as much as some of the people here on this forum. I've been to Mexiko City for half a year doing an internship & I already had a great time over there & difficulties leaving...!
|
|
|
eafit2005 comments on Going to Medellin 2005 hi!...I've been in touch with one of them who was from Austria though. He even stayed to write his thesis in Medellin because he liked it so much. Do you know the university?
|
If you're not a part of this travelicious experiment just yet, just sign up here. It's free & easy.
About poorbuthappy | About the travel guides | Travel guide editing | Community rules | RSS feeds
© 1998 - 2008 Peter Van Dijck, all rights reserved.