isaactraveler has left 301 comments

isaactraveler comments on Watch out for these scams

in a country with high unemployment, and low salary to those that DO work, $50 US is a heck of a lot of money.

I never took out more than $100 at any one time, and I made sure that my body shielded me from on lookers. ALSO, many of the outside tellers have locking glass booths with a painted band around the middle (about ATM button height). I never opened my wallet (fished out a couple of 20k notes from pocket) in public, and NEVER withdrew from the cashiers.

My understanding is that there are "watchers" that look for people who are counting their withdrawals at the ATM, and signal to others.

anyways, act like a rich american and you will be in trouble ANYWHERE.

VIVA Colombia!
(my wife went to see Carlos Vives last night and that is all she has been saying today).

isaactraveler comments on Traveling to The United States

if you can change the location, go to Austin or Houston ok maybe even San Antonio. There is a large latino culture there, but a huge Colombian population. No real community, however.. as everyone lives everywhere here.

Austin is a bit cooler (in education, ambiance and fun) but Houston is friendlier. As Mario says, the bus system sucks, so you will have to find a place here off Westheimer.

Dallas/Arlington have never been my favorite parts of Texas, but there are nice things there as well. Lots of lakes.

San Antonio... nice hispanic majority, with everyone getting along ( and Seaworld).

I also think that anywhere in Texas, you will be percieved as Mexican (until they hear you speak). That is, unless you are like all the other Colombians here and wear a Colombian colored necklace, bracelet, earings.. soccer shirt, sexy jeans and tangas. Regardless, I doubt you will see any racisim.

come to houston, I will treat you to some bar-b-que

isaactraveler comments on Need recommendations for places to stay in Eje Cafetero & Cartagena

quick add on to info my wife says Manizales/Pereira isnt all that great to stay in, HOWEVER if you were going Parque Nevados outside Manizales, then staying the night in Pereira makes sense.

Also Las Cascadas is pretty high, look at Zul De Maida downtown, or focus on the northern part of town which is a bit cooler.

Salento is definately the thing to see.

isaactraveler comments on Need recommendations for places to stay in Eje Cafetero & Cartagena

depends what you like. If you like clubbing, if you are meeting someone, age, energy....

I would skip Ibague, take an overnight bus to Armenia and hang out there a few days, because from there you can go to Salento (and up the mountain to Valle de Cocora (shouldnt miss this), eat lunch at the top, dinner in Salento and browse the curio/artisan shops there.

Then you can day trip to Parque de Cafe, Manizales, Pereira.

There are a couple of great clubs, Guitar y Rumba and another that plays techno/tranz...Marroko if you are 20-30 you can party with my sister in law and her friends.

I dont think the hotels in Armenia have air conditioning, so either stay at the one downtown, or stay at one near Parque de la Vida ( Las Cascadas).. better still, inside the Parque Confenalco.

I dont know that I would go to Parque de Cafe unless you were going with someone, it costs too much and it is just a park (pretty, but more fun with someone).

isaactraveler comments on False 2000 Peso Notes

I actually got a fake 20k peso note from ATM When I was in Armenia last time, I got a fake 20,000 note from the ATM outside of a bank,(NOT BANCAFE). I dont remember what the name was, but it cured me of going anywhere but the Davivienda atms.

I kept it as a souvenir. Can you imagine the guy that counts the money at the bank said... NO WAY. I count them personally.

BTW, the cab driver I tried to give it to (who told me it was fake) scratched the image with his fingernail. he said fakes are different.. and he is right.

isaactraveler comments on For you guys and gals

ooooh I forgot I also love her son and treat/teach him well, so If I screw up something with her, I am pretty much forgiven.

isaactraveler comments on For you guys and gals

communication- I speak spanish fluently we get along great. At the beginning, I searched really hard to find other couples that were Colombian/American like we were, thinking that it would transition her easier into a lifestyle in the U.S.

Curiously, I noticed major stress with the other couples, and it was because the US partner didnt speak spanish or could barely communicate, meaning that all the little nuances of life that you share with partners were bypassed.

I really want her to learn english, and she is working on it ( her 5 year old is picking it up like blazes, after we put him in non-spanish classes) However, she likes to chat with me about things in her life, what she is thinking and what she would like.... what she heard on the radio, stuff about novelas, clothing, world politics(colombia), something my sister said.... ON AND ON AND ON (kidding).

She really wants acknowlegement from me and that I value her opinion. I really practice colombian variations of spanish (like poquitiko, mazorca, que pena, de malas) so that I meld better with her. We still interject english, and sometimes I ask her silly things so it is more of a game.. she can actually communicate in english and understands more and more so it's happening.

Lastly, I hug her and hold her everyday and tell her that I love her. I lived alone for a long time and this is probably the hardest thing for me to do, but I make sure I tell her every day.

isaactraveler comments on papitas criolla

hahah too funny wow what a bunch of spuds.

Hey. You can find those damn potatoes at a little corner store at about RICHMOND and TANGLEWILDE, in the same shopping center that MI PUEBLITO is. They are frozen and cost about $5.00 for a small bag that will make an olla full. ALSO, they have dried bags of Kiska brand Guascas (also sold at FIESTA).

Did you all know that FIesta also sells MANIMOTO? I think you can bring manimoto into the states without a permit.

isaactraveler comments on I found the best international calling card ever!

PS Mario, chill out, old man. Good to see you active on this site, but you are taking things way to personal.

how are things going? Angelica is pregnant and having horrible morning sickness. Now I gotta clean, cook and plan for 3(soon to be 4). I love them and it was definately worth it.

I hope I get good hubby credit for all this extra work.

isaactraveler comments on I found the best international calling card ever!

Here is what I do Now that my wife is here, we still call Colombia so she can have long conversations with her family.

We use ANY of the $5.00 cards you can buy at the store( buy them for $4.00 at the dollar stores). We like CASA BLANCA or YES or RED even).. call with that first, make sure they are home... THEN use

STSPREPAID unlimited $10, like Mario said. it costs me $1.25 per call, but we can talk for up to 100 minutes before it hangs up.

Email me and I will shoot you the specifics, but it comes out dirt cheap.

Other than using skype, this has been the absolute best way to call. You only waste the STS if you misdial, or the wrong person answers or you get a machine.

isaactraveler comments on advice on telephone number

try 011 57 315 657 9475 good luck!

isaactraveler comments on caleñas in black and white

I would like to show Desi and Lauthra a couple of nuts that would be Cowboy and Elmo of course.

HAHAHA

hi guys. Still married, Angelica is now PREGNANT!! She was worried that my family would be mad, but they all really liked her, and my sisters love her son Danny.

Life is good, but I have to shower every day now.

isaactraveler comments on Possible move to Armenia

its very close to armenia and it is a bit cooler, meaning it isnt sweltering. there is a Mariporsario there, I went to it. Don't know much more, but I will say that you will find the same caliber of people there.

isaactraveler comments on Possible move to Armenia

Hi Dawn, go for it! Hi everyone! Wedding is this Saturday!

Dawn, I know that area fairly well. I have been there 4 times and spent a total of several months.

As above, I also think that Armenia is a great place to go. Although you will find english speaking teacher/students a shortage there, you will also find many friendly and sociable people there.

It is a quick bus ride to many places, and very modernized. Only drawback is that it is not a fast paced city like Bogota. There are some nice dance clubs, great pubs/street cafes and extremely pleasant coffee and internet cafes.

Modernized medicine, traffic lights and bus systems. very hot there!! but fruit you have never heard about or seen, a hot delicious hot meal for $2.00, and the feeling that you are in paradise.

I have been to Medellin, Cartagena and Cali and Bogota. I much prefer Armenia for safety, beauty and central location.

You can feel free to email me and I will hook you up with my fiancee's sister and friends. isaactraveler at yahoo.com

isaactraveler comments on Board Games/Games to Bring

william andrews is right get rummy cube, a gin rummy game with dominoe-type chips, and parchesi. not sure why, but they are both winners. also take UNO, SKIPBO and Phase10

hi all!

isaactraveler comments on Problem

hey genius here is what you should do... here is what you do:

Tell her that you are going there to meet several girls that you met online and ask her to help you pick out the ones most likely to have sex with you. Then before she can answer, ask her if she has any sisters. lastly, ask her if her mom and dad are getting along at the moment, and if her mom has a car.

ok to back off a bit.... just tell her that you have several friends you are planning on meeting and it would be nice if you could ALL get together. then ask about any younger sisters.

ps. now's the time to invest in a suit made of dollar bills.

lauthra, I think you should show us your underwear. It is only fair.

PS HI EVERYONE! I am still reading, but have cut my posting down a bit, too much work and not enough playtime with Angelica and her son Danny.

isaactraveler comments on Is buenaventura, Colombia a good place to live or visit?

hahaha Desi I was pretty certain you were either kidding, or found a stash of wacky weed. I think that it is one of the GREAT obstacles for people daring to take the boat trip to Ladrilleros. that was probably the only place I kept one hand on my wallet pocket, and the other hand covering my huevos.

isaactraveler comments on Its okay

My fiancee says WOW and Its ok all the time she also says:

I LOVE YOU TOMORROW
TODO VERY GOOD NIGHT
YES, VERY WELL MONDONGO

mainly just because I laugh when she says it.

isaactraveler comments on Is buenaventura, Colombia a good place to live or visit?

it isnt even a good place to drive through I cant say that I would recommend anyone go there, unless it is to take a boat to the islands near that region.

isaactraveler comments on Just Real Informations PLEASE!

one other thing about using old forms I dont agree. I was sent MOST of my forms with an expired date on them. I figured with all the time and expense involved, I didnt want to be rejected due to using outdated forms. I went right to the BCIS site, and downloaded all current forms of each document that I needed, and used those instead. ALSO, some of the information that you get in the last packet is actually outdated, or better said, you need other stuff.

Check the expiration dates, and make sure you current documents. This isnt rocket science. Angelica got her visa within 11 months. She is here now and we are loving every moment we are together.

Lastly, if you would take time to do SEARCHES on this site, you will notice that most if not all questions are already answered, and in fact Utopiacowboy is probably the most correct person on this site regarding K1 or K3 and probably one of the older posters.

or you can continue to take information from unknown webposters, which all of us are. Generally speaking, free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

isaactraveler comments on would people prefer me to stop posting

post something reasonable quit making stupid posts. try again. but my suggestion is you read other posts and get a better feel for how to post. The worst thing you do is open an idiotic subject (under the guise of informative questions) and NEVER respond, clarify or defend your statement.

yes Utopia, you make some idiotic posts. however, yours are funny and entertaining without trying to offend anyone. Add to that the fact that you provide a world of information when asked, and you become a valuable member.

me? I am living it up. i may be back to post idiotic stuff soon. Right now I am enjoying Angelica and Danny.

isaactraveler comments on Kiwi hits low point and bounces back

no one said you would get rich working in Colombia Kiwi
Before I left Armenia after a month, I would have been in place to tutur/teach english to about 8 students at 5k each for 2 hours per night in a group setting.

I had brought 2 teaching books with pictures/drawings and fill in blank questions, and garnered interest starting from the copier place I was making copies from.

I planned to teach in a coffee/internet house in the back, however I decided to join the rat-race back in the states again. I am fairly certain I could have doubled or tripled this response within a reasonable time frame.

isaactraveler comments on Real Gringos/Fake Latinos

i wouldnt go so far as to say the war between north and south but being from texas, I hate to be called a yankee. I much prefer gringo over yankee. weird huh?

isaactraveler comments on Our Fragile Ways

good post, but here is why Peter doesnt want someone to profit monetarily from posting on his board. A friendly link that creates more information (without trying to sell something) is reasonable.

JamieJ does indeed provide good information, and he also stands on his own two feet in most debates, meaning that he doesnt shy away from posts that someone may not agree with. this is good for open discorse. However having his link to his website creates potential profit for him.

the rest of the posters to this forum do so just because they love the country, the people and the adventure ( also sometimes they post to annoy).

I think it is a fair thing for Peter to ask, especially since he isnt charging JamieJ, you, or me for the privilage of receiving good information.

isaactraveler comments on Real Gringos/Fake Latinos

another troll sticks his head out of the sand this guy is next.

isaactraveler comments on Our Fragile Ways

peter I was not going to put advertising on my head and i don't see any way that showing my head will get me any dates, but ok if you say so. you don't know what you are missing though, I got a potatoe farm growing in those ears

isaactraveler comments on K-1 visa: my experience at the embassy

hey utopia, maybe he is the one who is colombian and maybe she is the gringa.

N2aquatix, suggest you let HER solve that one.

isaactraveler comments on Sick and tired

HEY WHAT THE HEY???? Elmo, I never said I was ugly, I said I had a bulbous head. Utopia is the one that breaks mirrors.

HOWEVER, i am willing to enter an ugly competition. Screw it, winning that is still winning something.

Lauthra, yes, it was lucky.

Desi I dont think Calipro is seeing your point. I have since come around to the main gist of your arguement (at least for me) that regardless of his personal life, he shouldnt post compromising pics of girls without their permission.

While on principal I agree, the dirty guy in me likes to see underwear pictures. DAMN YOU CALIPRO (pssst... what is that password again?)

isaactraveler comments on [deleted]

Reinadela Baile your perfect husband is actually gay. he is just too much of a machista to know it.

wait I was kidding, dont send him my way I bruise easily.

isaactraveler comments on Avianca Advisory

BAH!!! I Like Avianca in fact, they are my airline of choice. No one ever stands up for these guys. You know, the last flight I was to take out to Colombia, like a bonehead I missed it.. I was up late packing crap and getting all my stuff together and I woke up too late to take the 7am continental flight to miami.

Continental switched me with a bit of difficulty and $50. Avianca did the same MUCH easier and it still cost me $50, but I remember thinking how it would be impossible and it wasnt, and I got there the next day no problems.

In the apprx 8 times I have flown with them, they have been on time, courteous and damn their food is good on that plane.

Signed
Pedro Avianca

isaactraveler comments on I hate Ignorance - Wachovia compliance mgt story

wachazclozyeraccount Bank of America does just fine in Colombia. Yeah they started to charge more, however you CAN do a wire transfer to a Colombia bank. You just have to find one that will open one up. They don't like money laundering either.

I informed my bank Bank of America that I would be using my debt credit card in Colombia, also that I have a fiancee there and that she would have one of my accounts. There was never a problem.

Lastly, when the rates went up, I called them to fix this, or that I would be taking my accounts (totaling about $7.43) to Wells Fargo. They immediately credited about $80 in atm fees and told me that if I were agreeable, they would wave the $5.00 fee for one year. I still pay $1.50 per transaction.

Someone in BoA must have done the math and figured that I was worth about $17,000 pesos.

isaactraveler comments on Our Fragile Ways

I like you, Utopia your ugliness and my giNORMOUS head would make for a wonderful double date. You think the girls want to be seen in public with the two of us?

Movies are out, unless I sit in the back row (sad, eh?)

isaactraveler comments on Moderation

Sure they will come back a few times, anyway. There is enough strength and patience on this board to wait for the axe to drop on the imbeciles. When I ran another board a few years ago, we were deleting accounts to the tune of about 3 per day. they just got bored, because most people quit posting on their stupid strings.

If it looks idiotic, I might still post giving the author the benefit of doubt the first time. after two or three, I will ignore his posts and wait for Peter to boot him.

I have to behave myself. Angelica arrives in 2 days, and I dont want her to see all my underwear posts.

isaactraveler comments on Our Fragile Ways

can I put a link from my name to my website? my site is dedicated to my enormous head. It isn't vulgar, it just goes into specifics like ratios, head to body mass, overall width and the general dome shape of the top and back.

I have graphs and charts, and even a magnified view inside my ears.

isaactraveler comments on Sick and tired

actually Utopia is a fairly ugly fellow it is just that is Colombianita is near-sighted and he won't buy her glasses.

he may be ugly but he aint a dummy.

isaactraveler comments on colombians and bathing....

hahah hot water shower losers!~ Actually, Rollos use Hot water. but it seems ONLY in Bogota. In Armenia, mostly because I was crying about how cold the water was (freaking hot as hell weather, cold as ice water) we got her little hot water heater that is attached to her shower head fixed.

That brought the temperature from penis-shrinking cold to just at VERY COLD. She of course thought I was a big baby. Her little son was crying at how scalding the water was with the heater.

damn river bathing gypsies.

isaactraveler comments on My Colombian Girlfriend

do not do a fiancee visa if you arent planning to marry soon neither the fiancee visa or the K1 visa is what you need if your intention is not to marry within the 90 days of her entrance to the U.S.

Help her with her costs in getting a tourist visa (generally 4 month appointment) and high risk of failure. expect several denials, I think she can only apply every 6 months (someone check me on this).

Don't expect her to come anytime soon. Since you might be waiting 6-12 months for a fiancee visa approval, I suggest you start that in about 6-9 months, because once she gets her visa that way she will have up to 180 days to travel to the U.S.

If your intention is to get to know her better, then make the move to Colombia for a duration or take a leap of faith.

isaactraveler comments on Sick and tired

it never occurred to me once that she might be londonmale Not that I know her, but it doesnt seem like something Desideria would resort to, or need to resort to (posting with another pseudonym) Not everyone needs to create personas to get a point across, or to create an ally.

she stands on her own two feet right or wrong, with her posts.

JamieJ... if you are waiting for an apology, suggest you take a comfortable chair. Why would you or Calipro expect them to voice an opinion in defense of your ideals, morals or business? It was enough that they and several others voiced opinions against dating services and enmasse dating of Colombian women/photo taking. I don't think you should expect them to come to your defense.

My position was simply that everyone has the right to do what they please so long as it isn't hurting anyone else. It doesnt mean I agree with you.

However feel free to keep posting underwear pictures, calipro.

isaactraveler comments on Sick and tired

damn I really dont mean to misspell your names I just dont pay close enough attention. Sorry Lauthra. Anyways, I generally always think.. Hmm i should have called her Nato.

Anyways I wouldnt play a dumb powertrip game like mispelling a name. I prefer to go right for the underwear joke.

hows my girlfriend Barry? I miss his POV here too. Tell him to start posting again.

isaactraveler comments on Step by Step process to get a passport and visa to leave Colombia

does anyone also agree that the majority of people in the world have some redeeming values and are capable of being loved?

I just mention this, because I always thought that many women in Colombia have the wisdom to know that most men are the same, and have good and bad traits. So if they arent total freaks, why NOT look for a better life with one of them?

The sad thing is, it seems apparent that there are many men that just go to play around. This isnt new, the same stuff was happening in Europe during the 1st world war and happens around the world daily. The girls just have to learn that every relationship has it's own dynamic and the serious ones will take the time to do it right.

Another reason I like the fiancee visa process and its processing times. You get a bit more time to get to know each other before taking the plunge.

isaactraveler comments on Sick and tired

Shaz and Des Londonmale is a troll and wont last here very long.

I may not agree with a few things you post (sometimes) however I strongly value your point of view.

since I met Angelica, I have had to defend my relationship with her to everyone and anyone who learned of my intentions. Finally my family realized my resolve and accept her as part of my life. I have since gotten a thicker skin regarding others opinions.

My only feeling about american women, is that they also want something better in men, and due to any real or imagined flaws I have about myself, have felt that I could not attract the type of women I wanted. no reflection on american females. I am fortunate to be able to transition from one culture to another without hurting communication. I did have to give up the notion of marrying a jewish girl, but since I feel more latin that jewish, it wasnt a big sacrifice.

Regardless, I read pretty much everything you post. Even Lathras. She is just more fun to tease.

isaactraveler comments on Visa as of January 2005

you do NOT need an attorney sorry I agree with Michaelz... This process seems purely by chance. Angelica was accepted, but she also told me that the FIRST time she went, she got someone who was very VERY friendly, but Angelica had brought a photocopy of her sons birth registry page instead of an original ( this was an error of the DAS person in her hometown).

This person was kind enough to deny her, but allow her to reset an appt as soon as she got the correct papers (1 month later). Both times while she was there, she was talking with other applicants, some with american boyfriends. MANY were denied, including those that had used an attorney. I know this for a fact, because they were the ones telling Angelica that she should have used an attorney in the first place. she also mentioned some lady who was rejecting everyone at her window.

In the second interview, they didnt so much as ask her anything more than how old I was and if she had proof that I had visited(plance ticket). no questions about pictures, relationship or tricky things. It lasted about 5 minutes.

The paperwork isnt complicated,just detailed ( I was able to do it) however lack of communication from the processing centers can make you have a meltdown. The call centers do not know anything, cant help and like Michaelz said, serve solely to put a "follow-up" request as to status.... ALSO letting you know that it will take up to 30 days to find out anything.

It's a crapshoot, but still better than marrying on foreign soil. She has since had it confirmed that the Fiancee visa process is still quicker. The only difference is that the other way, is assured.

The only problems we encountered were that the places she had pictures done initially were idiots who took them wrong, even though that is what the specialized in.

Make sure you have at least 3 copies and let her take the originals of everything to her appt. They want originals, but I would rather trust my fiancee to hand them over at the time of the interview, rather than trust the Embassy to keep them.(my own opinion).

isaactraveler comments on Familia in Colombia always asking for money

here is an interesting twist on loaning money sometimes, loaning a small amount of money to someone is the absolute easiest way to never see them again. This works great for annoying relatives and pain in the ass co-workers, and fair weather friends.

the trick is to keep it less than $100

If you figure out how much less time you have to deal with that annoying person, it really is a small investment. Right now I have two deadbeats that avoid me like the plague. life is good.

isaactraveler comments on Dealing with Trolls

well thats good to hear. and i really like it when you talk dirty, Lathra. :)

isaactraveler comments on the wife from hell....

hehehe funny I wont be telling Angelica this one.

isaactraveler comments on Maria Full of Grace

weren't you IN it? heheh

isaactraveler comments on LONDONMALE PROBLEMS WITH COLOMBIA ARE HERE!!!!

hahaha Utopia I think this will help Angelica. She recently spoke to a colombiana that is here now (wife of a resident) and the girl told her how lonely it was for her and how she misses her family.

I think it will be a good read for her, and I hope that she will find my family a good substitute. and all of them speak spanish so it should be that much easier.

isaactraveler comments on Dealing with Trolls

BAh even I think he is an imbecile aside from that, I have suspected that parce, londonmale and don negro are one and the same. I suggest we have a 3 strikes rule for marginal stuff ( yeah I know I would probably be at 2.5) and SINCE we have monitors, let those guys evaluate the content of the posts and determine the merit of the post vs attempting to enflame the board. Seriously, all of Londonmales posts were idiotic, and he never once justified his stupid rants.

that parce guy is just an idiotic kid that needs his computer privilages taken away.

If Peter gave you guys monitoring privilages, I suggest you not be shy in using them. You got that rank because you have been here awhile, seen it all and should be able to tell where the hell some of those posts are going.. PLUS, you are wise enough to know when its an old poster like Utopia or Gringo or me or Elmo having fun.

I wouldnt mind ANY post, as long as it just isnt parked there with this idiot watching the fun.

isaactraveler comments on FUCK THAT BITCH LIONHEART!!!!!!!

if only it wasnt the same person it would be more interesting.

isaactraveler comments on LONDONMALE PROBLEMS WITH COLOMBIA ARE HERE!!!!

Good info to keep thanks. I will keep this info for my fiancee.