Jesse has left 3 comments

Jesse comments on An entertaining and insightful blog about Colombia www.adayincolombia.wordpress.com

Really, Simon? You found 5 sentences out of a 1000 that you took out of context to find racist, but didn't mention the overall tone of positivity or any of the good things I had to say about Colombia and its changing image? By acknowledging the reputation that Colombia has in the US and even poking fun at some cultural differences, I don't think I perpetuated a racist sentiment or caused an uninformed reader to think bad about Colombia. Quite the opposite in fact. I understand you don't like my humor, and I am sorry if you felt it was offensive, but by mentioning "the negatives that all (us) foreigners endlessly focus on" I tried to give more weight to the multitude of positive things I said. A blog about Colombia directed towards uninformed Americans that didn't mention cocaine or violence would be lacking, and disregarded as tourism fluff. The machine gun on the flag is to show the image Colombia "evokes" (look it up in a dictionary) in the mind of many Americans not the correct image. What about your sexist Colombian flag with an Aguila girl in a bikini on it? What kind of image does that evoke about Colombia? But honestly, I am sorry if you were offended, it was far from my intention.

Jesse comments on Marrying a Colombian for a visa extension

Thanks for the advice....except for BAQ. . .almost everything I have seen you write has been negative, pessimistic, dramatic and even mean.

I agree a marriage is not what I want to do, and would be an act of desperation to avoid a serious fine, a night in jail or an ugly deportation. . .as many people warned me about, including BAQ, in a previous question. The idea was sprouted by many COLOMBIAN friends who have done this in the past.... not some immature and spontaneous scam . The two month part is just the immediate band aid fix as I am going to see my family for Christmas and am hoping I can find a way to get a more legitimate visa before I come back...but getting a resident visa NOW would make my life a lot easier and save me a lot of stress, money and hassle in the future.

Thanks to most of you for your positive and constructive replies, and I will definitely drop the marriage idea and go with my original plan of overstaying the visa and paying the fine. Best ways to ensure this fine is minimal???

J

Jesse comments on Colombian tourist visa extension past 6 months/ Student Visa

Leaving the country with an overextended visa I have decided to overstay my 6 month tourist visa and pay the fine. . .I heard it ranged from half the minimum salary to 6 times te minimum. . does this sound right? Anything I can do to ensure or at least help it be half?

Given I am going to be here semi-illegally after october 13th, is it possible to leave the country to go to Ecuador? My assumption is that if I leave the country after I my tourist visa has expired they will not let me back in. . .correct?

Is there anything I can do to be able to leave the country for a weak in late october given my visa runs out oct. 13th and I plan on continuing my life here in Medellin until december 13th?

thanks for the help!!