mranderson has left 1668 comments

mranderson comments on Traveling by car through colombia

"i drove from bogota to medellin when i purchased the car and it was 400km of the hardest driving i have ever done in my life.." I did the same trip on a motorcycle and it was a blast, probably the most fun I've ever had driving. How can you not enjoy the mountain roads?

mranderson comments on Thinking seriously of moving!

Well...I love medellin a lot and it's always going to be a home for me since I now have family there but my lungs are glad that I'm not living there anymore. I'm sleeping better, no more inhaler, and I don't have to clean twice a day anymore. I know what you mean about all the A-holes in this country though. Just yesterday I was driving through the walmart parking lot and the car in front of me stopped for a pedestrian crossing when no pedestrians were in sight. What an A-hole!

mranderson comments on Anyone in Houston?

I'm in houston now but I'm gonna need a few paychecks before I can start going to clubs.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

Many taxi and bus drivers can be very aggressive and at times reckless but the majority of car owners are actually quite cautious. Maybe you are just incompetent of adapting to another culture?

mranderson comments on Looking for Work Teaching English or Sales in English

Babygirl I thought call centers paid very little? I inquired about one and it was 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for 700.000 pesos montly. And that was for a native english speaker...the colombians made much less. No thanks.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

I don't buy that monpirri..sometimes the incompetant idiots are the ones trying to cross the road. I wonder how many cracked up loons and street kids are included in that number.

mranderson comments on Looking for Work Teaching English or Sales in English

I'm not at all surprised....

mranderson comments on first time going to colombia, medellin

You're going to stay near zona rosa with only 60k in your pocket? Maybe you should try centro if you're on such a tight budget.

mranderson comments on Colombians the majority are dishonest

Actually I will never trust a salesman or boss in colombia. The director at the institute where I worked was the worst. I never saw someone with more bullshit in my life.

mranderson comments on Colombians the majority are dishonest

Worzel I also have gotten my computer back with less memory. It was an "honest" mistake on their part. Have you ever tried to buy a pirated movie from the streets? They will tell you that all movies are 5.1 surround sound when you know that the sound probably won't even work. So yes, vendors are dishonest a lot but many people are honest.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

Are you the type of guys who go to colombia on vacation and a car honks or doesn't slow down for your pasty fat ass to cross the road so then you label them as incompetent idiots?

mranderson comments on What you won't hear in the media...

Is this supposed to be a scare tactic?

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

monpirri they have traffic lights with pedestrian lights all over the city.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

After driving in medellin almost everyday for over a year I would have to disagree with londoner.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

"Yep, I'm ashamed to be Colombian when in Colombia they kill over 200 pedestrians a year!" Yea, you would think by now they would learn to look first. Pedestrians do some pretty stupid things..after all I did hit 2 of them on my moto which wasn't my fault. As far as a lot of them dying and a lot of traffic accidents...well, you have a lot of people in a relatively small area. Where did you get that statistic? Imagine all the traffic jams there would be if you gave pedestrians rights in colombia. It just wouldn't work. people would be walking in the street instead of the sidewalk. Well, they do that anyway.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

That's because they use all parts of the road with little regards to what lines are painted on them...unlike here where we have to wait in an orderly line because some dumbass 20 cars ahead is afraid to merge into traffic. A pedestrian sticks a toe out in the road and all traffic must slow to 5 miles per hour. Freaking rediculous here. I really hope they pass the law where motos can run between cars here. The colombian system is so much better.

mranderson comments on If Colombians are so “Smart” why can’t obey this Sign?

Now that I'm back in the states it's driving me crazy that I actually have to yield to pedestrians. I also really hate the fact that I can't use the left lane to make right turns.

mranderson comments on So do illegal gringo English teachers ever get caught?

I had a visa but not a work visa and I never got deported. But I'm sure you guys with the work visa are making more money...if not then that's pretty dumb on your part.

mranderson comments on Trade pesos for dollars in medellin

Noone in houston needs pesos?

mranderson comments on Trade pesos for dollars in medellin

Thanks azunoman...I don't think it's hit monica yet that we are really in another country.

mranderson comments on Trade pesos for dollars in medellin

So....anyone in houston texas want pesos?

mranderson comments on What is the best institution in which to study Spanish in Medellin?

Why go to a university? If in medellin just go downtown to the bars where all the old guys hang out and start drinking with them. They got nothing better to do than talk to you for hours to help you practice spanish.

mranderson comments on

I see more drug use here in colombia then I ever did in the states. But in the states I lived in the suburbs and here I live within city limits. You guys that live on fincas or in quiet areas of the city won´t see it so much. But walking around centro I´ve seen plenty of pipes, needles and black bags...usually all out in the open.

mranderson comments on English Teachers Bogota

I think philly and vic are just bitter cuase they "jumped through their hoops" while others get away without jumping. OH well...I never jumped through any hoops while working here. Maybe you guys can try to get me kicked out of colombia. Oppss..I´m leaving on tuesday. Well I guess you guys can try to get all the other gringos kicked out who are working under the table. I mean isn´t the country just overrun with illegal gringos? Oh yea, this is colombia...no illegal activity goes on here. I almost forgot. I can´t believe how concerned you guys are over such a small percentage of travelling gringos who work under the table. Usually for very few hours too. I mean come on...are you guys really that pathetic?

mranderson comments on English Teachers Bogota

I think it´s good that foriegners can still get some temporary work while travelling. Usually that means under the table.

mranderson comments on Probably a dumbass question...BUT

The only danger of jogging in medellin is breathing the air. Some of you are talking about the possibility of being robbed..what are you going to be robbed of? Do you carry a wad of cash and credit cards when you jog?

mranderson comments on Colombian made motorhomes!!

Why couldn´t you drive that to santa fe de antioquia? Buses do that trip everyday don´t they?

mranderson comments on Undercover police scam

I want someone to try and scam me.

mranderson comments on

This sounds great. But until most of the cabbies buy car seats to carry around all the time the mothers with young babies are gonna have some transportation issues.

mranderson comments on

when is this meeting supposed to take place?

mranderson comments on ITS OFFICIAL! MEDELLIN....HERE I COME!

Actually that sounds like a good week to go. After christmas everything kinda dies down in the city.

mranderson comments on Trade pesos for dollars in medellin

XE sounds good to me...or I´ll go to the bank and see what the dollar is selling and buying at and trade at the middle.

mranderson comments on Trade pesos for dollars in medellin

I´ll trade at the current exchange rate. Anyone serious may call my cell phone (posted above).

mranderson comments on

Go to santa barbara. You can buy a case of mangos for 2k pesos.

mranderson comments on Hooters Medellin opens August 5...

I think hooters in medellin will do just fine because many colombians actually like the things that are "destroying" their culture.

mranderson comments on

I don´t get why some of you care if this is legit or not. Haven´t you ever worked a part time job under the table in the u.s.? Sounds like a great opportunity for someone trying to pick up a few more hours of work. Although the pay is too low. I don´t think das is going around to different professional buisnesses looking for illegal english teachers. Maybe in institutes.....

mranderson comments on Hooters Medellin opens August 5...

I have a feeling that colombians are "destroying" the culture more than americans. But I guess it´s much easier to blame the tourist isn´t it?

mranderson comments on colombian cell phone in the u.s.?

I didn´t know they use sim cards in the usa. So that means I can walk into any sprint or whatever store and get a sim card with a plan?

mranderson comments on colombian cell phone in the u.s.?

Well it was a birthday gift for her. I´d like her to keep using it in the states but I have a feeling that´s just not possible. Her other idea was to give it to her 10 year old nephew. But I have a feeling he will damage it, lose it, or it will get stolen from him. I´d rather give him my cheap indestructable nokia.

mranderson comments on Selling Pesos for Dollars

I will probably have some pesos for sale in medellin very shortly.

mranderson comments on What to do sunday night!?

Why do you have to go to a club? Why not check out what´s going on in your nieghborhood?

mranderson comments on Cultural Problems with the Inlaws and babies involved...

I agree with makopp...gotta show them who´s in control.

mranderson comments on Colombians and cold showers

Maybe it´s a non-issue for you?

mranderson comments on Medellin Flower Festival 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYxHLATCBo4

mranderson comments on Colombians and cold showers

I don´t believe all that crap that warm water is bad for the skin, cuases wrinkles, and makes you age faster. I think it´s all a bunch of crap. And colombians (my wifes family anyway) believe the dumbest crap.

mranderson comments on Colombians and cold showers

I use the green goo...I had no idea that it was so strong because it doesn´t affect my hands whatsoever. But it practically rips the skin off my wife´s hands.

mranderson comments on Colombians and cold showers

I thought people in bogota only showered once a week? Because of the cold water? As far as using cold water to wash dishes....well, what´s the problem? I guess maybe it would be tougher if you wait till the next day to wash them but what if you wash them right away?

mranderson comments on IR 1 visa question

Great paisa..looking forward to it.

mranderson comments on Advice for a Newcomer to Colombia

Who cares if there´s no metro. The metro is usually overcrowded and with buses you can get off whereever you want. Not just at a station.

mranderson comments on

I don´t know anything about petersons but it sounds like a good opportunity for someone who will be in the country for 4-6 months. Just watch out for contracts that make you accept whatever crap they may through at you.