PennilessBliss has left 41 comments

PennilessBliss comments on Room For Rent in Bogota 15th at 82nd

Hey... Haven´t gotten anything yet. Please email me... or give me a call. Thanks

PennilessBliss comments on bickerss

hey, It seems the system is not working too well... haven't gotten anything yet if you have any questions please email me. judarolo01 at yahoo.com

PennilessBliss comments on Room available Zona Rosa Bogotá

This is a bit of a bump and an update... Our Aussie roommates (Soph and Katch) just left us today, to carry on with their exploits and adventures in South America. Therefore, the room is available as of today. The mattress, sheets and pillows are still available for sale, along with an outlet strip and a loooong Ethernet cord (which any new roommate will probably need if intending to access the web here). Anyone who wants to come by and check out the place is more than welcome to drop by in the daytime or early evening as I'll be here most of the week, day and night. Since our Aussie pals will be hitting the trail again, you can now contact me at: judarolo01 |at| yahoo.com

PennilessBliss comments on Heidisch

Don't worry about it...the landlord is taking forever to vacate the other room... if you're even a bit familiar with local culture you'll know that when someone says "I'll do it Saturday" it doesn't necessarily imply it will happen the following Saturday. I hope by this upcoming weekend it will be available though!

PennilessBliss comments on Roommate Wanted

IMPORTANT POST EDIT!!! I'm sorry I can't edit this within the original post, but after looking around I have simply assumed they're not editable.

THE ROOM IS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE, YET THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE'VE FOUND A ROOMMATE.

The person currently living there has had to postpone his departure till the 25th and if you're interested you're still welcome to drop by and see it.

PennilessBliss comments on Roommate Wanted

A room in our apartment Sorry about that, should have specified. It's a 3 bedroom apartment and we currently have a spare room. The room isn't furnished but the rest of the apartment is. I do own a sleeper sofa (pull-out bed) we could pull into the bedroom. No other furniture available though.

We're only asking for $200 a month plus about $75 for utilities. That would cover, besides the basics, cable and high-speed internet.

When would you need to move in?
Any additional questions just let me know.

PennilessBliss comments on BOGOTA: Looking for apartment/flatmates

Any luck so far? Just in case you're still trying to come across a decently priced room in Bogota, my roommate and I (both American) are looking for someone to move in with us. The place is pretty much immediately available.

We're on 15th at 82nd, right next to all the fun, yet at a convenient distance so as to be able to sleep (if your work schedule or personal convenience calls for it) on weekend nights; that also means there's public transportation going all over town within a three block radius.
We have hot water, cable, internet and a telephone line; plus the added convenience of a washer and a pretty large refrigerator. All living room furniture and decoration has been provided by us.

If you're interested just drop me a line or call.
judarolo01 (at) yahoo (dot) com
317 285 5018

Dave

PennilessBliss comments on Petersons Centro de Idiomas

haha... Miguel, you hit the Clavo on the head PennilessBliss is just my paraphrased version of this site's name. No more, no less.
Billyb, keep in mind we are not all as imaginative as you when concocting a handle. ;) hehehe

Cheers!

PennilessBliss comments on Petersons Centro de Idiomas

Wasteland... you're damn right It's very true, and quite sad...

I promise I'll post the details of my exploits down here as soon as I have 15 minutes to myself, which will most likely be sometime this evening.

First thing though... when in Rome do as the Romans, that's the the secret to success

PennilessBliss comments on Petersons Centro de Idiomas

hmmmm... here's my story ok, so I quit a great job over at caracol TV in order to start up a company... while at it, I thought teaching english a couple of hours a day would be a good idea. I got a friend who worked there to introduce me and yeah, being a foreign looking American helped me nail the interview... I was then assigned a morning class with an executive at a nearby company... soooo, I went there the following Monday, all was going well till another teacher showed up... hmmmm, I thought, so they don't plan very well at Peterson's. I went on though, mostly because I'd gotten there on time, unlike the other guy.

So here's what actually happened. A Colombian couple owns the institute, the guy went ahead and assigned the class, to me. The wife, on the other hand, called another teacher. To top it off, when I called to find out what the F was going on, she asked me (quite callously) to never again teach on Peterson's behalf without being properly authorized...

In a manner I thought befitting, I quit my new job. A record in my book (1 hr 30 mins. of actual work).

Your call if you want to teach there. They pay 30 thou COP per class (90 mins.) and usually do it on time. I would say their planning/management is a bit deficient, based on my experience.

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

Pan de cada dia just got that corrected... an everyday occurrence

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

Pan cada dia... or something like that Yeah, everyday stuff...

As far as proving yourself a true new yorker... I wouldn't know, I moved out as soon as I had a chance ;) I called Denver, CO my home till about a year ago. That was more my kind of place. You know, laid back, snowboarding hippies. And then came Colombia... you gotta love this place, and hate it, all at once.

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

Funny you should mention that That's exactly where I grew up... I though of it but didn't quite go as far as posting it.

It's a dog eat dog kind of place, but hell, rude New Yorkers can be nice when it comes to selling you anything from coffee to real estate. The movies don't quite depict it right. Pretty much the same way they portray Bogota as having a warmer climate and two dirt roads. ;)

Just a thought :)

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

I guess you're right DG The attitude, the laugh, the look that says "I can see what you're doing so who's the fool now"... yup, all part of the package deal.

Go with the flow... that seems to be the motto for everything around here. :) I like the ass bit, though.

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

Haven't we all? True. In fact I'm famous among my Colombian friends for fuming and sometimes even storming out of places due to their service (or total disregard for it).

As for setting an example... honestly I've always hoped to achieve that, but when it comes down to it, locals will just glare at me. I don't know if it's got something to do with me being foreign or that they're simply too familiar with how things work around here.

I'll give Carrefour a shot, perhaps being a foreign co. makes them uphold different quality standards.

That, BTW, brings me to Carulla's recent ad campaign, in which they advertise their newly heightened sense of service. I shop there at least twice a week, and everyone is just as sluggish and unaccommodating as they've always been. Shop elsewhere? It's two blocks from my place and no capitalistic principle can get me to pay for transportation... :) I will try Carrefour though, a month's worth of groceries and a single cab fare might make more sense.

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

Hmmmm... Well, about a year ago when I arrived, I figured that was the way to go. (DG, I would guess you've probably been around longer, though) Now I've simply given up on service down here. Most companies don't care because they know no one does a thing about it. Perhaps everyone here is just used to having things shoved in their faces, being ignored at shop counters, and, in general, getting awful service wherever they go (one look at the city owned Transmilenio will tell you that).

So in spite of my capitalist spirit, it would just be a handful of us trying to make a difference. I say, let's know what our rights are as consumers and do our best to enforce them.

PennilessBliss comments on Remember to always look at Colombian Docs 2 or 3 times over before leaving the window

Check out the commerce regulations I'm pretty sure I saw this in one of those Consumer Bulletins they air right before the news down here.

If any item is somehow marked twice, the supermarket must cover their mistake. In other words you are entitled to paying the lowest advertised price no matter what. So next time this happens just mention the "Codigo de Comercio" (I'm pretty sure that's the right name).

Another very common thing here is that you can never get a refund on returned items. Even if you walk right back into the place immediately after you've made your purchase. Some places will exchange your item, and Exito even gives you a voucher for the amount of your purchase, but seeing your cash again seems pretty much impossible.

Nevertheless a fellow expat recently walked into a men's clothing shop with a sweater that didn't quite fit, his receipt, and a copy of the Code. He says he simply pointed out the article where it is clearly stated that any item returned in original condition, along with proof of purchase will warrant a full refund. Voila, that settled it right there and then.

Guess we might all have to get a paperback copy and tote it around town.

PennilessBliss comments on Desperately seeking colombianas. Part II

Band Geek

PennilessBliss comments on Desperately seeking colombianas. Part II

Telegrammic Architect... Newspeak Consultant Any suggestions as to what a duly impressive and humorous job would be?

PennilessBliss comments on Desperately seeking colombianas. Part II

Bear Share?? Seriously?! LOL... Now that's a sign of me being in Colombia far too long, and pretty much doing all the picking-up in person.
I guess I would have never thought of using P2P software for hooking up... True, they do have the profile function, and the website evidently promotes it for such purposes... I've clearly fallen behind the times!!!
That's not say I don't want to play, hell I'm already living here... I might as well enjoy it, and have 'em all lined up for elmo. Just let me know where and when to drop them off.
BTW, bearshare is actually one of the few innocuous programs available online, so, IMHO, go ahead and download... and let the geek invasion begin.

PennilessBliss comments on Need help fast, my travel partner getting cold feet over Colombia safety

my $0.02 USD I would strongly recommend you avoid traveling from medellin to ecuador by bus... it's quite a distance to cover, and although colombian roads have become fairly safe over the past 3 or 4 years, my logic says the longer the distance you'll travel, the greater the risk.

Medellin is a pretty safe place, with the only major threat (as in most latin american cities and even some western cities) being petty theft/street crime.

As to reaching the border by land, I have, on two separate ocassions, flown into the Pasto airport and driven (with local friends) over to ecuador (about two hours drive)... the view is stunning (in fact, most of Colombia is visually astounding) and there were plenty of Colombian Army troopers along the way, which by local standards pretty much means it's safe.

My humble advice, based on my experience, is stay off the roads if you're traversing half the country. Otherwise enjoy.

PennilessBliss comments on For sale: Ethan Allen Furniture, Antiques, Paintings

Haven't quite gotten there yet Nope... might need to look into one of those in a couple of years (hopefully longer than that)

PennilessBliss comments on which region is the best????

Althought Colombiche's description seems more appropriate than any other.

Concentrado E' Latino!

PennilessBliss comments on which region is the best????

With or without... I took the ride (everyone said I shouldn't) to El Azufral and saw an assortment of beauty I'd never seen before. I was particularly impressed by the mountain/valley combination, not one bit like the Cundinamarca range. It's a series of deep grooves that zigzags as far as the eye can see. Did I mention deep an steep? Wow!

In regards to the OP, the whole country is great. Just when you think you've fallen in love with ONE place, there's another totally different region (along with it's culture) to delight and surprise you all over again.

PennilessBliss comments on which region is the best????

Damn, just an edit, not a re-post... sorry

PennilessBliss comments on which region is the best????

Galeras... I thought Galeras was the traditional Pastuso aguardiente... Try downing the stuff while chewing on a roasted guinea pig's head.
And yet somehow it's all in traditional cuisine for the pastuso friends. "yooora pues sumerce"

BTW the steep mountains and deep valleys around the city will leave you breathless. Truly awe inspiring scenery.

PennilessBliss comments on which region is the best????

Galeras... I thought Galeras was the traditional Pastuso aguardiente... Try downing the stuff while chewing on a roasted guinea pig's head.
And yet somehow it's all in traditional cuisine for the pastuso friends. "yooora pues sumerce"

BTW the steep mountains and deep valleys around the city will leave you breathless. Truly awe inspiring sceney.

PennilessBliss comments on FARC would free two captured policemen after elections

"Electoral Merchandise" Uribe was not too happy either. Today's El Tiempo registered his irate reaction to what he labels as "totally abusive" trafficking in hostages. He went on to say that FARC is endeavoring to "clean up" their terrorist actions by placing their captives behind a veil of political legitimacy.

PennilessBliss comments on FARC would free two captured policemen after elections

Oh, that list... I've read it twice this week Since it's a bit difficult to catch those slight nuances that make verbal communication so rich while reading a block of internet text, I still haven't figured out the tone behind that line. For the sake of good-humored dialectic I'm hoping my current interpretation is accurate (hopefully the same amicable reading applies to my comments). Next time I'll make sure to add the universal ":)".


;)

PennilessBliss comments on FARC would free two captured policemen after elections

Speaking of wordiness... Platano How does one enroll in this School of Headline Writing that I keep reading about?

PennilessBliss comments on FARC would free two captured policemen after elections

A matter of perspective The conflict in Colombia seems to go beyond a lack of will or opportunity. The Colombian Armed Forces have evidenced their will to actively combat and defeat the insurgents. Several large scale military operations have taken place in the last 3 years that speak of Uribe's "Mano Fuerte" policy. In fact, attempts were made in rescuing hostages shortly after the kidnappings took place. These met with unprecedented success until the tragic death of Consuelo Araujo in one such undertaking. AFAIK the bad press caused by the incident brought about a more conservative approach when hostages were involved. On the other hand, the industrial and political opportunism that arises from an ongoing military confrontation can be a powerful deterrent to a full-scale victory. War profiteering is as old as war itself. I happen to be acquainted with a Colombian industrial (footwear manufacturer) who has capitalized immensely on his contracts with the military. I assume there are many others in the same boat. I believe there are other contributing factors as well. Maintaining a certain political climate would prove benefecial for many who have the means to warrant it all stays the same. To sum it up, it's beyond neglect (or lack of will) per se. IMHO the Colombian conflict surpasses the wherewithal or the inclination to end it.



BTW, I'm sure everyone noticed the contrasting terms used in referring to the policemen. The press release uses "kidnapped" while FARC's statement resorts to "prisoners of war". A bit of rhetoric to spice up the whole "humantarian exchange" vs. "negotiating with terrorists" debate.

PennilessBliss comments on Orlando Duque (Colombian Cliff Diver)

GD That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out... there are two Colombians on my indoor soccer team who use the term constantly while playing... when I did try to obtain an explanation/translation they couldn't seem to reach a consensus... I would dare say it was close to spunk or grit. Any locals wanna give me a hand here?

PennilessBliss comments on Orlando Duque (Colombian Cliff Diver)

Berraquera ok, I was close. It's berraquera... I just don't know what the exact meaning is...

Berraquera anyone?

PennilessBliss comments on Orlando Duque (Colombian Cliff Diver)

But... ..he lives in Hawaii, and is happily married :-P

Great exponent of what Colombian talent coupled with perseverance can accomplish. This guy started out as an olympic diver and actually got a chance to compete for his country in the '92 Barcelona Olympics. The fact that financial difficulties prevented him from doing so didn't seem to hold him back, he just went on to higher, more difficult stunts. 6 times Cliff Diving World Champ... I think the term is "beraquero".

(really did my homework on this one :- )

PennilessBliss comments on Orlando Duque (Colombian Cliff Diver)

I couldn't pinpoint the location... as to the "Colombian training abroad" bit... according to a Colombian colleague, it's a lot more common than you'd expect. There's just not enough state funding or private sponsorship available.

PennilessBliss comments on Orlando Duque (Colombian Cliff Diver)

Good Point Duque trains in Hawaii... I'll have to wait till I get there to figure that one out.

PennilessBliss comments on Orlando Duque (Colombian Cliff Diver)

The worst by far... /:[ 2 cups of coffee, 5 cancer-sticks and an hour later I'm down to this unbecoming soliloquy...

PennilessBliss comments on salary/cost of living

Andrea Echeverri You can go ahead and google "Aterciopelados". She is the lead singer for this awesome Colombian pop band.

If you're into that sort of progressive/experimental pop (with some serious latin fusion) you'll find it to be simply great. They're one of the icons that first drew my attention to Colombian culture and art. I mean, nearly 10 years ago, way before Shakira was showing off her moves on MTV. They've recently delved into the electronic trend but the older stuff rocks. Try "la cuchilla".

PennilessBliss comments on salary/cost of living

Rubiazo First off, thanks... it's not often you get someone to actually lend a hand with these things. Not to mention going out of your way to locate the pertaining links. Kudos my friend!

Now, how difficult is it to find a reasonably priced "por noche"? If only while I carry out my apartment search, which seems to drag out a bit (judging from the previous posts)

Thanks again,
Dave

PennilessBliss comments on salary/cost of living

Ok, I believe... but where? I hate to butt in on a thread that seems to be running along so nicely, but after being amused for a couple of hours I want to ask a quick one... I'm flying out to Bogota in 2 weeks and have only just begun the apartment search. I mean, I have not properly allocated a percentage of my income or anything like it. Yes, very irresponsible, but I just thought the $500 to 800-K range given by my employer was broad enough to be accurate.

Here's the problem, I've been at it for a couple of hours on Eltiempo.com and metrocuadrado.com and can't seem to find any 2br/1bth apartments for less than 1 million pesos... To all who have mentioned the 400-600k deals... please point them out to me, I might not be looking where I should. Where do I define the estrata in my search?

Thanks!

PennilessBliss comments on The last minute of your cellphone time on Comcel Amigos Calling Card??????

More bang for my Peso I thought I'd check with the local experts before starting a thread... I'm relocating in Bogota, arriving a couple of weeks from today and would like some tips on the cell phone carriers available.

Who has the most reliable service for the best price?

All tips are greatly appreciated.

Dave