Strobers has left 134 comments

Strobers comments on Pizza here sucks--Colombia has become too expensive!

Costco should open a place up in Colombia. They have some of the best pizza I've ever had.

Strobers comments on You know you are NOT in Colombia when ........

You know you are NOT in Colombia when... Your alarm goes off to go to work and you realize you have another four years until you can retire and then you start crying. The phone card your wife uses to call home that guarenteed 2 1/2 hours of call time is used up after one 5 minute phone call and then she starts crying. The dentist bill is ten times you paid the last time you were in Colombia for 1/2 of the same work and you both start crying.

Strobers comments on Sofia returns to Hollywood with a new movie, “Meet the Browns"

Personally I don't think that Salma or Sophia are very good actresses. They look good, but for the most part the roles they have chosen are light, superficial and lack any real substance. They would be better catagorized as celebrities. Meryl Streep is an actress. Gwenth Paltrow is an actress. When you watch women like them act, you forget who they are; as they totally assimilate themselves into their character. Salma and Sophia are never in character, they are playing a role, and watching them "act" is in essence watching them play dress-up.

Strobers comments on Peanut butter

The last time we went to Colombia we brought along four jars of peanut butter for gifts. Three quarters of the family loved it and the other quarter didn't. It makes a big difference how it's presented. I did a demonstration on mixing it with jelly, or eating it by itself in a tortilla or mixing up peanut butter and jelly in a tortilla. You can also use peanut butter as part of an awesome stir fry, mix it with honey, or use it as a base for smoothies. Nothing is as delicious as a peanut butter and banana sandwich. It's the kind of food that can be prepared a lot of different and creative ways.

Strobers comments on Advice needed for relationship

I was in a similar situation as yours with my then girlfriend who is from Colombia. I made it a point to clearly explain the way thing are here in the U.S. which is nothing like people see on T.V. in other countries. By the time she got here eight months later she didn't experience the level of culture shock that one would expect because she was already clued in about the realities of living here in the states. She always had helped her mom and family and I supported her completely regarding her wish to continue doing so when she emigrated, but I also made sure it was understood that when we were married OUR relationship came first before anything else. She started taking English classes straightaway and studied solidly for an entire year. After a year she got a full time job. To maintain a fair balance I got her a bank account where she could deposit the money from and we made the joint decision that 60% of the money went toward our bills and everything else was to stay in her account, with the understanding that if we were in a financial jam that money would be used to pay off debt. We both understand that there is no such thing as My Money in a relationship. When you are married it is OUR money. This set up has worked out great and after almost six years of marriage we are both extremely happy and everybody's needs have been met. Creating a Win-Win situation is what you always want to end up with, but that only can happen if both people enter into it with the right attitude and a level of understanding that takes into consideration the needs of the other person in the relationship.

Strobers comments on When to lend a helping hand?

All I can say to those who would just ignore the situation, for whatever the reason, picture yourself on the street bleeding and how you would be feeling watching everyone drive around you as if you were nothing but a wounded animal. I have always stopped to help people in need, no matter what country I am in. In the event that something negative comes out of it, I still did the right thing. The problem with today's world is that people are so cynical and paranoid about reaching out to others, yet when nobody is there for them they bitch and complain that nobody cares, they don't have real friends, etc. Do unto others as you would have them to unto you.

Strobers comments on A little networking: Mexico anyone?

My mom was born in Moneterry, Nuevo Leon, but we haven't been back there for several years. Mexico is in pretty bad shape right now. The narcos are really pounding each other over drug territory and the atrocities they are committing to intimidate each other has reached pretty epidemic preportions. Can you imagine being at a dance club and while your dancing, drinking having a good time, some thugs roll the heads of some adversaries across the dance floor? It's crazy. Besides that, there are a lot of other places in Mexico that are better places to live than Monterrey. There are some beautiful little towns to explore, especially in Oaxaca. I would do that first and then make your decision on where you want to live.

Strobers comments on Arepas y Yuca

I don't like arepas, but yucca is delicious when it's fried. Personally, I like them better than potatos. Unfortunately, because of my medical problems, I can't indulge in them as much as I would like to.

Strobers comments on Dia Sin Carros - Day Without Cars - Car Free Day TODAY!

I'll never understand how such an advanced country as the U.S.A. with so many resources can't put together something like this, somewhere. I think it's awesome that people are willing to actually stand up and do something for the sake of the planet and their personal health, instead of filling the airwaves with empty rheteric that disappears like a puff of smoke.

Strobers comments on Colombia in speech

I'm against it completely and it has nothing to do with party affiliation. The only people who benefit from these trade bills are the companies who sponsor them. It's a money driven enterprise where profits come before the welfare of people. All we have to do is look at NAFTA, which has been sucking out the life blood of the middle class in the U.S., to show how flawed these trade agreements are. They are stacked against working people. While the U.S. is losing their middle class, workers in India and Bangledesh, get to make another five cents per hour working in sweat shop conditions. I hope this bill does not pass.

Strobers comments on

Sounds like you were pointing that post to me Pod. I'm not liberal or conservative. Excesses either way are dangerous. I make my own mind up about things. I don't need Hillary or John M. telling me how to think. I'm a member of the NRA and I also attend Sierra Club meetings. I guess that means that I'm either a conliberal, a libservative, or maybe I just measure things out and come to my own conclusions about things. Thought for the day. Don't vote for politicians. It just encourages them.

Strobers comments on

I agree with you Swinn. I think that most of the time even when we meet people from our own social circle, our own race, our own neighborhood, we have this tendency to measure them up. Can I kick this guys ass? Does he make more than me? I don't like his shirt. I don't like the way his wife does her make-up. We are forever judging others. And your right, most of what we come up with is our own insecurities and inferiority complex. This is a universal problem, not just something in Colombia. On a side note I enjoy dialoging with someone who actually has something to say and takes the time to say it. Thanks. I wish more people posted substance than the usual miedra that's posted that just takes up band space.

Strobers comments on

Yes GIB, they would, but that's not what we are meandering about. I wrote my thesis on Bi-cultural/Multicultural issues and how socio-political upheavels orchestrated by the government and perpetuated by the media, in the name of progress, growth and national security have maintained the status quo in this country as long as it has existed. This is a topic I'm pretty well versed on. I'm not talking out of my ass. If you, and I mean this rhetorically, look at the history of bilingual-multicultural education for example it has only been accepted when it has benefited the U.S. in some way. The rest of the time, minorities have had to deal from oppression from all fronts. For example during World War I, Germans were subjected to major discrimination. They were interned and deported by the hundreds. This was the era when if an immigrant couldn't speak English upon their arrival to port, they were sent back to where they originated. During World War II the American citizens of Japanese desent were incarcerated for several years and lost everything in the process. During the Depression my father who is a U.S. citizen mind you, was forced out of the country along with most of his family because he was Mexican. The same thing happened to my mom, which is how they wound up in Mexico. They were forced to immigrate there because of their race and they were U.S. citizens. History is peppered with these kinds of examples. We love our minorities -------- when we need them most. When everything is hunky-dorey and we don't have some group to blame for our misguided foreign, domestic and economic policies immigrants are welcome back to the fold like prodigal children. The hipocracy of it is unfathomable. That's why Mexicans and other Latin Americans here and in other Latin American countries inwardly sigh when they see Hillary, Odama, Richardson, and the rest of the pols running for office munching on tacos and taking photos with sweaty agricultural workers. They know it's spin and as soon as they get into office it will be business as usual. I love America, but man do we know how to bullshit ourselves.

Strobers comments on

Swinn, I don't think the issue is with learning English in the U.S. The issue is more multi-cultural. Unlike Colombia where there is a common identity where people speak Spanish and share the same cultural traits, regardless of the strata or any other self-imposed differences, the U.S. is made up of a multitude of cultures. Although we have been brain washed to believe that we are a "melting pot" in essence we are more like a salad. We inhabit the same bowl, but are not directly linked other than being human and living in the same geographic area. Because of this, the Learn English mantra in the U.S. is taken for what it is, an attempt of White Anglo-Saxon America to subjugate the language and cultures of the rest of the country. This is more an issue of culture than it is language. Since the birth of our nation, our Founding Fathers (Affluent, white males) repeatedly made it known that decisions they based in regards to culture and language were based on the needs of the country - their version of it. As a result the U.S. embraced the slave trade and used it to become an economic powerhouse , broke over 500 treaties with the Indians in order to increase their territory, and employeed practices designed to spread their version of America the world over. I know I'm going off the subject here, but that's why we are so dispised everywhere. People are tired, here and abroad, of our government getting over involved in the affairs of the world when we have so many of our own problems here. We have a 12 Trillion Dollar war we'll never pay for, we're sliding into a recession, 1/4 of our children don't have basic health insurance, and 1% of our population makes and keeps half of the wealth of this country. It's a problem. It's a major problem and no amount of spinning is going to change the reality of it. I love my country, but historically we have only accepted minorities when it's suited the purpose of our economic growth and prosperity. Everything about America revolves around money. It's the life blood of our nation. We brought over the Chinese to help build the railroads and then kicked them out, we brought in the Mexicans on a special visa to work in the fields then we kicked them out, we brought in Blacks to work the fields, we enslaved them, had to let them go, and they were seen as second class citizens until the 1960's. Personally, I think the whole You Live in the U.S. So Speak English is plain bullshit. It's xenophobia disguised as a language issue. Our history, from Christopher Columbus, the worlds first slave trader, to Der Leader Bush clearly have demonstrated time and time again that the needs of the non-dominant cultures in this country, along with the poor and disenfranchised, have and will always take the back seat of the bus.

Strobers comments on

Joanseb, estoy en acuerdo con tigo. Me molesta muchisimo que gente va para otro pais y tienen el expectacion que todos arredor de ellos deben portarse, pensar y hacer las cosas como los hacen en la tierra de ellos. Mi esposa es Colombiana y cuando vamos a Colombia no existe los EU. Estamos en otro pais donde hacen las cosas diferentes. No es bueno ni malo, solamante es como es. La problema con gente de mi pais es que muchos de ellos sufren del delucion que el EU es el papa de el mundo y todos los demas puedian prender algo si pusieron mas atencion como se deben hacer las cosas. Per no debe ser asi. El EU es otro pais parte del mundo y tiene ijual los problemas que tiene el resto del mundo. No somos perfectos. El cabron Bush es un ejemplo de eso. La tristesa es que la mayoria de la jente nunca van a prendar y vamos a tener que sufrir las mismas cosas por siempre. Ojala que puediamos ser unidos en todo, no solamente palabras vacios.

Strobers comments on Breathing Room

Remember that you are never responsible for what others do, but you are always responsible for how you react. Taking that into consideration, it would behoove you to set some firm limits with the family. They can't read your mind and if you just get angry or resentful you will just cause more discontent. The earlier you set the tone, the easier the process will be. The longer you wait, the more resentful you will become and the more the family will assume that their behavior can be continued.

Strobers comments on

Thanks kalder, you are the audience I'm going for.

Strobers comments on

I can see why you don't have any friends diabloblas. I'm sorry my analagy confused you. On my next post I'll make sure I stick to concrete concepts and use three letter words. I don't know why people like you and other traveling misfits that post here feel the need to degrade anything that dosen't have to do with drinking, smoking weed or chasing women. There is a lot more to Colombia than that.

Strobers comments on

I think that how people treat you in Colombia is in direct correlation to how you behave and treat them. The people that visit and demonstrate any level of arrogance, especially as it pertains to materialism; throwing around money and being a show off, are the ones that Colombians frown upon. When a foreignor goes to Colombia they should adopt the social morays of the culture. The problem I've seen is that foreignors want to install their culture on them, which many Colombians find insulting. An example of this is tipping. Too many foreignors go to Colombia and think they are in the U.S. They leave these outrageous tips of 30 to 40% of the meal. What this does is perpetuate the myth that gringos walk around with wads of cash. Two things happen. Either A. They expect that from everyone and become resentful if you don't or B. They think you are showing off. Either way it's not a good way to be perceived. Another example is language. Gringos go to Colombia and expect Colombians to speak English, which is absolutely ridiculous. If you want to truly assimilate (as much as you can anyway being a gringo) then learn the language. Even if a person butchers the language, at least they are trying to speak it and their effort does not go unnoticed by people. To piggy back on the above, someone I know who lives in Colombia told me a story about a friend of theirs who made this big scene at a restaurant because there wasn't any A1 Steak Sauce. If you want A1 Steak Sauce, bring it from home. If you are pissed because they don't have Snickers bars in Colombia than bring your own. It's that simple. Colombia is not the U.S. or U.K. I remember a story about this man who took a woman on a wonderful date. He went to her door and presented her with some beautiful flowers, he rented a sleek, black limo and took her to the most posh restaurant in town. Afterwards they took a romantic walk along the beach, the warm waves gently lapping at their ankles. He turned to the woman, she turned to him. He bent down his lips hungary for hers. As their lips met........... he farted. The next day one of the woman's friends called her up to ask how her date went. She replied, "He farted when he was about to kiss me." Moral of the story. It takes one stupid mistake to wipe out a day of fun and joy. Put this in a cultural context and you'll understand my point.

Strobers comments on Posting Images of People from Colombia here on PBH - right or wrong?

Charlie, go back to your cell. For everyone else, I shoot photography professionally and I know more about copywrite law than most people. There is nothing wrong in posting a photo that you take, on the internet because taking the picture makes it your intellectual property. However, it could be a copywrite infringement if you took someone elses photo and posted it. Generally speaking, if a photo is not being used commercially it's O.K. to use the photo. However, if it is used to promote something or in a commerical context that is a copywrite infringement. I rarely ask people's permission when I photograph them because it ruins the moment. However, I will pay them a buck or send them a copy afterward. Most of the times I just shoot stealthly. I've posted a couple of videos of my work here of my photographs when I've traveled to Colombia. That's O.K. to do. But if someone from the site took the video to promote their web site or online business, without my written permission, that would be a copywrite violation. However, I'm in copywrite violation myself because the soundtrack is copywrited by the person(s) who composed the songs. Because of the quality of my work, I hope that they would appreciate the fact that I use their music as the sound track to the images, but if they didn't I would have to pull the videos. The law is pretty murky. What it really boils down to is if the person can claim "fair use" but a good lawyer can twist things around to make that mean anything. I would encourage everyone to read up on copywrite law in the event you are not sure of something.

Strobers comments on Strobers

You sound like your high. I can't understand your mutterings.

Strobers comments on Colombian Food

Speaking of coconut, do you or does anybody else, know the recipe to make coconut Popsicles? I had one from a street vender that were apparently home made and they were delicious. They didn't have all the extra crappy stuff that the coconut Popsicles that you buy in a regular store have.

Strobers comments on Mexican Spanish vs. Colombia Spanish

Naw John, I wasn't in San Quentin. Just have been going through a lot the last few few months. Things have settled down so I'm going to be around a bit more. Regarding language, the thing I can't get used to is the way Colombians use the letter "c" instead of "t" when saying words. For example, "Mi gatico esta tomando leche." In Mexico we would say, "Mi gatito esta tomando leche." Even though my wife works with mainly Mexicans, she still uses the c instead of the t when she converses.

Strobers comments on HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nicely said Samuel, I never knew that love could be so absolutely fulfilling until I met my wife.

Strobers comments on Colombian Food

I love ajiaco. My SIL could open her own restaurant. She makes the best soups on the planet, not just ajiaco, but this delicious sopa de pescado tambien.

Strobers comments on What is your closest brush with danger in Colombia?

My wife, Mother-in-law and I were followed by two guys when we were visiting the area around where the Gold Museum is in Bogota. They had been following us for a while. We just ducked into a crowd of people and lost them. Another time this guy from my wife's neighborhood came outside and started giving me a hard time because I was taking pictures of the neighborhood. Apparently, he thought I was casing out the place. My BIL told him to relax and explained who I was. Everything was cool after that. I think that if you are an obvious gringo, and going solo, you are going to have more problems than someone who can blend in (for the most part) and has Colombian family support. But like I've said before, even if you have a cara de nopal, if it's your time to die, it's your time to die.

Strobers comments on

Whatever you do, wear a condom. I'd hate to see what you might bring into this world.

Strobers comments on Iron Maiden to Rock Colombia

I agree with Robert and Zollimtsenad. Iron Maiden is an incredible band. Their songwriting and musicianship is superb. Top notch. I saw them play at Irvine Meadows Ampitheater in the early 80's and they were riviting. Bruce Dickenson has one of the best voices in the genre. Hard Rock/Metal bands come a dime a dozen, but Iron Maiden is up there in a class of bands by themselves; Black Sabbath, U.F.O. Robin Trower. I burned my own personal greatest hits package from their song list and I still play it all the time and I'm in my 40's. Great music never fades away.

Strobers comments on POOR BUT HAPPY BE CAREFUL!

Hey Capitan, I hope you choke on your chicken you loser.

Strobers comments on HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best advice on this thread is the one about knowing a woman's family. When you get married, in essence you are marrying the family too. Ask yourself some questions. What is the mom like? How does she treat her husband? How does he treat her? How do they deal with problems? What's the family dynamic like? Also, if you even SENSE a red flag because your lady did something questionable, chase that gut feeling down. Don't ignore it. A red flag means Warning. When I was in my dating stage I dropped women left and right the minute I saw something questionable, because I new instinctively that it was just the tip of the iceberg. I'm sorry Igppa that you had to learn the hard way.

Strobers comments on

I think that the women from the lower stratas, generally speaking, are much more together and much less devious than the women in the upper stratas. Before I married my wife I dated a few on both sides of the divide and the ones that were the most well off financially were the ones that were the most neurotic and problematic. There are hundreds of thousands of decent women. The problem is that A. Guys get too caught up in chasing the exceptionally attractive, money-grubbing, neurotic Colombians and B. They look for and find these women in the worst of places, like bars. If you notice, the guys on this board who have solid relationships, which includes me, Fam, and a couple of other guys, approached our courtship from a totally different angle and perspective than a lot of guys do. My wife is very attractive, but she is extremely centered and spirtual. She exudes goodness and her baggage fits in a thimble. I saw all those things before I saw her in any other respect. A man can blame himself if he winds up with a loser. If you do your homework and keep your eyes open you won't be lamenting the day you decided to get married.

Strobers comments on work visa possible for high school and college dropout?

Oh God. Another NASPAT.

Strobers comments on Teaching English in Medellin

QUOTE: "I have respect for the profession but that degree in no way makes you a good teacher. I have completed my University degree where there were no professors with less than a PHD. So their knowledge was appreciated. However we are talking English here. Yes it is nice that you are able to evaluate your students and then just how does that change your curriculum?" END OF QUOTE I think GIB you are reading what you want to read. I never stated that a degree makes you a good teacher. However, it does demonstrate (most of the time) that the person who was conferred the degree has reached a level of expertise that demonstrates the foundational knowedge base needed to teach. In other words, they know the foundational skills inherent in the acquistion of language. How does evaluating my students change my curriculum? If I have a student who is having problems grasping a concept, it does not mean the student can't learn, it's because I'm not using the correct teaching strategy. In this case I approach things a different way. It may be that I use some type of manipulative or graphic organizer or an interactive software program. It depends on the student. Everybody learns differently. Although I have learned the majority of my skills on the job, the basic foundational skills I learned at school. When you make a comment like, "We are talking English here" you make it sound that teaching English is similar to teaching someone how to play dominoes. Teaching and learning English is labor intensive and is a skill that is constantly practiced. It's developed over a span of weeks, months and years and entails the understanding of countless language skills that together form the language in all it's forms. It's not a hack pointing at words on a chalkboard and saying repeat the word bathtub three times. QUOTE: "Learning a language is something babies do, it is a natural inherent ability we all have. So sorry but an English teacher that goes around patting themselves on the back for having a degree is to me nothing more than an attempt to justify a higher salary. The absolute basis and from my psych major I can tell you that learning and in particular memorization which really is all the English classes are anyway. The lesson needs to be meaningful, interesting and thus easier for the student to retrieve what he learned. A degree does not give you this."QUOTE Patting myself on the back for having a degree? For one thing you can't teach without at least an undergraduate degree anywhere in the U.S. Real teachers don't really have any choice in the matter. Regarding salaries, teachers have been underpaid for decades. The amount of work that goes into teaching can't be measured during the course of the day. When you are really invested in your students, teaching becomes a big part of your life. You aren't a teacher so you can never understand this concept, try as you will. I know someone will reply and say that they know a teacher who makes an excellent salary and it's true, if you are willing to stay in the profession 25 or 30 years. The average teacher leaves the profession within 5 years because they can't cope with the pressure. QUOTE: "If you have it then I applaud you for it. But they did not teach it to you. You have it or you don't like many things in life. Being a salesman for example, you can read books and study courses go through training programs but it is an art, just like teaching. If you don't have it all the training in the world is not going to make you a salesperson no more than a degree makes you a teacher. Next to my degree teaching probably has the most people working outside their degree than any other. Why? Because that education is a very small part of what it takes to be a teacher."QUOTE I agree with you GIB. A teacher either has it or they don't. Even if I didn't have a Masters in Education, I still would be a great teacher. It's something I was born to do. However, my Masters demonstrates to students attending my class that I have the education to back up my teaching skills and experience, just as my credentials do. I think you will agree that a prospective student in Colombia who truly wants to learn the language, who is serious about learning and works hard for their money, would prefer to have a teacher that is as skilled as possible. The education component of a teacher's overall experience helps to demonstrate that.

Strobers comments on Public behavior.

I can't imagine living in such a disfunctional family. Living in that type of environment will eventually ruin your physical, emotional and physical health. Unfortunately, once you have crossed the line from the standpoint of losing respect for each other, there is no turning back. You can never regain what you started with. Once Humpty-Dumpty falls off the wall, no amount of glue or adhesive will ever put him back together again - right. That's why it is so important that before you marry or make a committment to somebody you take the time to really get to know them and discuss beforehand how as a couple you will deal with issues that invariably come up in a relationship. I've been married five years and in all that time I have never had a serious issue with my wife. We've had maybe half a dozen arguements that lasted maybe 15 minutes. We don't raise our voices to each other, we respect the others position in the home, and we both think how our actions will affect the other person before we do or say anything. It's understood that allthough we are an equal partnership, our roles are different. In the event that we have discussed a subject at length and we still are at odds on how to proceed, I make the final decision. We live in perfect harmony. Although I have other issues I deal with daily, I'm secure knowing that my home life as as perfect as it can be. I'm sorry Lowell that you have spent such a hunk of your life unhappy. I can't think of anything sadder than coming home from work and entering such a toxic environment. Home is supposed to be a place of refuge, not a living hell. I hope that you do what is necessary to promote a happy, peaceful life for yourself. Life is way to short to subject yourself to this level of dispair. Good luck to you.

Strobers comments on Geeesh! With All The Drama on PBH.... I Suggest An O' Fashioned Excorism

Make no mistake, brujeria is alive and well in Colombia. I know a guy whose girlfriend gave him something to eat that was laced with some kind of magical herb. After he ingested it, it was like he was under her complete control. He would give her all his money and then she would kick him out of the house. When he had some cash again, she would let him back in for a little sex, take his money, and kick him out on the street again. This went on for years until finally he saw a curandero who took off the spell. He said later that all these years he felt like he was in a fog and felt like his mind was being controlled. We never, I mean NEVER, receive food from people we don't know. We even avoid receiving food from casual neighbors. It's a dangerous practice.

Strobers comments on In all the bad there is good in the year 2006

Personally, I think that drinking and using drugs is absolutely stupid. I used both for a very long time thinking that I had everything under control, but lacked the objectivity to see what they were doing to my life. I'm glad I'm clean. I don't miss any of it. My highs are spending time with my wife and family, doing photography, playing racquetball, and living life the way it should be lived. That's the best high in the world.

Strobers comments on HELP YEAH OF COURSE!!!!!!!

Regarding Robert's comment, it always is smart to get money out of an ATM in a mall or grocery store. The only time I'll use an ATM on the outside is in an area with a lot of moving pedestrian traffic and an armed guard. Even then, I never get money by myself. I'm not paranoid, but it's better to be vigelent than stupid.

Strobers comments on Most dangerous big city?

Getting out of bed nowadays is a big danger. Live your life the way you want. No matter what you do, if it's your time you are going to die. Plain and simple.

Strobers comments on A Todos de PBH

Happy New Year, Man! Be safe!

Strobers comments on Strobers

Hey Bufalo, The photo was taken in October of this year. I've been pumping myself full of vitamins and supplements and trying to work out regularly. Not bad for 66 huh? lol. Yeah, we are definitely going to have to visit Spain. I've heard nothing but great things about that country. Maybe in a couple of years.

Strobers comments on Bogota Fashion

I don't like those boots either. In fact any shoe that has the front end pointed and sticking out three yards just don't look good and the definitely don't look comfortable. Personally, I think that the whole idea of fashion is over rated. Instead of spending money on this years fashions, I'd rather save my money for a nice trip abroad. People should create their own fashion based on their personal likes/dislikes and create from there, instead of checking out what everybody else is wearing and basing their style choices on someone else's opinion on what's cool and "in."

Strobers comments on Teaching English in Medellin

You'd be surprised tomtom.

Strobers comments on Teaching English in Medellin

Bogotabrian, We are talking apples and oranges here. If you were an engineer, you have the foundation to teach math. Math is a requisite skill in engineering. A guy who speaks English just speaks English. That's it. He can enunciate sounds to create words that have a meaning. The ability to do that is something that most of us in the U.S. and the U.K. can do. However, the ability to do this has nothing to do with the ability to teach the language of English to people whose first language is not English. Speaking English is not a qualifier to teach English. One thing I will say, and I concur with you, is that a teacher either has it or they don't. I know some very knowledgeable teachers who can run circles around me from the standpoint of pure textbook knowledge, but put them in front of a class and they are boring enough to put a lawn to sleep. They have no passion. They don't know how to connect with their students. They look like they are out of their element. Consequently, their students get discouraged and bored, don't bother paying attention and wind up not learning anything. And the sad thing is that it turns them off from learning in general.

Strobers comments on Teaching English in Medellin

mranderson, The degree in itself isn't what is important, it's what's behind it. The degree itself is just something that represents what you learned. You have to have a foundation from which to draw from. I have six years plus of university level education and in those six years I learned all the requisite theories about learning, language and teaching. I can work with a student for five minutes and know what I need to do in order to maximize their learning ability. I wouldn't hire someone with just experience or referrals because I don't know anything about their experience. If you knew a carpenter who had been working as a carpenter for ten years, but every job he took he screwed up in some way, would you consider him experienced? Probably not. A NASAP might have ten years of experience, but what kind of experience? What are the qualifying factors that make him a good teacher? Because he can BS his way through a lesson? I don't think so. I love Colombia and it sickens me that people show up there looking for a way to generate money to pay for their rent, booze and girlfriends and they turn to "teaching" to generate their funds. Just so you know, I'm very passionate about this subject because my wife had the misfortune to attend an English class taught by a NASAP. She was spending well over $250.00 U.S. a month, which is a huge sum when you are making the amount of money she was making then. She didn't learn anything because the "teacher" didn't know what he was doing, she finished the class not knowing even the most basic phonetic concepts of English. He was just a hack trying to make some extra cash and the losers were the students in his class who got screwed out of real learning and knowledge. Regarding referrals, it would have a lot to do with who the person was and what they did, but referrals mean nothing if there isn't the education or experience to back them up. Hope this clarified my position a little bit.

Strobers comments on Teaching English in Medellin

Sorry GIB, I can't agree with you there. "Following along" someones curriculum isn't teaching. I crack up at how ignorant people are about the teaching profession. They see somone in the front of a classroom teaching and it looks so easy they think they can take a four week TESOL program and mimic their expertise. A good teacher makes it look easy, but it is hard work to teach, especially teaching a second language. There are a lot of foundational skills that have to be mastered and follow-up lessons need to taught sequentially. Information has to be chunked and presented using multiple teaching/learning strategies. Most classes tend to have a mixture of levels so as a teacher you have to teach to the middle making sure you are challenging the more advanced students and at the same time pulling up the laggers. It's exceptionally challenging. I've seen the damage NASPAT's (Native American Speakers Posing as Teachers) do to the students they are working with and when these students finally work with a real teacher they have to be re-taught everything they had previously learned. Most NASPAT's can't tell the difference between a subject and a predicate, but they think they can teach English. And yes, I do hold myself in high regard. With a Masters and three credentials, I've earned the right to do so. I'm very proud of what I do and how well I do it. I am so looking forward to the day when I open up my own school. I'm just counting the days. It's going to be small, but my students are going to thrive there and they will graduate with real language skills. And if it the school grows and any NASPAT's show up with their four week teaching credential asking for a job, I'll point my finger outside, hold the door open for them and tell them too look me up when they have the proper degree/credential/experience to earn the right to be called a teacher.

Strobers comments on Monteria and Sincelejo - buying a gora

That's one thing that cracks me up too, all the hats and shirts with English slogans on them. When we went to Colombia this last time, I noticed my brother-in-law was wearing a shirt from the university I went to for my under grad degree and then realized that my wife had given it to him the year before.

Strobers comments on Colombians, Tortillas, and Arepas

John, Even without my influence it's amazing what my family in Colombia gravitates to without any help. My Mother-in-Law totally is into Los Tigres del Norte and Vicente Fernandez. She's got a bunch of their respective CD's. My niece sings Mariachi songs like nobodys business. She could cut an album. I was kind of shocked when I was taking a nap one afternoon and then started hearing the familiar rhythm of musica Nortena coming from my MIL's room. For a second there I thought I was back in Monterrey, NL Mexico. I think that a lot of Colombians are actually closet Mexicans. jajajajajajaj

Strobers comments on Teaching English in Medellin

No offense man, but you aren't a teacher. You are a guy who can speak English. Don't confuse the two. Advertising yourself as a teacher is like me advertising myself as a surgeon. You are doing a disservice to yourself and anyone you come in contact with to "teach" because you don't have the education or qualifications to do so. If you want to find a job, find one within your skill set.

Strobers comments on Gringos married to colombianas in Colombia!!!!!!!

There is a lot of bullshit to deal with when it comes to visas. That's why when my wife came over back in 2002 I told her that we would visit Colombia when we could, but would never put ourselves in the position where somebody could hold something over our heads. We behaved ourselves and our reward is that my wife now is a citizen. Now we can come and go as we please. I'm just not looking foward to the day when we head over to Colombia long term. Hopefully, it will be as easy as a transition as it was when my wife came over here from the standpoint of the visa process. Too many things can go wrong.

Strobers comments on is Bogotá and Medellín all that to those living in other places???

Bufalo, my brother-in-law and I went there too in 2006. Did you guys check out the interactive museum there? It's actually pretty good.