Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted August 26, 2016 u forgot 2 sed u was eatin creeps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 4, 2016 Today marks 6 months in Colombia. What an adventure. One of these days I'll write up a big reflection. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BucD+ 648 Posted October 4, 2016 This is all awesome, Sarge. It sounds (and looks lol) like you're doing amazing down there. So happy for you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted October 5, 2016 Sarge we need a pic of this Columbian girlfriend of yours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted October 5, 2016 Looks like I'll be scheduling my next vacation to Colombia! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 5, 2016 She's actually nothing special here in terms of looks. She's pretty, but if I had gone hunting just on the basis of looks, I could've had some serious hotties. But most of the super hot girls want everything handed to them, and they aren't usually all that smart. My girlfriend is a music teacher. She's a super cool, intelligent, patient, kind person. She loves trying new things, whether it's music, food... ahem... stuff in bed... She we make each other laugh constantly too. Just a great girl to spend time with. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted October 6, 2016 She's actually nothing special here in terms of looks. I wouldn't tell her that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wentz World 5 Posted October 6, 2016 Have you guys talked about moving back to the states together? Or after this year are you thinking of just staying there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 6, 2016 It's looking more and more like I'm going to end up staying here for a while. I don't know how long, but I plan on renewing my work visa in May, which allows me to stay for one year. As long as I am employed here, I can stay without any problems. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Socal 524 Posted October 6, 2016 (edited) When I spent a semester in Chile a guy that was on the trip with me met a girl and she eventually moved back to the states with him. They've now been married for 7 years and have 3 kids. This is your future, Serge Edited October 6, 2016 by Socal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 6, 2016 (edited) I could see that happening, other than the moving back to the States part. If I choose to stay here long term, I have a tremendous opportunity available to me that I don't have back home. I could start my own English teaching business here. I've only been here 6 months, but word is getting around the city that I'm a pretty decent teacher. After a bit more time I would have the necessary contacts to build up a clientele from day 1 of striking out on my own. I really like the school I work at now, but having my own business with my own hours and making 5 times as much money sounds pretty great to me. By local standards I can make a fortune doing this. Small classes, no more than 10 students. Charge way less than the established schools charge. I also wouldn't focus on boring grammar drills. My classes would be almost exclusively conversation-based. If you want to learn to speak, you have to practice speaking. Most instruction for English as a second language severely neglects the practice of conversation, which is terrible because conversational skills are the most important (and luckily the most fun) to learn. Of course I would also help them practice writing and answer grammar questions as they arise, but the focus of my class would not be on grammar books that repeat the same boring exercises for 50 pages. This is a long term plan anyway. I've only been teaching for 6 months. This is something I could do after I have 2 full years of experience or so. By then I will have figured out how I want my classes to go and I will have networked enough to become a trusted name in the city. Of course if I marry a local the networking part would be 10 times easier. Edited October 6, 2016 by Sarge 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted October 6, 2016 how I imagine a Sarge taught ESL class (though with less hair ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iINyyfDf_xE seriously tho, that sounds awesome and I'm glad you're enjoying yourself 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted October 11, 2016 I think I would be really sad if I left this place. I would probably just turn right around in the Miami airport and come back. I never expected to get so attached to living here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted November 5, 2016 I am thinking about moving to another city in Colombia. I like the city I am in now, but maybe it would be a mistake to just stay here without exploring at least one more new place. Still not really sure, but I am thinking it over thoroughly. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted November 13, 2016 So I have decided that I am indeed going to leave here after Christmas. I am in the process of gaining as much information and insight about other cities as I can from my friends here and online. I'll let you guys know what I decide and where I'm headed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted November 13, 2016 Sarge is joining FARC to take down the capitalist swine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted November 13, 2016 That was supposed to be a secret. Since my friends here know I like smaller cities, they have recommended that I check out Manizales and Pereira. Those are smaller cities with like 400,000-500,000 people near Medellín. I have read about them before, so I could just go check them both out when my vacation comes up. They are close enough together that I can spend 3 days or so in each to see which one I like more before deciding where to stay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted November 18, 2016 (edited) Heading to Manizales on December 30th. Some time before that, I'll write a reflection of my time here in Bucaramanga, my first Colombian city. Time for a new data sheet! Manizales - "The City of Open Doors" Location: Western Colombia. 4 hours south of Medellín. High in the Andes Mountains. This is a totally different part of the country from where I am now. It's an 8 hour bus ride from my current city to Medellín and another 4 hours to Manizales. So everything will be different: the food, the weather, the way people speak, and so on. Population: 400,000 Demonym: Manizaleño/a. The people here are also called Paisas, the same as those from Medellín. The same people founded both cities long ago. Elevation: 7,000 feet above sea level. Towering peaks with some volcanoes. Climate: Daily average high: 70* F Nightly low: 55*F. Lots of rain but it helps create the stunning greenery seen all over the city. Much cooler than where I am now. Industries: Coffee. Manizales is world famous for its coffee cultivation and production. Along with nearby cities Pereira and Armenia, Manizales makes up what is known as Colombia's Coffee Triangle. Signature dish: Bandeja Paisa. I posted a photo of it earlier in this thread. Also the aguardiente made here is famous all over the country. It's an anise-flavored liquor. Most popular alcoholic drink in Colombia and most of South America as well. Education: Manizales has more universities per capita than any other city in the country. It is a very young city. Music: As with the rest of Colombia, salsa, cumbia, and vallenato are the most popular kinds. Reggaeton is also popular in many clubs. Miscellaneous: Manizales is an outdoor person's dream. You can drive 30 minutes one way and find much hotter temperatures or 30 minutes another way and freeze your tail off. Hiking, biking, kayaking, mountain climbing, natural hot springs, volcanoes, and other natural wonders await visitors and residents alike. A few photos: Edited November 18, 2016 by Sarge 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014 Posted November 20, 2016 You had me at "high of 70" 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GA_Eagle 595 Posted November 20, 2016 Why do people live anywhere else in the whole effing world? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted November 20, 2016 I can't wait to get there. It's going to be awesome, especially now that I actually know something about Colombian culture from the inside. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted November 28, 2016 As of today, I am one week shy of living here in Bucaramanga, Colombia for 8 months. I will be leaving here in four and a half weeks to go to a new city, Manizales. I want to write a big reflection about my time here. I sure have learned a lot, but there’s still so much more to do. Before I break things down, I want to stress that I’m not leaving here due to unhappiness or discomfort. I’m simply leaving because I can and because this is a huge country with a lot more places to see. For those of you who don’t care to read the specifics, here is the tl;dr version: I am so glad I came here. Even if I left the country for good never to return, my life would never be the same. I’ll never forget the people I met here and the times I had. I am a totally different person now in many ways. The only two negatives are the heat and the proximity of the city. My time here has served me well, and I am ready to really unlock all that this country has to offer now that I know something about it for real. Now let’s get to the specifics. This post was originally going to be so huge. I decided to post it in three parts. Here’s part 1. Language: This is where it all starts. When I got here, I wasn’t able to speak Spanish worth shit. For that reason, I suspect I didn’t make a very good first impression on the people. There’s really nothing I could have done about that, but it is what it is. The first three months here were incredibly challenging, to say the least. Everything was a struggle. Though the people here have been beyond patient and understanding with me, I am sure sometimes it got old for them to slow down their speech so much and explain everything in detail. I consider myself a fairly articulate writer and speaker in English. It was very humbling for me to be treated like a child every day, and sometimes I still am. If you think Spanish is easy to learn, I’m sorry, but I will disagree with you 100% and show you any number of reasons and examples, if you like. Sure it’s simple to learn the basics in High School when you have 9 months to learn a handful of verb conjugations, numbers, and colors… But if you try to come here and hold real, everyday conversations without making any errors, you are in for a shocker. The pronunciation isn’t so bad. Most words are pronounced the way they are written. But the grammar can be a nightmare sometimes. Here are a few examples. Every noun in English comes with “the.” No exceptions, ever. The people, the tree, the trees, the man, the men, the bike, the bikes, etc. In Spanish everything is masculine or feminine. La gente, el arbol, los arboles, el hombre, los hombres, la bicicleta, las bicicletas. Another thing: the word order is different. In English we say “white floor.” In Spanish, “piso blanco” (floor white). Finally, verb conjugations. First of all, fuck my god damned life. Ok… In English, let’s look at the verb “eat” in the simple past. I ate, you ate, he ate, she ate, we ate, they ate. Spanish… yo comi, tu comiste, el/ella/usted comio, nosotros comimos, ellos/ellas/ustedes comieron. Every verb tense has 5 different conjugations to memorize. Can you see how much stuff I have to memorize to learn how to speak well? This isn’t even getting into passive voice, the subjunctive mood/tense, future perfect/future perfect progressive, and object pronouns. All of this makes my head hurt. Bottom line is Spanish is a bitch when you really get into learning it for fluency. Now fast forward 5 more months. I am able to answer nearly every question asked to me. How much depth can I answer with? That’s still the main challenge. I’m getting better and better all the time still. As my level improved, I noticed the changing reactions people had toward me. At first it was like “oh, it’s great that he’s trying to learn Spanish, but it would take forever for me to have a meaningful conversation with him.” Now I am able to hold someone’s attention span and interest long enough to talk about stuff. I get so much more interest from potential friends and girls now. And I truly believe that now I can begin to understand this culture more than before. Because of my progress, I am 100% sure that I will make a lasting impression on the people I meet in my new city from day 1. I could have written a lot more about the language, but I’ll stop here for now. If you have any questions, just ask. Pace of Life: Ok, when I first got here, this took a huge adjustment on my part. With one glaring exception (traffic and the way people drive), the pace of life here is so much slower than in the U.S. On the roads, people are ruthless. They don’t wait for anyone. It’s sometimes a little dangerous as a pedestrian to cross the roads on foot. Every vehicle wants to be first when the lights turn green. I always take an extra second to be sure that I have enough time to cross. In truth this is one of the few things that annoy me about life here. I don’t really get angry about it. Not like it would help. It’s just one of those things that will probably always get on my nerves due to the way I’m accustomed to people driving in the U.S. Other than that, you better not be in a hurry if you ever come here. The cashiers here are slower than anyone I ever met in the U.S. They really do take their time, mostly because they strike up full conversations with people as they are in line to pay. Also, a common thing for people to say here is “ya voy” or “ya vengo.” These mean “I’m going” or “I’m coming.” In the U.S. we know this implies it will be/is being done immediately. Not really true here. People also say that they will do something “ahorita” which, when translated to English, means right now. But ahorita actually could mean now or in 2 hours. There is a 2-hour break in the day between 12 PM and 2 PM. This is lunch time in Colombia. If you ever come here, don’t try to do anything important during this time of day. Literally everything closes except restaurants and food stores. Banks, schools, malls, everything closes. I really like that. It gives you a nice relaxing break where you can eat without rushing and take it easy. Among the many phrases used here, you’ll often hear “almuerzo tranquilo, dia feliz” (peaceful lunch, happy day). Time is considered very valuable here. It is expected that you will spend quality time with your family, friends, and the people in your neighborhood. After a store/restaurant owner or employee sees you a few times when you buy stuff, he or she will affectionately refer to you as “vecino/vecina.”(neighbor) It’s considered very rude to just walk by, wave, and keep going. You never want to seem like you’re in a hurry. Even though it’s not your intention, being in a hurry is telling the people you’re with now that what you’re about to do is more important than them. Not the kind of message you want to send here, believe me. Family is incredibly important here. They always come first no matter what. People here live with their families until they get married or move away for work. It’s common to see people in their 30’s living at home with their parents, but it’s not taboo here like it is in the U.S. People here would never ask their children to leave home under any circumstances whatsoever. In return, it is expected that you will take care of your parents when they are old and on the verge of death. Nursing homes aren’t really a thing here. There’s a lot more I could say under this heading, but it’s time to move on. You’ll see more differences later. Food: So, I’m going to tell you about some of the typical foods people eat here, but also the way people view food in general as part of life. No matter where you go in Colombia, the climate never changes. I don’t mean that every city is the same. What I mean is that in my city, every day is roughly the same temperature, and Medellin has the same temperature every day, and Bogota, and so on… Due to the lack of extremes, this is a place where growing food is easy and healthy. For that reason, fresh fruits and veggies are plentiful year round and cheap. Aguacate (avocado) is served with every lunch here. It’s tasty and super healthy. Colombians love fresh fruit juices and fruit salads, and why not? Papaya, pineapple, mango, guanabana (known in the U.S. as soursop), strawberries, watermelon, kiwi, bananas, apples, oranges… so many more. You name it, we have it. And it’s all fantastic and all healthy. The fruits, along with empanadas and arepas, are so popular for breakfast. And of course there’s the world famous Colombian coffee. Everywhere you go, you are likely to see people sitting outside on chairs drinking coffee and reading newspapers or talking with their neighbors. The most popular times for coffee are with breakfast and after lunch. Most people really don’t drink coffee after say 4 PM. But before that, it’s literally everywhere. Most Colombians don’t add milk to their coffee. It’s served black with a little sugar. Coffee dates are popular for young people after lunch. Having a nice chat over the country’s favorite beverage is a good way to get to know someone. Colombians love their share of meat, too. Most lunches have some form of fried/grilled chicken or grilled beef/steak. Lunch is the largest meal of the day by far. In the U.S. we tend to eat smaller lunches and huge dinners. It is the total opposite here. Lunch is a lot cheaper in restaurants than dinner, even though you get a lot more food. A typical lunch features a large bowl of soup, some meat, rice, avocado, potatoes, and as much fruit juice as you can drink. Beans are really popular too. All of this can be had for about $6,000 COP or, about $2.00 U.S. For dinner, Colombians love fast food just as much as we do. The difference is the food here definitely has at least 50% less chemicals than back home. My pallet had to adjust to that the first few weeks of being here. I thought the food was flavorless but it was because it lacks all the artificial flavors and preservatives we have in the U.S. That also explains why I’ve lost so much weight. The next time I buy new pants, they’ll have to be smaller. Hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and wings are all super popular here. We have McDonalds, Subway, and Dominos here in my city of 1 million. The people here like to eat roasted ants, called “hormigas culonas.” You can buy them in bags of 100 from street vendors or mostly any store. I kinda like them, but I would definitely understand why others might not. They are crunchy and salty. The most popular dessert here is called obleas. They are huge wafers stuffed with arequipe (caramel), marshmallow cream, chocolate, and any kind of fruit and cheese combination you want. They are very tasty and filling. Typical Prices: Hamburger (with fries): $3.50 U.S., Hot Dog (with fries): $3.00 U.S., Wings: $5.00 U.S. (12 + fries), Pizza: $1.00 U.S. per slice, Coffee: $0.25 U.S. per cup. Most Colombian women can cook quite well. In fact this is something they enjoy doing for the men in their lives, even if you’re only friends. When I met my now ex-gf ( ) the first thing she asked me was if she could cook for me. Meal times are treasured here in Colombia, not just for the food, but for the time you get to spend together with the people in your life. Nobody eats lunch alone. There are people who became friends only because they decided to become regulars at the same place for lunch, so they eat together every day. Drinking Culture/Bar Life: I was a bit surprised at the amount of alcohol consumed here when I first arrived. After about 5 PM, when the work day ends, many Colombians trade in their tasty coffee for their alcoholic drink of choice. For many, this means a bottle of aguardiente, perfect for sharing with neighbors and friends. When I got here, one of the first things I was offered was a shot of aguardiente. It’s an anise-flavored liquor. It’s not as high in alcohol as what most of us drink in the U.S., but it will absolutely give you a nasty hangover the next day if you aren’t paying attention to how much you’re drinking. Beer is also very popular here. I will be honest when I say craft beer isn’t really a thing in Colombia, unless you are in Bogota, the capital. But the national brews aren’t so bad. They are drinkable, as are most beers. Also, the girls here won’t go for those fru fru drinks that are popular in the U.S. Most of the girls here ask for aguardiente (which isn’t mixed with anything) or beer when you all go out together. There is nothing on this earth sexier than a hot Colombiana enjoying a beer with you (well, until she’s naked in your bed…). First of all, the drinking age is 18 here. And forget all those public drinking laws we know and loathe in the U.S. They don’t exist here. Even if they did, the cops wouldn’t give a shit. Sometimes they will even walk by and just tell you in a friendly way to be careful. Walking around hammered at night is not a good idea here, even though my safety has never been threatened even once (more on that next). You can buy a bottle of aguardiente or a beer and sit in a lovely park and drink the night away with your friends. This is a very popular activity among the young people here. If you do decide to head to a bar, you are spoiled for choice. Most of the bars are going to play the national music (vallenato), salsa, and reggaeton. But you can also find rock bars that play music in English, as well as techno and electronic bars. It’s a very good idea for a foreigner like me to find a karaoke bar. I win extra points with the crowd when I sing a song in Spanish. No matter what kind of bar you choose, you are going to have to dance to make it here. It doesn’t matter if you are an absolute beginner. You will look awkward and out of place if you don’t at least try. The people here won’t laugh, and they will teach you how to dance because they realize how hard it is for foreigners to dance Latin music. This is where you are going to make a lot of friends and have the best chance of scoring a Colombian beauty. One night I had a mixed group of several guys and girls all teaching me how to dance salsa at the same time. I became friends with them and eventually met my ex-gf through them. This is it for part 1. In part 2, I will look at safety, working in Colombia, sharing an apartment with Colombians, and girls (finally, hehe). 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted November 28, 2016 Immensely enlightening and well articulated, as always, Sarge. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying thank you for sharing your journey with us. I look forward to more reflections and to your move to Manizales. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge+ 3,436 Posted December 1, 2016 Part 2 Safety: This is something people always ask me about. In our world today, I can understand why people are preoccupied with the safety of a place, especially one with the reputation Colombia had in the past. But the past is exactly where the reputation for violence belongs. You may not believe what I am about to tell you, and I certainly can’t force you to. But it shouldn’t be a surprise that people have been misled about this place based on the media portrayal of Colombia. Although there are still some pretty bad dudes here in Colombia (mainly the FARC), they don’t bother normal people anymore. Basically FARC would be considered a terrorist group, but their targets are the government and super wealthy people. They also deal in drugs, and there are other big drug lords here in the country still. FARC isn’t located in the cities. They make their bases in the unpopulated mountainous regions. The reason is the last few Presidents have really beefed up military and police efforts to get after them. Tourists really don’t need to go to the areas where they hide out anyway. Their targets are more strategic these days. They’re not going to kill their potential customers. They are going to kill other drug lords trying to invade their territories. If you come here looking for trouble, it’s not hard to find. But if you come here to live like an everyday person, you have nothing to worry about. I have never once felt threatened, and I’ve certainly never been verbally or physically threatened. There are areas of the city where I would not walk after dark. But that’s true for any big city in any country on earth. I listen to what the locals tell me and heed their advice. The only thing that’s going to happen is homeless people asking you for money. There are also guys who come around with garbage bags to collect your empty beer cans. Finally, there are plenty of pushy street vendors. They are aggressive in approaching and asking for a sale. This kind of thing doesn’t happen in the U.S., but it is seen as normal here. But these people are all harmless.Sometimes I’ll give someone a little money in exchange for some gum that I don’t really want or need. But at least they are selling something instead of stealing. I’ve been here 8 months and have only seen one street fight that was relatively harmless. I saw one drugged up homeless dude try to steal an outdoor restaurant owner’s dog, but that kind of thing happens everywhere. Also, even if you do get robbed, most of the time you’re not going to be hurt if you hand over your stuff. I haven’t been robbed here though. This country is really trying to put its past behind it. They have really worked hard and made a lot of progress. I suspect that Colombia as a whole is definitely more dangerous than the U.S. in terms of the chances of getting your phone stolen or possibly mugged with a knife. But violent crimes are becoming increasingly rare against normal citizens. Despite my Spanish ability, it is still obvious to anyone I encounter that I am a foreigner. But they don’t target me. And none of my friends who are expats have ever had problems either. tl;dr version: Colombia is not the “Banana Republic” it was 20 years ago. It’s a country with a bright future and plenty of resources to make the vision come true. Sharing an Apartment with Colombians: I have a different experience here than many other people who come from other countries. Most expats stay in their little bubbles with each other. I’ve met a few people here that have been here for years and they can’t speak Spanish worth shit. They also really know nothing of the very culture they live in. They only hang around other foreigners. I told myself I wouldn’t let that happen to me, and I followed through with that promise. I live in an upper-middle class neighborhood by Colombian standards, but I share an apartment with 2 young professional Colombians. One of them is a producer for the local TV station, and the other is a bartender at one of my favorite bars. They don’t really know any English, so any time I want to or need to communicate with them, it’s in Spanish. This is a real Colombian experience. We usually eat lunch together and sometimes even dinner. I have learned how to prepare some of the typical foods here with their help. It’s still funny when one of their friends comes over and sees a foreigner staying with them. Meeting people has been super easy because of this. And I don’t have to be shy or take a guess about what I should do or say in a certain situation. I’ve picked up the expected mannerisms and etiquette just by living with them. I didn’t come here to live like an American. I came to live like a Colombian. Because I live with Colombians, I know more about life here and the tiny intricacies of it than the ones who stay hidden in their gated communities. I know where to get the best food for the lowest prices. I know about the little places to go that aren’t on the tourist trail to have a good time or see something new. I know when cultural events are happening and what there is to do at those times. Sharing an apartment here also takes a huge burden off of me. I don’t have to negotiate with utility companies or landlords. And I know how to get fair prices on everything. People know they can’t overcharge me for stuff because they know my roommates will ask me how much I paid for it. This has all made social integration so much easier for me. My roommates are so patient with my Spanish and explaining things to me that seem difficult. I will definitely miss them when I move, but I plan to continue sharing an apartment in Manizales with new people I meet there. I also know that if I ever come back to this city, I have made friends that I can count on for help. I have also met their families and friends too. I very quickly made a social circle for myself just by living with Colombians. I predict that it will be even easier to do this in Manizales thanks to my experiences here. Working in Colombia: As you guys know, I work as an English teacher. I work in a language institute that is partially funded by the U.S. Embassy. Compared to other countries in Latin America, it is very easy to get a work visa in Colombia. That’s one of the main reasons I came here in the first place. I have heard horror stories of teachers in other countries getting kicked out for not having the right visa. And even if they never got in trouble with the law, some schools don’t pay on time or at all if you’re there illegally. You have no leg to stand on. I am an adventurous guy, but not that adventurous. My school filled out a few papers and paid for a bus ticket to Bogota where I got the visa. I had to pay for the visa initially (about $ 300 U.S.), but I got all the money back as soon as I returned and signed the contract with the school. I am paid every 15th and 30th via direct deposit. I’m not going to get into much detail about the actual teaching. That’s something I could write a whole thread about, but I’ll save that for another time. I want to focus more on the job as a whole. If you read part 1, you saw that life here is a lot more relaxed than in the U.S. In addition to the previously mentioned 2-hour lunch break, there are many differences between working in Colombia and working in the U.S. I have a boss, but my boss doesn’t tell me what to do. In the classroom I have 100% autonomy. There are some goals the students have to meet, but it’s my call on how to deliver the content to them. I am not required to submit a lesson plan, but I make one anyway. You have to be prepared as a teacher, and you also have to have at least thought about what you’ll do if they don’t understand the lessons or if they get bored (that’s sometimes more common than the not understanding part). Here it is almost expected that you will become friends with your co-workers. It’s not wise to turn down invitations for dinner, drinks, whatever from co-workers. In my field, of course, these are Colombians who learned English as a second language and now teach it. They are always interested in making friends with the foreign teachers. Some of the female teachers are really hot, and I was told flat out by my boss that he understands life happens. In other words, it’s not off limits and it is basically expected to happen. But I decided that discretion is the better part of valor. Getting involved with a co-worker is almost always a bad idea, unless someone leaves that workplace. Teachers are very well-respected in Colombia, especially foreigners. Most of these kids don’t get a chance to interact with native speakers that often. I invited my students to call me Matt, but after a few weeks they still called me “teacher.” I asked my colleagues why, and it was explained to me that disrespecting a teacher is something the kids here are taught not to do. But when class is over, I am often invited out to eat or even to visit a finca. A finca is like a ranch house that wealthier Colombians have out in the countryside 30-60 minutes outside the city. The relationship between teachers and students here is a lot more personal than back home. It is not only allowed but encouraged for you to spend time with the students outside of school if possible. In Colombia it helps the reputation of the school if the teacher is very friendly and willing to spend time with the students outside class. Girls: Ok, the part you’ve all been waiting for. So what are Colombian girls really like? I’m going to tell you right now, they are probably not what you have been led to believe. Some of the stereotypes about them have some truth, but others? No way. Let’s walk through some of my general impressions of the girls here. Colombian girls are not nearly as easy as people think. If you don’t know what you’re doing with girls in the U.S., you won’t fare a whole lot better here. The only exception is if you speak Spanish. That’s the game-changer. People have been coming here for years to get laid. Any girl worth a shit knows this, and pride/image is a big thing here. Girls don’t want to be known as whores. It hurts their reputation. So you have to prove you stick out from the typical backpacker sex tourist and show her you are interested in her culture and language. It is not a coincidence by any means that my success with girls grew as my Spanish ability grew. There’s also a trust issue. Due to the turbulent years in the 80’s and 90’s, the girls my age now were raised in an environment of fear. For their part, I can’t really blame them. Also, Colombian guys can be huge assholes by our standards in the U.S. In Latin America as a whole, a feminist would not have a very good time, and Colombia is no exception. It is so much easier to meet girls anywhere in the world if their friends recommend you. In Colombia, the approval of a friend goes a long way. That is one reason why people here often go out in big groups, and there are some guy friends around to keep them safe and weed out the guys they don’t like. Girls feel safer meeting guys through friends. They don’t have to guess what the guy is like or if he is going to waste their time. That may be one reason why relationships can get hot and heavy in a hurry here. In short, you have to build your overall social circle first in Colombia before the opportunities (and legs) open up to you. Girls here are very traditional women. What I mean by that is they enjoy doing the things that have been expected of women in ages past. Once you are in a relationship with a Colombian girl, you are only going to miss out on the vag when she is on her period. As long as she’s good to go, you’re going to be a happy guy. My girlfriend treated my penis like her personal pogo stick. It’s because they know they have to put out to keep their guys happy, and they don’t want to lose a good man for any reason. Sometimes my girlfriend would come to my house early in the morning before work, fuck me, and then go work all day. Then she would stop by my apartment on her way home from work and fuck me again, or we would at least have dinner first… I have been told this is the norm here . At the same time, that also means they expect you to be a real gentleman. Or what they say here is “cada hombre deberia ser como un caballero.” Each man ought to be like a Knight. Knights in the middle ages were known to be the best lovers and the definition of a true gentleman. So that means holding doors for her, letting her do things first, buying her flowers and candy just because. You get the idea. They love holding hands with you and showing affection in public. I hope you don’t mind a bit of clinginess. If you have won a Colombian girl’s heart, she will eventually start calling you her “papasito.” When this happens, a lot of her life is going to revolve around you. But not always in an annoying way. She is going to make sure you are well-fed, well-fucked, and whatever else you need or she thinks you need. She will clean your apartment and do your laundry without being asked. These girls are really amazing. And the best news is, they are not all gold diggers like you have heard. If you date normal girls that come from respectable families, you won’t be treated like a walking ATM. My girlfriend and other girls I dated never once asked me for money. The girls I choose to date don’t need my money. My girlfriend used to come and pick me up on her motorcycle and take me places. It’s pretty easy to tell if a girl is going to ask for money or not right away. It’ll be on the first date. “My family needs help…” I haven’t encountered it because I focus on girls who are educated with careers or are going to college now. I think I will stop here for now. Part 3 will cover sports, cultural events, and probably a stream of randomness of some kind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites