This is my story and why I left the USA.

[uhl]

1. Being a working class individual with asthma it was always a struggle for me to get proper medical care as I couldn't really afford health insurance.... many times I would even have to get loans from banks to be able to just go to the doctor and get properly treated.

2. Being a very open minded person I find America to be a complete backwater place, even in places like NYC or LA (I lived on both), I still felt like all it mattered was money, status, good jobs, race, money, big house in suburbia, money..... it was very very hard for me to create long lasting real friendships with people who were open minded enough or even worldly enough to be able to hold an interesting conversation with me; most Americans are just happy enough to go to work and go home and shop at the mall and life is good, nothing motivates them to look beyond or explore the world beyond that.... and I just couldn't take it anymore.

3. Dating is NEAR TO IMPOSSIBLE.... in a country where female obesity is an epidemic, a very LARGE number of women are very very shallow.... in America is not like Colombia (where I currently live), in Colombia the average woman/person is thin and much more athletic than your average American, what Colombians call fat, Americans call nice and curvy.... and what Americans call fat Colombians call a circus freak.... also Colombian culture places a lot of value on family, friendships and social interaction... money doesn't matter much.... So being once again working class nobody, my odds of finding an intelligent, educated, thin American woman were next to none.... because those type of women in the US are often blonde Yuppified feminists proud strong independent blah blah blah individuals who want to find a rich model looking husband who will cater to every single one of their needs.

How did I end up moving to Colombia? I met a Colombian girl at school, she was EXTREMELY GOOD LOOKING, FAR MORE THAN ANY AMERICAN COLLEGE GIRL IN THE CLASS... I noticed that her beauty was not only physical but that she carried herself as a lady and dressed like a lady... while our "hot" American college girls were wearing mini skirts, chewing gum, sleeping around, bleaching their hair blonde and saying OMG OMG OMG every five seconds.... this chic was busy sewing, cooking amazing meals, studying and exercising.

I decided to become friends with her and noticed that she was 100% much more approachable than any American female I've ever met.... just easygoing and laid back, we never had sex or any type of relationship other than friendship but she helped me find a teaching job in Colombia.... I thought of Colombia as a third world country full of violence but must admit I was positively impressed... granted you don't have big cars and big suburban homes like Americans do, but there is a culture, there is a sense of community, the people are open and willing to accept you, you don't need a car to go places because the cities are built like cities in Asia or Europe so everything is reached by public transportation.... this I never had in America and I love it.

I live good, I have a nice apartment in a middle class area that's actually very bohemian and nice, I work, I go out with friends, I meet girls, take them home, I party, I study I do every single thing I did back in America but with much more pleasant people and I do not miss the US at all!!!

As far as the women..... Colombia has from knock outs to ugly ones just like anywhere in the world, the main difference is that your average girl is 100% MUCH MORE FEMININE, MUCH LESS POLLUTED BY THE FEMINIST MACHINE, THINNER, CAN COOK, CAN LOVE A MAN LIKE A WOMAN SHOULD.... Colombian women aim at being women, when they marry they want to rule the house and their houses are cleaned, food is always ready, they work and still manage to look good.... they appreciate romance and are willing to sacrifice.

I AM A HAPPY MAN AND THIS WHITE BOY DOES NOT WISH TO GO BACK TO AMERICA!!!!

[uhl]

Another thing I forgot to add, our powerful rich first world nation denies millions of its citizens health insurance... here in developing Colombia health insurance is free..... the irony!!

[jamesbond]

How did I end up moving to Colombia? I met a Colombian girl at school, she was EXTREMELY GOOD LOOKING, FAR MORE THAN ANY AMERICAN COLLEGE GIRL IN THE CLASS... I noticed that her beauty was not only physical but that she carried herself as a lady and dressed like a lady... while our "hot" American college girls were wearing mini skirts, chewing gum, sleeping around, bleaching their hair blonde and saying OMG OMG OMG every five seconds.... this chic was busy sewing, cooking amazing meals, studying and exercising.

I decided to become friends with her and noticed that she was 100% much more approachable than any American female I've ever met.... just easygoing and laid back, we never had sex or any type of relationship other than friendship but she helped me find a teaching job in Colombia.

As far as the women..... Colombia has from knock outs to ugly ones just like anywhere in the world, the main difference is that your average girl is 100% MUCH MORE FEMININE, MUCH LESS POLLUTED BY THE FEMINIST MACHINE, THINNER, CAN COOK, CAN LOVE A MAN LIKE A WOMAN SHOULD.... Colombian women aim at being women, when they marry they want to rule the house and their houses are cleaned, food is always ready, they work and still manage to look good.... they appreciate romance and are willing to sacrifice.

I AM A HAPPY MAN AND THIS WHITE BOY DOES NOT WISH TO GO BACK TO AMERICA!!!!

Welcome to the forum uhl, sounds like you truly are "happier abroad."

I have know a couple of Columbian girls and have noticed that are MUCH more friendly than Ameican girls are and are very approachable.

Are you able to approach girls in Columbia in grocery stores and bookstores? Or do you have to go to bars and clubs in order to meet them?

[publicduende]

Hi Uhl,

I'm happy that you broke the stereotype wall and moved to Colombia with your twin soul. I live in London and Monica, my wife, is Colombian from Medellin. I had never had a problem dating in my home country (Italy) and here in London, where I had a chance to meet or date girls from all walks of life and corners of Earth. And yet, I was absolutely blown away when I met Monica in Cambridge back in 2007. She seemed to be the perfect kind of woman, hot yet approachable, sexy and provocative without being slutty, with traditional family values yet independent and sophisticated. Most importantly to me, she was a self-made woman who never had an easy life, had to earn scholarships and take loans to complete her Mechanical Engineering and Masters degrees in a good university, and worked hard to find herself a nice career spot in a foreign multinational. She was in Cambridge to study English, on sabbatical and on her own money, whereby all of her Colombian classmates where rich spoiled kids looking for a foreign thrill on their papa's expense books. I had never met a young woman so beautiful, inside and outside, and so "complete". And to top it up, hooking up with her and winning each other's hearts was so natural and smooth, as we shared our views on life and love, our feelings and then our bodies and souls. For the first time from as far as I can remember, I could do all this by just being myself...no need to show masculinity or its opposite, show how much money or success I had or could have. It's one of those things that you know you can only call by its proper name: love.

I got married in Medellin and spent my honeymoon in San Andres, a wonderful Caribe island full of colours, good food and good people. Even though I only spent about 2 weeks in Colombia in total and Monica is obviously a massive bias on my judgment, I can't help thinking Colombia as a nice place to live in peace, have a healthier life-work balance and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Your impression of the safety levels in Colombia are absolutely true. I have recently read a report stating that Colombia has hit the lowest crime rate levels of the last 25 years. Nobody was killed in Colombia over this Xmas season. God, three people died over the same period in UK, two just in London, to make a comparison! Medellin is a very pleasant town, with good social and transport infrastructures. I haven't been to Bogota but they tell me it's a middle class paradise too.

All in all, I wasn't escaping from my life when I met Monica. Nonetheless I am grateful Monica gave me the chance to know Colombia and, as I like to think she is at least in part a product of her environment, loving her is also loving her family, her people and her culture.

Colombia es pasion Tell me more about your life there, I'm curious! You can PM me if you think it's more appropriate.

[onezero4u]

Hi UHL congrats and good luck in Columbia


however, i have to call you out on one thing....healthcare is not FREE anywhere...one way or another you pay for it....

personally id rather pay a doctor directly for services rendered rather than an insurance company and wayyyyy more than the fuckin corrupt government who cant cant even do their own job let alone dream of running other industries. rant over.

enjoy latin america

[uhl]

Thanks a lot james bond!!

Oh in Colombia if you're a good decent guy and not a player you're a king!!!! women will fight over you if you're the type of man that can provide for them stability and treats them well..... (you'll find gold diggers and may of them are amazingly beautiful but you can spot them easily.... the norm for colombian women is laid back, feminine, approachable girls)

Here women learn that they need to be as lady like and as pretty as possible and as talented as possible in order to meet a good guy.... Colombian women watch their figures, they think loudness, bitchiness and rudeness is gross (the norm with a lot of american women) and even the chubby ones have a feminine vibe about them that still makes you wanna meet them!!

This society has a lot of available women and not enough good men.... so women gravitate towards good men like the plague to the point you can easily easily meet new girls every week.

I've seen very very hot girls that would have tons of men back in states after them being treated like dirt by their men.... so a good respectful guy that doesnt cheat on them is like gold here!!!

As far as approachability... yes it's fairly easy, many of them will flirt with you and you know the ones who are interested because they'll look at you and smile and flirt in a very cute feminine way (not of that trashy slutty in your face flirtatiousness so many american women tend to have back home)

Last night for example I took the city metro and a nice girl sat down next to me, I asked her if she knew where I should get out to go to X place and she smiled and told me she didn't know, but that alone led to a nice conversation about the weather.... a very pleasant girl.... we didn't exchange numbers but there is no need for it as you get tons of chances of interacting with women like that when you're over here.....

[publicduende]

Hi UHL congrats and good luck in Columbia


however, i have to call you out on one thing....healthcare is not FREE anywhere...one way or another you pay for it....

personally id rather pay a doctor directly for services rendered rather than an insurance company and wayyyyy more than the fuckin corrupt government who cant cant even do their own job let alone dream of running other industries. rant over.

enjoy latin america

ColOmbia, not Columbia!

Healthcare is not free anywhere, but I have never heard stories like those from Colombia. Monica's uncle had a horrible car accident about 2 years ago and underwent no fewer than 20 complex surgeries all over his lower body, including bone reconstruction, multiple state of the art bone supports and implants, expensive expensive bracing machinery, and countless courses of physiotherapy. The public health service paid for a while, then her company insurance company stepped in and paid another sizable chunk. He surely wasn't a director in a multinational, just an employee in a less than 50-strong company. Then towards 75% of the process, his insurance could no longer pay for her expensive surgeries and treatments and they got a lawyer who appealed to a well-known article of the Colombian constitution.

What does this article say? It basically says that the Colombian Government (proud to write this in capital initials) will never let one of his citizens die because he can't afford medical treatment. Easily done, a month after the Government started covering all of his remaining medical expenses. The Medellin university hospital he has been under care with for all this time has estimated the total expenses of surgery, care and rehab to around 750,000 dollars. Three quarter of a million dollars to save a man's life, and keep him alive and happy with his family and his children (a beautiful identical triplet!).

That's my definition of a nation that truly cares about his citizens, that doesn't put the profit of a few private medical insurance companies right in front of the holiest of civil rights: that of a decent and healthy life. Uhl, I will never wish a hundreth of the trouble Monica's uncle had. Yet, I have a strong feeling your asthma and any medical problem you might have in the future will be far better catered for in Colombia than in US.

[uhl]

Hi Uhl,

I'm happy that you broke the stereotype wall and moved to Colombia with your twin soul. I live in London and Monica, my wife, is Colombian from Medellin. I had never had a problem dating in my home country (Italy) and here in London, where I had a chance to meet or date girls from all walks of life and corners of Earth. And yet, I was absolutely blown away when I met Monica in Cambridge back in 2007. She seemed to be the perfect kind of woman, hot yet approachable, sexy and provocative without being slutty, with traditional family values yet independent and sophisticated. Most importantly to me, she was a self-made woman who never had an easy life, had to earn scholarships and take loans to complete her Mechanical Engineering and Masters degrees in a good university, and worked hard to find herself a nice career spot in a foreign multinational. She was in Cambridge to study English, on sabbatical and on her own money, whereby all of her Colombian classmates where rich spoiled kids looking for a foreign thrill on their papa's expense books. I had never met a young woman so beautiful, inside and outside, and so "complete". And to top it up, hooking up with her and winning each other's hearts was so natural and smooth, as we shared our views on life and love, our feelings and then our bodies and souls. For the first time from as far as I can remember, I could do all this by just being myself...no need to show masculinity or its opposite, show how much money or success I had or could have. It's one of those things that you know you can only call by its proper name: love.

I got married in Medellin and spent my honeymoon in San Andres, a wonderful Caribe island full of colours, good food and good people. Even though I only spent about 2 weeks in Colombia in total and Monica is obviously a massive bias on my judgment, I can't help thinking Colombia as a nice place to live in peace, have a healthier life-work balance and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Your impression of the safety levels in Colombia are absolutely true. I have recently read a report stating that Colombia has hit the lowest crime rate levels of the last 25 years. Nobody was killed in Colombia over this Xmas season. God, three people died over the same period in UK, two just in London, to make a comparison! Medellin is a very pleasant town, with good social and transport infrastructures. I haven't been to Bogota but they tell me it's a middle class paradise too.

All in all, I wasn't escaping from my life when I met Monica. Nonetheless I am grateful Monica gave me the chance to know Colombia and, as I like to think she is at least in part a product of her environment, loving her is also loving her family, her people and her culture.

Colombia es pasion Tell me more about your life there, I'm curious! You can PM me if you think it's more appropriate.

a dude I learned a lot about this country..... this country is like Los angeles, you know horrible reputation but once u go there, u realize is not as bad as the media makes it out to be.... granted you need to be cautious in Medellin, but Medellin is a big city with 3million people, I'd say sort of like Houston back in the states.... and here just like in Houston or any American city you know that can't really just go into the crappy part of town..... and you know you need to be careful because well you're in a big city.....

in Medellin as long as you stay away from certain places you'll be pretty much ok. (once again just like in any big American city)

I havent had the chance to travel much but I know this country has a lot to offer so I am looking forward to it....

ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE I AM WILLING TO ANSWER TO THE BEST OF ABILITY!

[Taco]

Hi Uhl, I was happy to read comments.

I know a guy that used to work in Columbia and he had lots of good things to say about Columbian women. Actually, he lived with a hooker(she cooked, cleaned and banged him) while he was there and he became very good friends with her and tried to stay in contact with her even after he left Columbia, I can't say this for any of the women I've dated.

Can you expand on job prospects, the economy, personal safety, visas and living indefinately in Columbia?

[publicduende]

[quote="uhl]a dude I learned a lot about this country..... this country is like Los angeles, you know horrible reputation but once u go there, u realize is not as bad as the media makes it out to be.... granted you need to be cautious in Medellin, but Medellin is a big city with 3million people, I'd say sort of like Houston back in the states.... and here just like in Houston or any American city you know that can't really just go into the crappy part of town..... and you know you need to be careful because well you're in a big city.....

in Medellin as long as you stay away from certain places you'll be pretty much ok. (once again just like in any big American city)

I havent had the chance to travel much but I know this country has a lot to offer so I am looking forward to it....

ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE I AM WILLING TO ANSWER TO THE BEST OF ABILITY![/quote]

Oh so you are living in Medellin! I guess you have enjoyed the great light display over Xmas, they say it's one of the biggest in the world. Where in Medellin do you live? Monica used to live in Laureles, which is a quiet residential area where the traditional middle class still lives. I was told the Poblado area is the most popular with the new middle class. I can't wait to hit Medellin again, possibly for at least 3 weeks in a row!

Do you know this website by the way? They told me it's great to track and organise your nightlife: http://www.pegateya.com/orion/

[uhl]

Health insurance here goes according to social status, basically the poorer you are the less you pay for it.

they separate society into 6 different sections which they call Estratos.... from estrato 1 to 6... the higher the estrato the richer you are... I am estrato 4 which is considered middle class.

the lower the estrato the cheaper things are... including health care, in fact I think estrato 1 people get to go to the doctor absolutely free, something call Sisben... not sure but I'll look into it.

one thing I will tell you is that Colombian doctors have impressed me positively so far.... they even have a growing industry of tourists coming from europe and north america with the purpose of getting surgeries done on them, mostly cosmetic... I've seen my share of soccer suburban moms coming from the states to get their noses or boobs done in private clinics here for as little as three thousand dollars....

About standard of living, this is latin america, meaning you have extremes, and when I say extremes I mean, you can find from places that look like you're in the middle of earthquake torn Haiti.... to places that put Malibu or Beverly hills to shame!!! the social gap here is big.

[uhl]

publicduene christmas here is OUT OF THIS WORLD, is just like a neverending carnival!!!

I was impressed with those christmas lights.... the christmas here is AWESOME; later I am gonna post pics of the city including the lights; because I have to go soon (I am going to a new year party over to some amigo's apartment, and colombians start partying as soon as they wake up on new years eve)

I live in La America... which is a nice area, mostly appartment buildings, green areas, big stores nearby.... I like it... they even bars and nightclubs around here.

I'll be back tomorrow.... thanks for the welcome!!!

[uhl]

Hi Uhl, I was happy to read comments.

I know a guy that used to work in Columbia and he had lots of good things to say about Columbian women. Actually, he lived with a hooker(she cooked, cleaned and banged him) while he was there and he became very good friends with her and tried to stay in contact with her even after he left Columbia, I can't say this for any of the women I've dated.

Can you expand on job prospects, the economy, personal safety, visas and living indefinately in Columbia?

I can see that happening, is fairly common in Colombia for a guy to have mistresses.... he'd bang them take them out to party here and there and then go back to his wife.

In fact I know a Canadian guy who lives here and he has this young woman who comes irons his cloths, cooks, cleans, he bangs her and she goes home, he pays her for maid services though.... the dude is like 32 and the girl is in her early twenties.... 22 maybe

I also know an english divorced guy in his early 40's and he lives with this colombian woman who's 27 years old, she also cooks for him, irons his cloths, cleans the house etc... and all he does is play hubby and let her live with him.... it's sort of like those movies where this western dudes go to exotic countries and find hot chics that have passionate relationships with them that will last as long as he stays there.

I am not dating any girl, but so far I have banged a very fair share of A quality type woman..... basically girls that back in the states would put A LOT OF SELF PROCLAIMED HOT AMERICAN WOMEN TO SHAME!!!

One ironic thing though, it's that Colombian men for some reason could care less about american women, other than for friendship purposes it's rare to see Colombian guys going for American or western women in general..... but Western men here are HOT STUFF.... so you can find a good share of hot women virtually fighting over you while western women are pretty much lonely.... so I get a lot of American women here hitting on me women that back home wouldn't give me the time of the day, the thing is I am 28 and I had too much drama with American women, so when I see them coming, I'm like naaah I'll pass....

[onezero4u]

when the govt pays for health care....that means WE pay for health care & mostly it means it will be wayyyyy more expensive than if you had to pay the doctor yourself directly. govt has a gift for mismanaging, corruption, greed and inefficiency that ends up being expensive either in taxes or national debt.

its heartwarming the 750k medical bill story , but that burden is put on others by coercion which im opposed to. just my 2 cents.

regards,

[have2fly]

when the govt pays for health care....that means WE pay for health care & mostly it means it will be wayyyyy more expensive than if you had to pay the doctor yourself directly. govt has a gift for mismanaging, corruption, greed and inefficiency that ends up being expensive either in taxes or national debt.

its heartwarming the 750k medical bill story , but that burden is put on others by coercion which im opposed to. just my 2 cents.

regards,

YOU ARE WRONG! Government is the only way healthcare SHOULD be managed! While I agree government has corruption and mis-management, look at U.K., Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden... they all have government-managed healthcare, and they all have WAY LESS corruption compared to greatest "USA", just watch movie "Sicko" by Michael Moore - it opens your eyes!

USA spends THE MOST money on healthcare, but quality and services are not good at all! Yes, U.S. has amazing beautiful hospitals, medical helicopters, but people are dying on the street because they can't afford to go to the hospital!

USSR had poor (money-wise) healthcare, but it was free for everyone, the quality was very decent! And life expectancy in former USSR was way higher than today. Also, in France and former USSR there is such thing as "call-home doctor", basically there is a doctor assigned to an apartment block or a village, who you could call when you get sick. Doctor would come to your house, prescribe you something or just give you free pills to take and leave, and price for a visit? FREE! While in America you would rather drive yourself to E.R. instead of calling 911 to pick you up because it is SO expensive!