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Colombia: Maybe Bogota:
Going with a relo package should make a world of difference. Lived there with two young children and only wifes income and I grew to dislike Bogota but more for personal frustrations I think.
With a job (or two) Bogota should become much more feasible and the children are older so probably have a bit more sense than my 3 / 1 year olds. Schools apparently are good, plenty of things to do and beautiful parts of Colombia to visit within easy flight or drive distance.
Main downsides, Chia is generally too far to commute unless working on outskirts. Chico is nice enough, certainly will be a big city life. Traffic is terrible, worst still on Saturdays, if you want to get out of town leave early. Make a list of to-do and to-see things near and around Bogota and 2 years will fly by.
Your situation sounds like a perfect match to Bogota, I would jump at the opportunity.
Colombia: Some coming, others going (part 2):
At the end of it, its a lot about personal choice and location even in Colombia. I tried Bogota, probably had too high expectations, tried to get a professional job in Bogota, over 60 applications in last 5 months (I was there 2.25 years), inverviews with agencies, family contacts.......nada. Eventually took the decision to try again in the UK. Lined up 5 interviews in 2 weeks back in the UK, told my family I would see what it was like, got a job offer 14 hours after arriving and a second within a week and far happier to be back in the UK. 5 months later wife is moving back, she is going to miss Bogota as she is from there and flies the 'flag' daily....but even she admits working there was not fun, the traffic, pollution was all getting her down.
On the way back on the plane Avianca changed our pre-booked tickets to another row without the baby cot, she politely asked the people seated if they would mind helping us out as we have two boys under 4 and swapping back the seats. The brit said sure, the colombians told her to jump......
Suffice to say its going to be a headache in winter (and the UK sure is not perfect) but I am far happier to be back near London than Bogota (even London traffic seems so easy now). I miss the daily fruit juices, family finca and not having to iron but thats it sadly......I would like to say I miss more but I don't.....maybe it was just Bogota for me.
On the other hand I have friends who have moved to Colombia and are loving it and others who are not sure, and others who have returned to Europe.
Personally, and while I dont regret the experience which has been valuable in many ways, I have learned that each stage of life is different, we all have different wants and needs and each part in Colombia suits some people but not others (and often you only find it out when you actually live there for a while) and may only suit you at some points in your life (I can see the benefits of being retired in Colombia)........but am far from there yet.
Colombia: Salaries:
Salary for a dentist sounds about right, bear in mind most operate their own business so you may have to take off rent, although it could allow you to 'share space' and work during out-of-hours.
Colombia: Is the grass always greener???:
Like Cafetero I didnt come to Colombia for lack of good neghbours, actually I had some pretty nice ones outside of London.
In fact coming to Bogota was a big let down, family, never mind neighbours, promised lots of things but were always elusive in actually providing help. Over time things have got better, but its taken 2 years or so and we try not to ask for help on family or friends for the expectation of being let down (parents-in-law excepted).
I do think city living is much harder to create decent neighbours in whatever country. When I was in London we barely knew the neighbours, I even had the case of saying hello, i'm...... as someone was going in opposite and seeing the door shut in my face. In Bogota, I see the neighbours, say hello and am all polite but would not class any as friends or rely on them. Our closest friends in Bogota (outside of wife's) were actually a German couple we met on this forum. Moving to a smaller place I have always found it much easier to get on with neighbours (not all), and have made some good friends out of it.
Saying that a lot depends upon how deep that relationship becomes and if its two-way. Also how much you put one way. Can happen with family, friends neighbours....but I think we tend to get on better with those whom we share interests with. I have some pretty chilly relationships with some family-in-law types as its always a one way conversation about themselves. I met one of my (now) good friends that I could trust implicitly at a Citizenship Ceremony of all places.
Colombia: Renting versus Buying real estate:
In the current situation I prefer investing in an office and renting for less than the income the office generates, but if I was to consider here being long-term and could find the right place buying would be it. Renting does leave you at the mercy of the landlord (wife 5months pregnant and looking for a new place springs to my mind), but if you are flexible, so be it, could be interesting moving around the city/country.
Bear in mind, buying comes with the costs, stamp duty (if sold), high percentage sales fees (if not direct) and the possible loss if someone builds directly in front or your estate drops down in value for whatever reason. Renting allows you to up sticks and move. You dont have to make the repairs and generally are not tied down and with sometimes unexpected costs. If you can invest the money better to provide a better rate of return great.
I still prefer owning over renting though.
Colombia: Obtaining Colombian drivers license:
Similar story for me, got the driving license without an issue, no lessons, although the first school told me one price, then increased it by 150k pesos the following week (I changed places). There are more 'medical exams' than in the UK, however the assessors seem to 'help' you through the process, I have tinitus and sometimes missed those bleep tests, but they just made made a correction and bingo I passed. Plus they have a psychology test, although I am not sure anyone would consider admitting to being a raving lunactic with suicidal thoughts, so not really sure how useful it is. I did like the test using both hands to control the 'vehicle' which I guess should consider coordination. Saying that I think they should put everyone here through the test maybe it would take a lot of people of the roads who just dont know how to drive. I didnt have to show my UK license either.
Colombia: Typical Day or Week in Medellin?:
Also depends upon your situation, I am a house-husband in Colombia so to speak (although not for much longer), a lot of what has been said I agree with (aside from La Piranha's UK comments which I can find many examples to counter). My neighbours are similar (maybe not so well off), and most of them (generally those working with children) tell me about putting their children in a bus at 05:30am to get them to a good school to get a better education/life/future. Some of these parents I meet coming in between 7-9pm every day. Mostly I meet the grandparents or domestic help taking the children to the park too, grandparents often living with (or close by) their adult children to help out as many dont have any pensions. Most of the parents I meet find living in Bogota very tough, but with the counter that this is where a majority of jobs (and better paid) are and generally the better schools. My bro-in-law was working at a car showroom selling cars, on a $250,000 pesos salary + commissions, working 5 days and every other weekend with a wife earning 1.3million and a baby, rent of 1million..........thats tough. (oh and sharing with mother-in-law).
Colombia: Best SA Country to Establish Residence?:
Wow La Piranha,
Like has been said everyone has a very different view of a place. Personally, aside from reading the newspaper highlights in the UK, I have never experienced any of what you describe in the UK, but then everyones experience is different. If I read the same newspaper trash about Colombia, I would probably have never given it a go.
Also, I find experiences very different in Bogota than the countryside towns; if I based my experiences here soley on Bogotarians I would find them downright rude people compared to coming from the UK, and family values such as not caring to strap children down in cars, overbearing or superiority nature of most parents, quite happy to pass all responsibility for their children onto hired help, parents dont teach their children manners, inability to consider anyone but themselves or their family, and the constant lying and not sticking to your word to be downright poor moral standards. But then again, maybe this is the people I meet here so my perspective is skewed. I do also find a lot of parents in the UK to provide poor moral guidance so I do, to a degree, appreciate some of what you are saying but a lot of it boils down to the parents as well and I am generalising, its not everyone I meet.
Personally, for a decent family life I am heading back to the UK, while its not perfect I can see far better experiences and opportunities for my boys there than here.
Everyone's view is subjective.......
Colombia: US Social Security MAIL:
Thoughts about the 472 service, its a necessitity to have a postcode on your address here. I have used it and find it fairly reliable, all the stuff I shipped to the UK including a mobile phone got there within their stated days. You pay for different services, 5 day or 12 plus local service. I only got ripped off sending a christmas card back. Oh you need cash and a copy of your cedula (if fast post). Also, only some branches handle international mail. Its basic but cheap and has worked for me.
With regards to the postcodes (codigo postal), most Colombians I have met dont realise it exists (its relatively new I gather). But to point out the necessity, all the main / packages I was sending before without postcode never arrived. Every single package sent after with postcode has arrived within 30-40 working days, even the time I stupidly got Cra and Calle mixed up, it still arrived! Personally I have been pleased enough with the service.
Just my experience.
Colombia: Translator recommendation:
I know of one Official Translator in Bogota (friend of family) who is fluent in both English and Spanish and works at better rates than the companies (who normally sub-contract to him anyway), however he is off ill at the moment so will post his details when he is back in business.
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