Colombia Forum

jooks
Joined 2019
Posts: 293

4 years ago

Installment 10

4 years ago

May 31, 2019

I lost my dry-cleaning ticket for 1 shirt, 1 lousy shirt with a steep cleaning bill of 10.000 pesos, $3. Which leads me to say that this country has an obsession with fingerprints and the cedula (ID).

The cedula is a peculiar document, unlike anything in the US and probably everywhere. Without it, you may as well stay home forever. Social Security Card + Green card or passport + inexplicable unearthly benefits = a cedula. Every Colombian has one. A foreigner needs a visa to get one.

The dry cleaners not only asked to see my cedula, but they wanted 2 oversized (150%) copies of it. End of story? Hah! Then they took out the dreaded ink pad to take my fingerprints! Then again, it was a Tommy Bahama shirt, so perfectly understandable.

Without exaggeration, I must have had my fingerprints taken 20 times from government agencies, the same agency often more than once to the insurance company to the cell phone company to getting puntos (points) at the supermarket to getting a civica (metro card) to enrolling in encicla (the bicycle ride share program). As soon as I see the ink pad, I know what's coming and prepare my fingers. One has to think. Why isn’t identity theft rampant. Everyone has their cedula number memorized and gives it out freely to supermarket cashiers to get points, etc. But somehow, peoples’ identities seem to remain intact.

The day after I got my corrected cedula, I got insurance. Without a cedula, no insurance. Thank God that’s over with.

Colombia has one public health insurance company, Nueva EPS, and dozens of private companies. All Colombian policyholders have the same basic health care plan, which includes medical, dental, and vision care. Private companies offer premium policies that expand upon the basic coverage. It’s basic insurance and costs $30/mo. Cheap, no? And supposedly, it covers most everything with small co-payments. The only problem is that, with basic, you’re at the mercy of the plan’s doctors. Waits and lines are a way of life. I’m looking into a prepaid (premium) policy to avoid the annoyances and pitfalls of the basic policy. I’ve gotten a ton of conflicting information about whether I’d be eligible (due to my age) and the cost. We’ll see. Everyone Colombian that works is required to have it and gets if for nothing or with a small co-payment.

The school field trip yesterday was to Ayacucho. It’s another barrio in the hills on the outskirts of Medellin. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip. It didn’t rain for the first time on a field trip, yay. We got to use the very cool and modern Medellin metro system extensively. We took a metro train to a cable car (the thing that almost killed me) to a cable car. As always, the views were breathtaking. One thing I neglected to point is the graffiti throughout Medellin. It’s seemingly everywhere and created by very talented people. There are even graffiti tours. Graffiti was everywhere throughout the Ayacucho trip. See photos.

Speaking of school, I’m dropping the Colombian Immersion Spanish School and today is my last day. While I was blessed with a truly great professor, the administrators planned to replace him with someone else next week. That was the icing on the cake. There have been numerous administrative problems plus it was ridiculously expensive. I hired a private tutor for 30% less. We start on Monday.

Pictured: graffiti and scenes from the barrio (whatsapp)

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Living in Colombia Guide

Expats in Colombia discuss the pros and cons of living in Colombia. From the Colombian people to driving to taxes and more. As challenging as it can be, expats in Colombia clearly find that there is a lot to love about a country that is a surprising expat hot spot.

Colombia Forum
Join our Colombia forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Colombia.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Colombia.

Best Places to Live in Colombia

If you're considering a move to Colombia, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Colombia in 2023.

Healthcare in Colombia

Our guide to healthcare in Colombia covers public and private healthcare in Colombia, hospitals, vaccinations, prescription medications and more.

Cost of Living in Colombia

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Colombia.

Moving to Colombia Guide

With its bustling cities, beautiful beaches and friendly Colombians, Colombia is an increasingly popular destination for expats of all ages. Expats in Colombia offer insightful tips for those moving to Colombia.

Real Estate in Colombia

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Colombia.

Pros & Cons of Living in Colombia

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Colombia.

Retiring in Colombia

Advice for people retiring in Colombia.

10 Tips for Living in Colombia

If you've recently arrived in Colombia, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Colombia.

Additional Information:

Visit our Colombia Index for a Full List

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Colombia by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Colombia.