Colombia Forum

elpdiver
Joined 2019
Posts: 1224

4 years ago

Gratuities, ATMs, life in general

4 years ago

I find it mildly amusing the lengths that us Gringo's go to find machines that charge the lowest ATM fees and then just piss money away with tips and uninformed consumerism.

Now the ATM is lifeless entity that dispenses our life sustaining cash. I am all for maximizing our value from them and I don't live in Colombia full time so it is of less import to me than residents. But, it seems many will take a longer cab ride or spend more time in these endeavors than it is worth to me. That being said generosity at the ATM changes little of the everyday fabric of society in Medellin. I can vote with my feet and choose to use a different machine and nothing changes for local citizens.

This is not true regarding paying too much for items and services. I have spent very little time in Poblado and Envigado or the locals; but, I suspect that the gringo spending habits have reshaped the norm in those areas. I imagine that "propinas" are expected in many areas and I always inquire and look to see if it show up on a receipt. In Doce de Octubre propinas are very rare. I dine at a local bakery and I always tip. Usually by rounding up to the next mil amont and adding a mil. I always discreetly place it in the servers hand and it is always greatly appreaciated and it shows. The locals don't tip and linger to get every single peso of change returned to them.

In Poblado the taxi's are slow to make change hoping to get a round up or keep the change response. In Doce the taxi's typically round down and are in a hurry to be on their way.

I understand that Gringo generosity in many places in Ecuador have ruined the local economy for locals.

Beggars, panhandlers, poor people. Wow, what to even say here. In my hometown of Houston there are many professional beggars. I work directly in front of the worlds widest Interstate and as a result the worlds widest bridge and panhandling is an art form. Yet somehow, I don't equate the poverty as the same. Many of these "poor" people have homes and work a circuit of loactions usually with their dog with them (boosts the sympathy and income) and go home to their houses that they own/not rent when they are done.

Contrast that with encounters in Colombia and one cannot help but feel moved. (At least I cannot). My usual practice is to put ten one mil coins in my pocket when I am out and I give them our or make purchases as opportunity presents itself. I have yet to have very many repeat beggars. And one one occaision I gave them all to one individual and was overwhelmed at the response.

The only time I ever was truly pestered was near La Playa in Medellin. A beggar had targeted me three days in a row and would not leave me in peace; He kept insistently shoving his open grubby hand in my face and haranging me for money. Finally having had enough I snatched a few one mil coins that he had carelessly left in his open palm in front of me and thanked him profusely for the offer to buy me a beer. I sat at a local street cafe and ordered an ice cold cerveza and enjoyed it to an ovation from the locals.

In the states my brother gave me no end of grief for tipping the skycap at New Orleans international twenty bucks to take my bags all of a few hundred feet. Well that fellow knows me by name and if on duty steps up and has saved me on overweight fees on my bags several times.

YMMV.

LPd

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