state dept. warning

[pack]

couldnt sleep so decided to watch headline news . as i was watching the news across the screen came a warning from the state dept. it said STATE DEPT. WARNING STAY AWAY FROM COLOMBIA , AMERICANS THREATENED

[JunFan68]

... in response to state dept. warning, posted by pack on Apr 18, 2001

I have said it before and will say it again....I don't have the balls to go to Cali or Medellin.  What I mean by this is I just think I would be too stressed all the time.  Brings me to my point...try going to Cartagena like HD & I have done.  Even if your girl is in Cali, pay for her flight and have her meet you there.  A plane ticket is a helluva lot cheaper than a ransom, a funeral, or a prosthetic limb...lol.

Later,
Mike

www.sparhard.com/colombia.htm

[Houndog]

... in response to state dept. warning, posted by pack on Apr 18, 2001

This is the same warning they have been issuing for several years now. While "overall" there is some truth to it...on an individual single purpose trip...street crime is a bigger problem than any of the larger overall conflicts.

So far...the worst that has happened as reported here and other forums has been several robberies. And of course an occasional scam...such as changing money on the streets...a giant No No even here.

Be aware of your surrondings at all times...follow local advice on where to go, or not go, and like many, most of us you will be fine.

Whenever away from home....Keep Personal Safety as a top Priority. I've been to Cali and Cartagena...without any problems....just like many on this board have.

Regards, Houndog

[pack]

... in response to Re: state dept. warning..don't worry.., posted by Houndog on Apr 18, 2001

yea you are probably right hound i have numerous friends that have been to cali 10 12 15 times and more and never had a problem , and come to think of it i have also seen these warnings over the years.

[Sol]

... in response to Re: state dept. warning..don't worry.., posted by Houndog on Apr 18, 2001

As someone who just returned from Medellin, supposedly the most dangerous city in the most dangerous country, I can tell you from personal experience that (at least Medellin) is reasonably safe if you take precautions. Now that I've been to Colombia it's absolutely amazing to read what the fear mongerers have to say about a country they've never been to. I spent 10 days in Medellin and didn't get robbed, scammed, kidnapped or killed. Having said that I also have to say that I was careful. I spent almost all of the time with the girl I seeing or a member of her family. We almost always called for taxis as opposed to flagging them down in the street, we never took public transportation, we didn't go into the countryside and we paid attention to what was going on in the street around us. The danger of being kidnapped is way overblown; people don't get kidnapped wandering through the city, it's the people that need to drive between big cities, especially at night, that run the risk of being kidnapped. I did notice a fair number of the nicer establishments having armed guards and a fair police presence in the streets. Also, one night, an insurance company office got dynamited at 4AM, one block from my hotel. Noone was hurt. The intent of the bombing was to make a statement.

So, to echo the advice of others, go to Colombia, be cautious, don't go anywhere alone unless a trusted local person assures you that's it's safe to do so and even then take trusted taxis to and from that destination. And keep in mind that there are places that locals feel are safe that foreigners would not be safe in alone.

Over time I'll post more about my trip and my plans for future trips to Colombia to find my future wife. For those interested I struck out with the lady in Medellin, and will be changing my strategy for future trips. I still believe in letter writing as a way to start a relationship, although I have to admit that there were a number of serious issues that surfaced with this lady that I wasn't able to identify through the letter writing and phoning process.

But, I'm still very much in the game and when I pay off this trip in the next few months I'll be back in Colombia for another round, hopefully having done a better screen this time around.

Wish me luck.

Sol

[El Diablo]

... in response to Colombia is not as dangerous as the fear..., posted by Sol on Apr 18, 2001


I think a person who travels to Colombia for a week and is cautious will return to the States unharmed.  However Colombia is a very dangerous place and I don't think it's fear mongering to point it out.

I lived in Cali for four months last year and this year I'm here for two.  I love it here but some times I wonder about the wisdom of me being here for so long.

This is only my perception but it seems more dangerous this year.  I believe there is less money in Cali. I have witnessed this on many different levels. For instance a lot of my friends who had jobs last year don't this year.  There also appears to be more street people and I feel that they are more aggressive now than before.

I live in a metro area of five million in the States.  We have dangerous neighborhoods but it IMO no way compares to Cali.  In this last month of Cali, I've seen more violence than I've experienced in my whole life in the States.  

For example, my barrio in Cali is considered more or less good.  It's a strata five for those who understand what that means.  Last week I was eating Pizza at an outside cafe near where I live and directly accross the street their was an armed robbery (three shots were fired).  The robber took the money from the other restaurant and fled in a taxi.  (Taxi's are not always safe.) I returned my two videos to Blockbuster a month or so back and to my surprise, part of the front had been blown up by a grenade only hours before.  I was coming back  from Chipi-Chaapi recently and I drove by a car bomb that had occured some time during the day.  These are some examples that stand out from this last month but I could continue with a long list of violent crime that I have either witnessed or know others who have.  

I don't want to deter people from going to Colombia however I think people should be told the truth.  Or at least the truth as I perceive it.

[Houndog]

... in response to Colombia is not as dangerous as the fear..., posted by Sol on Apr 18, 2001

Hey Sol, First thanks for the on the ground report. Second, very sorry to here you're first attempt at finding "The One" didn't work out as planned. Third, I wrote to several first, but in the end just went to an agency first in Cali. Met some very nice women, had a great adventure, but alas, at the end had to rethink my strategy. It was just a false start, so to speak, however only on one level. After meeting many women I realized that I could never be happy settling for an AW when for the effort and only money, I could find a really wonderful person to spend life with. I got back on the Horse and rode on till I had successfully acomplished my goal "The One". So sit back, reposition, and go find your Dream Lady....Buena Suerte..Mucho..

Houndog

[pack]

... in response to Colombia is not as dangerous as the fear..., posted by Sol on Apr 18, 2001

thanks sol for the info. , yea i guess its just the same old media hype...stay away from colombia ! they should be saying stay away from parts of L A or Miami or N Y or a number of other U S cities . thanks again !