Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owner of.....

[hilton]

Hoda,

Bud and I were talking about Cali and his agency.  He just laid a crap load of information overload on me man!(smiling).

I told him that I wanted to stay in Colombia for the full 90 days(actually 89 days due to passport restrictions) to become fluent in Spanish.  He told me that he could help me find a 'competent' professor to teach me spanish 5 hours a day 5 days a week.  And, all I would have to pay is somewhere between $150-$250 per month, which includes all learning book materials.  Awesome!

It would be a one-to-one learning adventure without sharing my time with other people within a class; a HUGE advantage if you might add.

We talked about living arrangements; from low cost apartment/bed & breakfast style living(with furniture included) to luxurious style living; which would allow me to pay anywhere from $600-$1,000 per month for rent, which would include having a maid, breakfast made daily, and house cleaning!

He just laid the whole groundwork on me bro.  We were discussing the fact that www.latinlove.net wasn't very professional and how his last site was an award winning site.  We discussed the fact that many people will be fooled when they go to latinlove.net and find that the site isn't as slick as any of his competitors sites(latinlifemates.com, aspiring-latin-models-inc.com, tlcworldwide.com, and latinbrides.com).

We also discussed the fact that his new place is a dynasty, nothing compared to the 18,000 square foot($14 Million Dollar) palace that he had before, which costed him $17 a day alone to maintain the pool, that is as slick as slick can get.

Overall, Bud is an awesome guy to talk to.  He was telling me that he started latinlove.net as a hobby, and not as a money generating machine, which is the reason why he decided to start the first, "Free For All" marriage agency in Colombia!

For him, it wasn't about the money.  It was more about the love of giving guys a chance to do what he did; and that is to meet the women of your dreams.  And, because of this, I will be sticking with latinlove.net.

We talked about how everything will fall into 'common' place once I arrive at the bed & breakfast dynasty that he has.

We talked about a lot of things.  But, one of the things that I have learned with Bud is that even he is still discovering how beautiful the whole landscape of Cali is like.

Which teaches me something:  I have just realized, with the help of Bud, that the older I get the more I should shut up and start observing.  I have two ears to listen and one mouth to speak, which means I should very well be able to listen twice as fast as I speak.  And, because of this, the more I learn, the more I should realize how much I don't know; all of this as a result of talking to Bud for 30 minutes over the phone.....

Peace,

Hilton

[BenKramer]

... in response to Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owner of..., posted by hilton on Dec 11, 2001

I thought Bud got out of the agency buisness and someone else took it over Does anyone know who owns the Palace now ? Is it for sale ?  Just wondering, Ben

[Hoda]

... in response to Re: Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owne..., posted by BenKramer on Dec 13, 2001


brought it back from clown, who was running it into the ground. Bud's got some family running it now. The original owner has returned. The man that started the REVOLUTION & killed the TALIBAN of the intro agency business....

Hoda....

[pack]

... in response to Re: Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owne..., posted by BenKramer on Dec 13, 2001

last word i got was that Bud had indeed retired from the agency business, the palace had shut down and a 18 year colombian relative had taken over the books and opened up somewhere else in the city?

[Timbit]

... in response to Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owner of..., posted by hilton on Dec 11, 2001

My experience with latin love has just been further clarified. Hilton, have you considered this quote Bud gave you? How could you possibly conceive that you could hire your own professor for so many hours (100+) for this amount, and including all materials too? It might be a third world country but you aren't going to get a spanish professor and his books included for free for $1.50 to $2.50 per hour.

Last year I was looking through latinlove's webpage, and there were a few girls in the photo albums there that the faces had been deformed in a photo software program to look like disgusting animal like faces. I emailed the guy "bud" many times to tell him about it and to ask him why or if he knew they were there. He never responded to me EVEN ONCE. The faces remained on his site for a long time, I don't visit there anymore to see if they are still there though.

For this experience I will not trust this agency. And I think this outrageously cheap quote he gave you for a personal professor for 100 hours a month including all teaching material just further shows me I was right that something is up with that guy not to be trusted.

And p.s. do the following statements you quoted from bud sound like they are the truth (showing logical association with each other)?

1) "For him, it wasn't about the money."

2) "his new place is a dynasty, nothing compared to the 18,000 square foot($14 Million Dollar) palace that he had before"..

Be wise, observe, test, separate. Then enjoy.

Peace,
Timbit.

[TG]

... in response to $150-$250 for 100 hours with a professor..., posted by Timbit on Dec 12, 2001

The average teacher makes something on the order of $200 a month there. Keeping this in mind, it is quite possible to hire one part time for the amount listed....

[Aaron]

... in response to $150-$250 for 100 hours with a professor..., posted by Timbit on Dec 12, 2001

I'll tell you one other thing, from the last LL site, about 10 to 15 of the girls were listed as being in their 20s. When I got down there to visit, I saw the same WOMEN in the books. They were available, but their true ages were like 30 to 35.

Aaron

[Hoda]

... in response to $150-$250 for 100 hours with a professor..., posted by Timbit on Dec 12, 2001


and join the fun... Share what you know and what brought you here...

[Hoda]

... in response to $150-$250 for 100 hours with a professor..., posted by Timbit on Dec 12, 2001


Unfortunately, the economy is that bad down there. You'll find more than a couple of professors, who'll be willing to supplement their monthly incomes (if the gov't decides to pay them that month) with an easy 2nd job. I remember the site disfigurations...ugly indeed. But during this time, the ownership was different. I've stayed in contact with a few staff members, who I consider good friends.

Shortly after it was sold, things went down hill rapidly.
About the logical association? You obivously don't know Bud or his pockets. The man didn't them & still doesn't keep the agency as a money maker. You're free to use one of the many remaining agencies in Cali. But if you're basing your choice on the website & the lack of response from someone, who wasn't the owner at the time. You go right ahead... Slick sites have fooled many before you!

Later...

[hilton]

... in response to $150-$250 for 100 hours with a professor..., posted by Timbit on Dec 12, 2001

.

[El Diablo]

... in response to $150-$250 for 100 hours with a professor..., posted by Timbit on Dec 12, 2001


You might be surprised how cheap you could hire someone as the economy is in shambles in Cali.  I think a person could probably find a competent tutor for that price if you had someone in mind that you knew.  My ex Calena novia is a graduate from the university in Spanish and a Spanish elementery school teacher. She would have jumped at an oppurtunity to earn some extra cash. She was giving some private English lessons and I was astounded that she took as little as 2000 pesos per hour.

Regarding the pictures on the Latin Love web site, it was obvious that these were only jokes.  They didn't look like any particular member nor do I remember a members name attached to the photo.  I don't believe it was meant to offend but was just some humor to lighten things up. I thought they were funny myself.  BTW my all time favorite photo was of the now imfamous Alex, the inside guy from the robbery, holding the hedge clippers as if to do bodily damage, with the caption "Shots around the Palace".  I don't know if it was Bud who put this particular photo up or not but who ever did it had a good sense of humor.

Anyway Timbit, lighten up a bit....   (-:

El Diablo

[Patrick]

... in response to Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owner of..., posted by hilton on Dec 11, 2001

I wouldn't expect to become fluent in Spanish in only 90 days unless you're already pretty good at it, even if it is 5 hours per day of instruction.  If you work hard though, it will at least give you some conversational ability.

This reminds me of when I first began studying.  I thought I'd be having detailed conversations in Spanish after my first 5 unit course.  Then I thought maybe aftrer the next 5 unit course.  By the time I was starting my third semester in another 5 unit course, I no longer expected to be fluent at the end.  It takes a lot of effort to become truely fluent, but even limited Spanish ability will help a lot so you should definitely go for it.  Should be a lot of fun practising in the evenings and on weekends in Cali!

[hilton]

... in response to Spanish Fluency, posted by Patrick on Dec 11, 2001

.

[Hoda]

... in response to Hoda....I just talk to Bud..the owner of..., posted by hilton on Dec 11, 2001


that you just spoke to Bud or Bud was speaking & you were listening....lol. What did I tell you? I was going to address that plan-b of yours in learning spanish. I see Bud told you, what I was going tell you. Good for you, bro! Now put the finishing touches on that programming projects of yours. Ignore those "Devils" as they start to scratch harder & harder at your door...lmao!

Peace...Hoda

[hilton]

... in response to I can tell....., posted by Hoda on Dec 11, 2001

Hoda,

Bud was telling me that you're the 'spokensman' for LatinLove(smiling).

He also told me that you were his, "pain in the azz" customer(laughing...), but a pain in a friendly manner(he was joking...).

He mentioned that you called him so much until he just said to himself, "when is this guy gonna quit calling me and let me rest"(he was laughing to himself when he told me this..).  Heck, I was laughing and nearly rolling on the floor when he told me this man!

Peace,

Hilton