Planet-Love.com Searchable Archives

I just got off the telephone this morning with a good Colombian female friend who is currently there in Colombia. We've been friends for 6 years.

My friend told me that she needs to pay some bills here in the USA, and she asked if she could deposit $1000.00 USD into my bank account.

I said yes. We've done this before because while she was in Colombia for a brief period, I was power of attorney on her USA accounts. Mucha Plata. I've visited her. She's way above strata 6 in terms of housing. Gated community. Great job. A great Colombian husband.

We've talked about the agencies before, but she tells me I don't need them, and that I could probably get any woman there without an agency.

Now, I ask this question.

How many guys on this board have wives of that calibre whom they've met in the agencies the first time?

If there are any, you have a good woman that's better than most of the agency girls.

Aaron

... in response to CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

... a while back on the Asian board. Of the 20 or so who responded, about half met their fiances or spouses through personal introductions, about one fourth through chance meetings whan the man was visiting the woman's country, and only one fourth through mail order bride (website, chatroom, printed catalogue) means. I thought it was interesting.

If you have an opportunity to meet through family or friends introduction, I'm guessing here, but I'll bet the odds of hooking up with a scammer or green card shark are greatly reduced. It's very likely you'll meet the type of women who wouldn't join an agency, also, likely a more conservative, cautious person, for some of us, better wife potential, than the more adventurous/party/desparate/whatever type of girl who would join an agency. Of course, your mileage may vary.

- Jeff

... in response to We did an informal survey...., posted by Jeff S on Aug 1, 2003

I can probably meet many women through friends both here and there. It wont be easy, but it's what I want to do.
I think being more independent is the best approach. A person has more control in what kinds of women he would like to meet.

Take Care,
Aaron

... in response to CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

is no guarantee for a successful marriage.....rich couples get divorced just as often as poor ones, maybe more.....

Take care,

Mark

... in response to Strata 6 (or 15)......, posted by markxport on Aug 1, 2003

n/t

... in response to CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003


Great Aaron, if you don't need an agency than don't use one.  I personally think the agencies are a good option but they're no panacea either.  The woman you described sounds like she's got some bucks and if that's what you're looking for, an agency probably isn't the best place to look.  On the other hand, you can find a lot of educated middle to upper middle class women in the agencies.  

But if only to prove that they do exist, I've gone out with three or four rich Colombianas that I met at agencies.  One girl's father owned a box factory in Bogota.  I stayed with her family my first visit ever to Colombia for two weeks.  They lived in a $200,000 house, all drove new SUVs and their children went to universities abroad.  Anyway, believe it or not, she belonged to an agency.

Another woman I went out with was a dentist.  She held down two jobs, one as a University professor and another in her dentistry practice.  She was pulling down a couple of grand a month and her father was an executive in a big company in Bogota.  She had traveled all over Europe, went to an English institute in the States.  This was a strata six gal meeting gringos at an agency.  

Even in my wife's family there's some money here and there.  A couple of uncles have houses in Ingenio, another uncle owns a 1000 student bi-lingual school in Pance, her grand-parents have a very nice house in San Fernando, all the grandchildren have gone to the university.  To me they seem more middle class than snobby rich.  They are people with integrity who haved worked hard to get what they have today.

... in response to Re: CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Cali James on Aug 1, 2003

That's my condo's turf.

... in response to sshhh!! let's keep Ingenio a secret, posted by cancunhound on Aug 1, 2003

my condo was in edificio liliana at the west end of carrera 85b. That is ingenio I. Norman and Traveler lived in a house on the same street in Ingenio III six blocks east. I moved to Carrera 101 in CJ and Norman now lives a block away in a condo.jim c

... in response to Re: sshhh!! let's keep Ingenio a secret, posted by jim c on Aug 2, 2003

South is where it's at.  Shoot me an e-mail next time you go down, 1st round's on me.

... in response to Re: CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Cali James on Aug 1, 2003

many?

... in response to CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

case in point, most men in the agencies dont have friends, or know anyone in foreign cities, its like compairing apples to oranges, when one person doesnt have either one. most men will also not travel around the world, just to meet one girl that they might have been introduced through a friend, and hope it works, if it doesnt, then what? he curises the malls looking for available women, not a way i would want to spend a week. i get what you are saying,or asking, and you have to wonder, why is this girl in an agency, good looking, nice personality, maybe the same reason you are there, so why are we there?

... in response to Re: CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by mudd on Aug 1, 2003

My point is that the type of woman I want would be very hard to find in an agency. So, I have to use a different approach. That's all.

... in response to Re: Re: CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

Hello Aaron,

Sounds like your fortunate enough to have friends in Colombia that can assist you in your search.  I wish you all the best in that search.

However, I wouldn't generalize about the women in the agency either.  Just because these women may not be "strata 6", doesn't mean they're not marriage material.  In the end, you have to go with what works for you and your chosen mate.  

Take care,

Mark

... in response to Fair enough, posted by markxport on Aug 1, 2003

All day long I have been mentioning that it is OK that a guy can use an agency, and of course it's ok to look in Colombia.

However, I have decided to take another route, and back away from the agency scene, but not away from Colombia or Miami.

My post that started this thread is based upon the premise that I want a woman that can pull her own weight. For me, the physical thing has become secondary, and I need a woman that is more compatible with me in other aspects.

Take Care,
Aaron

... in response to Re: Re: CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

Aaron,
Of course its not likely a strata 6 woman would be in an agency.But there are many good women there.But not good enough for you I guess.If the US was rated strata 1-6 would you be a 6?Before you answer remember that JFK married up in social status when he married Jackie.Her family had their money longer(And didn't get it bootlegging)He was a 5 on a 6 scale.
There is a certain amount of snobery here which would usually be offensive to us.Isabel Allende tells the story of her current husband,a San Francisco lawyer.He was an orphan and supported himself from a young age and managed to go to law school.She said this would have never been possible in Chile.Or Colombia probably.You can have the silver spooners.You can't afford the full time maid they will expect to have.
Meeting this type of woman is probably not so easy.But you have an inside with your friend.With her help it might be possible.Probably beats your chances here from past history.
Beats thinking about it also,you should give it a try.Guess who's coming to dinner Colombian style.Did you read  Hoda's experiences with predjudice in Bogota?

Pete

... in response to Re: Re: Re: CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Pete E on Aug 1, 2003

n/t

... in response to Pete, I'd be strata 15, but that's anoth..., posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

Oh, that's right.  You can post it because you got BANNED.  Bye you little twit.

... in response to CASE IN POINT !!!!, posted by Aaron on Aug 1, 2003

on this board would launder money unknowingly?
I take it back - 007 would never be a door mat.

... in response to And how many guys..., posted by cancunhound on Aug 1, 2003

CH,

That is very perceptive of you!  That request might be a test run for larger requests in the future.  

In fact, the entire friendship of a rich Colombian with a middle class American might be as a contact for a money conduit between the US and Colombia.  It reminds me of a guy in Cali who was always hanging around the agency I was staying at.  He was asking the Americans to convert US dollars into pesos for him.  Apparently the exchange rate for nationals was lower than that for foreigners or there was a special tax nationals had to pay.  In any case, most of the Americans were naive and felt there were simply helping someone out.  One American guy, a stockbroker who spoke plainly, felt the Colombian had some kind of racket going on.

Now, in Aaron's case, brilliant PhD candidate that he is, he has agreed to take on power of attorney for these US accounts.  If there is any nefarious activity going on with this woman or these US accounts Aaron will find himself up to his level 15 strata in very stinky doodoo!  

I want to caution other listers to ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO WHAT AARON HAS DONE!!!!!  There is a war on terrorism going on and part of that war is financial.  The US government is tracking foreign owned bank accounts and their activity and flagging all individuals associated with them.  

REMEMBER THAT THE US AGREED TO LABEL FARC AND THE ELN AS TERRORIST GROUPS IN EXCHANGE FOR COLOMBIAN SUPPORT IN THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A poster on LWL, who might also lurk here, told me privately that he was interrogated by US Customs AND Interpol due to his frequent trips to Colombia. This happened 3 years ago before 9/11 so that sort of thing might be even more likely to happen nowadays.

DO NOT LEAVE A PAPER TRAIL OF MONEY TRANSFERS TO PEOPLE ABROAD UNLESS YOU ARE IN A SERIOUS AND **VERIFIABLE** RELATIONSHIP WITH HER (or whomever)!!!!

... in response to Re: Money laundering, posted by Brazilophile on Aug 2, 2003

[This message has been edited by Aaron]

with have been closed for over a year now. She has liquidated all her assessts here because she never had any intention of living here. After she finished her degree, she went home. She finished her PhD in a different program of study. I knew her already for 4 years before she and I made the agreement. I've visited her many times.

Now, your response to my post has demonstrated that you've taken things totally out of context, especially with only a few details, and created your own story based upon the stereotypical thinking that "ALL COLOMBIANS ARE NARCO-TRAFFICKERS". Which is totally not true.

Brazilophile, I know Colombians here in the USA and in Colombia; many that wouldn't care to associate with a person that would make the kinds of comments that you have made above in your post, especially about an accomplished, well-educated, and professional lady. If you cannot show respect for me, at least show some respect for her.  

Aaron

... in response to Brazilophile, the accounts which I were ..., posted by Aaron on Aug 3, 2003

Aaron,

You know very well that I NEITHER SAID NOR IMPLIED that all Colombians are narco-traffickers.  

But now that you have brought it up!!!   Save your indignation and condescension for the US Customs agents who might profile you as a "person of interest" as you answer their questions of why you are making so many trips to Colombia, who exactly is this woman you are involved with, why did you have power of attorney over her bank accounts here, why did she need to have bank accounts in the US, why did she need to have so much money here, where does she get her money from, where does her family get her money from, what exactly is your relationship to her family, why did you agree to accept more money from her after she closed her accounts, did she or her family ever give you money or presents in exchange for handling their US finances, oh you have visited them in Colombia serveral times, so they gave you free trips to Colombia for helping them out with their money problems in the US, what exactly is it that you say you are studying, have you ever used drugs, not even tried MJ as a kid?  So tell me again, why do you make so many trips to Colombia?  etc. etc. etc.

In case you don't know it Aaron, YOUNG men who appear to be affluent and travel frequently between the US and SA is the profile for drug traffickers.  Does the shoe fit????

My point was, and still is, that what you did was a VERY STUPID thing to do with THAT country at THIS time.

... in response to Re: Brazilophile, the accounts which I w..., posted by Brazilophile on Aug 3, 2003

she's definitely more of a friend to me than you are. Also, believe me, I know my rights, and I know my friends, and my act is together. Thanks for your concern.

Aaron

... in response to Re: Money laundering, posted by Brazilophile on Aug 2, 2003

[This message has been edited by Aaron]

close Colombian friends that he trusts, and that trust him?

Aaron

... in response to Re: Money laundering, posted by Brazilophile on Aug 2, 2003

I agree, the power of attorney sounds odd as does the money transfer(s) to pay credit card bills. As far as I know, a Visa/MC issued by a Colombian financial institution is accepted everywhere here, just like ours is accepted there. And if the people are really "strata 15" and travel often to the U.S., then it seems likely they would have a relationship with a big bank in Colombia that offers foreign currency accounts and/or has a branch in the U.S. Heck, even a regular, middle class friend of mine in Bogota has a Citibank Visa card.

The upper class in Colombia and other countries with a history of a depreciating currency is well versed in putting a portion of thier assets in dollars or euros or yen or buying real estate in those currencies.  So the whole story about paying bills, power of attorney, etc. for a wealthy family just doesn't make sense. There's a boatload of attorneys, private bankers and financial planners out there that do nothing but handle these types of affairs.

Aaron, I'm not doubting your story or asking for more details, but what Brazilophile offers is good advice: If they're you're friends and everything is above-board, fine. But hang onto your receipts, correspondence, whatever because someday (to borrow from Ricky Ricardo) "you might have some 'splainin' to do."

... in response to Re: Money laundering, posted by DavidMN on Aug 2, 2003

testing.... sorry.

... in response to Re: Money laundering, posted by DavidMN on Aug 2, 2003

other expenses.

Aaron

... in response to And how many guys..., posted by cancunhound on Aug 1, 2003

launder  money,  man that cracked me up

... in response to Re: And how many guys..., posted by snap38 on Aug 1, 2003

n/t