It's kind of interesting but it seems that she's been kind of watching for the other shoe to drop in my behaviour.  I guess these girls hear alot of stories about American men changing once they get back to the states.  Of course I haven't changed since my 2 months in Colombia, and now she is relaxed and secure.  I get much more attention and care then I probably deserve, but I take care of her very well also, and she appreciates this very much.  Most of these girls are so used to Colombian men being selfish, if you do anything for these girls, the are very, very happy.  She says that a Colombian man cooking is just unheard of.  I like to cook for her sometimes, and she loves the new American dishes.

So the hunt, and travelling to Cali is very exciting and fun, but are you prepared for the end result of your travels?  Just a simple, uneventful conflict free life with someone who cares about you.  Once your girl is here, it's just a normal marriage and relationship.  (A much better one I have to admit)  After talking with many guys on the hunt, I think that sometimes guys get addicted to the excitement of the chase, and don't really want to settle down.  Have you become addicted to the e-ticket ride?  Travelling to Cali and getting all that attention is definately addictive.

The one thing that my wife keeps noticing is how few attractive girls there are here.  We went to a Mardi Gra party with a huge crowd and she couldn't believe how many more guys there were there, then decent looking girls.  She said that the guys at this Mardi Gra were mui grosero because they were desperate.  She also said that the guys in Colombia were much more casual in their attitude toward girls because they didn't have to compete with each other as much, and there were plenty to go around.  She is a bit disgusted with guys hitting on her when she is out and about, considering she is wearing a wedding ring and does not encourage it.  In her English ESL class she has been joking with me that I should come to class and chi chi around her escritorio to mark my teritory like my dog Walter.  A guy who is jealous or insecure may have some stress in his life after they bring one of these girls here because they get attention.  I don't worry, because she can handle herself.  She once was attacked by a taxi driver in the back of his car.  He locked all the doors and jumped in the back seat to rape her.  My wife had been taking Karate, and proceeded to beat the crap out of this Colombian Taxi driver until he pleaded with her to let him go.  She said the engagement ring that I had given her made a real mess of his face after punching him.  Considering my wife is only 105 lbs, I found this story a little amusing, but also scary considering how it could have turned out.  So anyway I don't worry much about her when she is out.

We did have an interesting conversation last night about age gaps.  I have heard so much conversation on the boards about this subject it was interesting to hear her opionion.  She claims that the girls simply like older guys.  15 years difference is the norm with older examples not unusual.  I asked her if it was the money, but she claimed that in only a small % of the cases this is true.  She said that the young girls simply culturally find older guys more attractive and stable.  She said she couldn't imagine being with a guy who was her age.  She also said that it would be perfectly acceptable for me to chase 16 year olds in Colombia.  (I'm 38)  I said I was looking for a little more menta, and she said that she was mature and smart at 16.  What can I say to that.

So anyway, this whole adventure has been alot of fun.  The chase was fun, and now we have alot of fun married.  Way more fun then I ever had chasing or catching American women.  In my opinion it's all about appreciation, and not being with a women who has always had everything, and is spoiled.  It's appreciating the small things in life and general contentment without the constant drive to have MORE MORE MORE.

My wife couldn't give a rip about shopping or spending.  She is a giver and not a taker.  In fact, the other day she gave away an expensive pair of sunglasses that I had given her, to one of my clients 8 year old daughters.

So my take is go out and find a giver, not a taker.  It really doesn't matter if she is Colombian, American, Russian, or whatever.  It's the selfish girls that cause all the problems.

Wayne

The age gap question in Colombia is interesting to me.  Like you I've had conversations with friends in Cali where they would say the exact same thing.  An older guy is more stable etc. etc. etc and makes a better husband.  I don't think they were giving me a gringo line either because these were by and large only friends that I knew when I lived there.

So I kept hearing this reoccuring theme but I wasn't seeing a lot of it on the streets or among my friends families.  I'm up to three ex Calena novias now and that's a lot of family get togethers.  And believe when a latin family gets together were talking aunts, uncles, cousins sometimes two and three times removed.  I was hearing the women talk about this but mom and dad, aunts and uncles were all more or less the same age.  Now I know someone will post about how his novia's mother is married to a 70 year old guy and she's 50.  OK great, I know these things happen but the real question is it happening that much.

Now you mentioned young girls with older guys and I did see some of that but they weren't married from what I could tell.  I think some of these relationships were extramarital.

El Diablo

Come on Vet, those questionaires are filled out by 20 year olds with an intended gringo audience of 35 to 40 year olds.  I'm not disputing them but I think they may be overstated.  I was only observing that in Colombia, among non-gringo relationships, I don't see large age gaps.

El Diablo

My observations about my ex novias families were just that, observations.  I was hearing a preference on one hand and seeing something different and I was trying to explain it.  It's not a concern as much as a curiosity and it really wasn't related to anything personal in my own life.  

Cali-Vet is right, we had a very similar discussion about a year ago and I made the exact same observation then that I did today.  I guess I'm bored here at work too....

El Diablo

A guy is in prison. First day there. He's in the cafeteria, and all of the sudden some guy jumps up and yells: "17!" Everyone laughs. Pretty soon, someone yells out: "87!" Everyone laughs.

Guy asks the guy next to him what's going on.

"Oh, well, you see we've all been in here for so long that by now, we've all heard all of the jokes. So, to save time, we numbered them. SO all you need to do is call out the number, and we will remember the joke and it saves time."

"Can I try one?"

"Sure..."

New guy stands up and says: "23!"

No one laughs. So, he says it again. "23!" Still nothing.

He sits back down. "What happened?"

Guy shrugs. "Some people can tell 'em. Some people can't..."