Update from Montrealer. Six years and counting

[Montrealer]

Howdy all,
It's been a real long time since I've posted on here, but I thought I'd give you all an update.


I'm still happily married now (6 years and counting).
Have 2 kids, daughter 5 years old and son 19 months old.
Bought a house here about 3 years ago (more on that to come)
Have a miniature pinscher named Rocky.


I've had a blast living here for the past 6 years, but the family and I are making the move up to the great white north, Canada, very shortly.  We always decided that once my daughter started primary school we would pack up and move up north.  Well, she's now 5 and will be starting kindergarten this year, so it's time.


I've loved living here in Barranquilla all this time, and if I didn't have kids, I'd stay here forever.


We've decided to not go back to Montreal, but to move to Hamilton, which is just outside Toronto.  More jobs in Toronto right now and I've been head hunter there by a few companies.  I was working as a consultant from home for this past while, and although I loved being my own boss and being able to work in my underwear, with 2 kids and some near goals, I'll have to get a 9-5 for the next few years (until we can get the dream home).


I know there's probably a lot of new faces here and if any of you have questions about my experience, I'm not afraid to answer.  Also hope to see some of the familiar faces from way back when.


I've put in a pic of the family so you can all say hi.


I'm also selling my house here and I'll be posting shortly in the real estate section of this forum with pictures and details of the house.


Chao for now.

[Chris F]

Congrats to you on six years!!!  You really have a very beatiful family!!
Have to ask, how did you deal with that hot and muggy Barranquilla heat for that long?

[Montrealer]

I have 6 air conditioners in the house, and trust me, you don't want to see the electric bill.  Other than that, you do get used to it.  For example this morning I'll be playing soccer with some of my neighbors outdoors, like we do every sunday.  You sweat, but it's survivable.


The first year was the toughest, buy now I'm used to it, and I'll probably miss it this coming winter.

[MariaJBueno]

Forget the heat.. 6 years for real?? I am planning to move to Bogota because there is just nothing else to do here..
Anyway congratulations that is a very beautiful family!!!! Love to see happy stories...
 

[Chris F]

Forget the heat.. 6 years for real?? I am planning to move to Bogota because there is just nothing else to do here..
Anyway congratulations that is a very beautiful family!!!! Love to see happy stories...

I guess I am picky because weather is a big deal for me. Bogota would not be one of my top choices either. It's cooler yes but rain and an overcast sky too much of the year gets depressing.
 

[fathertime]

Hey Polar Bear! 


I am glad to see you back after SO many years away, your posts/attitude always cracked me up!  That is a great picture of you, wife, and kids.   What  a transition it is going to be for your wife to feel the Canadian freeze. I imagine it will be good to mix it up a bit and live Canada and utilize the schools, but now you get to contend with the same thing a lot of others contend with which is the wife missing her mother and family!  Does your wife plan on driving?  Sounds like it will be an adventure, new city (for both of you actually).  Are the people of Hamilton generally friendly.  Maybe there is a small segment of Spanish Speakers, and a path for your wife to learn English.  After 3 years here in the states my wife communicates really good in English, but it took a while for her to feel comfortable with English, which she finally does now.




Good luck old boy!
Fathertime! 

[Ray]

 
Hi Monty,
 
Great looking family!
 
I was just curious how long it took to process the wife's visa.
 
Are your children Canadian citizens by birth? Was the registration process very difficult?
 
 
Ray
 
 

[htown]

Hi Monty,
 
Great looking family!
 
I was just curious how long it took to process the wife's visa.
 
Are your children Canadian citizens by birth? Was the registration process very difficult?
 
 
Ray

I know you're not asking me but I was born abroad to American citizens (not Canadian) and I was born with the right to become an american citizen.  When I was brought stateside as an infant my parents still had to apply for citizenship for me.  I became a full-fledged American citizen when I was 4 years old.


I don't know if the Canadian laws are different.


Great story and great looking family Montrealer.

[Kiltboy1]

Congrats on the 6 years. You have a great looking family. I too have a mini pincher and they are great dogs. Good luck with the move north.

KB

[Chris F]

Howdy all,
It's been a real long time since I've posted on here, but I thought I'd give you all an update.


I'm still happily married now (6 years and counting).
Have 2 kids, daughter 5 years old and son 19 months old.
Bought a house here about 3 years ago (more on that to come)
Have a miniature pinscher named Rocky.


I've had a blast living here for the past 6 years, but the family and I are making the move up to the great white north, Canada, very shortly.  We always decided that once my daughter started primary school we would pack up and move up north.  Well, she's now 5 and will be starting kindergarten this year, so it's time.


I've loved living here in Barranquilla all this time, and if I didn't have kids, I'd stay here forever.


We've decided to not go back to Montreal, but to move to Hamilton, which is just outside Toronto.  More jobs in Toronto right now and I've been head hunter there by a few companies.  I was working as a consultant from home for this past while, and although I loved being my own boss and being able to work in my underwear, with 2 kids and some near goals, I'll have to get a 9-5 for the next few years (until we can get the dream home).


I know there's probably a lot of new faces here and if any of you have questions about my experience, I'm not afraid to answer.  Also hope to see some of the familiar faces from way back when.


I've put in a pic of the family so you can all say hi.


I'm also selling my house here and I'll be posting shortly in the real estate section of this forum with pictures and details of the house.


Chao for now.

If I may ask, what was your average monthly cost for living expenses for you and your family in Barranquilla?

[V_Man]

Hi! I always want to hear about the real life experiences of those that are married to a Latina.

[Montrealer]

Chris F:
Family of 4 in strata 3.  The house is owned and paid for.


Electric bill - $400,000 - $500,000 COP minimum with lots of AC
Gas- $15,000 COP
Water - $50,000 COP
TV + Internet combo with UNE - $122,000 COP
Direct TV w/HBO and some sports - $162,000 COP
Administration cost for gated community - $131,000 COP


Variables:
Groceries - $300,000 COP weekly
Gas - $80,000 COP weekly


Healthcare:
EPS - $67,000 COP monthly
Coomeva prepaid medicine - $650,000 COP monthly
or
Visiting a doctor and paying cash - $50,000 - $150,000 consult


Entertainment:
Movie ticket - $7,000 - $12,000 COP
Divercity entrance for one child and one adult - $25,000
Lunch in food court - $10,000 - $25,000 COP pp
Lunch at the beach - $20,000 - $30,000 COP pp
A night out with the wife without kids - PRICELESS

DayCare to Kinder
Registration per child - $1,000,000 COP
Monthly fee - $400,000 COP
School supplies - $600,000 COP per year

Anything else?

[Researcher]

Hi Monty! Congrats on the 6 years. My wife and I will celebrate our 5 year anniversary this Friday. Good luck on the move to Canada.


    Researcher

[Kiltboy1]

Damn

That sounds expensive. 1 million pesos just to register a kid in daycare? That is $500 American about.

[benjio]

Damn

That sounds expensive. 1 million pesos just to register a kid in daycare? That is $500 American about.

Kiltboy,
 
That's actually extremely cheap. Registration fees for a decent daycare here in the states these days can run well into multiple thousands of dollars. I've heard of tuition fees as high as $2500 a month here in Houston, one of the cheapest big cities in the union. I've often thought to myself I'm in the wrong business after speaking with child care facility owners. 

[MariaJBueno]

Bogota is the only choice right now..  But I feel the same it just way too glumly for me too...
 
Wow that is a heck of an electric bill 

[Kiltboy1]

Kiltboy,
 
That's actually extremely cheap. Registration fees for a decent daycare here in the states these days can run well into multiple thousands of dollars. I've heard of tuition fees as high as $2500 a month here in Houston, one of the cheapest big cities in the union. I've often thought to myself I'm in the wrong business after speaking with child care facility owners.

My kids are not in daycare anymore(too old) and when they were we were paying less than $400 a month. , but I have friends that have there kids in great daycares(In NC) and they pay about $450 a month and registration was like $75  a kid. Maybe things just are a lot less expensive in my neck of the woods.
 
KB

[benjio]

My kids are not in daycare anymore(too old) and when they were we were paying less than $400 a month. , but I have friends that have there kids in great daycares(In NC) and they pay about $450 a month and registration was like $75  a kid. Maybe things just are a lot less expensive in my neck of the woods.
 
KB

There are definitely cheaper options. We all do as much as we can. But for those that are financially able, most parents are more than willing to cough up those ridiculous fees and tuition costs if they think there's some value added to their child's future by attending these day cares.