Mini Trip Report - Greetings from BAQ!

[Looking4Wife]

Just wanted to take a moment to say "Hola"!
The women in BAQ are incredibly beautiful. Even the ones that aren´t AS attractive as the others still look very (muy) sexy.

J-Lo and Eva Mendez (from "Hitch") would be just 2 more faces in the crowd down here.

I never knew that a man´s head could turn 360 degrees, just like an owl :-)

I am working with Jamie´s agency, and his staff is EXTREMELY hardworking, service oriented, detailed, and AVAILABLE to assist me with every aspect of my stay. Since I don´t speak spanish, I require translation on a continual basis, and they have been great.

I am targeting devout Christian (Evangelical or Catholic) women, and Jamie has done a good job in providing me many prospects to meet (both Evangelical and Catholic).

I have always said that you can go to a mall in any major city in America, and find MANY women as beautiful as any Hollywood actress. The difference in BAQ is that the MAJORITY of women you see ANYWHERE (i.e. walking down the street, waitress, clerks in internet cafe, customers in internet cafe, dining at the next table in the restaurant, etc.) are as beautiful as any Hollywood actress.

For those of you who have not yet been to Colombia (or elsewhere in Latin America)... I highly encourage you to work overtime, cut back expenses, eat chicken soup every night for dinner, eliminate extra money on beer/cigarettes (life is healthier without that stuff anyway :-), or whatever you need to do for a few months to generate the cash to get down here!

[Chris F]

... in response to Mini Trip Report - Greetings from BAQ!, posted by Looking4Wife on Apr 18, 2005

Hey Lookingfwife!!!

I am glad that you are enjoying yourself in Colombia but also I am a little surprised that after reading this board for over six months you never took any time to learn any spanish.This has been said here again and again. Of course, you would not be fluent in six months but it sure would have helped you a lot with basic communication with the ladies you are meeting. You cannot expect to take the person translating with you everywhere you go and it will also be difficult if not impossible to talk to that girl you bonded with on the phone when you return to the states.

Everyone who does not take the time to at least learn some Spanish really puts themselves at a major disadvantage with this process. This has been said here repeatly over the years and I also know it from experience.

For all of those people who are planning their first trip soon to South America in the near future...take the time to learn at least a little of the language. Trust me here...you do not want to have to rely on another person communicating everything for you...it kills the chemistry your trying to see if you have with the ladies.

Even a little Spanish goes a long way.....take the time and learn a little Spanish...it will put you at a major advantage in finding that special lady.

[Looking4Wife]

... in response to No Spanish...and you have read this boar..., posted by Chris F on Apr 18, 2005

I had been listening to the Pimsleur course prior to coming down here.  I only know simple words and phrases, but its better than nothing.  I certainly am not at the level of "conversational Spanish".  As you mentioned, "even a little Spanish goes a long way", and I am definitely now engrossed in a continual learning process.

Gracias

[jediknight]

... in response to No Spanish...and you have read this boar..., posted by Chris F on Apr 18, 2005

maybe after experiencing it for himself he'll realize the importance of learning spanish. the sooner he does learn, the quicker he can drop the agencies, interpreters and go solo, agencies are so expensive and interpreters get in the way after a certain point.
if he meets a few ladies that he's interested in then that might be an incentive to go out and pick up some spanish cd's, watch spanish programs/news, take classes or whatever is available to him while he is still searching, but it's important for those that haven't flown down to start early so that you have some knowledge before your trip
JK

[doombug]

... in response to No Spanish...and you have read this boar..., posted by Chris F on Apr 18, 2005

I went to the library a week ago, checked out one of their Pimsleur Spanish courses on CD (4 or 5 CD's in total with this particular course).  I copied all of them onto blank CD's, then returned the original CD's to the library the next day.

[pablo]

... in response to Re: No Spanish...and you have read this ..., posted by doombug on Apr 18, 2005


Before the copyright police come and arrest me you can download all the Pimsleur lessons, some 90 in all, at www.limewire.com

[Chris F]

... in response to Re: No Spanish...and you have read this ..., posted by doombug on Apr 18, 2005

Excellent move doombug!!!.....I used Pimsluer as well and its one of the best CD programs.....my fiancee also started with Pimsluer English before she started taking University courses.

Good Luck!!!

[jediknight]

... in response to Mini Trip Report - Greetings from BAQ!, posted by Looking4Wife on Apr 18, 2005

this is one happy guy and i'm glad you're there to enjoy the view, the people and the country. the women in colombia are extremely approachable, whether on the bus, street, malls, supermarkets so forget what you've lived and experienced here, in colombia it's a different ballgame and one that all of us will enjoy being a part of. the people from coast are very open, warm and hospitable, i met my girlfriend there so i have a soft spot for los costeños, take care
JK

[Looking4Wife]

... in response to excited??, posted by jediknight on Apr 18, 2005

Surprising, and unfortunately, I have NOT found the women on the street to be approachable.  In fact, I have found them to be downright RUDE.

On the street so far, most women REFUSE to respond to me initiating a smile, "Hola", or "Buenas".  I asked my (attractive) translators about this, and they say the women have so many defenses up because they are used to men approaching them on the street in a vulgar manner.  Therefore, many of the women will not respond to greetings when walking down the street in BAQ.

However, I have found women in other settings, i.e. waitresses, store workers, maids, to be approachable.

[jediknight]

... in response to Re: excited??, posted by Looking4Wife on Apr 20, 2005

that's a damn shame, my experience has been completly the opposite, first a smile on my part, then if i see a smile back(which was 90% of the time) then i would say "buenos dias or buenas tardes", there were a few that didn't smile or just kept walking but that didn't bother me. in bogota the women on the street were different,more like what you described, but as far as the coast, very friendly.

[OkieMan]

... in response to Mini Trip Report - Greetings from BAQ!, posted by Looking4Wife on Apr 18, 2005

LookingforWife,

I am glad that you are having a wonderful time.  I will be going to Cali at the end of May.  It will be my second trip, and I plan on having a blast!  Keep us posted on your progress.

                         OkieMan

[MarkNJ]

... in response to Mini Trip Report - Greetings from BAQ!, posted by Looking4Wife on Apr 18, 2005

Congratulations! and Good Luck! with your first visit to Colombia.   I am sure that you will realize that taking the plunge and making that first trip was one of the best things in life you will ever do.    I know for me it was and even though I have not found that special lady yet it is only a matter of time...

How does it feel to keep your head turning at 360* all day?
Beware of the "kid in the candy store syndrome".
My first visit to Colombia was in Nov/Dec of 2000.  At that time for me it was more of a recon mission being able to stay at the house of a friend who married a wonderful Colombian woman...  I did not have many dates or introductions and primarily spent most of my time with his bi-lingual secretary who was my tour guide...  To me it was mind blowing just being there...
I do remember not only was my head spinning in Cali but I BLEW A GASKET and have never been the same since.    I guess that was one of the reasons why when I did start my search I chose to look in Bogota the following year.

To all of you fence sitters out there take Looking's advice.   Save your pennies and make the trip.   You do not need to have great expectations.   Look at it as also a vacation and the opportunity to learn about a different country with their culture and traditions.   If you like the heat go to one of the hotter cities such as Barranquilla, Cartagena, or Cali... if you like it cooler,try Medellin or Bogota.   If you are fluent in Spanish there is no excuse for you to not have been there already and if you are not fluent there are plenty of reputable agencies available, remember to go to the agencies that have a proven track record, they are out there!  
You just need to take the plunge and get that first trip under your belt...

Keep us posted!  Have fun!  Good luck!