suggestions when in colombia

[jediknight]

[This message has been edited by jediknight]

do not carry large bills(over 20,000), no one other than large stores or movieplexes have change for you and if they do it´s like you just ruined their day because they won´t have menudo/suelto (small bills) for the rest of the day for everyone else. get into the habit of having plenty of 1,000 2,000 5,000 bills. if you have 10 or 20 thousand, change it when you get a chance, especially for cabs.

don´t be too polite, especially when waiting on line, colombians love to cut  the line and pretend that they didn´t know they were doing it. when you bring it to their attention its...ay que pena, disculpame, no sabia...bs. you have to keep an eye on everyone here, the mentality here is ME first, second and third. when exiting an elevator for example, people will not wait until you get off to get on, they just muscle their way in, it´s amazing, i had to push men and women out of my way and in the process chewed them out in spanish for not giving us an opportunity to get off.

when i was waiting for my turn to get my lasik surgery done, there was a group of 8 of us waiting,one lady who got there last had the nerve to tell the nurse that she wanted to go first. she didn´t ask if it would be possible, she said.. yo quiero ir primero...i looked at her and told her ...que pena señora pero nosotros hemos estado aca esperando antes que usted, asi que preparase para esperar...eh, que tal?

JK

[Seeker]

... in response to suggestions when in colombia, posted by jediknight on Jun 3, 2005

One way to avoid large bills is by withdrawing money from an ATM that will only give you 20K and 10K denominations. The green Servibanca ATM's typically would give me my 300K withdraws in 20K's, whereas, Bancolombia ATM's would give me 50K bills. I stopped using Bancolombia ATM's for this reason because you soon realize the difficulty of changing larger bills.

[Hoda]

... in response to suggestions when in colombia, posted by jediknight on Jun 3, 2005


I got REAL on some folks who tried to cut into the line at the Chipi Chapi Cinema! I guess, they understood what "Oh Hell No" meant, when I shouted it out loud :-) I followed it up with "Not here, not today" in spanish, just to make sure that my message was understood. Good for you JK in letting that woman know, what time it was!

[Hoda]

... in response to Funny you should mention about being too..., posted by Hoda on Jun 3, 2005


5K or smaller in one pocket, 10K's in another & 20K's in another. No need to fumble with a wallet at all, except for a throw away!

[Gringo Loco]

... in response to suggestions when in colombia, posted by jediknight on Jun 3, 2005

Yeah the money situation sometimes I feel they do it on purpose to take advantage of an oppertunity to scam you out of more money. Sometimes I hold out and make them come up with the change.

I also like taking the same trip over and over for 5,000 and then a new taxi drver wanting to charge me 10,000.

Some of these guys try to be crooks. I always ask how much the trip will cost before I get into a taxi. I even use my women as bait sometimes to save a nickel here and there when shopping or for hotels etc.

Regards,

Michael Hurles
www.yourlatinwife.com
The new era of International Relationships!

[Pete E]

... in response to suggestions when in colombia, posted by jediknight on Jun 3, 2005

I usually carry about 2-4 50,000 bills plus 200,000 or so smaller bills.I try to have no more than a 10,000 bill to hand a taxi.Some can't even change that.A 20,000 bill will get agig groan even if they can change it.They would sometines rather take 1000 pesos less than change a 20,000.The bigger bills are OK at stores and restaurants.One reason I carry them is to break them down in to smaller bills every time I have a chance.
You are right about the crowding,so stay close to the person in front of you.I was at a little drug store.About 4 different people were waiting,not in line but along a counter.A woman comes up,says disculpeme,and speaks.I thought she was just asking aquestion.She was asking to buy something and the guy actually waited on her right away.Because of my not to great spanish and also being a little unsure about customs I let it go.
You need to be sure you understand before you complain.
Example.Years ago in the US,I am on a minor street and stopped to back in to a parking space,the only way to get in a very tight one.Some arab type guy pulls right up behind me and starts honking and yelling to go.He didn't know what the f--k the driving rules were and he is yelling
at me.Total f--king idiot.
I don't want to be like that,so will be very sure before complaining.But in hindsight she just crowded in.The Colombians didn't say anything either.
But for pure rudeness nobody beats the gangbanger type kid in Memphis last year.He and his buddies have the whole sidewalk,he is not even looking where he is walking,runs in to me then cusses me out."Hey hommie,what the f--k?
I showed him the car parked to my right,nowhere to go.He says I don't give a damn,but he is the one bitching.The next day I pick up the paper,there is Bill Cosby talking about these going nowhere kids with all their rude ways  who aren't even trying to make anything of themseles or take advantages of hardwon opportunities.This guy seemed like a perfect example.

Pete

[Gator]

... in response to suggestions when in colombia, posted by jediknight on Jun 3, 2005

There is only one bill over the $20.000 (about $8.50 USD) and that is the $50.000 (about $21.25 in USD)

Unless you are going to a very remote area or dealing with someone on the street the $29.000 is no problem.  Have as close to the correct amount for the taxi or you will find, apparently a universal problem in Colombia,  "No tengo cambio."

There are coins in the following denominations: $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $200(about useless and I give then to street children) $500 and $1000 pesos (good for bus, coffee shops, telephone, newspapers-well you get the idea).
There are paper notes in the following denominations: $2,000, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, 20,000 & 50,000 pesos.

As far as waiting in line-Colombians take no prisoners. When you get bumped hard you might have just lost your wallet.