This is one of those long rambling posts that might bore you.So if you just want Colombia/US perspective go to the end.
I just got back from 5 weeks in the US.Since I live in Cali Colombia
that was my annual visit.I have said if I had all the money I would like I would live 3 months in the summer in the US and 9 months in Latin America.But I would not live 3 months in the US without my woman of choice,who I would never find there.Or would I even spend 5 weeks again without her.Or drive 6500 miles in 5 weeks alone.
I have this idea of ultimate freedom as just getting in a car and heading wherever I like.And I miss the Rocky mountains in the summer.
So I bought a car in Houston and headed out.I bought a cute little 2001 BMW 325i.Great car,got 29MPG at 75 MPH.I drove to Vail Colorado for the 4th of July,spent 2 days there.Its beautifull but just seeing it again by myself is not the same as sharing it with someone.
I treated myself to a dinner in an excellent restaurant.Then I noticed that in a vacation resort there was nobody else there by themselves.Still OK,but something missing in the anticipated fun department.
I triped back to Denver by way of Rocky Mountain National Park.Last time I passed the area I was heading north from Denver and looked west at the beautifull mountains and said next time I go up there.That time I was in a hurry.That was 16 years ago and seems much more recent.
I triped on down in to New Mexico and Arizona.I took a 3 hour side trip off the freeway to see the grand canyon,I never saw it before.Yup,big hole in the ground.Been there now.
I headed in to southern California and spent 2 nights with my friend Howard in Hemmet south of Palm Springs.Howard is a very interesting guy who has a good sized business he started in Medellin in the last 3 years.He goes there once a month but has only been to Cali once in 18 months.We agreed he will come to Cali or I will join him on a trip to Medellin.Howard and his beautifull Calena wife are expecting twins right now.
In the San Jose Area I also saw Cali James,who is doing very well with his Calena wife and step son and John B,a friend I met on my first trip to Colombia.He has a very cute 4 month old son who looks just like him.Big blue eyes,lots of smiles and giggles.His wife is looking very good,about 22 years younger than him.Go for it guys if you think you want that and its passing you by.Thats 3 guys I hooked up with with good marriages to women they met in agencies in Cali.It ain't all bad news guys.2 others I did not hook up with,also seemingly doing very well.
In San Jose I spent 8 days staying with my son.Missing seeing him and my 8 year old grandaughter is a major problem with living in Colombia.He is a great guy and always helping me do something there.I am a lucky man to have a son like him.
I saw my ex wife,a Calena, and step son,and also my beloved golden retriever,Buddy.I posted here about my ex and took some heat for it.It is important for me to put that experience in a good place in my mind.I am glad she seems to be doing well.My step son is doing well,perhaps the most positive outcome of a relationship that did not work well at all for me.He is 14 now,a good smart kid.He has so much more opportunity in the US.It was not his fault the relation ship with his mother did not work.He has changed from a kid who was a bit of a whinner pain in the butt to a kid I wish I could be around and watch grow up.Sometimes there is a purpose in things even if it does not turn out as immagined.
I then triped north in to Oregon and Washington.In Seattle I got together with 3 guys who post here.Bill,A commercial Pilot who has an Apartment and Girlfriend in Bogota.Paul,who has followed along time,speaks good spanish and worked in the peace core in Costa Rica and will travel to Colombia soon.And Bueller,who just returned from 3 years in Brazil.Very interesting meeting all three.Bueller was instrumental in me not going to Brazil,even though he encouraged it when I moved to Colombia.I decided Colombia was better for me for a number of reasons and am glad I moved to Cali.I do intend to travel to Brazil this winter.
I then drove to where my sister lives north of Spokane.I had not seen her in 4 years.Her and her husband have a beautifull house on a golf course and also a Cabin Cruiser on nearby Lake Cour D' lane Idaho they spend a couple of days a week on.It was very serene and relaxing there and they are great hosts.Great dinners,my brother in law is a great cook and wine conosiour,lots of great wine.
I then Traveled south in to Idaho.I have 3 cousins that were more like brothers to me when I grew up.I spent 2 days with my cousin who owns a convemience store in Cascade Idaho.Its booming there,a new huge Vail like Ski resort being developed 10 miles away.Million dollar homes popping up.Thats a new one for Idaho,which has struggled in the past.
I moved on down to the Boise area where I saw 2 more cousins.One cousin is very interesting.Kind of an aw shucks cowboy type guy who has made a fortune dealing land.Very street savy.Every time it seems he buys some land way out some place the government decides to build a road through it or he finds out its already been carved up in to 160 lots and nobody knew about it.People who have made big money elsewhere are coming in from all over buying land now.He might split it and sell it for 10-20 times what he paid for it.But he was there when it was cheap and had the vision to know it would go up.But even he didn't expect the extent of that.His son,who I hadn't seen in years had heard of Colombia,he knows a guy who married a Colombiana and got all exited when I told him about it.I expect him down here this winter.
In Boise I also attended the "Jaialdi" A Basque celebration they do every 5 years.My father was Basque.Its a unique heritage.I do not speak the extremely difficult language.The Basques live in Northern Spain and Southern France.Boise is the largest group outside the old country.Many Basques came there about 100 years ago,mostly starting in the sheep business,like my grandfather did.The mayor of Guernica,the Basque capital and sister city with Boise was there. Guernica was the Basque city bombed by the Germans during the Spanish civil war and immortallized in a painting of the bombing by Pablo Picasso,also a Basque.Lots of people travelled from Spain for the event including dance and singing groups.I knew the Basques were navigators and served as such on many of the Spannish expeditions to the new world.I did not know that the Navigator that came with Colombus who was Basque and also owned one of the ships.Another Basque navigator Completed Magellans first vouge around the World after Magellan was killed in the Philipeans.Bolivar was also a Basque name,as is Uribe.Basques in Colombia seem unaware of their heritage.They have just been here too long.
BUT,I had not lived in Boise in 41 years.I saw NO ONE I knew at the event.Just like California,I don't live there any more.
Heading back down through Idaho and Nevada and in to California,I passed through the Sierra Nevada Mouintasins which I love.I passed through Sacramento,a city I alsways liked,particularly for its closeness to the Sierras.I considered moving there about 5 years ago.Property has gone crazy,up 100% -200% in 5 years.I could have made millions and lived in a place I liked.Coulda,shoulda,woulda.I didn't.I couldn't help but fantasise if my marriage was working and my ex thinking of us instead of her what we could have done.Its a place I could live.
Back to San Jose.Parking my little Charcoal BMW and thinking I would not be driving it again was a little strange.We spent 5 weeks and 6500 miles together.I am a car guy.I used to own a business selling European cars.One thing I miss about Colombia.It makes little sense to own a car and anything decent costs a fortume.Wish I could have brought that little sucker back with me,but no used cars allowed in to Colombia.
OK,so after 20 months in Colombia and 2 trips back home,how do I feel about living here vs there?
First it has never been difficult to take.Any homesickness and second thought occured in the first 2 months,knowing this was a move,not a vacation.Nothing is hard about it,but then I got to retire when I moved here,so nothing difficult about that.
I have to admit being a little jealous of my friends who made alot of money in real estate in the last 2 years.I bailed a little early it seems.But with my tendency to spend it anyway I probably would have.I feel I can't afford the lifestyle I want in the US and I can in Cali,so thats major.I am not really at a disadvantage in lifestyle to some guys I know who made alot more money recently.Except for options.Its hard to go back,moneywise.
The US is very clean,organized and prosperous.You can go MOST anywhere you want with no concern for crime and safety.There is an infinite variety of foods available,seems like infinite choices of lifestyle if you have the money,which ALOT of people do now.I went to some of the most Beautifull places in the US.Vail Colorado.Cour D'lane Idado.Its very nice.
BUT,for me,overall,its boring compared to Cali.I get off the plane and head to my apartment.Things are not so clean,not so pretty,but its teeming with life.Interesting.I get here my girl friend has balloons and rose petals all over the bed and is VERY happy to see me.Do not underestimate the value of a woman who loves you.Its very important,at least for me to be happy,and the MAIN reason I am here in Cali.I talked to her on the phone.She asked about mujeres.Are you kidding baby?The first few days of my trip I hardly even talked to anyone that didn't work in a hotel or restaurant.There are NO women in the US I am interested in who would be interested in me.
So Idaho is no longer my home.California is no longer my home even though I am first and formost an American.Cali is my home because its where I choose to live right now.That seems strange sometimes when I am in the not so good parts of it.I live here?Yes I do.Its where I choose to live right now.Who knows about the future but for now its here and I don't see myself going anywhere anytime soon.Probably will be doing year 3 on the lease in February.
Its a little quite around the Pete's place right now.We have Soltero here who is finally meeting lots of new girls after too much time with one and my friend Jesse from California,doing real estate loans from here and meeting lots of women.We have another room open and could do with some more diversion and intertainment and will give our experience and help on anything here,so somebody come and see us.
ITS not bad at all.I cannot complain about how things have turned out, despite all the mistakes and missed opportunities.And life is temporary.On my road trip I discovered I was no longer waiting to achieve something after which I thought everything would be wonderfull,something I spent most of my life doing.Life is NOW.
Pete
