... in response to Anyone ever use AFA in Cartagena for Int..., posted by Onephd on Feb 23, 2003I met 3 women thru A Foreign Affair. Basically you can just show up, and pay $25 per introduction, or $100 for 5 introductions. They have books that you look thru with hundreds of photos and profiles. The profiles did not provide more than the simplest of information, and the staff did not seem too eager to provide more info about any of the women that you were interested in. Out of about 15 women that I chose, they scheduled 3 introductions for the next day. The meetings are held in their small office, and I was not happy with the lack of privacy, but the staff was very helpful in assisting in translations. The first girl that I met arrived with a frown on her face, and had a very cheap look about her. I thanked her for meeting me, and we said goodbye. The staff seemed to agree with my guess that she was probably a working girl.
The second woman that I met was on time, to the minute, and was very friendly, attractive, and talkative.
She suggested that we walk to a nearby restaurant, and talk in a more private setting. With her bad English, and my bad Spanish, we were able to talk for hours. The only negative was when I asked about her family she mentioned several times that she had a two year old sister, and that if I met her mother, the mother might try and tease me and tell me that the sister is really the daughter of the woman that I was talking to. Never did learn the truth, but it did leave me suspicious.
The third woman that I met was much prettier then her picture, and did not speak one work of English.. In addition to that, she did not understand one word of my Spanish. The translator kept asking her why shy did not understand me, when he could understand me perfectly. Also, I could understand most of her Spanish, and I would have really liked to have talked with her more, but I just did not want to want to always need the services of a translator. I thanked her for meeting with me, and I tried to say goodbye, but she wanted to go with me.
I had the translator explain that I wanted someone that i could communicate with, but she still wanted to go with me. I tried to leave gracefully, and I really do not know where she expected us to go without being able to communicate.
I did watch one American meet a woman at the agency my first day there, and 95% of their conversation was thru the translator. The next day he is there to get information on how to start the process to bring her to America.
I told him that I had been thru the process once before, and to give me a call if he has any questions.
Poor guy, I hoped he doesn't get screwed over too bad.
