I found this and wanted to share it I hope that you like it.
Colombia Saved My Life
Submitted by gringoinbogota on Fri, 02/25/2005 - 16:06. | Report a problem (See the rules) Friendly Talkzone
I realize from some of my posts it is easy to get a different opinion of me but I dearly love Colombia and I owe her my life I believe. I was living in the states with a high stress job not boxing anymore and getting fat. It doesn’t take long for muscle to go to fat believe me. I was getting fatter and older and didn’t like it. One day I found myself in the emergency room with chest pains. And my freakin cell phone still ringing by the way with some problem I couldn’t get out of my head. As I laid there with tubes coming out of my nose and wires everywhere I thought is this it?? Is this what it is all about? Life? I remembered these same words long ago while setting in a bar and not having a home other than a military one. I said; Is this it? Then too. It was time for some change in this man’s life and since I didn’t want to go down the road of medication and more medication as I could see the doctor already salivating over his bonus vacation he was going to get from shoveling pills in me from his friends at Merck. So I took off for Colombia.
I wanted to get away and Colombia seemed pretty far away. I had some Colombian friends in the states and was impressed with how they lived, loved and laughed in their families and I decided since I basically grew up on the streets I need to go to the University of Life and I chose The University of Colombia with a major in Life studies and a Minor in Being Happy. I came here for six months and since I had pension from my military days and an occasional contract job here it was easy to get the visa for a longer stay. I went back to Miami and got the visa and am living here two years now. I can not express to you how much my life has changed or how much my thinking has changed. I am like a lot of Colombians I have a smile on my face. To be honest with you I never really fit in too well in the US. I don’t know exactly why? Maybe I had just seen to much in life and the world and was suffering from life burnout? I don’t know but the smile slowly came back on my face and although I am gringo I fit in here. When I walk the street I know people on the street by name. I hardly go anywhere here in my neighborhood where I don’t see someone I know and stop and chat with them. This I love so much and I am so grateful for my decision to risk it all and come here.
I don’t even have a car here and you know what I don’t want one. I want to keep my life simple. I don’t want to change a thing. If I were to drive I would miss all the people I would meet in my walk. By the way many people tell me it is much safer for me to have a car here. They can’t believe how I walk the streets here at all hours or take the bus or whatever. So please take my advice and be careful where you go when here and all but don’t come here and hide. The good things will pass you by and my walks are a good example. Truly the jewel of Colombia is the people. I know the mountains are pretty and all but in the states they are pretty too. It is the people that keep me stuck to Colombia. The people are the glue. What a wonderful experience I have had and I wonder what it would have been like to be here sooner in my life? So for the record I know sometimes I am a bit course and I joke around a lot but damn I love Colombia and I can’t see myself leaving her. If you were thinking of coming then you really should. Don’t leave it as a dream but take a bite out of it and get down, up or over here. You won’t regret it if you are like me. You can find work if you want.
