You mentioned last week that you had a friend attend a concert last week with a woman who works at a "major agency" in Cali. You stated she was pointing out all the Colombian women there who were with their Colombian boyfriends but were engaged to gringos.

Am I assuming correctly that this woman who works at the agency probably is going to do nothing to tell these poor bastards that they were going to be emotionally and financially kicked in the as* by marrying insincere women?

If you were a rookie who was sincere in this process...would you want to do business with such an agency that would condone that behavior??

Is it to much to ask Pete that you post the name of the agency here?......This way newbies  ( who we are also here to help on these boards)  can make the decision to possibly avoid this agency while in Cali...

That's good advice.  I just wish there was a better way to actually tell if the ladies in question are telling the truth. I am fresh out of crystal balls!   After my fiasco in Cali this summer, I am trying to emotionally work through it so that I don't make the same mistake again.  For all the guys on this board who are fluent in spanish-- good for you!  But, for us who are presently less fluent (Pete included), it is indeed much more difficult to know whether we are being scammed or not.  (By the way, I am working on learning more spanish, but at my age, it is slow going).  Frankly, all of this lying, scheming, etc, just gives me a big headache!  I hate being around people who are deceitful anyhow.  I may not know much about all of this crap; but one thing I do know.  It is definitely not simple!  I am still trying to figure out if this entire process is worth the hassle.  Like all of you, I am very attracted to the latinas.  They are not only physically beautiful and desirable; but they are so much better than anything here at home, that it makes it nearly impossible to just walk away.  But, that does not mean that I have to like being jerked around in the process!  Frankly, I resent it (not that it does much good).  So, at 52, I feel my choices are getting fewer and farther between.
If some of you think I sound disgusted, then you made a good guess.  But, in the end, I will just have to learn  how to better protect myself, and go back at it again-- at some point.  It certainly beats living alone for the rest of my life.  Just my two cents worth.

                            OkieMan

P.S.  Another opinion of mine is that the agencies will never have sufficient desire to watch out for us gringos concerning the scammers, etc.  I just don't think they really care very much one way or the other.  Ultimately, it's just about the money.  I don't mean to say that they are all crooks. I just think they lack the motivation to do anything but set up the citas, the parties, etc.  After that, I think its every man for himself.  I wish it were not so, but that is my opinion.  I think it is again a case of we think one way, and the agencies and latinas think another.  It's too bad, and I wish it were not so. Again, just my opinion.

Sorry your long term memory is no longer what it used to be ..maybe you should re-read the archives first before thinking that I am some newbie here pal..........

Sincerely,

The "former safe cracker"