If I marry someone who brings children into that union and I am not raising/parenting them then I am not living up to my responsibilites. So my major red flag would be her trying to get me to do anything other than that.

We filed for and received custody of Paty's little girl...
I understood at the time it was good for 60-90 days?
The way I understood the stipulations was that every time we exited the country (Col) we had to get a new document signed by the father,,,
We have not taken Lina back to visit with us due to this fact...i just didn't want to take the chanch that the father wouldn't resign the document for what ever reason.
It is my understanding that if Lina travels with a US passport then the whole custody thing is basically done....the blue passport cures everything...they (DAS) will not intervene if the child is a US citizen...

Please comment if this is the case as understood...

Children could complicate the relationship somewhat....they also can make it a bit richer....pro's and con's involved...

Mama appreciates the life and opportunities that Lina has now....actually thanked me the other day for being responcible for always making sure the bills are paid and that there's always food to eat....it's taken 2.5 years...
it made me feel good....

It's taken a while to understand that one can't buy everything one sees...there are budgets and bills to consider....its taken a while to overcome the "gringos are rich" thinking....

Paty has a job now, her own money and also her obligations...she's taken over sending the monthly allotment to Bogota...appreciates more fully the extra requests for money for vacations and $180 dresses...

Thinking about buying a small apartment in Bogota...
Wondering about any documentation involved...comments about paying any mortgage in dollars or pesos are welcome....

I'm leaning toward paying in pesos at the moment...
Is it possible to set it up to auto deduct from the bank account here once a month?
What are interest rates in Col now...

Merry Christmas to all....
remenber to watch your 6....

Dean

Meanwhile, my wife misses home and it was worse at Christmas.  It's much quieter here especially with my small extended family.  She says in Cali they would see lots of friends and family, party, cook, eat lots of food, and then they would go out to Cabalgata.  She was calling family back in Colombia and crying on the phone.

So I gave it to her 3 times yesterday and then she was happier.  ;-)

Steve

Being from a big family and then away at holidays is really rough. I hope she has an easier time dealing with the feelings next time around.
If you can pull this off. See if you can get her family back home to make a "Christmas" tape (VHS if possible, Audio if not) early and sneak it over to you in the mail. Christmas tape being defined as the family saying hello etc. maybe the kids getting to open something early.

"So I gave it to her 3 times yesterday and then she was happier. ;-)"

Well nice of you (sure there was no alteriour motive there) but now you are soooo screwed. Anytime you aren't "living up" to it. She is gonna sit, stare at you and cry....yep you are sooooo screwed LOL

"What would you do?" First Forget what I would do, you are not me, I am not you (ya sounds simple but it aint) Second get advice from someone who has done bodyguard work in Columbia RECENTLY. Should not be hard, a day without a bodyguard in Columbia is a longer bet than a day without sun, sand and salsa.

Before you even THINK about takeing a weapon in, let alone carrying one. Find out the laws (you want someone who HAS represented people protecting themselves (foriegners if possible) not a bodyguard who did thier job, very different), you may be able to get a permit etc. and you do NOT most likely (maybe you're weird) want an inside tour of the local justice system. Every government on earth takes a dim view on foriegn devils with unsanctioned weapons on their turf (monopoly on violence thing) and maybe it has changed but last time I looked Columbian prisons where not on the "friendly to gringos" list. The non-pro comment, I do know people who do carry w/o permit and have saved their own lives, frequently without doing more than showing the weapon. That is a major risk and I advise against it. But, its your life and family, not anyone elses.

Truth is, the best advice is. "How do you dodge a bullet? Dont be anywhere near it, (if el bozo shoots at you while standing in Columbia you should be standing in Alaska behind a friendly Kodiak)." I.E. Rule One if you can avoid it you should. That usually does not work for clients that are on celeb. status and it may not be feasable for you.

That being said there is another MAJOR point. Do you know how to use a weapon? If you say "The pointy end goes in the other man" I WILL post to your wife asking how much she wants to smack you in the head repeatedly with a cast iron frying pan while you sleep. (Hospital report w/ photos required for payment and I pick the doctor, assuming that I am too busy to come and watch myself.)

Ok joke over serious time. How much of a threat is this guy really?
Do NOT answer the next question on this board. Have you ever had to shoot anyone before? Forget ego, until you have you do not know if you can and even then you may "go to the well" one time too many, every human has a limit for how many times they can, you find out your count when you fail and forget about "it wont bother me", it will. I am guessing "NO". If you really feel this could happen then start making calls around Dallas, you want a Psychologist/Therapist who specializes in "Shooting Trauma or Survivor Guilt Trauma" (in violent conditions, not plane wrecks etc.) get the names, don't contact yet. You have no professional reason to so wait. Unfortunately some idiot could use those calls to bring up "pre-meditated" charges (in Texas that may not be a problem but what if you're tried in Columbia? and yes they could get those records, yeah considering the situation unlikely but why risk it).
Give thought to this too. How will you're wife feel if you have to go "all the way" in self-defense? and it WILL make a difference if she witnesses it! Give it a lot of thought, the reality does not always match the "logic". She did once care for this man and the gap between wanting distance vs more permenent solutions is farther than you think add the children to that equation too.
How well do you trust yourself to know the difference, UNDER STRESS, between, a threat to life and being afraid of a threat to life?

The bodyguard is an in (should be easier to find than what you need, again based on data about Columbia that is years old). You want a personal security advisor (unless you want to hire some protection then Id say get both). They (advisor) could be harder to find (ATTN: Advisor NOT contract sales manager). Make sure you explain in detail your limits as well. You want to stay as safe as you can (Avoidance is your friend). That is different than a person who is paid to keep you safe. Any crew (I think the current politically correct term is Team, to me Team is a military unit) has at least ONE person who's designated job is to get between the client and the bullet(s), someone else is tasked with getting the shooter and most are tasked with getting the client the hell out of dodge. Yeah think about that for sec.
All that assumes a crew, that is most common today(always was IMHO). In your situation you could just go for a single instead of a crew. El Bozo does not have gang connections etc. correct? Part of what you need to determine is how much of a threat is he? (Not harping IMPORTANT)
Also repercussions with family. If you are visiting her relatives what will they think about an armed person following you around? Or worse if it comes to a head in front of young family members? Will your family freak out everytime you go back? Will you? Her family? etc.

I realize that you probably think there should be a simple answer to this. The only simple part is that you want to live and not be hurt. After that it gets real complex. The routes travelled, whos driving what, any good at it, where you stay, where/how you travel, holiday crowds, traffic, could you recognise this guy on sight, could he you, can you give an accurate Psych profile on this clown, criminal record, drug use(SOB on PCP is hard to put and keep down thats one reason I do NOT carry 9mm)(would need about 1000+ words to finish the basics).

While your situation is simple from a protection standpoint, NO protection situation is simple to cover, anyone who thinks different is a fool and or never thought it through.

This is as simple as I can make it for you. I worked high risk, high threat there is a lot there you would never need to consider. Part that you do is weapons regs, in every place you will pass through. Make sure you and or they can carry LEGALY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Try to get a link up from a company in Dallas (should be more than one) with a company or school in Columbia or Florida (there USED to be an agency in FL that worked in tandem with one in Columbia + most of LA, and back then they where more than qualified to deal with what you described, sorry been too long to remember the name). Again what do you really need, will a uniform scare this clown off for a time?

"Someone said he came looking for me with a gun one night when I was at an agency"  How reliable is that? Example: I am telling you now "Your wife is a space alien, RUNNNN." Now space alien aside, I do NOT really know if you have a wife, MAYBE you are a bright 12 year old girl who is bored. Maybe every post but mine on this board is done by the same person, who could be a 12 year old.

"PS: You may be right. I think she wants it 3 times again today. I may be sooooo screwed"  

In about 4 weeks I may send your wife an article that informs her that other wives in thongs only get it 2 times a day, but what do you expect for non-stop 4 hour sessions? LOL Or better yet I will pay a waitress at Golden Corral to tell her. *Evil Grin*

"I may also shop for some Kevlar"  Would you wear it? Do you realize that sweat degrades kevlar really fast was faster, still,? Do you realize that Kevlar is WORTHLESS against a knife, broadhead arrow etc. Oh and the blunt force trauma can kill you.(Note: I am very happy to hear kevlar vs "bullet proof vest" that phrase gets a lot of people, including cops, killed via the "Superman Complex") I used to have a nice picture series of a bullet in kevlar shoved clear through a New York city phone book. Kevlar was prime, phone book was not. Just want to make sure you do not waste your money if you wont wear it.

Your basic plan above will go a long way towards improving your odds in general. It beats the hell out of putting a paper bag over your head and tap dancing in heavy traffic.
Sorry Old Joke.
No matter your budget you can assign YOU and I have never met anyone more interested in keeping my butt alive than me.

Other than your typo "minority" should be majority. That is generally true, most shooters can't hit a moving target to begin with, add adrenalin in and...., how many did you fire at when you used to shoot? moving targets I mean, did you shoot moving while moving yourself etc. hitting a still target and a moving one are different skills esp with tunnel vision kicking in. Most attackers of that type want to use the weapon to force compliance first and mostly. See my previous post about clowns who need to hurt others to feel a sense of self worth. Also they want your attention on the weapon not everyone elses on the fact that they have one. A lot do not practice, although that has changed over the years so be carefull about "betting" on it.

One of the dumbest things I have seen women fall for is. A person has one hand on your purse and one on your arm. They are draging you into and alley, car etc. and saying "Give me the purse. Just give me the purse." It does not register, HE HAS the purse at will here, he wants you. Dumbest is a bit unfair here most victims are still trying to register "this is real" or "what is he talking about?" However I have seen the results for too long to believe that people are not at some level. Playing the "if I dont believe it can happen, it wont" game. Facts are even if the call goes out as you are approached and the response time is 15 seconds that does give them far more time than most realize.

O.K. Easy pop quiz here. Your wife is solo in a public place and an el bozo is forcing her into a back hall, car etc. what is the phrase most likely to get her help in this country? If you say "Help me" (see iron skillet note) This is fair. My 5 year old niece just answered it correctly. Yep her mom finds out I let her stay up to watch matrix and matrix reloaded I may need a bodyguard. LOL O.K. niece off to bed.

I am going through this situation with my wife now, and it is the reason we are seperated and headed for divorce. The father of her son would not sign the documents and threatend to kill her, her family and me and my daughter if she took him. Well, she also left the country without her son thinking the father would change his mind. NOPE, the father caused a lot of trouble for her family in Cali to the point of things at gunpoint.

Bottom line for me is --I WILL NEVER DATE WOMEN IN COLOMBIA WITH CHILDREN. It has completely destroyed my marriage. The worst thing is that the father has little to do with the boy, does not provide any money, Has 2 other children from 2 other woman and does the same to them. It is all about control and MACHISTA  to the xxxoxoxx .

Guys, be very careful when the woman has children and make sure the father of that child has gven his permission or it will take a marriage down the tubes.

Andy