La Gringa Maluca - How To Live in Colombia

Bogota Fashion Trends for Men

2017-01-18T14:13:00.002-08:00

When you think of fahsion trends in Bogota, think of a low-end preppy/hipster who uses vintage and normcore pieces. Here is a sample of the range in looks.

1. The Urban Reggaeton Singer
This style says "I'm not a cheesy reggaeton artist because I'm also hip and cool". These guys will wear Adidas, active wear, and T-shirts. Shoes, caps, and jackets are a priority.

2. The Refined Punk Hipster

They used to be punk, but now they are edgy hipsters. Not the same as American hipsters. Enough said.

3. The Preppy Executive

This look says, "I have a corporate job, but also want to look casual at expensive bars and clubs while dancing to Vallenato". You will also see this style at work or country clubs.

5. Skater Punk / Tattoo Boys

Usually consist of old t-shirts, torn clothes, vintage, and a lot of tattoos. Edgy hairstyles are important here too.

Working for Shady Businesses in Colombia

2017-01-11T13:17:00.001-08:00

A couple of years ago, Esther traveled to South America in order to learn Spanish and work in Colombia. Unfortunately, she was not aware of how difficult the process would be as it seemed like she (and other foreigners) had to jump from job to job before they could find one that was stable and legit.

This is what she learned:

When working abroad, there are several dangers that Americans like Esther were not aware of that can take the shape of scams or illegitimate businesses. These type of businesses often take advantage of their employees and can even lead to dangerous situations that employees are unaware of.

Especially in Colombia, there have been cases where people are not paid or have had their work stolen. Some businesses are fronts (shell companies) for other illegal companies like money laundering or prostitution, so be careful and look out for the warning signs!

Some warning signs include:

1. The company pays you in cash or from a personal account

2. The company does not pay on time

3. The company hires you too quickly

4. The company's job posting uses words like "urgent", "must be able to work under pressure", "no estrellitas"

5. The company puts you on a trial period

6. The company makes you work odd hours or is in constant contact with you when you are not at work

7. The company does not provide benefits

8. The company looks like it does multiple things like selling various products/services

If you get a job offer from a company like this, you need to back away. Any shady business can get you in a lot of trouble. I have heard horror stories of people getting ripped off for jobs that they took from the USA to teach English abroad.

Also, there are especially bad issues with advertising or marketing agencies. Advertising agencies in Colombia are known for not paying freelancers for work they have done upfront or blatantly stealing other peoples ideas without pay. On the other hand, marketing agencies can be covers for event marketing companies who hire "models" to be escorts.

There are various resources to check if a company is legit that you should use, or just ask on Facebook lol!

Why Are Colombians So Basic?

2017-01-03T11:58:00.002-08:00

With the use of Facebook and Instagram becoming more and more popular in Colombia, it seems like Colombians have no idea how to use it to post relevant and interesting content. They don't know about the American concept of "being basic", so they end up posting things that Americans would otherwise consider basic - like things that are considered "basic" in the USA such as Starbucks coffee and UGG boots.

Colombians tryna show off on Instagram... with fruit. ( -_-)

Not that this is a bad thing, it just means that there is a cultural gap between what makes American vs. Colombians look cool to their followers. For example, Colombians take pride in the little things in life while Americans are more grandiose about the things they post - everything is bigger and better than the last person.

Because of this, you find Colombians posting photos of the most irrelevant things that Americans would not care about such as:

1. A piece of chocolate or candy (why? do other people not have the exclusive privilege of buying $0.10 candy?)

Wow, candy... so impressive. Not!

2. Food from home and basic snacks like its the most delicious thing they have ever eating (fruit snacks are not exciting)

What is so special about chicken and french fries that it needs to be on IG?!?

3. Gifts from other people that suck (the gifts suck, so what is the point?)

What is this?!

4. Taking pictures of the one expensive thing they bought, like the rich.

It's just water, hun.

4 Reasons Not to Live in Colombia

2015-09-25T08:34:00.002-07:00

Hey, I lived in Colombia for 6 years. I liked it at first, but now I don't so I moved. Its great to visit on a shor-term basis, but these are the reasons I left and why noone should live there long-term

1. The Traffic Sucks: It took me 1.5 hours to commute to work back and forth, which would only take 20 minutes to drive through without traffic. Most people can't afford a car, so like me you will end up stuck on a bus crammed in with other people who are rude. There is no regard for safety and if you aren't robbed, you'll be lucky if you don't fall out of it while moving.

2. The Food Sucks: Don't read blogs that say the food is amazing because the are obviously liars. It's one thing to taste local cuisine on vacation, but actually eating the same empanadas and chicken with rice for years is no fun. The local menu is limited and if you live and work among Colombians you'll be forced to eat the same food because no one else can afford to go to the "fancy" restaurants with you to eat sushi.

3. The People Suck: If you read a blog about how the people in Bogota are friendly, this is a lie. They may be nice to you at first because your a tourist and only meet people at tourist attraction. These people are nice because they want your money. If you get a chance to actually work and deal with Colombians on a day-today basis, you'll see the bad side of their personality. Colombians are known for being cheap, rude, aggressive, unfaithful, liars, manipulative, and everything you see from the bad guys on Narcos. This is not a personal opinion, even Colombians will talk about how much Colombians and their country sucks.

4. Crime Sucks: Yes, people get robbed. They get robbed all the time. Don't believe they hype that says "Colombia has changed. It's not dangerous anymore." Colombia has a lot of petty crime and crime has actually increased over the last year because of inflation and internal refugees.

Graffiti in Bogota: Colombian Street Art

2014-02-20T13:56:00.000-08:00

Street art and graffiti in Colombia is very popular. We have been able to attract a lot of international attention and even visiting street artis have painted here because of that. The best place to see graffiti in Colombia is in Bogota, Medellin, and Cali. The urban infrastructure provides a lot of places artist can paint. Also, in some places it is even legal.

A guide to street art in Colombia can be found in the urban lifestyle magazine named Cartel Urbano. Here you can see a varied oa photo galleries and articles aboput street art in Bogota. For example, read this article about a local graffiti artist:

DMENTAL GRAFFITI ESTÁ DE ANIVERSARIO

You know you´re a Colombian if...

2014-01-31T14:47:00.002-08:00

After living here for a while, you start to adapt to the lifestyle here. Things that you would not have thought of doing before, you will start to do. When you do it, you start to feel like a real Colombia.

You know you are a Colombian if...

you can sleep like a baby on a bouncing bus.
After you get used to the bumps it kinda feels like you are sleeping in a rocking share and actually is relaxing.
you consider yourself on time when you are 5-15 minutes late.You will be surprised how punctual you have become all of a sudden. hahaha.
your first thought for hangover food is caldo de costilla (rib broth).
you favorite quick snack is empanada and coke.
you can just have a coffee or orange juice as breakfast.
you can live off $10 in one day and make your budget stretch to the end of the month.
you are usually poor the last week of the month.

Bogota Street Style / Fashion

2014-01-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

One of the first things tourist notice about Bogota is the way that people dress here. It is different because it is a mix of street fashion, traditional clothes, urban, punk, and conservative. Also, the weather has a large influence on how people dress. For example, the rain causes a big trend of people wearing boots and leather jackets. Even if the person is not a wanna-be hipster or punk, black leather boots and jackets are worn by all.

Another thing tourist notice is that people wear mostly dark colors. You will only see bright colors on the coast of Colombia because they are considred tropical colors. One of my friends form the USA arrived wearing a red hoodie and immediatly felt out of place!

Since a lot of expensive, American, and high-fashion brands are out of reach for most people because of price or availability, street fashion is a unique mix of affordable clothes that is mostly influenced by personal style -- not brands. Though recently, some brands have focused on Colombian fashion and has impacted style via their advertising and marketing campaigns. Success stories of fashion brands penetrating the Colombian market are Adidas and Doc Martins.

A great photo gallery of Bogota street style can be seen on the Cartel Urbano Magazine website.

Bogota street style trends for 2013 and 2014 are:

Jackets (because of the weather)
Lots of black
Fashion sneakers like Nike and Converse shoes
90s fashion and accessories (earings)
Punk / grunge
Platform shoes over high heels for women
Designer t-shirts
Leggings and fashion tights (noone walks around with bare legs!)
Hipster style sweaters
Highschool varsity jackets
Leather boots and jackets
Anything Adidas

How To Make a Colombian Mad

2014-01-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

Depending on the culture, it may surprise you which things can make someone mad in another country. Here are some things that are surprisngly rude in Colombia, which may lead to you accidently making them mad.

Refusing candy: Colombians love candy and anything sweet. As a result, eating dessert and candy throught the day is a common habit. However, if you are a foreigner and not used to eating so much sweets, you will not be tempted to eat it.

Ignoring them: In Bogota, people are more conforntational than usual. For example, random people on the street or in public will make comments about you. Whether it is what you are wearing or a casual insult, they make comments that are indirect, but knowing that you can hear them. If you are Colombian, it is normal to engage in a verbal dispute, but if you really want to make someone mad, just ignore them and they get even more irritated.

Not saying hello or good-bye: Greetings such as buenos dias is reguired in the morning. Especially if you are in a work environment. Say a general good morning to everyone no matter what! If not, you will be considered rude.

Not having small bills/change: You will constantly be asked to for smaller bills or coins when paying for items. Because of this, you are expected to make an effort to have exact change. Therefore, when you have no other opton but to pay with large bills, you will get attitude or an eye-roll from the cashier. This especially makes taxi drivers mad!

Slamming taxi doors: This may seem strange, but it happens a lot to foreigners because of an interesting insight. Cars in the USA a larger than the taxi cars here, so the doors are heavier. As a result, Americans who are used to closing heavy doors, tend to slam the tiny lightweight doors here. Though not done on purpose, it still makes taxi drivers mad.

La Calera - Drinking & Eating On Top of a Mountain

2013-12-20T14:14:00.001-08:00

Going out to eat in Colombia is not only about the food. It also includes a unique cultural experience. Because of this, some of the best places to experience Colombia combine great food with a fun atmosphere. Whether you start with a dinner that transforms into an all-night party or have breakfast with a view of the city, Bogota has a variety of dining experiences that are perfect for every type of traveler.

Try a one of these while you are there.

Brunch in La Calera

For those who want to try Colombian coffee over brunch, the best places to go are the roadside restaurants on the way to La Calera. La Calera is a town in the mountains 15 minutes outside of Bogota, but locals go there for afternoon drives to see the amazing views of the city over a hot breakfast or lunch. There you will see couples or families enjoying a typical sunny day in Bogota while getting a quick bite to eat on the way to their next destination.

Along the road to La Calera, expect to find several places to get a traditional Colombian breakfast that includes huevos pericos (Colombian scrambled eggs), bread, juice, coffee or hot chocolate. Meanwhile, street food is perfect for an afternoon snack such as mazorca (grilled corn on the cobb) and empanadas. If it is a cold day, warm up with a canelazo. This hot and alcoholic drink is a mix of aguardiente, aguapanela, and cinnamon. Any of these meals are a great way to take in the views during a relaxing weekend.

This is your view while brunching in La Calera.

Colombian Personality Traits

2013-12-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Colombia builds in personality traits and habits that are learned since childhood. I have noticed this recently just by observing parents with their children. If you do so, there is an obvious difference in how Americans and Colombians are raised. As a result, this child rearing causes Colombians to have similar personality traits.

Nice stereotypical image to talk about stereotypes.

Besides the cultural stereotypes of partying, happy, people; here are some not as obvious traits:

1. Very Clean:

Colombians are very clean. For example, they take at least 1 if not more showers per day. A lot of people brush their teeth after lunch and have spotless apartments. In contrast, anyone that is familiar with American or European culture can agree that other countries are not as clean when it comes to showers and apartments. Just look at American college dorm rooms -- they are always gross.

I think this could be because of the fact that a lot of people are raised with maids and just get into the habit of having everything clean. Also, because Colombians care a lot about outer appearance and so it is another way to look good in front of others. Also, while observing a mother and child, I noticed that the child was not allowed to play in the dirt while in America it is ok for gets to get dirty. As some may know the American expression, “God made dirt, dirt can’t hurt”.

2. Good at Negotiating & Business:

This definitely applies to Paisas, but in general Colombians are good at negotiating and at business. Whether it is negotiating with street vendors or starting a new business, Colombians have an entrepreneurial spirit that has lead to a lot of growth in the country. I think this may be about the level of poverty as they are willing to do anything to make money and becomes a habit over time when learning these skills form other Colombians. Also, may be because there is no government social support for the unemployed, meaning that learning how to hustles is a live skill that can help in times of need.

3. Polite, Yet Fake:

I have seen a lot of articles about Colombia saying that Colombians are extremely polite and happy people. It may appear like that to a foreigner who is here for a short time, but if you really live here, you notice that the politeness can be a facade. It is a facade because while that may be polite to your face, they also are known for talking behind peoples back and being fake.

This happens especially in the work environment where you get along with everyone, but then later realize that there have been people making complaints about you. Be careful, because in the workplace people often are very competitive and will try to get you fired or take your job -- probably for the same reason as #2.

Benefits of Living in Colombia (Pros & Cons)

2013-10-26T01:03:00.001-07:00

The pros & cons of living in Bogota are surprising. There are some things that are unexpected luxuries and other common things in the U.S. that cannot be found here. In my own personal decision trying to decide if I am going to live here forever or move back to the U.S., below is an exercise in the benefits of living in Colombia.

Taxis everywhere.

Pros of Living in Colombia

Taxis are everywhere and you do not need a car
Coffee, juice, fruit, and flowers are cheap
Maids are cheap
You can get a good meal very cheap
Most food produce is organic and there are farmers markets everywhere
The high elevation makes it safe for the apocolypse and flooding predictions
The weather in Bogota is amazing and stable, the sunshine is the best part

Cons of Living in Colombia

Imported products are expensive like clothes, cars, and electronics
Some people have little knowledge or exposure to international cultures
Hard to find good international food, usually very expensive
Traffic
Eating Colombian food everyday can get old, little variety

Unexpected Luxuries

2013-10-26T00:49:00.000-07:00

Bogota is not known as an international luxury destination, however daily life can have its unexpected luxuries - perhaps even better than cities like London or Paris. For example, these luxuries are available in Bogota because they are cheap and otherwise would be a lot more expensive in another country.

For this reason, I have decided to live in Bogota forever. Though I come from a very comfortable suburban lifestyle, these luxuries are something that I have decided that I cannot live without. Below is a list of the benefits and luxuries that I enjoy here, but may not be able to afford in the United States.

Organic food and marketings are the norm. Also, cheap!

Unexpeted Luxury & Benefits of Living in Bogota:

Maids: Maids here are very cheap and a lot of people have one. Not only do they only cost $15-20 US per day, but they are full-service maids. This includes cooking, cleaning, laundry, babysitting, running errands, and taking care of pets. A lot of children grow up with maids and they are part of the family for a lifetime. This is one luxury that I plan to enjoy and is not the norm in the United States.

Personal Drivers: Taxis are so common that you could consider them to be personal drivers and live without a car forever. But even if you do have a car, some people hire personal drivers to pick them up in thier own care when going out at night to prevent drunk driving. For example, there is a service that you call where a driver arrives in a motorcycle, then they will drive you home. Other driving services include driving from Bogota to weekend travel destinations or communting to and from work.

Massages, Salons & Spas: Getting a massage, manicure, or a haircut is very cheap. The quality is good and there is a salon on evey street corner. This makes it easy to get your hair and nails done everyweek for about $20 US. Great for women who like to look their best. Great range of cheap and luxury spas also provide great options in pricing and treatments so that you can go often.

Organic Food: Since most food and produce is grown locally, the quality of the food is very good, natural, and organic. For example, you can get a homecooked meal at a local mom & pop restaurant and get fresh sqeezed juice.

No One Ever Has Pens!

2013-08-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

I don´t know why, but Colombians never have pens around - especially when they are needed! For example, at the bank and at work.

I miss these.

While growing up in the U.S., Iing the was used to always having pens around. At the bank there was always a free pen to use. At work we had a suppy closet full of pens and other supplies. At my first two jobs here, there was no supply closet. Eveyone had to bring their own supplies including paper, pens, notebooks, etc. This was crazy to me. I mean, how am I supposed to work without being able to write something down!

Another thing that is similar to this is that at work there was rarely a printer or copy machine. Usually there is one personal-sized printer next to the administrative desk. Usually only limited people have access to it and you have to ask for permition to use it. This is totally different from the large multi-purpose copy machine that you could make 100 copies and print personal items.

Eventually, once ou bring your own supplies tow things happen. 1) People stat stealing your supplies 3) Coworkers will borrow it or it becomes a communal pen. At one point, I was sharing a pen among 3 people!

At the bank, the bank employees don´t understand why you would need a pen. This is demonstrated by how they react when you ask for a pen. They are shocked and even sometimes rude about it!

Colombian Street Food: Raw Hot Dogs & Other Weird Snacks

2013-08-05T23:34:00.001-07:00

Colombian street food is a mix of tradicional and non-traditional snacks. For example, the typical hot dog may seem like a tradicional snack, but Colombians have add a different twist to it that make give them a local spin. There are two ways to eat hot dogs here:

Raw Hot Dogs
I did not know it was ok to eat hot dogs raw until I moved to Bogota. Apparently, hot dogs and other forms of raw meat are perfect to eat alone. They even come individually packed in easy to carry sizes, which are designed to be convenient as an on-the-road snack. It may be surprising for some to be on a bus and see someone pull out a pack of raw sliced ham and take a big bite out of it as if it were a full meal. Other common situations where you would see this is while on roadtrips where there are limited choices for food. Since your only stop for miles may be a gas station, there is an opportunity to buy a raw packag of hot dogs and snack on them for the rest of the ride home. It is a weird snack, but the raw hot dogs are really good!

Street Hot Dogs
The street version of the hot dog is very special to Colombians. Even while living in the U.S., I saw places that specialized in Colombian hot dogs and Colombians would serve them this way while at BBQs and community events. The Colombian hot dog is good, but it comes with a lot of extra ingrediants that you may not be used to. These extra ingrediants include:

4 different types of sauces (ketchup, mustard, salsa rosada AKA pink sauce AKA ketchup & mayonaise, and tartar sauce?!?!?!?),
potatoe chip crumbs (for extra crunch),
quales egg
cooked onions
pineapple

No One Ever Has Change!

2013-07-24T00:59:00.003-07:00

This seems like a random and small thing that you would not notice or complain about, but it is very evident once you live here for a while that no one ever has any exact change for financial transactions!

Change is essential to every day life, but apparently not in Colombia. In the U.S., when you purchase something you usually get exact change back for large bills. This usually never seems to be a problem since stores stock up on change at the beginning of the day. However, this concpet of ¨preparing for something inevitable¨ is not common sense here.

Do you have change for a $20,000 bill?

Instead, every day Colombians constantly complain about how they don´t have enough change. Whenever you buy something and pass over a large bill, you will immediatly hear, ¨¡¿No tienes mas suelto?!¨. This means, ¨Don´t you have any smaller change to pay with?!¨. I always say ¨No!¨ - even if I do have change. Since when is it the customer´s responsibility to have exact change! It has always been the store clerk´s responsibility to prepare enough change to last through a day of transactions - at least in the United States.

Not only is is an inconvience that sometimes can take up to an extra 15 minutes for someone to locate change, but most of the time the clerk (or taxi drivers especially) are just lying. They have change, they just don´t want to give it to you!

Another thing is that if you don´t have change they get all pissy and just hand you over whatever they have. This means that sometime you end up losing money just because the clerk does not have enough chance. If they are going to do this, shouldn´t it be the other way around? As in, the loss should go to the clerk, not the client. I really do not understand this logic nor why people don{t prepare their businesses for this ahead of time.

Korean Food and Restaurant in Bogota, Colombia

2013-07-21T23:08:00.004-07:00

Horean food has been popular in the United States and internationally for a logn time, however I was surporsed to find Korean food in Bogota. IEver since I have started visiting Colombia over 10 years ago, I never noticed an influence of Asian culture. Long ago, you would never see Asians walking around. I mean, there were few Chinese restaurants, but not much and it was not popular at the time. Now it is a lot different!

I am glad there is a larger Asian influence now. As an American, I grew up with the food, culture, and people on a regular basis. I missed it when I moved here, so it is great that I have found at least a good Korean restaurant to visit when I get cravings for Korean food. For this reason, I recommend the Biwon Korean Restaurant in Bogota. It is located near Parque 93 (cr 16 with calle 93).

Just the other day I went there with a large group of foreigners. It has become popular with the expat crowd probably because they miss Korean frood from their original lands too! The restaurant is very tradicional compared to the Korean restaurants I have been to in America. It is a large house that is divided up into several rooms and one main dining area. There is a large back yard perfect for sitting outside to eat of smoke a cigarrette. You know Koreans and Colombians like to smoke!

The food is also very good and there is a large menu. The last time I went we ordered Bulgogi beef and pork. It comes with a free apatizer, lettuce, and spices. Here is a picture of our meal!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Learn How To Beg and Apologize

2013-07-16T21:32:00.002-07:00

At first it just seems like simple manners, but Colombians have very specific social rules that are not just for people who want to be polite - they are perpetual habits learned by everyone. They become so habitual that people are shocked when you don´t return the typical social responce to certain situations. Should you shoose not to participate in these social rules, you will be chastized or ignored. In these situations, the habit is to beg and apologize.

Coming from U.S., there is no need to say ¨I am sorry¨ or beg for forgiveness unless you sincerely mean in it is grave situations. However, in Colombia it is normal to beg for forgiveness, a better proce, better customer service, or anything that is already expected as normal. Also, you are expected to apologize for even the smallest issues such as: standing in the way or asking for customer service. For me, most of these items are expected and should not require begging or apologizing for special treatment.

For the most part, it passes as politeness, but in the following situations it is just plain annoying that you have to make special request to demand something that is already expected as a foreigner.

When to Apologize - Getting People To Move Out of The Way:
I don´t know why Colombians are famous for this, but apparently they do not h¿know how to walk or have any awareness of when they are standing in the middle of a walkway. Hello, you are standing in the middle of the door and nooone can get through! It is not just me. I have talked to several people who agree that there is no concept of spacial reasoning in terms of traffic, walking on the sidewalk, or standing in line. In these situations, it is expected for someone to say ¨perdon¨ in order to move around the person who is obviously blocking everything. For me it seems odd that I should be the one to apologize for going around someone when they should apologize for being in the way in the first place!
When to Beg - Requesting Customer Service
Going to the bank or most restaurant is an lesson in humility. There is no reason why you should expect to be treated with any time of attention or special recognition. For these reasons, you have to beg and plead in order to recieve that same service anyone would get in the United States. For example, if you are at a restaurant, you should apologize to the waiter inorder to ask for extra napkins: ¨¿Hay que pena, me puedes regalar cervilletas?¨. This literally translates into: ¨I am so ashamed to ask you this, but can I have some napkin.¨ If your request does not sound somewhat apologetting, you probably won´t be served as fast.

How to Rent an Apartment In Bogota

2013-03-04T18:26:00.002-08:00

If you come from the U.S., finding an apartment in Colombia for sale or for rent is not as easy. The reason for this is because in the U.S. the process is organized, there are several websites, and little paperwork involved. In Colombia, there is only one good online rental directory that people recommend (Mercadolibre.com), however it is not user-friendly and there are not many posts.

Typical interior design you will see in Bogota apartments.

The number 1 way to find an apartment in Bogota for rent is an old-school method that actually works better than any website. This method is the walk-around-the-block-and-write-down-the–number-on-the apartment-window. At first it may seem that this method is inefficient and outdated, however looking online at outdated pictures and inaccurate information is even more a waste of time.

The benefits to the Colombian method are that you easily narrow down your selection while having a nice stroll in your favorite neighborhood. For example you know you want to live in Chapinero Alto, so take a walk one Saturday afternoon while scoping out apartments that you think look nice. Have a chat with the doorman for more information like prices, square footage, and availability. Then make a quick call to the number in the window to make an appointment. If you are lucky, the seller will be inside and you can hop up to see the apartment. Usually, they are on call because of the need to sell the apartment.

Traditional Bogota Food Tour (Virtual and Free!)

2012-08-06T09:20:00.002-07:00

Instead of paying for a food tour in Bogota, I am going to guide you through a virtual food tour for free!

Take this tour when you arrive in Bogota and find the best local food secrets. Let me know what you think!

Below are some of my favorite traditional Colombian food that most foreigners tend to like. I will recommend the dish and places where you can find them.

2. Ajiaco - Potatoe & Chicken Soup

This soup is a meal in itself. With origins as the local soup of Bogota, this soup includes a cream of various

potaoes, shredded chicken, and a side of rice, avaocado, and corn. Top it off with sour cream and capers! It is very rich, creamy, and filling. For this dish, I recommend a restaurat called Sopas De Mama y Postres de Abuela. It is a local restaurant that has become popular for its traditional dishes.

1. Morcilla – Blood Sausage

A sausage made with blood, rice, and sometimes vegetables. They mix everything together and make a sausage out of it. It is delicious! Typically eaten a long other cuts of beef, potatoes, aji (hot sauce) and guacamole to complete a meal. This is an excellent meal for meat lovers. With this, it is typical to drink a cold beer or refajo (a mix of beer and a soda named Colombiana). For the best quality of meats, go to Andres Carne de Res. It has a great traditional and modern atmosphere for the elite of Bogota. If you eat late, dinner is likely to turn into an all-night dance party – without leaving your table.

3. Bandeja Paisa & Empanadas

Start off with a crispy and delicios appatizer of empanadas - a corn pastry filled with a mix of potatoe and beef or chicken. Eat with aji for extra spice. The main dish, Bandeja Paisa, is probably the most well-known dish. It was featured on the Anthony Bordain travel and gastronomy show when he visited Medellin, Colombia. It includes steak, rice, beans, friend egg, chorizo, and avacado. These dishes are typically very large because lunch is the main meal of the day Afetr this, there is no need to eat dinner as you will be full for the rest of the day. For most foreigners it is hard to finish the entire dish at first. Eventually, you will learn to eat like a Colombia - small breakfast, large lunch, and no dinner. A great way to save some money! Try this meal at a local restaurant that looks like a traditional Colombian farm home: Restaurante Las Acacias

Colombian Culture: Colombianadas Video

2012-02-27T12:47:00.002-08:00

Living in Colombia has a unique appeal that is hard to descrbe to someone who has never visited. For people who can manage the courage to visit, usually the trip goes like this: first will be shocked, then pleasantly surprised, then drunk, and then in love. After the trip, they usually go home with wild stories, raving about Colombia. However, some never decide to leave and this is where the new ad campaign slogan for Colombia came from, ¨The only risk is wanting to stay.¨

This campaign expression is no exaggeration, it is true! For those who are bored with living a the normal everyday life of a first-world country, the only cure is a visit to Colombia. It has been known to even cure depression! There is a documentary on how a trip to Colombia has cured depression for many young Japanese youths who were on the verge of suicide before that participated in a exchange program where they stayed with families in the poor Southern side of Bogota. It is an amazing story of how money does not guarantee happiness. In general, Colombia can be a cure for many things because it gives visitors a feeling f freedom, fear, and excitement all in one.

In order to explain the unique qualities to people who have never visited, there is a video or Colombianadas on YouTube. Basically,Colombianadas means things that are only found in Colombia. They are usually pretty silly,humorous, and somewhat cheesy as seen in the video.

Learn Colombian Slang

2012-02-27T12:21:00.001-08:00

You may speak Spanish well enough, but if you decide to move to Colombia, you will notice new words that were not taught in school. This is because these words are slang and regional terms local to Colombia. There is almost no way to learn these terms until you visit Colombia or talk to Colombians.

To help you blend in with the locals, you can use the following slang terms below. Keep in mind that these are specific to Bogota and will change from region to region.

Rolla/o – A person from Bogota
Costeño – Someone from the coast of Colombia
Gamin – A street person or beggar
Gomela/o – An upper class person, usually negative connotation
Cascar – To hit someone or scold them harshly
Guaro – Aguardiente
Pendejo/a – Silly girl or guy
Pola – Beer
Hartar – Drink a lot
Plon – A joint of marijuana
Echar un plon – Spoke a joint
Porro - Weed
Noño – Nerd
Lo vamos a pegar – We are going to get drunk (Literal translation: We are going to hit someone)
Marica – Gay or term like ¨dude¨ among male friends
Huevon – Similar to idiot

Advice on Paying Bills

2012-02-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

Once you have finished being a tourist and have decided to live and work in Bogota, you will experience a whole new set of challenges when it comes to daily routines. For example, even going to the grocery store can become an adventure.

Paying bills is one of those adventures of living in Bogota because it is so different from the way that bills are paid in the United States. Most of it stems from the fact that Colombian culture does not trust online payments and prefer to pay everything in cash. Therefore, expect to pay all of your bills in cash. This is were the hassle begins. Each bill that you pay will require that you go to a different location in order to pay each bill as cash payments are only accepted at certain banks, grocery stores, and utility offices. For example, you may have to go to Bank A to pay one bill and Bank B to pay another one. Not only is it a matter of making it to several locations to pay separate bills, but also consider the time it takes to wait in line, fill out forms, and travel via public transportation. When you have at least 5 different bills to pay every month, it becomes a lot of work - especially considering that all of this could be avoided by paying bills online.

My advice is to try to pay as many bills as possible at one location or go to a mall where you can find most banks near each other. Most bills can be paid at a CADE or go to a mall like Unicentro or Andino where there are seval banks open after hours. Fortunately, since there is such a high demand for people to pay their bills, banks are usually open late. Unfortunately, the lines are long, forms confusing, and you can never find a pen. In addition, customer service in general is much worse than customer service in the United States, so don´t expect it to be the same.

Best Hidden Restaurants In Bogota

2012-02-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

By no means have I been able to try all the restaurants in Bogota, but from the ones I have tried, this is my list of the top 3 restaurants so far. In this list, I am making an effort to go beyond the typical chain restaurants that are popular in Bogota. For example, if you ask a local, they are most likely to recommend Crepes & Waffles, Wok, or Harry Sassons. To me, theses are average, so I am recommending something different that most people aren´t aware of.

Flor de Loto: An Indian restaurant with great food and ambiance. Here you can find most traditional Indian dishes. It is decorated with Indian art and even has a traditional alter. The service is very good and friendly which suites the calm and quiet environment. I believe the chef is American and ingredients are imported. Cash only, but excellent choice for a romantic date.

Agave Azul: The award-winning Mexican restaurant is exclusive because of the dishes and size of the restaurant. It can be considered a boutique restaurant as it is highly stylish and very small, fitting about 5 tables at the most. There is a set menu each night that ncludes tapa style portions, but with at least 5 courses made for sharing. Small servings are fitting for the cocktail options, so it is rather satisfying because of the amazing fresh and unique flavors. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for something different.

La Taperia: A Spanish tapas restaurant with a great variety of dishes. Tapas servings are bigger than average and one of the few places you can find a variety of imported European beers. They have live music like Flamenco and DJs at least one a week. The environment is like a lounge/bar, but with a great art selection and murals.

Things on a Bus in Bogota

2012-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

In Colombia, the bus is a big part of the culture. Since most people use public transportation, you can understand how it is a major part of almost every Colombian´s daily life. Taxis are too expensive and Transmilenio is not convenient. So, here comes your local bus on its daily route, dependable, cheap, and relatively safe.

As such, it seems that Colombians are so used to the bus that it is an extension of their home, allowing for an easy-going attitude about anything that happens on the bus. Ironically, even though you are surrounded by strangers, there often is a feeling of community when it comes to interacting with other passengers. Whether it is passing money from the back to the front of the bus or providing directions, you can rely on a friendly ride. Passengers also will hold bags for each other.

Another interesting part about taking a bus is that it is an adventure – you never know what you will see! Below are some of the random things that I have seen on a bus. I encourage you to comment on other things you have seen while riding a bus in Colombia.

Random Things on The Bus:

Dogs on the bus.
Drinking beer on the bus.
Live acoustic guitar and singing on the bus.
Hip-Hop performance on the bus.
People begging for money on the bus.
Open mic poetry on the bus.
People selling pens, candy, peanuts, books, and more on the bus.
Partying on a bus with drinking and dancing (Chiva Party).

ACPM: An Intro Into the Bogota Restaurant Scene

2010-07-22T14:52:00.001-07:00

When I lived in Atlanta, I didn't realize that I was spoiled with the variety and quality of restaurants. After a couple of excursions into the Bogota restaurant scene, I was sorely disappointed in the food available in the city. Though I have heard good things (mostly from Colombians, instead of foreigners), good restaurants are few and far between. For this reason, I am writing about my hits and misses in the Bogota food scene.

Some background info on me is that I enjoy spicy food with a wide variety of tastes. For example, Mexican and Indian food are my favorite and probably the hardest to find in Bogota. I haven't been able to find a decent taco or Mexican restaurant so far. I have tried La Taqueria, Casa Mexicana, El Carnal (probably the worst), and El Museo De Tequila. They all suck, half of them don't even have hardshell tacos, and the cheese dip is like Cheeze-Wiz. I mean, how hard is it to mess up a taco? Apparently, I have seen the worsts forms of the concept “taco”.

The problem is that Colombians have very little knowledge of food outside of Colombia. For them, variety means chicken or beef. This is were the concept of ACPM comes in: Arroz, Carne, Papa, and Maiz. The staples of Colombian cuisine. ACPM means that about 90% of Colombian meals are made up of the same four ingredients. I didn't begin to realize the full impact of ACPM until I stated going out for lunch with my coworkers. All of a sudden I was eating one form of ACMP or another every day for lunch and I was like “hold up”. I can't eat the same thing every day!

The reason why is because even though we would go to different restaurant, we would always order the daily lunch special (Almuero Corriente or Almuero Executivo) because it was the cheapest. It cost about $3 U.S., but it is anything but special because you basically have only two options: chicken or beef. Though it includes a drink (lemonaide or juice), dessert, and soup; it still consists of the basic four ingredients of ACPM. Anyways, at one point I pointed out that there was no variety in our lunch selections and my coworkers responded, “What do you mean, you can choose chicken or beef?!?!”.