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Bogota info offer
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travelgoddess



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 104
Location: on vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand until next contract starts (updated Jan 2010)

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:38 pm    Post subject: Bogota info offer Reply with quote

I moved to Bogota, Colombia a week ago today.
I love it and hope to stay here for a while. (for me thats a few months to a few years, haha)

If you are thinking about moving here, please feel free to email me with any specific questions. Everyone on the boards here, on other boards online and in person here have been amazingly helpful and I would enjoy passing on the kindness.

Steph
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lozwich



Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 1536

PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Bogota info offer Reply with quote

travelgoddess wrote:
I moved to Bogota, Colombia a week ago today.
I love it and hope to stay here for a while. (for me thats a few months to a few years, haha)


Steph, I'm glad you're liking it here. Its a great place, 2600 metres closer to the stars and all.. Wink
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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm considering Colombia as my next move come Sept/Oct. I was wondering about a few things- should I apply for jobs before I go? How is the housing situation? What kind of salary should I expect (7 years exp in everything from primary schools to university to now being a dos in a language school)? I've travelled a lot in my life and worked in a lot of countries so I'm not too worried about the move but I'd like to get at least a vague idea of what I'm possibly jumping into! Very Happy
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Jyulee



Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 81

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At an international school you would be looking at around 5 million a month, including accomodation allowance. Bear in mind that how much you get paid each month varies wildly - a mean average 5 million translates to 3 million sometimes and 6 million sometimes.

In a language institute you would be looking at 2.5 million tops.
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lozwich



Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 1536

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yaramaz wrote:
How is the housing situation?


Not sure what you mean there.. Average rents? Anything from about 300 thousand to into the millions per month. It all depends on where you live, and of course, how much you can afford.

Depending on what type of job you're looking for, it could be difficult to get a job before you come. Most people just turn up.

Lozwich.
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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I asked about the housing situation because where I am now, Istanbul, getting a decent and affordable flat is a huge challenge, unless you are willing to live a million km away in the distant suburbs with erratic and overcrowded public transportation. There will be two of us working, if we end up in Colombia, so it'll be a bit easier to find something that isn't crumbling around us...but I was still curious Smile
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lozwich



Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 1536

PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh crikeys no! You won't have any problems like that. Although prices have gone up quite a bit lately, finding a flat is pretty easy.
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travelgoddess



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 104
Location: on vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand until next contract starts (updated Jan 2010)

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:50 am    Post subject: agreed Reply with quote

Disclaimer; have been in Bogota a week, so take this with a grain of salt. or rum, haha.

I found a place in a week, and feel pretty lucky. I started out at the Platypus Hostel in La Candelaria and literally asked everyone I could online and in person about housing and jobs before and after I got here. A friend of one of the people I bugged, um, I mean asked had a room in a house and an apartment for rent. There are also postings on rentals at various hostels, online at Poor But Happy (not sure about quality of housing posted there, but have seen many posts), and I even saw taped signs on light poles walking around some university areas with room rental info. You might need oodles of Spanish to make contact in this situation, or just get a local to help. (not sure how much Spanish you know.)

What I didnt come across like I have in some other countries I have relocated to is people talking about how hard it is to find an apartment, so dont think you have anything to worry about there.

Prices do range A LOT from location to location. The more north you go, the more prices go up on everything; rent, food, shopping. I very happily and strategically landed in Chapinero and like it a lot so far; its not as raw as La Candelaria nor as posh (or expensive) as La Zona Rosa or other barrios up north.

Jobs; I am very slowly applying to many places online due I am waiting to hear if my job back in the states will extend my contract to work remotely. Once I hear definately from them I will go in person cause from what I am hearing, this is the way to move the process along. Not sure what the pay would be for your level of experience, but have heard of folks coming here to teach and being offered a DOS job, so that may want to be something you want to ask about when applying, assuming you would want to do that again.

Question for you, why are you leaving Turkey?

Steph
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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm getting ready to leave for several reasons, which are hard to explain. Mainly, I think I've had enough of Istanbul. Love it but I've been pretty worn out by it for a few years and I've found I'm just not living life to the fullest here. And the winters are grey and cold and wet. And my boyfriend has had it with the schools here (he's been screwed around a few too many times whereas I've been lucky that way) and really wants to go back to South America. There are other reasons, but these are the major ones.
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:43 pm    Post subject: re Reply with quote

Quote:
I'm getting ready to leave for several reasons, which are hard to explain. Mainly, I think I've had enough of Istanbul. Love it but I've been pretty worn out by it for a few years and I've found I'm just not living life to the fullest here. And the winters are grey and cold and wet. And my boyfriend has had it with the schools here (he's been screwed around a few too many times whereas I've been lucky that way) and really wants to go back to South America. There are other reasons, but these are the major ones.


I am also considering a move to Colombia! But I will focus my attention on Medellin and Cali, as Bogota, in my opinion, is a bit too cool and grey (high altitude place).

Yaramaz - hablas espanol? Si usted no habla el idioma castellano va tener que pagar mucho, porque siempre es una ventaja conocer el idioma ahi, y francamente, no hay muchas personas que hablan bien ingles, entiendes?

Even though you are not a certified teacher, you may be able to get work in public schools in Colombia, and the pay is not high, but you should make enough money to keep body and soul together.

The best way to get work in Colombia, as in most of Latin America, is to turn up with your resume and hit as many schools/Institutes as possible. If you are presentable and basically qualified, you will land work. Many of the schools, though, only pay around $3-$5 an hour, so it is not easy.

I am into my last 2 months of a one year contract in Korea. After one year in Korea, I shall leave with $20,000 u.s. in savings, so it has been lucrative working here. Korea also gives a generous severance pay (equal to one month salary), flight home money, and pension (about $3000 u.s) so it is a good deal.

Did I like Korea? Not really, but it was good for the purpose that I went there for (earn money and gain some experience in an Asian country).

I was never able to really 'connect' with Koreans, and that is something regrettable, because, at the end of the day, if you feel that you are only 'tolerated' here as a foreigner because of the skills you give as an English teacher, that is not really enough to compensate for the isolation and frustration that can result from the lack of social outlets here. Koreans, and I will generalize here, only really like their own people, and that has been confirmed to me time and again here. If the packages did not offer all this money, no one would teach here - in Korea. The 'Hermit Kingdom' (Korea) was not given that name without a reason!

I also got to travel a lot, and spent 4 weeks in Japan, and now off to Indonesia for 3 weeks before wrapping up. All paid holidays.

Colombia is intriguing, and the life and social aspects are, in my opinion, very high, and higher than Turkey, as well.

Curious to know, after all your years in Turkey, how fluent your Turkish is now?

Ghost in Korea (www.gifle.go.kr)
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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ghost, my Turkish is just fine thank you. Not perfect (about B1.3 or thereabouts for speaking and writing, higher for passive skills) but a lot better than 80% of the long term foreigners I know. The ones who havent learned as much Turkish are also fine because, as you know, you can function perfectly well here on almost no Turkish. My Spanish is pretty good considering I haven't formally studied it. I am fluent in French though, so it helps. I can read almost everything but can't produce as much. I don't think it will be as hard to pick up as Turkish (and I don't really like the Turkish language so studying has been a chore). We'll see.

I've managed to save a lot here too and I've enjoyed my time and connected with many people. No regrets.
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ghost



Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 1693
Location: Saudi Arabia

PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:47 pm    Post subject: re Reply with quote

That's good to know.

I think you will enjoy Colombia, but don't go there for the money. Colombian men are quite macho, but there is a big difference according to the regions where you live. On the coast between Buenaventura and Tumaco, you have a 'black' caribbean culture - in the higher places it is much more influenced by the 'white' descendants of the Spanish.

After our last meeting in Kayseri (June 2003), perhaps we will bump into each other on one of the 'Avenidas' in Bogota or elsewhere.

You will enjoy Colombia - and the music (don't get me started there).

Ghost in Korea www.gifle.go.kr
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travelgoddess



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 104
Location: on vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand until next contract starts (updated Jan 2010)

PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:19 am    Post subject: ah, the music Reply with quote

first thing I am doing before I get a job is sign up for salsa classes.

But, back on topic. If u learned Turkish, Spanish should be a snap. They speak very clearly here and although my Spanish is still elementary, I can tell (most of the time) where one word ends and one begins. Was not even close to the case when I was in Argentina. Be warned, the "ll" has its own sound here. Ugh. In Argentina it was SH, in Guatemala it was Y, here it is J. Go figure.

Steph
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Hong Kong

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love it when someone makes a move to a country I really want to go to.

Keep us informed, I'm curious of your future impressions as well.
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travelgoddess



Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 104
Location: on vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand until next contract starts (updated Jan 2010)

PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:29 am    Post subject: 6 months back in Hanoi, Vietnam Reply with quote

Just wanted to have some closure to this thread.

I ended up moving back to Hanoi, Vietnam shortly after my last post, about 6 weeks after arriving in Bogota, Colombia.

No regrets about being there at all, not even all the lame job interviews that went nowhere, fast. Colombia and I just didnt click, and I wasnt willing to stay in a place that I didnt wanna be in, so I left.

Am now in the middle of a one year contract here in Hanoi, and although I am ready to leave now, will push through until I find a new place I wanna head to next. Istanbul, Hong Kong, Mexico City, who knows! Have a lot of time to sort it all out. After this I will have 3 years teaching experience, so call me gran if you want. haha.

Steph
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