Job Discussion Forums

[Siempre Onion Jar]

Yep, sounds like Philly to me! Not to mention the daily shootings and psychotic homeless people. (Don't get me wrong, it's still an awesome city
with a lot of nice things about it).
I love big cities though, so I think after living in a not as interesting American city like that, with the same grime/uneducation level, that I would like Lima!

[naturegirl321]

Well then, you'll love Lima. I hate it, but some peole like it. When will you be here and how long are you planning on staying? I organise a monthly DVD/book swap and a women's coffee. If you're intersted, email me at [email protected]

[Siempre Onion Jar]

Hmm, I probably wouldn't get there until about 6 months from now. I want to earn as much money as I can first, and right now I'm still pretty poor! I would want to stay for at least a year though.
I still haven't decided on Colombia or Peru, but I've been doing lots of research on both countries. I haven't gotten any neutral opinions on either country, because everyone I've meet who has been to booth places is either Peruvian or Colombian, so of course they only would vote for their own country!

[naturegirl321]

I'd wager that most Peruvians you ask wouldn't vote for their own country. I certainly wouldn't, and I'm peruvian by marriage.

[windowlicker]

I've lived in both Colombia and Peru, but I can't give you a particularly solid opinion either way on which I'd recommend. Personally, I had a much better time in Peru but I was also studying there, not teaching, and I think because of that it was easier to meet Peruvians and enjoy myself more.

It should be easier for you to work legally in Colombia, and in general I think Colombia is a more beautiful country (especially if you think you'd be living in Lima in Peru), and the public transportation in Bogot� is infinitely better than Lima. There's lots of nice places to go in Bogot� (Monserrate or Via La Calera for example, which both have spectacular views of the city, good cheap food, and can be a nice way to spend an afternoon or evening), or really nice small towns nearby that are easy day trips on the weekends...Lima doesn't really have any of that.

Peruvian food is without a question way better than Colombian food. It might just be the people I met in Peru, but I generally find that I get along better with Peruvians than Colombians. Lots of the foreigners you'll meet in Colombia (but by no means all) are kinda crappy people...here for easy drugs and sex. Again, it could just be the people I hung out with in Lima, but I liked the bars and party scene there way better...parties in Bogot� seems to break down into a few different categories, but mainly: electronic music with lots of people on coke or pills or vallenato/salsa places...the vallenato/salsa places aren't so bad, but I personally get tired of it a bit quickly...in any case, in my experience the party scene in Bogota is also a little more elitist and expensive, which kinda sucks. Lima seemed a little less elitist and more into reggaeton or hip hop, which I prefer...both cities have easy to find, but generally very terrible rock bars...unless you like 80s metal. I should emphasize that I've had a hard time meeting people in Colombia, which might impact my opinion...whether it's my fault or Colombia's, I'm not sure.

You'll find lots of strikes, uneducated people, dirtiness (though Lima by far wins in this category), and get yourself into interesting situations in either country.

Really when it comes down to it, both countries are great places and I've enjoyed my time in both Bogot� and Lima. Personally, after I finish my contract here in Bogot� I plan to go back to Peru, but I think it all boils down to who you meet in the place you're in.

[NickImpy]

Philadephia is crap stain. I drove threw it when I was drving some cousins from peru to the airport, and it was frightening. Burned out buildings, dirty looks, etc (street urination occurs in every city). I hadn't come back to live in New Jersey yet and I was surprised how nice Bucks County is where I was living and how close AND how bad Philly was. My friend also was attacked when he was studying at Drexel. He had a stolen wallet and a broken jaw.

Camden,NJ across the river is even worse. #2 Murder rate in the US behind DC.

Lima's just has a slighly worse traffic obedience problem, but really they had a lot in common except for language.

[Siempre Onion Jar]

naturegirl- I have actually had two Peruvians recommend Peru to me, and go as far as to tell me that "I'd be in love with it!" haha I don't know, maybe they were being sincere, maybe not...(they were both guys my age, I am female, 24.)
windolicker- wow, thank you for your opinion! It does seem like a lot of foreign people, especially from Anglo countries, that come to Colombia are lame. On another internet forum about Colombia, it seems as if there are tons of looser American guys going there to find a hot Colombian girl to marry/sleep with, and they go on and on rating the girls of different cities. I've also heard about the people who go there just for drugs, which is a shame, because it seems like a beautiful country with a lot to offer. But that's okay, because I'd prefer to make friends with locals instead of tourists or ex-pats anyway (unless we really truly have something in common, of it they are teachers as well).
I am really into Lain music, so I'd probably like the salsa/vallenato clubs in Colombia. I only know one or two people in each place though, so meeting people/making friends would be important.
I've gotten along pretty well with both the Colombians and the Peruvians I've met. I guess at this point I just need to make a list of pro's and con's for each country!
NickImpy-It sounds like you were in North or North East Philly. That's where all of the abandoned lots and burned out row homes are. As well as all of the 17 year olds selling heroin, people shooting up under bridges, and prostitutes. A lot of people just drive through that area on the way to Jersey or the airportand think it's all like that. Actually, only about 40% of Philly is like that haha. Downtown/center city, and South Philly are pretty nice.
But yeah, I've been robbed a few times in the bad areas (which are close to the major colleges there, unfortunately) and as often as people get shot/stabbed there, your friend is relatively lucky.

[naturegirl321]

Peru has it's share of weird peopel. Have you been to the Pizza Street? Peruvian food is supposed to be the best in the world, and Peruvian's will tell you that too, but expect rice always, and spicy stuff. I've lost weight simply because I can't handle it. But I guess taht's a good thing

[Siempre Onion Jar]

Oh, I love spicey food and weird people, that sounds good to me!

[NickImpy]

How's Wilmington? I haven't been there in many years. My mother's mother os a native of Georgetown, but she graduated High School in 1929 and moved to DC.

Back to te Philly thing, yeah bad. I think I'd rather go to Newark(NJ) leaving a nice car unlocked with a roll of 20's on the dashboard than go to North Philadelphia again.

I think it's sad, but I truly think that racism is big problem there. I don't know why people have to be so ignorant.

[Siempre Onion Jar]

Oh, Georgetown is pretty cool, I live very close to there, and that's where I learned all of my Spanish! About 33% of the population there is Hispanic/Latino, and out of that 33%, about 85% is Guatemalan.
Wilmington is alright...it's a weird place, because every other block is ghetto, and the blocks in between are really nice. You could be standing on a certain street, and if you look to the left, you'll see the DuPont hotel and expensive restaurants, and if you look to the right, you'll see ramshackle row houses and people pushing shopping carts full of scrap metal. A few years ago Wilmington had a lot of problems with shootings, but it's gotten better. It has a cute sky line and some nice restaurants, but the drug problem there is increasing.
You are so right about racism being a huge problem in Philly. A lot of the Irish and Italian people hate black people, and a lot of black people hate white people, and a lot of the people in Chinatown just plain hate everyone. It seems like the only non racist people in Philly are the Dominicans and Puerto Ricans, I guess it's because they are smart enough to know they are mixture of "all of the above". (Well, except Chinese really, but even then you could give the Bearing strait argument.)

[NickImpy]

Wow! All Guatemalan. My Nana is a Welsh Methodist who talks with a southern twang. I guess the demographics have changed in 70 years.

[Siempre Onion Jar]

Yes, very much so! 70 years ago it was almost all white, but for the past 20 years, it's been 1/3 Guatemalan! I love it, because there are authentic little family owned Guatemalan restaurants and grocery stores everywhere. There are handfuls of Mexican's and Salvadorians there too. I guess I learned Spanish the Guatemalan way because of this! The guatemaltecos I've known and meet have all been really warm and kind people.