The site will revert back to www.colamigos.com.ning in a couple weeks unless....

[Don Gringo]

This site expires in a couple weeks unless I pay for it. I don't see any reason to keep it going anymore. Can someone think of a reason? If so I will keep it going. it does not cost that much or anything but I won't have a lot of time to be on it comming up. So give me some reasons or I won't bother just like Mario. If that happens it will be found back on ning.

[Don Gringo]

If you can tell me what it is you would find helpful in a site like this then please let me know. There are many sites where you can get handed the fluff card and not hear it like it really is. I hear all the time of this gringo or that making some very bad decisions. Basically I can see in every one of them that he was beleiving what the Colombains were telling him. When he gets screwed over big time they all think it is funny. I tried to make this place more real recently and a place you can go and read the real story and your psoition as a gringo in Colombia, how you are percieved and how you can be manipulated into trouble. Maybe people come here and get screwed by a girl, or in business or whatever and they think that is just them? I ahve lived here long enough to know that it is not them, it is the Colombian way.

But maybe that is just not interesting..........or you want to hear it from someone else witha year in and is just starting to figure things out? I don't know so let me know?


If it becomes a place backpackers want to trade info that is cool I will keep it up for that reason alone. If anyone can find a good use for it I will put it up. If it is helpfull to someone then I will keep it up. But if it is just going to be a target of smart ass comments and idiots I will let it go. I got no time for that shit.

I am going to pass this around so if the site changes as far as who is posting don't be surprised. If it is all in Spanish don't be surprised, if it goes away.....don't be surprised. Basically I am open for anything. Not porn! ? I think?

[David Barkley]

I like:
-the details of Bogota life.
-the various places to visit in Colombia.
-the stories about business in Colombia, we all know about the women stories, but nobody talks about business.
-I liked hearing about the Bogota business, instead of those middle-aged Medellin ex-pat gringos who just jerk off all day to Colombian women, and then worry about getting a date for the night.
- I like hearing about opinions from true Colombians, such as Rubito and others.

[Don Gringo]

JAJA Rubito is not Colombian, you know that right? He has about 3 years I think living here, not sure if that is even full time. He was the smart one, bought a place here and then lived NY and here for that three years. I think he is full time here now, would like to know how it is going, don't hear much from him though.

Yep well there are two sides to every COlombian. If you were standing along side of me, having been accepted as more Colombian than gringo, I am permanent Resident here in Colombia. I speak Spanish and that also helps, but I know there is a whole different conversation that goes on when it is a newbie gringo and a Colombian. I have heard it. If it is business talk it is even worse. They will all tell you how great everything is. Then when you don't have a sale they will all tell you how bad everything is and even think you were crazy for putting the business. I have a business here right now and it is not selling Chiclets. I have had several businesses here, researched many more, one i ahve had the entire time I ahve lived here. The one giving me the most trouble right now. I got into that when I was so fucking nieve, which maybe is why I write this to help, but like I said no one cares.

It is not hard to bring one to profitability but it is still knickle and dime shit. The only way to get ahead here is to go illegal in whatever you do. That means paying someone off on a regular basis. I do it, that is how it is done unless you want to make 400K a month in your business and it makes no difference what business it is.

Some aspect of it is going to dirty your hands if you wnat to make it profitable. I know many things about this. I can not write them on the internet but I know who you pay and how much for many different businesses here. It is alright with me if you think that is bullshit. Better for me in fact since I should say nothing about it.

When I leave it will still require me to come back here at least once or twice a month but no more than that. No I am not going to say what business.

Second thing most important and this is the truth brother. That is if you are going to run a business here you better live like a fucking poor bastard, tell everyone you are poor, not making any money and let that be the joke. If not your employees will steal you blind, everyone else will take a bite as well and you know you will probably as a gringo end up getting extorted out of Colombia. Now Mutha F^cker I know that shit does not go over as the real deal in a lot of circles but I am FUCKING LIVING IT right now so those who think it is bullshit need to have some lessons here like I have had. A lot of gringos have had these lessons and have left Colombia. I can think of three in this moment. One had a chain of stores in Cali, he had a partner that he needed to get the whole thing done. This guy took everything, he still does not know where this guy is. There is a contract on this guy. Which is how things are done.

If it is not the banks it is the police and if it is not the police it is DIAN and if it is not DIAN it is the mafia and if it is not the mafia it is your employees. Everyone takes a bite so just go dirty in the beginning, play dirty the whole time and you will be much better off. When someone knows your a by the book guy here they have SO many different angles they can play against you. You just can not survive.

There so I talked about business! JAJA I bet you wish I didn't. I put a very negative side to it because people already have their heads in teh clouds by COlombians so a reality check is most important. Anyone wanting to spend a day with me. I might let you know the real me, I might let you see the real Colombia. Maybe if your cool. But maybe it will more likely be the bullshit I told this puta that lives in Medellin that has spread all kinds of shit about me. Yep more likely it would be that way. I like that better. I like that someone thinks I am selling chiclets, jaja yep major. jajaja

If I am not one of those you want to hear from since you did not list me and I have spent a lot of time writing this shit. Just one time I would like to hear taht someone got something out of all of this. I have no fucking idea why I even waiste my time.

[Don Gringo]

Speaking with some friends of mine who DO NOT understand why I waiste my time. I realize why? because I assume that the truth will be valuable to someone becasue it sure is to me and it was not easy to get. But that is not the case. What is valuable is the fluff, no one wants the reality of it. I sure wish I had it six years ago though. When every Colombian was telling me not to worry, that I was being negative, that I should think positive, that those things don't happen here, that it is just how gringos think of Colombia and all that BULLSHIT!

I wish I could go back because the day after the deal was done I learned it all. RIght here from me anyone that cares to read this can learn it up front. Damn that is some valuable shit but it will be dissmissed as who knows what. A shame, I think I don't want to care anymore, trouble is I do. It won't be here forever that is for sure.

[David Barkley]

This is good stuff. Nobody writes about this topic, especially with such nice detail like DG.

[Don Gringo]

Thanks david..

Yesterday the farms rented on a three year lease, the cows got sold in the bargain and all is good. Of course it was 23 cows less since this past year they got hyjacked but that is another story. Would have been better if they sold but nothing is selling anymore oh too easy.

[Paul]

DG We really hope you keep this site going as this is the only place one can get info without the rose tinted glasses.

When you collect your bags at the airport the first Colombian you meet is the porter. He will also be the first one to try and screw you. Then of course it’s the Taxi drivers turn, and so it carries on. Restaurants, hotels, Cafe`s . Everyone tries to take you for a ride and yet Gringos trust their Internet Girlfriends cousin who they have never met to start some business with their money. And you can bet your ass, these Chic’s always have a brother or cousin that is an expert in any field you wish to venture with your dollars.

So yea, no one is going to believe anything you tell them 2 days after they arrive in Bogotá and all the instant family and newfound friends are treating one like royalty as they are still excited about the gifts they got and the meals they are now scoffing down in the restaurant where they could not even get a shoe shine job last week.

But given time we all learn, hopefully some might just learn from your experience before they are too broke to buy their ticket home.

[Don Gringo]

Yep Paul I almost forget sometimes what it was like comming here for the first time, not speaking the language, etc. Now I use the taxi drivers for info, I use the porters at the airport to help get my bags through customs check. One time he did me a big favor, we got pulled over and just went the other way and escaped. That was about it. Pretty funny really. But for the new person to Colombia speaking no spanish they like you said smell blood in the water. ;)

[Aztec]

As I understand the process this site can continue as a free site. Just minus some of the special effects. I am using .ning for at least two sites and only have them up and running as free sites. You can still restrict who is allowed to be a member.

[Don Gringo]

yep it only looses the .com and becomes .com.ning which to me is not good as it makes it harder to find. If there is interest I will pay the change and keep it going. if not? Then a free site is maybe what it should be? It will still exist under ning. It won't be closed.