Reputation of Gringos in Colombia
[QUOTE=Tom 33]In Medellín, I do not think that Colombians in general have any idea of why Gringos visit. Outside of Poblado, there simply aren't that many extranjeros of any stripe.
Of course if you hang around puterias, you will think differently.[/QUOTE]I am new to the forum, but I have observed that Tom 33 has a lot of experience in Colombia and is a great source of reliable information about Colombia. However, I am going to offer a contrary opinion in this particular context.
Colombians love to gossip. Colombians especially love to gossip about Gringos.
Furthermore, Americans often give others the benefit of the doubt until they have reason to believe otherwise. Colombians generally take the opposite approach. In Colombia, you are guilty until proven innocent. Colombians will assume the worst about "desconocidos" (Colombian or American or whatever) until they have justification for a greater level of trust. When in Colombia, I would recommend that Americans and Europeans follow the Colombian approach. When in Rome.
Colombians know that most foreign men in Colombia are there for one and only one reason. Colombians know that foreign men travel to Colombia for the women. Think about it. Why else would foreign men travel to Colombia?
That's why I travel to Colombia. Isn't that why we all travel to Colombia? It is common knowledge in Colombia that foreign men travel to Colombia for the women.
And all of this leads to one recommendation for those that aspire to meeting and dating more than just prepagos and prostitutes. If you want to meet and date "normal" women, then you should concoct a legitimate and verifiable pretext for being in Colombia. Some possible examples would include studying Spanish at a Colombian university, researching import-export opportunities in Colombia, investing in Colombian real estate, etc.
Never tell Colombian women that you are "on vacation" in Colombia.
Women (Colombian or American or whatever) prefer men that are not hunting women.