Not heartless, just clueless?
[QUOTE=WiltTheStilt;1334284]You don't have to be displaced to be desperate, hell most people in Colombia are poor and many are without jobs, support systems, etc. There are many reasons to have compassion but just because the guy doesn't like seeing that desperation and doesn't think it contributes anything to the experience of the city does not make him heartless.[/QUOTE]You are so right. Colombia is a third world country, and most of the residents live a less than tranquil life. I don't know why our fellow monger's posting really hit me the wrong way. Seeing this desperation absolutely contributes to the experience, though. Medellin is not Poblado. Reality ought to be the goal of any experience. Colombia is such a troubled place. My view is that lack of compassion is the gold standard for determining heartlessness.
Try a little good energy toward everyone. Something that I admit I don't always follow, but when I do, my life is so much better.
On a happier note, I have a couple of new scholarship applicants in Medellin next week. One scholarship recipient, who claims she is a 19 year old virgin, keeps e-mailing me she wants to have sex. I wrote about her before, she the girl that rides from Medellin to Rio Negro every Sunday on her bike. She's is shape. I've been a womanizer all of my life, but I don't feel right about this. Anyone else understand that?
Only good energy,
Jinxx Is a Fantastic Wingman! Thanks
I just had 3 of my buddies in and I could not be a tour guide since so I sent them over to "Jinxx". Jinxx speaks perfect Spanish and English perfect since my buddies that came speak about 5% Spanish at best.
For a pretty good fee he took them around to all the casas. Strip clubs etc. Not to mention the Pablo Escobar Tour.
My buddies were VERY pleased and satisfied to have this wingman that is American Latino that could show them around. He introduced them to local "ladies" that he knows and I think you can figure out the rest. LOL.
Just wanted to put this post up for my buddies since they have no clue or members of ISG,
KB151
[QUOTE=Jinxx; 1332715]Hey guys I've been here in Medellin a while and I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the place, so I'd like to offer my services as a tour-guide / wingman. When I first got here I was kind of intimidated and wished I would've had someone help show me around. I speak spanish and I blend in pretty easily so if you're with me it will kind of feel like you're with a local.
Basically what I can do for you is accompany you anywhere you want to go. I know where everything is at. I'll translate and make sure you don't pay too much for any services. I know exactly what to look out for and won't let you get into anything unsafe. I can take you to casas, strip-clubs, bars, street scene, escorts, discotecas, restaurants, pretty much anything you want to do. I like to mix a little bit of the discoteca scene in with the mongering just because the women at the non-pro discotecas are so amazingly beautiful. I can help you approach regular girls and who knows maybe you can hook up with one. And if not oh well, a strip club is only a short taxi ride away. It's all up to you.
My fees are $50usd for daytime hours, $50usd nighttime tour, and $100 for day and night together.
If you're interested pm me with your info. Let me know when you're going to be in town, what kind of accomadations you're looking for (apt rental, hotel) , and give me an idea of what you're looking for. Are you looking for low-end, midrange, top-shelf?
I'll do my best to get everything set up for you and make sure your trip is hassle-free so all you have to do is enjoy yourself.[/QUOTE]
I'm all about positive energy.
Maybe the wording of my previous post was confusing.
"Back home". Beggars tend to ask for money with nothing in exchange. I tried to clarify that by making the cutting reference about teaching kids to stand in front of supermarkets and praised girls scouts for cutely ripping us off with their over priced over packaged snacks.
In Medellin, it has been my experience, most people on the street want to make some kind of exchange with you for money. Respect.
However, the recent events in El Centro have occurred in part because it is already dangerous.
I'm no social analyst or economist. I will try to be concise, since admittedly, these are the opinions of a layman. Maintaining the status quo doesn't seem like a good solution. Yet, making a change is going to cause some grief. It is simply impossible to make everyone happy. Fact is, its a designated business environment. Regardless of whether or not someone is there just trying to survive. Public drug use, urination, defecation and peddling in the streets intimidates others from peacefully going about their business and from simply getting from point A to B. If I ruled the world there would be only one law. If what you are doing purposely, directly, negatively and unwillingly impacts another within a 5 yard radius, you can't do it. Obviously that was facetious. Point is something should be done for the improvement, development, enhancement and safety of Medellin as a whole. My compassion is immense. I love Medellin.
My feelings aside, I've spoken to a few people who live there and those few have all played the recent events down. I know this a monger forum but hopefully we will continue to receive front line updates since this topic undoubtedly impacts the environment as a whole.
[QUOTE=Legal Tender; 1334265]I assume that "back home" where you are approached "by very few straight up beggars" is in the USA or other western, industrialized country. What you wrote reveals a total lack of understanding and absence of compassion for these poor human beings in Medellin. In Colombia, the number of internally displaced people is approximately 4. 9 million. Nearly the population of Colorado. This makes Colombia the second largest internal displacement country in the world next to Sudan. These people do what they can to survive, even selling "useless junk picked from the trash." They are trying to survive, doing whatever they can do to continue to live. Man, I get a bad feeling from reading what you say you feel when you view them. Try a little compassion and care, if you're capable.
I don't mean to write disparagingly of your honest conclusion drawn from your observation. I'm almost as sad for you as I am for them.
But, dude, try to find some good energy when you consider those that are so much less fortunate than any of us.[/QUOTE]