Medellin Reports

[QUOTE=Surfer500;2428482]It's all kind of scary, with the worst part being that in my opinion the USA is hardly prepared.

If there is an outbreak here in Colombia, which seems likely, I would be concerned about being able to leave. I'm not sure if I would want to be stuck here and getting sick as a foreigner versus being in the USA, but who knows what it might be like in the USA as well.[/QUOTE]Yes, being stuck here was my main concern. With a large scale outbreak, whether in Colombia or USA, there just are not enough ICU beds, so forget about getting care. It's highly unlikely. For me, I just know I would be more comfortable being sick in my own home, and I have animals with a petsitter right now. I'd much prefer to be there to know they are cared for, because if the sitter gets sick, that could pose an issue.

I was thinking of coming back for 4 weeks in mid April as I have a close friend planning to come at that time. But now, I decided I'm not going to book that and I don't think he is either actually.

[QUOTE=JjBee62;2428486]I'm not concerned. I'll get to that in a minute. You're dead on about the spread being wider than reported, or even feared. I suspect we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

The US just put Pence in charge of the effort to protect against the virus. A guy who believes science is a satanic hoax, who doesn't believe smoking poses any health risk and who fueled an HIV outbreak in Indiana while governor. So we're well prepared here. Trump is screaming that it's all a hoax to hurt his reelection chances. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure Twitter isn't going to stop the disease.

But I'm not concerned. There will be some chaos, panic, economic disruption. All the fun stuff. Then we'll move on and things will return to whatever is considered normal. Getting worried about it won't change anything.[/QUOTE]It's going to be a real mess for all the reasons stated. The way the US is handling this situation is shameful and hard to believe, but then, not really all that surprising when you think about it. It's funny on some level because it is so unbelievably stupid but really, it's totally fucked up and it's going to cost a lot of lives and a lot of dollars.

[QUOTE=FunLuvr;2428610]I have never had Schwab show the fees separate, only at the end of the month when they refund the fees all in one lump sum. I have been using Davivienda for years and have never been charged a fee. When the screen has the question about if I want to see the charge, I always select NO, so maybe it would show a charge if I selected YES. Either way, I don't think they charge anything.

I'm not sure how you are calculating the exchange rate. I have always received almost the same rate at different banks, within less than 1 cent on the dollar. You know what Schwab has deducted from your account, so you need to take the amount you received plus the ATM charge to calculate the exchange rate.

Update: Sorry I stated some of the same stuff Greenbud had already posted. I started my response a couple of hours ago - got sidetracked.[/QUOTE]Just taking the total withdrawal amount, 200 k, 400 k, etc. And dividing it by the dollars removed from my account. Pretty simple. The result across different ATMS is not the same even when taking the fee into account. I was wrong about Davivienda having a fee, they do not. Today, I clicked YES to see the fee and it said "No disponible" and the rate came to 3425 today so it is no fee.

[QUOTE=AdventureSeekr;2428671]Yes, being stuck here was my main concern..........[/QUOTE]What do you guys mean by being stuck in Colombia? If you are an American citizen you cannot be refused entry into your country.

By airlines refusing you to boarding if you are obviously sick, which they totally can do. Just hasn't gotten there yet in Colombia. Is starting to happen in Asia and Middle east and some cities in EU.

[QUOTE=Turgid;2428768]What do you guys mean by being stuck in Colombia? If you are an American citizen you cannot be refused entry into your country.[/QUOTE].

[URL]https://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=COP&view=10Y[/URL]

[URL]https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8055401/Coronavirus-1-000-times-infectious-SARS-scientists-warn.html[/URL]

[QUOTE=JjBee62;2428486]I'm not concerned. I'll get to that in a minute. You're dead on about the spread being wider than reported, or even feared. I suspect we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

The US just put Pence in charge of the effort to protect against the virus. A guy who believes science is a satanic hoax, who doesn't believe smoking poses any health risk and who fueled an HIV outbreak in Indiana while governor. So we're well prepared here. Trump is screaming that it's all a hoax to hurt his reelection chances. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure Twitter isn't going to stop the disease.

But I'm not concerned. There will be some chaos, panic, economic disruption. All the fun stuff. Then we'll move on and things will return to whatever is considered normal. Getting worried about it won't change anything.[/QUOTE]Agree with your first paragraph (time will tell) and your last paragraph, the rest is just more political trash that comes from both sides, that really does no good for anyone.

[QUOTE=Turgid;2428768]What do you guys mean by being stuck in Colombia? If you are an American citizen you cannot be refused entry into your country.[/QUOTE]Think about quarantine, it can easily add up then you lost a month.

[QUOTE=AdventureSeekr;2428315]one being lack of test kits or ability to test in underdeveloped nations[/QUOTE]It has been reported in the news that US does not have working test kits until a few days ago. Another problem is that it is expensive for many to see a doctor in US.

After she left I shut off the music on the boom box and laid on the bed. My mind went over the events that had led to this point. I was chasing her. I had put myself in a vulnerable position by paying first. As if to demonstrate her dominance she had even engaged in S&M. She put herself in a dominant position and made me her slave.

WhatsApp chimed. "Vale Amor mil gracias ya llegamos," she wrote. She was updating me on her progress. They had arrived. I felt a little hopeful. She had not immediately run off, but was still sending me texts. Maybe she was telling the truth and soon would be back in my arms. I responded "OK" and set the phone down on the bed.

I thought of her youthful beauty. Her reddish brown hair falling around her shoulders as she looked at me with those big brown eyes. Her full lips inviting my kiss. The way that we were together this afternoon. It all excited me. She was coming back!

WhatsApp chimed. She was on her way back with her cousin. She was waiting on the train to leave. Just four stops and she would be here.

"What?" I thought! She said she was going to help her cousin get an apartment and then return. I told her I didn't want her cousin here. Now she was going to bring her back anyway? Was this some trick of Google Translate? Or is she simply continuing her well thought out plan to separate me from my money? Not knowing what else I could do I again responded "OK".

I began to think of the possibilities. First the hotel may not let her cousin in the room. I know my hotel does not allow unregistered guests unless you pay. But if she is allowed in I wasn't going to pay for a threesome. Maybe she could be a waiter on us and fetch things for us. Maybe she would see us in bed and be so turned on she would jump in anyway. But I had no intention or means to pay for a threesome. All my money was gone by now. I had nothing in my room at the Nutibara hotel and I surely wasn't going to look for an ATM at this time of the night.

WhatsApp chimed again. "Pacientes Que Pena contigo" she wrote. "Llegue corremos para Donde Estas". I copied and translated her text. She was asking me to be patient, but then she admonished me by adding "shame on you"? She really does see me as her slave, I thought. And then she says that they have arrived and she promises to run to where I am waiting. Again I responded "OK" and placed the phone back on the bed beside me.

I continued to think about everything. My mind went over it again and again. I remembered how she began the night by drinking heavily and encouraging me to drink. I was foolish to suggest we get dope, because it surely was making me into a dope. What was that tearful story about someone being murdered? A true story or a practiced manipulation?

WhatsApp chimed again. They were at the hotel. I began to anticipate their imminent knock on the door. I thought about what I would do when they arrived. I waited. And when the knock wasn't immediate and there was no text I realized that they must be registering her cousin at the front desk.

Finally, the knock on the door came. I got up and opened the door to the room to let them in. In she came and her cousin after her. I noticed that her cousin was a few inches taller than her but had similar facial features.

As I closed the door and turned to them she encouraged her cousin to introduce herself to me. As she spoke her name and held out her hand my mind was unable to focus on what she said. Her name fell into the space between us and was gone.

They both began settling in. My girlfriend and her cousin began unloading their things on the table as well as on the chair beside it. The cousin grabbed a marijuana cigarette from the table and lit it.

My girlfriend told me that I must pay the reception now 50 k for her cousin to stay. Not unexpected, I thought, but I don't have the money. I told her "I am very sorry, but I don't have any money; your cousin will need to leave. " My girlfriend indicated that this was not a possibility.

I told her, "you have all my money. You pay and I will reimburse you in the morning," I offered. I was still hanging onto the idea I could get a lame threesome for free. But she would have none of it. She even sounded a little angry when she insisted "We will go right now to your hotel and get the money. ".

Her cousin reached out to me and tried to sooth the situation while tempting me with her touch. As she took a drag on the joint, her hand lingered on my body. She exhaled and said "I will only ask 250 k. ".

I thought to myself "if she is unwilling to front the money for her cousin to stay here, what does this say about her motives? It is her cousin after all and if she really needs a place to stay, she should be willing to pay the money; especially since I offered to reimburse her. " I thought of a counter offer to test my theory. If she is being truthful about her cousin needing a place to stay then I will give her an ultimatum.

"I am not feeling well and it is late," I said. "You need to pay the money for your cousin to stay," I insisted. "If you don't want to do that, you can leave," I threatened. My girlfriend's demeanor brightened and she repeated my threat as a question "I can leave?

"Yes".

And with that she began gathering up their belongings from the table. My girlfriend dropped a mirror in her haste to gather their things and it broke in half on the floor. She looked up at her cousin in guilt. Her cousin; seemingly oblivious to the loss, grabbed a beer from the table. As they left her cousin continued to smoke the joint. Soon I was closing the door behind them as they left.

"Audios" I said.

Part 5 of a multi-part post.

[QUOTE=AdventureSeekr;2428674]It's going to be a real mess for all the reasons stated. The way the US is handling this situation is shameful and hard to believe, [/QUOTE]How should they be handling it?

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2428920]How should they be handling it?[/QUOTE]1. Let the CDC speak and listen to them.

2. Prepare for the worst case scenario, rather than downplay the risks.

3. Place someone in charge with either experience in infectious disease control or experience managing multi-national emergency response efforts.

The current emphasis seems to be focused on protecting the stock markets.

[QUOTE=LoverBoy1024;2428888]I surely wasn't going to look for an ATM at this time of the night.[/QUOTE]Great writing! There is an ATM on the first floor in the back at your hotel.

[QUOTE=LoverBoy1024;2428888]After she left I shut off the music on the boom box and laid on the bed. My mind went over the events that had led to this point. I was chasing her. I had put myself in a vulnerable position by paying first. As if to demonstrate her dominance she had even engaged in S&M. She put herself in a dominant position and made me her slave.

WhatsApp chimed. "Vale Amor mil gracias ya llegamos," she wrote. She was updating me on her progress. They had arrived. I felt a little hopeful. She had not immediately run off, but was still sending me texts. Maybe she was telling the truth and soon would be back in my arms. I responded "OK" and set the phone down on the bed.

I thought of her youthful beauty. Her reddish brown hair falling around her shoulders as she looked at me with those big brown eyes. Her full lips inviting my kiss. The way that we were together this afternoon. It all excited me. She was coming back!
.[/QUOTE]Ooooh the drama, LOL.

Great story telling and writing, have to give you that.

Can't help thinking and knowing that I would have dumped her looooong ago!

Way to many other chicas out there to put up with that baloooooooooney bologna!