Medellin Reports

[QUOTE=LoveItHere69;2942051]Funny. Most crime is committed against locals not foreigners because they are a much larger percentage of the population. How exactly is speaking Spanish going to help? Mostly it happens so quickly your Spanish means nothing. The criminals do not converse with their victims. Look at some of the snatch and grab youtube videos where they walk in with a gun into a resto in the middle of the day. I remember a girl tried to steal a wallet from an old man in front of the church across the street from Mercedes Parque with tons of people around in Cucucta. Luckily she failed. No conversation. Pretty sure he only spoke Spanish. I only see Spanish could help if there is a misunderstanding and the guy wants to fight you and you pay him off or something.

Someone please give me an example of Spanish being the saving grace of being mugged. Somehow you begged in Spanish or gave them a sob story and they walked away. Or better yet gave you money.[/QUOTE]Because you could tell him you don't have shit to steal. Soy pobre, no tengo nada. Shit like that. Keep a 5 mil in your front pocket pull that out and be like "esto es todo lo que tengo" maybe they'll believe you more than if you said it in English looking like a gringo.

[QUOTE=LoveItHere69;2942051]Funny. Most crime is committed against locals not foreigners because they are a much larger percentage of the population. How exactly is speaking Spanish going to help? Mostly it happens so quickly your Spanish means nothing. The criminals do not converse with their victims. Look at some of the snatch and grab youtube videos where they walk in with a gun into a resto in the middle of the day. I remember a girl tried to steal a wallet from an old man in front of the church across the street from Mercedes Parque with tons of people around in Cucucta. Luckily she failed. No conversation. Pretty sure he only spoke Spanish. I only see Spanish could help if there is a misunderstanding and the guy wants to fight you and you pay him off or something.

Someone please give me an example of Spanish being the saving grace of being mugged. Somehow you begged in Spanish or gave them a sob story and they walked away. Or better yet gave you money.[/QUOTE]There is no panacea for avoiding getting robbed but there are ways to help reduce the chance. When you speak Spanish, you can ask simple directions from folks and they can tell you where not to go and which streets to avoid. Truthfully, it's more about how you "pass" in an environment. Foreigners, in non-tourist areas (where the police aren't present to generally protect them), are easier targets because they will be less likely to properly report their situation to the police. Knowing Spanish isn't really going to help a super pale, redhead gringo pass no matter their ability, but showing some level of expertise does dissuade them since there will be better targets. Being younger or more fit will help. When you speak Spanish, the thieves that are scoping you and following you will perceive you as slightly more capable than the English-only gringo who is wandering around like a chicken with their head cut off. It's standard advice for any country when you're a foreigner.

Thieves and criminals are not particularly brave and they are looking for least risk to their muggings. Give yourself the best chance to avoid it by stacking up negatives to taking a run at you. It's like the old adage of a lost sheep; Is a wolf going to go after the herd of sheep or pick off the one that is walking around aimlessly by themselves?

[QUOTE=TheDerilious;2942128]There is no panacea for avoiding getting robbed but there are ways to help reduce the chance. [/QUOTE]One can look at this another way. Based on what have been said, you would be more likely to engage with someone who try to talk to you because you understand the language. That can be dangerous, there is a reason some try to avoid talking to locals in El Centro who try to engage you in a conversation in English to get close to you. I now avoid standing by the curb waiting for traffic light to change. The reason is I read about a guy who was robbed by moto when he was waiting to cross the street to Poblado metro station. They just stopped and pointed a gun at you and didn't care about the crowd present.

The best defense is to know the area and do not need map. I have past thru this area day and night too. I don't speak Spanish but I know the streets very well by now and I don't have to stop to think where I should go.

Criminals don't think like you, otherwise they won't be criminals, especially we are not talking about US. There was a video of someone being executed in close range in front of the a popular club Dubai. This is not the only one. The club is on Calle 10 and is is now renamed to something else. There are videos that the girls are fighting with the police in Parque Lleras. Many criminals don't care about IDs, or evidence based all these videos floating around. Sometimes the safest area is where the criminals do their business and control the street.

The attached image is started by a post by someone leaving a concert and was robbed by a taxi because there was no Uber around. This type of incident is not the first time and is predicable.

[QUOTE=LoveItHere69;2942051]Funny. Most crime is committed against locals not foreigners because they are a much larger percentage of the population. [B]How exactly is speaking Spanish going to help? Mostly it happens so quickly your Spanish means nothing.[/B]The criminals do not converse with their victims. Look at some of the snatch and grab youtube videos where they walk in with a gun into a resto in the middle of the day.[/QUOTE]If someone has isolated you and has a gun pointed at you and says "Dame tu billetera" and you don't know WTF he is saying. You might just get shot and have him take your wallet. If you understand him and hand over your wallet you might just have a scare but live to talk about it.

So does Spanish help in that type of situation? I don't know but it sure can't hurt.

[QUOTE=Villainy;2942373]If someone has isolated you and has a gun pointed at you and says "Dame tu billetera" and you don't know WTF he is saying. You might just get shot and have him take your wallet. If you understand him and hand over your wallet you might just have a scare but live to talk about it.

So does Spanish help in that type of situation? I don't know but it sure can't hurt.[/QUOTE]What if you are like me and speak Spanish but do not carry a wallet?

[QUOTE=Villainy;2942373]If someone has isolated you and has a gun pointed at you and says "Dame tu billetera" and you don't know WTF he is saying. You might just get shot and have him take your wallet. If you understand him and hand over your wallet you might just have a scare but live to talk about it.

So does Spanish help in that type of situation? I don't know but it sure can't hurt.[/QUOTE]That does not change the fact that you would be robbed regardless. I think that is his point.

Simplified I give speaking Spanish has a 10% benefit. Many of you act like it decreases something happening to you by 50%. I disagree.

Seriously? If someone puts a gun in your face in any country you know what they want: everything of value that you have. No language requirements needed.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2942380]What if you are like me and speak Spanish but do not carry a wallet?[/QUOTE]I would quickly say "No tengo billetera pero te dare mi effectivo. " The idea being you want to survive the encounter.

[QUOTE=Nounce;2942383]That does not change the fact that you would be robbed regardless. I think that is his point.[/QUOTE]You're getting robbed, fine, the question is are you going to live to tell about it. Speaking Spanish may not alter the reality that you are getting robbed but it may help you avoid being fitted for a casket.

[QUOTE=TheDerilious;2942128]There is no panacea for avoiding getting robbed but there are ways to help reduce the chance.
[/QUOTE]Rule #1. Stay home with your Mommy and play with yourself while looking at internet pornographie.

Rule #2. When you do get robbed, read rule #1.

Of course we are not stupid. Common sense is important. No flashy jewelry, no walking around by yourself, especially in bad neighborhood. Stay away from prostitutes who are thieves or may drug you. Watch your drinks at all times, and make sure you see the bartender open the beer bottle in front of you. Stay away from 3 d world countries. However if you want sex with an international woman, you have to engage in higher risk.

I was stupid and married a Colombian young woman. This was high risk. She got pregnant with a Colombian guy in the first year, before she got her visa, and I cancelled the application and got an annulment. Lost 40 K on buying 2 taxis that were put in her name. This was worse than having my wallet stolen.

In Costa Rica, near the Hotel Del Rey I had 3 young women reach into my front pockets and pull my Pesos out, onto the sidewalk. I quickly grabbed my pesos before they got them and ran away, nothing lost but a near loss.

I have had prositues in the. Are. Go thru my pockets but find nothing, I pushed her out the door and locked it.

Have had other experiences in a "safe" country. Had a 3 some with 2 girls who took my money before doing the deed. Had a seeking girl rip me off $260.

Could have been worse, I have not lost during my divorces, had pre-nuptial agreements both times. Am happier now than being married. Life is Good!

[QUOTE=LoveItHere69;2942389]Simplified I give speaking Spanish has a 10% benefit. Many of you act like it decreases something happening to you by 50%. I disagree.

Seriously? If someone puts a gun in your face in any country you know what they want: everything of value that you have. No language requirements needed.[/QUOTE]Coming from the guy who didn't know how to ask for a room with AC at the Mar Hotel in Cucuta.

[QUOTE=HumbleHal;2942436]In Costa Rica, near the Hotel Del Rey I had 3 young women reach into my front pockets and pull my Pesos out, onto the sidewalk. I quickly grabbed my pesos before they got them and ran away, nothing lost but a near loss.[/QUOTE]Why did you have pesos in Costa Rica? You couldn't buy anything with them. Maybe the women wanted a souvenir from whatever country issued the pesos.

[QUOTE=Gabacho;2942485]Coming from the guy who didn't know how to ask for a room with AC at the Mar Hotel in Cucuta.[/QUOTE][URL]https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g676525-d4208500-Reviews-Hotel_Mary-Cucuta_Norte_de_Santander_Department.html[/URL]

2015 review they have A / C.

2019 review they have no A / C.

My comment 2022 they have no A / C.

They are no longer listed on the popular hotel websites.

[QUOTE=LoveItHere69;2942649][URL]https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g676525-d4208500-Reviews-Hotel_Mary-Cucuta_Norte_de_Santander_Department.html[/URL]

2015 review they have A / C.

2019 review they have no A / C.

My comment 2022 they have no A / C.

They are no longer listed on the popular hotel websites.[/QUOTE]I stayed there as recently as November 2022 and they have rooms with AC and cheaper rooms with just fans. I stayed in room 216 specifically which has AC. You just couldn't comprehend that they told you that the rooms with AC were occupied that day when you went. Maybe a little Spanish would have helped.

In the past two weeks, I have personally meet 5 fellow mongers, 4 of them members of ISG, and so far, all of them are having successful trips in Medellin. We all do different things but no one is having a bad trip and most of the other guys have already gone home without any issues. Not all of their girls have been great but overall the girls have been good according to the guys.

Most of the guys I met were seeing girls on Facebook but some were also meeting street girls on Park Llerras or online prepago girls. No one was complaining about prices and they paid what they wanted to pay. We shared pictures of our girls and the girls looked attractive to me.

Just telling you what guys on the ground are telling me. Guys are happy on the ground. No one complaining about what other guys are doing or paying. We are all just here trying to have a good time.