Expats in Thailand considering moving to Latin America prompted by Thai visa changes

[Jingthing 65,731]

Yet another "free" Spanish learning tool. (Optional donations.) Apparently it has an innovative approach. 

 

https://www.languagetransfer.org/free-courses-1#complete-spanish

 

Quote

Language Transfer: The Mind-Blowing Free Course That’s Greatly Improving My Spanish

 

http://panamaforbeginners.com/language-transfer/

[strikingsunset 276]

Colombia with Simon Reeve.

Would recommend the above documentary available on bbc iplayer ,so informative and features Medellin - often mentioned on this thread .


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[grifbel 263]

https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/organized-crime-medellin-murders/

"Medellín Sees Murders Rise After Years of Declining Violence

Hillside gangs quick to settle scores have been blamed for an increase in killings in the Colombian city of Medellín, yet changes in the city’s underworld are behind the rising body count.

In 2018, Medellín tallied 626 homicides, a 7.6 percent increase from the prior year. Battles among criminal groups were responsible for more than half the murders, El Tiempo reported.

https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/medellin/las-diez-bandas-detras-de-la-violencia-en-medellin-311768"

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by grifbel

[Jingthing 65,731]

https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/organized-crime-medellin-murders/

"Medellín Sees Murders Rise After Years of Declining Violence

Hillside gangs quick to settle scores have been blamed for an increase in killings in the Colombian city of Medellín, yet changes in the city’s underworld are behind the rising body count.

In 2018, Medellín tallied 626 homicides, a 7.6 percent increase from the prior year. Battles among criminal groups were responsible for more than half the murders, El Tiempo reported.

https://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/medellin/las-diez-bandas-detras-de-la-violencia-en-medellin-311768"

 

Yes. Those articles are from January and February. Readers of this thread will know that negative news was already posted here and discussed.

 

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[seasia 1,212]

Hi

 

2 links to articles I found interesting and nicely written.

 

First is from an investment site,encouraging investment and visits to Medellin.

The article deals with safety aspects, seems quite well balanced to me

 

 

 

"Even if you have only just vaguely heard of Medellin in the past, you’ve undoubtedly heard something about the city in relation to violence, cocaine, Pablo Escobar, and things of that nature.

Those who have only ever heard of Medellin on the news have quite a different picture in their head about the city versus those who have visited in the last 10 years.

In 1991, Medellin was indeed a very dangerous place. With a homicide rate of more than 381 people per 100,000 residents, it was a homicide rate double that of the world’s current most violent city, San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

But Pablo Escobar has long since been dead and amazing strides have been made to turn this city from the world’s most violent into the world’s most innovative. All within about 20 years.

No one could argue that things aren’t better here. Nor could they argue that things are perfect here.

Talking about safety and violence in this city as it stands today is a tough subject. It invites criticism from both sides who will say I am either painting the city in a negative light by talking about crime or that I am looking at things with rose colored glasses and dismissing some of the real dangers.

It is also a difficult subject to address because the perception of safety differs from one person to another based on a person’s life experience, perspective, previous exposure to similar environments, etc.................."

 

From and full article @ https://www.lifeafarinvestments.com/medellin-safety-statistics/

 

2nd article is from an adventure site, covers, cycling, trailing, bird watching and more. Also travel safety.

Nicely written.

 

"Colombia boasts huge mountain ranges, large portions of the Amazon, and endless coastline and surf breaks. But can a country come back from a civil war to become a mecca for adventure?..........."

 

Long article       https://www.outsideonline.com/2399499/colombia-travel-safety-2019

[Odysseus123 12,489]

Hi Seasia,

 

I think that "re-locating" has a lot to do with age and level of fitness-possibly mental toughness as well.

Different strokes for different folks.

My friends have just pulled out after 10 years in Yucatan.They got totally fed up with the place and re-retired back to Kent!

[CaptainJack 758]

46 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hi Seasia,

 

I think that "re-locating" has a lot to do with age and level of fitness-possibly mental toughness as well.

Different strokes for different folks.

My friends have just pulled out after 10 years in Yucatan.They got totally fed up with the place and re-retired back to Kent!

Odysseus123,

 

That is a very accurate statement.   I might add that as I enter my 6th month back in the USA,  even though there have been many costs to move back, mentally,  emotionally and financially,  I more everyday recognize that at 66 years old, when I moved to Thailand,  and after 9 months made the decision to abandon that path, now 67, I am steadily finding the challenges coming home easier.

 

What I had to do was trust my own instincts and look at what is involved moving to Latin America,  a non Spanish speaking American,  how well I felt I could navigate that flying solo, and what would be the risks to try another country,  and possibly decide it was not for me, at perhaps 70 plus years old.

 

I am on a slow and steady pace to have a decent life here in the USA,  albeit,  I will likely be alone the rest of my life.   That is truly how I feel.  But! Just going to the gym everyday,  I am making new male friends,  have reconnected with a few others,  and see a light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

I will likely continue to travel,  spending months at a time away from home in the USA,  but will not cut ties again.   

 

Ironically,  my physical,  financial,  mental and emotional endurance is up to the task to try retirement outside the USA again.  What is now the major consideration is my age and medical care.   The other is the instability in other countries governments.   

 

I will go to Colombia with my friend in a few months,  and return to SE Asia to visit and possibly do more volunteer work,  but risk restarting a life and foundation back home in the USA again? No. I've made a decision.  I don't want to go through this again in my 70's.  

 

I appreciate your comment.  It really resonates with me.

 

CJ

[Odysseus123 12,489]

Captain Jack-an excellent post and a pleasure talking to you sir!

 

I have been turning things over in my mind and this is what I have come up with..

I am a traveller but not an expat.

 

I lived for 4 years in London but always regarded myself as a colonial passing through and would,eventually,return to my home country.

 

Later on I lived for a year in Portugal for the sheer pleasure of the thing.

 

I worked in Melanesia,Indonesia and India and thoroughly enjoyed the experience but-yet again-it was a temporary sort of thing..

 

But the experience of being an expat and a "farang" on a full time basis was something else again and,over time,I did not like it at all.My roots were embedded too deep in my home country to entirely surrender to the whims of another country and it's cultural demands.I believe my friends in Yucatan probably came to a broadly similar conclusion.

 

To sum up-if I was physically capable of doing so I would travel again but I would never contemplate going back to being an expat.The financial/physical and emotional costs were far too high for me.

 

Have a great day!

 

Ody.

[Jingthing 65,731]

Yes these decisions are so specific to individuals. I liked that quote of being more of a traveler than an expat. Well I used to be passionate about traveling but at this point I'm more of an expat than a traveler.

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[CaptainJack 758]

35 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes these decisions are so specific to individuals. I liked that quote of being more of a traveler than an expat. Well I used to be passionate about traveling but at this point I'm more of an expat than a traveler.

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Jingthing, 

 

Life is definitely an adventure in self discovery and awareness.  Some of us are slow learner's (lol). Thank you for keeping this topic alive.......

 

CJ

[Odysseus123 12,489]

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yes these decisions are so specific to individuals. I liked that quote of being more of a traveler than an expat. Well I used to be passionate about traveling but at this point I'm more of an expat than a traveler.

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I think that you are correct...

 

One is "a traveller to a strange land"

and an expat is "a stranger in a strange land"

 

That's my take on it,anyway.

[grifbel 263]

More bad news from real and credible sources.....gonna go ahead and cross this place off my list....

 

https://www.france24.com/en/20190829-ex-farc-leaders-ready-launch-new-offensive-against-government

https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-peace-in-our-time-in-colombia-11568674469

[Jingthing 65,731]

More bad news from real and credible sources.....gonna go ahead and cross this place off my list....

 

https://www.france24.com/en/20190829-ex-farc-leaders-ready-launch-new-offensive-against-government

https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-peace-in-our-time-in-colombia-11568674469

Was it ever really on your list? Honestly? Your link in the free part shows nothing new that hasn't already been posted here before about the FARC so called reactivation. As I doubt very many of us are WSJ subscribers and I assume you aren't either but if you are can you share with us a summary of the paywall part of the article? Maybe there is something new in that. Cheers.

 

 

 

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[Jingthing 65,731]

A small change in my thinking. The primary reason I had rejected Ecuador was the visa hassle especially coming from Thailand discussed multiple times before. But the change is that now the primary reason I am rejecting it is very high altitude. Of course not all of Ecuador is very high altitude but the place that seems by far the best there happens to be very high altitude Cuenca.

This reason is more pleasing to me but I've come by it sincerely. More pleasing because it wouldn't be so great to pass up a wonderful expat option only to avoid relatively short term hassles and expenses.

Similarly for Peru. Arequipa seems like the best place there for my purposes but it is also very high altitude. Though I have a larger list of cons for Arequipa and Peru in general so the visa part wasn't the main reason I had rejected it anyway.

Which yes still leaves Mexico and mainly Colombia as pretty much the only Latin American nations on my consideration list.

OK but Panama isn't completely eliminated either.

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[CaptainNemo 327]

Latin Americans defintely have an appeal