What I Discovered After A Year in Medellin...
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- Опубліковано 1 гру 2022
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This is the story of my year in Medellin, Colombia - No holds barred / No filter.
I'm giving you my HONEST review so that you can make up your own minds on if you want to visit or move to Medellin or Colombia.
I cover things such as dating, safety and cost of living (amongst many others.)
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MY YEAR IN MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA.
AN UNBIASED REVIEW.
GOOD:
Cost of Living
Friendly Locals
Beautiful City
Great Place for Immersion
Options are Endless
Groups for Everything
Expat Community is Great (mostly)
My Girlfriend (and Dating)
BAD:
Weather
Colombians Don't Speak English
The Service
The Food
Time is Not a Thing
Organization is Optional
Safety is ...
Rental Prices
UGLY:
Scopolamine
Expat Community (that's why I said "mostly" before)
Death Threats
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🔗 LINKS
Dating Red Flags:
• How to Spot "Dangerous...
G'day, my name's AK and on this channel I explore expat life in Medellin, Colombia. Whether you're considering moving to Medellin or just visiting Colombia, I've got you covered. Join me as I show you exactly what living in Medellin and Colombia as an expat is really like.
Safety Tips:
• 25 Safety Tips EVERY M...
Top 7 Things to do in Medellin:
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Colombian Digital Visa Guide:
• Digital Nomad Visa Col...
Medellin Street Interviews:
• Do Women Like Dating O...
Brazil Vlogs:
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GringoPaisa Facebook Group:
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#colombia #medellin #travel #medellincolombia
I lived in Medellin for about 3 years and I never felt unsafe. I think the life altering event that occurred pushed a lot more people into criminal enterprises. I moved to a smaller city about two and a half years ago, and I love Colombia. I met a lot of nice ladies on Latin American Cupid. The criminals who want to rob you are not going to chat with you for a month online when they can find someone on Tinder in 15 minutes.
Yeah I don't think they want to rob me, I'm honestly not sure what their motivation is rather than trying to get me to stop making content that helps foreigners avoid crime.
You'd be surprised. Most of
These robberies they make more than $10K , it's worth it for them to invest the time
Colombian here living in states and wanted to thank you for your fair & balanced view. I thoroughly enjoy the words of wisdom you share
My pleasure brother! Glad you're enjoying the content, plenty more to come!
Thanks for the continued great content and helpful information. I will be going to Medellin in a few days and your channel has been crucial in my preparation. You the man AK👊 Nuff love from Toronto, 🇨🇦
That's great to hear mate! Happy I could help you out, enjoy the city!!
For MORE INFO on the Medellin Masterclass ► medellinmasterclass.com/
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Me and the wife going to medellin for Christmas. I am from Detroit Michigan so I know how to conduct myself in any environment. People say Detroit is dangerous but I never had any problems you just have to know where to go and not to go I think that rule is universal. We will be staying in a 5 star Hotel in El Poblado and then venture out from there
Sounds like a good plan Randy, have fun in Medellin!
el ploblado is where the most robberies occur
haha, I'm from Detroit(ish), too, and every time someone says Medellin is dangerous, I remind myself what I'm used to dealing with!
Agree or disagree with my review?
Let me know in the comments &
Watch my other Colombia vids here: ua-cam.com/play/PLeSnTO81T3ByrkDABhdXHAnPhwcQzomsW.html
Don't let some internet troll scare you out of a country. If you are online and have any sort of following you will have haters and be threatened. Just tell them to F-off. Welcome to the club kid.
Hey mate, c-ya soon in Oz 🦘
Show your Colombian girlfriend your way to do it Down Under 🇦🇺 , but that's just my opinion...as for the weird arse comments, well to see if they are full of shit you'll have to set a counter attack/ trap and see if they take the bate🎣... now that would make great content, you know kinda like a uncover sting operation but with Colombian so called street justice.
Aussie Aussie Aussie
You know the rest 🪃
@@stephensedgmen9165 hahaha sounds like a good idea but even I'm not crazy enough to f*ck with Colombians. If you know you know sadly.
@@goodsamaritan2233 you've received similar mate?
@@AKJoel sure have. It's gonna happen when you have an audience
Thanks for the “short” by providing the table of contents 👍🏾
No problem!
Great video, very informative and honest. Thanks for the content.
Tremendous amount of great advise on this channel by you and in the comments. It has really provided great information to help evaluate where my next winter, 3 month destination will be. Thanks
Thanks, glad you found it useful - hope you enjoy your winter trip wherever you go!
Very good video Mate, always insightful and helpful
Glad ya enjoyed it Dave 👍🏾
Well I love your videos and hope you keep making them. Thanks as always for being honest and helpful.
Cheers brother! I appreciate the ongoing support!
I'm expanding the range of the channel & focusing in on my "mission statement" over the following year so hope you continue to enjoy the content!
@@AKJoel Yup, that sounds awesome.
We appreciate all these valuable consejos!
Cheers mate, glad you're finding them useful!! 👍🏾
So I watched the video to the end and all I can say is WOW, and unfortunately I would take those threats seriously. I've lived in Medellin, my wife is from Medellin. We actually met on a language exchange platform a few years ago. As you say there's a lot of great people and great places in Medellin. However it's just the fact you do have to keep your head on a swivel there and if you're not from South America this is something that some people can't get used to, or they have to learn the hard way. On a lighter note as I was watching the video and you got to the part about "some Colombians don't even have the concept of time" I had to call my wife over to my laptop and translate that part as I was laughing out loud !!! it's so flipping true and she's extremely guilty of this as well!! Hope you're enjoying Brazil, keep making videos, follow your gut instincts and your intuition ...Cuidete...Suerte!!
Which language exchange platform did ya meet on? What an awesome story man, good for you guys!!
These videos are great mate.
Nice one 🙌🏻
Cheers mate!
Love it when they show up 2 hrs late for a date with a smile and no explanation. Nothing to do but get used to it
Hahaha just gotta learn to tell them come at 6pm, then you show up at 8pm 😂
I find that to be the rule anywhere south of the US Border.
No dar papaya!
Good job Joel. Cheers.Merry Christmas 🎄
Cheers mate, you too!!
Fantastic video with a lot of valuable content. The TLDR; list at the start perked my interest to watch the whole thing, which I did. Subscribed.
Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed it!! 👍🏾
Your channel is gonna blow up, I feel it! Keep pushing out content
Thanks mate I appreciate it! I'm focusing on quality, consistency and creativity and hopefully UA-cam will do the rest! haha
Very interesting and informational video - Thank you very much! 🙏🏻☺(I am also sorry to hear that you received some bad comments that made you to reconsider to stay much longer in Medellin.) But your travel goes on 🙌🏻 now in Brasil and i am happy for you two! Always good and safe travels! Greetings from the country, where we are at least 5 Minutes prior the agreed time 😄⏰ -Karim
Haha I knew I had a few German subs so I threw that in there! Glad you enjoyed it mate!
I came to Medellin in 2021 knowing only 20 words and 5 phrases of Spanish Language. I was then able to use public transportation. Order food at restaurants , visit parks , and use Google Translator to date Medellin girlfriends that knew less English. After 6 more trips my Spanish beginner pre- A1 level is 200 words and 30 phrases. I’m familiar with more words and likely get to the A1 level next year. I’m familiar with many grammar concepts.
Great video. I loved Colombia, people, weather, beauty, etc. and I had lots of similar feelings that you expressed well here. As watch your more recent videos, I feel like something has changed. You've made the adjustment, you don't mind always looking over your shoulder and not feeling like you can relax.
I return in a couple months and I am going to give Colombia another try.
What changed is that I made a lot more Colombian friends (many of whom grew up in or still live in "the hood")
I asked them about these threats and they told me don't worry about it. That's not how they operate down here.
@@AKJoelYes, Colombian people are so warm and friendly and all of your takes are dead on! I live in Bogotá which I love for the weather and of course my partner. My partner’s family lives in the “hoods” and I have always felt safe and wanted in areas most visitors would never visit. I am accepting of people and interested in people on a personal level which always returns the same friendliness and respect that I project. A+ people live in Colombia just don’t tell my gringo friends 😅
I really appreciate your in-depth and rapid videos and of course your genuineness and generosity.
Gracias, mi amigo
You seem like a really nice and honest person and as an Australian I was really angry to hear people threatening you. Keep doing you
Cheers mate! I appreciate it. Those are the ups and downs of UA-cam I guess! haha
Awesome video, much appreciated!
Glad you found it useful mate! 👍🏾👊🏾
Valuable video. Honest. And pretty balanced. It's a shame you got threats for posting your opinions. Stay safe, enjoy life, and I totally agree, when it no longer feels safe, you gotta ask yourself is it worth it. I love Colombia, but it is certainly not without it's dangers.
Cheers for watching and commenting mate, glad ya found it useful 👍🏾
Great info!
looking forward to this one.
Your comments about the rain really struck gold with me because I experienced something very similar. Back in 1982, I was working in Richmond, CA for a major oil company (first job after graduating university) and was assigned to work on automation design in support of a huge refinery expansion in the Deep South of Mississippi on the Gulf Coast. I decided to transfer and work at the Mississippi location to broaden my life and work experiences, so I moved from the SF/Bay Area to the Deep South. I got there in June '82 ready to hit the ground running so to speak. That is when the weather totally derailed me. It rained hard every single day during June, July and August. I would come home from work and be stuck inside because it would be continuous rain. My life consisted of get up, go to work, get home, and drink beer stuck in the house, go to bed. Rinse and repeat. The summer months were also extremely hot, and the humidity was brutal. I soon realized that I had to get off my rear or I would end up fat and depressed. My friends were runners so i took up running to get out of the house and stop being a coach potato. I learned that the optimum time to go out running was to begin my daily runs at 5 am, to avoid the heat and humidity build. I really hated that rain! It took me about three months to get used to the stifling heat and humidity, but I got to the point of going water skiing on Saturdays out on the boat all day in the heat and sun with no issues (got a great tan too). In my transfer papers, I made sure I had set up a way to move back to the SF/Bay Area so after living in the Deep South for three years, I opted to transfer back. My belongings were professionally packed up in a moving van in early-December (in the worst rain ever, now cold) and I drove back with the goal of getting to my new place at least one day ahead of when the moving van arrived. Got my stuff unloaded off the van, organized as best I could, then I drove non-stop to Salt Lake City, UT, hung out with friends and had a great time powder snow skiing at some of the best locations. During my final months in the south, I connected with good friends back in California and joined in on renting a ski cabin for the 1994-95 winter season, so after I was done skiing in Utah (Snowbird, Alta, Park City), I drove to the ski cabin located right next to the Squaw Valley (now called Palisades Tahoe) ski resort and spent the last two weeks of December hitting the slopes. Looking back, living in the Deep South was like living in a foreign country because the pace of life was much slower, and it took a long time to get used to the southern accents (still English, but much different as every southern state had a different dialect) and much of the food was deep-fried (fried chicken. fried fish, fried oysters, fried shellfish, etc.) which was much less healthy. Food, Climate, Language, Life Pace are exactly as you describe it. It was jarring moving to the Deep South of the USA. Since 1985, I have lived in the SF/Bay Area (except for three years in Utah, 1991-92/92-93/93-94). Weather is good in the Bay Area, no humidity, food choices are as diverse as you wish, outstanding hiking and biking trails. It is an expensive place to live, but I had a very good job and retired well-funded. I don't have to be "always on" "head on a swivel, constantly checking out who is around me" where I live. I don't need to look for a lower cost of living. I hate to be late. I get irritated by lackadaisical people. I can afford to live here because of choices made early on. I don't speak Spanish and find learning it is a real pain. Been married twice, been there done that and not looking to repeat. So, maybe Colombia is not for me.
Yeah lower cost of living is probably the top drawing point for people coming here, so if that doesn't concern you there might be other places that suit you better!
I've been to Medellin 4 times this year and plan on going back right after Christmas. Best city in the Western hemisphere.. if my son wasn't 12 I would already live there because I work remotely amd can live ANYWHERE amd work 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Definitely one of the best!
Why would you say best?
@@wanderingdoc5075 Subjective opinion..but I haven't been to EVERY city in the western hemisphere 😉😉🤣🤣but I will list a few that I have lived/visited think Medellin are better than.. not bigger, just better in my opinion. Miami, NYC, Nashville, Rio, Orlando, Mexico city, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Dominican republic (country I know) cancun, Philadelphia, Houton.Houston.. ok this is ridiculous. I could do this all day🤣🤣🤣
@@leshardley4248 I've been to most of those cities, and I've lived in and been to over 20 countries in Asia. However, I'm a complete South America noob. I am planning a 6 to 8 month slow travel trip in South America for 2023, if I wanted to visit three to four countries how would you suggest I plan my trip? I appreciate your input.
@@wanderingdoc5075 Rio is a must, a truly amazing place but it can be quite dangerous outside of the tourist areas. Then I would visit Colombias 3 cities. Bogota, Cartagena & Medellin. I was also VERY impressed with Mexico City. Visiting The pyramid of the sun was amazing. You can actually walk atop the pyramids, the largest in the world that you can walk on that it is. I have never visited Machu Picchu in Peru but it's on my bucket list. That list should keep you busy for a few weeks😉🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Had me at mates in Seattle. Good choice
I absolutely loved it there!
I do remember reading medellin was name city of the year in 2013 when i first started reading and doing history lessons of medellin, I even fell in love with the name.
You're right - Medellin was voted the world's most innovative city in 2013!
AK - this is a great video! Thanks for making it. It’s a shame that people have threatened you like this. I hope you’ll stay in Medellin because I’m planning on moving there for part of the year and I’ve connected with Andrew. I think people in any city can feel like newcomers are ruining things for the locals, and some newcomers do. Here in Denver, Colorado I’ve seen people move here, buy huge SUVs they don’t need and then live 30-45 minutes from where they work. When we already have a traffic problem and air pollution problem this isn’t attractive. However I’ve never threatened anyone and apart from a few close friends, I’ve kept these thoughts to myself and I’ve welcomed dozens of new people our city. Again, thanks so much for all of the detail you provided here and for your candor. Great job!
Glad you enjoyed the video mate! I made this a while ago and after some detective work I figured out that the person threatening me wasn't even Colombian. It was a US UA-camr making Medellin content, trying to scare away the rest of the competition lol
Great video! I've been living here in Poblado for a few weeks now and have just started to notice that fellow expats are not always... of the brightest intentions. Luckily, have have several local Colombian friends to associate with and I usually go out into the city with them. No dar Papaya!
Yeah good idea - I almost exclusively only hang with locals: you're gonna have a much more fulfilling experience 👍🏾🇨🇴
The Americans are the worst
I'm really sorry they're doing that. I will pray for your continued safety
Hello Joel. I really enjoy your vlogs. I am seriously considering a long term stay or move to Medellin.
Thanks Steve! Glad you're enjoying the vids.
It's overall a great place to live, hope you decide to make the move & let me know if you need any consulting where I can answer any questions you have about the city and moving here 👍🏾
Message me on Insta: @aks_illusion
Also - you are spot on about the rain. I was in El Poblado this past week and it seemed to be drizzling nonstop which wasn’t a big deal. I ran into a guy selling umbrellas for $15,000 COP. I probably overpaid, but it was well worth it.
haha that's only $4 so not much of a loss!
@@AKJoel It was well worth it. I didn’t know where to go to buy an umbrella - maybe an Exito, but the one nearby closes at 9p.
100% on all of this. i live in a neighborhood that isn't exactly 'hipster' and i pay around 250 US for a studio. my paisa friends think 'm paying too much but i trust my landlord, and i really like my neighborhood. as to the expats on social media..agreed, and constantly amazed at why most of them stay here as so many of them seem to to hate it so much. come back soon man..we need more people like you here who buck the stereotypes of the typical 'gringo'.
If it is in Medellin, it may not be expensive, although that figure is a minimum wage in Colombia, in other cities the rents are between 500,000 pesos and 800,000 pesos depending on whether it is a house with parking or an apartment, although the area where you live in Medellin.
$250 in Poblado won't even get you a room with a private bathroom!
I appreciate the kind words and the support mate 👍🏾 nice to see there's still some good blokes like us left haha
@@AKJoel yea man, there are some.. i try to not get on my high horse about it but god damn it frustrates me to no end hearing the same old complaints from the same old people about the same old bullshit. but i'm not looking for drugs, prepagos, or party culture. my crazy nights (and the ones where i admittedly put myself at risk) are the ones where i walk home tipsy at 9 after a night with the paisa homies, and a few too many águila on the sidewalk outside my favorite tienda spot. maybe i'm delusional but i genuinely feel like it's a different city entirely from the one a lot of expats seem to experience.
That sounds like good clean fun mate - nothing wrong with a coupla beers with the lads! 🍺
But yeah man, we've experienced a completely different side of Medellin than 99% of travelers just cos we're interested in the culture, language and locals - I find that goes a long way, wherever you travel to!
@Kam well said man! Too many sexpat UA-camrs promoting this seedy lifestyle.
thanks for your video, have been to Medellin twice, one week at a time, in '21. I am making plans to come to Medellin in February,'23, main purpose is to study spanish.Your video was good information for me, will checking out your other videos......thank you....
Awesome mate hope you enjoy your Medellin journey!
Thanks for sharing these insights AK Joel! So helpful ...so sorry you are receiving those messages!
Curious - What is dating in Colombia like for expat women looking to date Colombian men?
Good question! I'm not really sure but I don't think any foreign woman really comes here to date
@@AKJoel haha wow really - I know so many women here in NYC who are really interested in dating Colombian men hahaha
I mean they aren’t trying to live as expats tho lol
@@violetapaletaa I'm assuming those Colombian men are a bit more Americanized though right?
@@AKJoel hmm no not really - I’m noticing here that the “accento paisa” is really attractive to lot of women here in nyc rn lol it might be too because of the new wave of raggaeton that’s coming out of Medellin ??
@@violetapaletaa Yes that could be!! haha good for them!
Great information and content. I agree with everything you said cause I spent an enormous amount of time there before the influx of gringos and it was way different back then than now especially in 2015 and 2021
Yeah I can imagine how different it would've been! But hey, it's still pretty great now :)
All true BUT 1) as just about everywhere else in the world climate has been pretty screwed up in Medellin this year with much more rain than usual + the influence of La Niña ocean currents 2) you can “train” locals close to you to better respect appointment hours by explaining that in your culture it’s rude to be late: I have a few friends who have learned to be on time and even message me as they get closer to me (I am sure they only apply that to me); many restaurants do the same thing by keeping your reservation no more than 15 minutes from the agreed reservation time, and it works. So you have to be proactive on that front 3) I agree with your assessment of Colombian food BUT I make it a point to never ever give a negative appreciation of their food to local friends: be it as it may Colombians are very proud of their food and, although they won’t tell you, feel really insulted if you criticize their food 4) being patient, patient, patient is a survival rule here; bad service and delays do not get better, in fact they get worse if you do not keep your composure and smile despite your rage: that is a general rule for most of Latin America, and not specific to Colombia. 5) “gringo prices” were brought in by…gringos: they are too often ready to over tip and over pay for anything, and have themselves created expectations which were not here before (apartments are often owned by gringos who see it an investment and milk other gringos for as much as they can, not having the slightest interest in Colombia, it’s culture, and it’s people)
Well said! All valid points!
Well said parce'!
For me Medellin is heaven. Love it.
Definitely has a lot of positives!!
Thanks for this video and for being transparent about the unsettling situation you found yourself in. I would like like to watch the follow up video to this (if you made one) about what made you stay in Medellin following the death threats. Can you link it here please?
Hey, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I didn't make a follow up video cost I didn't want to focus on the negative, but the reason I stayed is that after some investigation I found out the death threats were coming from an American UA-camr making videos in Medellin.
He wanted to scare away the competition, so he was sending threatening messages to other UA-camrs who were making content in Medellin.
@@AKJoelGlad you found out the truth and it wasn't as bad as it seemed. Can't believe some people! Great you decided to stay and keep making great content mate
@@AKJoelToo many Americans make living not pleasant, hence why I left. Personally, I’d never live in Medellin because there are too many gringos! Unfortunately, they have brought too much of America with them here and some Colombians are rightly resentful. I would guess that it’s no less safe for gringos today.
Great video. As someone that bounces between Los Angeles and Medellin I agree with everything you said. Dont sweat the comment threats from the keyboard gangsters. Keep up the good work.
Cheers Trey 👍🏾👊🏾
Oh! Dude...The highlights??? Whaaaaa....?
Thanks gift sharing the ugly. Continue to be safe. Update is on your journey to Argentina.
I'm back in Medellin! Never made it to Argentina but I'm visiting Bolivia at the end of the year :)
I was there 3 times starting 1996 last time was 1998 and some things don’t change there being late for dates , and the food is bland , if you want to get in trouble fast you will find it there very quick , you need to be on guard at all times that is why I prefer Santa Cruz Bolivia or Asuncion
You don't get bored in Santa Cruz or Asuncion? Medellin can be dangerous, but at least there's plenty to do haha!
@@AKJoel Santa Cruz has got a good night life , at least your not walking around on pins and needles
Hello Joel How do I find the language exchanges you were talking about. Thx
Hey mate, feel free to send a message to these guys - they know about all the events happening in the city!
instagram.com/mdecommunity/
Hey there! I do not know how the situation is Medellin is nowadays, as it has been almost six years since I last travelled there. But in Bogota there are plenty of vegan options. And yeah, Colombian food might not be as exquisite as Peruvian (IMO) but there are plenty of tasty dishes. Moreover there are restaurants from all world cuisines (again, I am speaking from the Bogotanian side of things)
BTW, I am so sorry about those threats
What are some of your fav Colombian dishes?
And I appreciate the concern mate, it was a rough time but it's since been resolved!
I'm coming to medellin on the 7th December in 5 days time, I fly in at 7pm. Will it be safe for to get an taxi/uber straight to my hotel I'm staying at?? loved this video has its made me aware of the possible danagers ! keep up the good content mate
You will be fine. When you get through security hit the ATM straight ahead of you. Grab 200,000 COP. Once you exit the terminal hang a left and tell the white taxis where you want to go. 90,000 COP for the ride. You will have some pocket change while you get your feet under you. If you follow the words given to me by a Vegas cop in my younger years you will be fine, “If you wouldn’t do that at home, don’t do it here.” Tinder dates is the exception. If you’re coming here for dating remember fast and easy will get you in trouble.
Uber or white taxi is fine.
I cover that as #1 of 20 tips in the below video:
ua-cam.com/video/S-FkCXq4nes/v-deo.html
@@travisho76 Thanks for getting me. I act the correct way in England thats where I'm from so I wouldn't act any other way in another👍 I'm not travelling all this way to hook up, I'll leave all of that home where its alot safer to do so. I want to improve my spanish, take some dancing classes, get involved with the selection of language exchanges Medellin has to offer and so on. I'm sure I'll have a great time 👍
You will enjoy it.
Hey Joel, not a bad video but regarding the weather Colombia is currently affected by La Nina depression system which is causing the unending rain season!
And regarding the food all opinions are valid and they are very traditional about their food which might be a big shocker to someone that comes from a multi-ethnic country where food is being influenced by many differet cultures!
Enjoy your travels!
Thanks mate - cheers for watching and commenting! Yeah I hope once this La Nina depression is over, then the city returns to its state of "eternal spring."
Regarding the food, what are your favourite Colombian dishes that someone else reading this absolutely HAS to try?
@@AKJoel 1.👍 They Have All The Quality / Variety Of Fresh And Natural Fruits And Vegetables,🍍🍉🥝🍇 🥑🍅🥦Ajiaco, Quinoa Soup, Mondongo, Bandeja Paisa, Egg Arepa, Chicken Arepa, Cheese Arepa, Chicken Rice, Rice With Vegetables, Fresh Fish, Coconut Rice, Delicious Patacon, Fresh Vegetable Salads Every Day, Fresh Fruit Salads Every Day, Fresh Fruit Juices Every Day, Vegetable Soup Every Day, Avocados All Year, Desserts and Fritters, Tamales, and Many More All the Food is Delicious and Fresh All Year!!!...👍
Thank you for posting not just this video but all your others I’ve been watching yours and a few other guys like life with David and where’s Wes even though they are kind of strange lol no offense David or Wes your just odd guys xD but I enjoy you guys and oh! I can’t forget geno Perez adventures he’s a freakin AWESOME guy that man! But I’m getting off track, I appreciate all you guys videos and I can’t wait to finish up my duolingo or as much as I can take of it before I can’t resist coming! I’m starting my passport application next week and hope to come for a month or maybe more in a couple or few months :D
Hahaha I suppose we've all gotta be a little bit odd to leave good jobs in established countries and start fresh in South America!
@@AKJoel haha I cannot judge I currently have a mix of you guys videos now just learning more at my leisure while I do other things online :D it’s really appealing to move over though! I’m hoping to make my decision on it while I visit but I’m already going towards yes!
Do it, you'll love it here! 👍🏾
@@AKJoel it’s the guys like you and the others I’ve been watching that certainly make me want to! I’m sorry for my late reply I have just gotten my passport application and everything printed and copied I need for my passport appt next week, one thing I was wondering brother is that on one of my copies of secondary proofs (my social security card) is very faint around the border like it blends into the page it’s photocopied onto, it’s still legible but do you think this would be an issue? My copy of my ID is a little light too on the copy but it’s still all legible and you can make out the details and info, it looks almost like the copy places machine or ink is on the way out, none the less I copied 3 IDs total being my Social security, my ID, and my insurance card in addition to my birth certificate will this suffice?
I apologize my friend I’m totally new to all of this and jumping in feet first haha! Also will a covid test I can buy at the pharmacy suffice the requirement if I was to do it the day before or right there or whatever they want?
a guy tried to rob me in miami and I told him I aint giving him shit. He said dude I have a gun and I got out the car and stood in his face and told him to shoot if he wants coz I aint giving him shit! Dude said "you crazy man" and walked off. lol
Good video, I might not stay in Medellín long term, rental prices are just insane here for any place that is well furnished and has the right accommodations. I also don't like the high crime. The weather is a touch too hot for me. I think I'll go to Argentina.
Yeah you're right - rental prices are still good compared to other parts of the world such as Mexico City, however in the last 12 months I've seen these well furnished, modern places jump in price 50-100% - it's crazy!!
Great HONEST video!!! .. I was going to wait till the end to leave a comment but at minute mark 11:30, I had to stop and just say , preach brother preach!! I don't get why these UA-camrs keeps saying it's the city of eternal spring. I left Vancouver Island in the winter to get away from all the rain the only difference here in Medellin it's a bit warmer but just as much rain!! And yes Spanish is a must in most parts of Colombia. :)
Glad you enjoyed it! Definitely wanted to be completely honest about everything, no point sugar coating! Haha
I’ve been trying to get a remote job for extremely long in order to move to Colombia. It’s my dream. It’s nearly impossible.
I just wrote a book on this topic: www.akjoel.com/makemoneyonlinebundle
Great, well balanced video! The messages you got were probably from people who messing with you without any real plan to do anything. However I would have done the same thing that you did in your situation. Medellin is a beautiful city and just like any other city you have the city and you have the streets/underbelly. As long as you how to move in each, or how to avoid things outside of your comfort zone then you’ll be fine out there.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video! I have an update on the death threat situation actually and I'll make a video on that soon!
I've been to Medellin recently. I thought the food was great! But then again I was coming from the Dominican Republic where you better like rice and beans!
What were your favourite Colombian dishes mate?
The plate of the day was always good, filling and cheap...
cartegena is safe, all cities have bad areas, [i;ve been in colombia for over 6 months and had zero problems]
canadian friend has been there 4yrs[got married], lives in gated condo with a view of Caribbean sea....i'm going down in a month to possibly buy a condo in or near his building :) I wouldn;t do what you;re doing[making videos] just draws attention to you as you can tell by the messges you got!! be safe! great info btw
Glad you enjoyed it!
Cartagena, at least in Centro inside the walled city has vastly improved safety-wise, with such an increase in police presence the past 2-3 years. Also, street “beggars” mainly from Venezuela have been largely cleared out. Tourist areas in and around Bocagrande are also fairly safe. However, once you venture out of these areas you into Barrios etc., you expose yourself to angry motorbike riders etc., who will steal rob you even while staying on their bikes within sight of police. So, be smart, not naive.
Good Spanish is a must in South America
100%
¿what type of visa did u have to stay in colombia for a full year
Student visa
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Never heard of Spring showers bring May flowers? Spring does rain and it's not that long I've been in Belen since November 2021 arrived in August 2021 staying in hotels
Belen is the best spot in the whole city 👍🏾
@@AKJoel I would prefer nutibara but for price and access it is the best I think also slightly better mall the unicentro also
Great video. Where are these great language exchanges that you speak of? The ones I've been to have been pretty much a joke. They're largely just gatherings and a ploy to sell drinks.
The ones in Poblado are mostly a joke, they're just parties pretending to be language exchanges lol I went to Dulce Poisson a couple of times in Laureles (which is in a cafe) and it was a much better vibe - you could see people actually came there to learn.
From what I heard, you have only lived in Medellin, so my advice is not to generalize that Colombia is like this or like that as your experience is only based on Medellin. Medellin is very different from other cities like Cali, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Manizales or Bogota. It would be great if you get some time to travel around Colombia!
I've been to all those cities (except Manizales), plus Bogota, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Eje Cafetero and a few other pueblos. In my opinion Medellin is the best (despite some flaws.)
What neighborhood you live in? Looking to move to Medallo as my family live there already.
Colombian food is not great. Although keep in mind that we eat rice, beans, pork rinds, etc for every meal of the day.
In terms of meat, it is not the best. The pastries are not that good either. Although empanadas, pan de bono, buñuelos, pan de yuca, etc are my weakness.
I live in Laureles - for what I want it's the best. Yeah I don't think anybody is moving to Medellin for the quality of the food, that's for sure haha
What did you or do you still use to teach yourself Spanish?
My progression was:
Duolingo (however I think Babbel is better)
Zoom Lessons with Tutor
Podcasts
TV shows
Language Exchanges
I been going to Colombia for 15 years and never had any issues and been living in poblado for parts of the past 5 Years or so. Always use UBER most of time and taxis during the day. Luv the city but crime is on rise and looking at Portugal and España.
Does the crime affect you though?
What papers do I need as an expat to work remotely there?
This video should help:
ua-cam.com/video/gfb-lJAKsK8/v-deo.html
If you need any more advice, feel free to book a consult here:
www.akjoel.com/consultations
Of all the different types of foods, why Ethiopian foods?
Ethiopian foods use specific types of spices so not sure if it would be profitable if there are no local suppliers.
Haha I just said that's my favourite. There's no evidence at all that it'd be successful in Medellin 😂
My friend, I'm from another region in Colombia living in Medellin since 2019. Paisas are the most double face people I have ever met. They "act" nice from the get go but they are not sincere. Beware.
I love Medellin
Me too!
Can you beat my 600 day straight-learning streak on duolingo??!
😅
Haha wow that's a great effort! I deleted DuoLingo and I'm using Babbel to learn Portuguese now - check it out!
heads up, you do have to have the yellow fever vaccine to get back into Colombia from Brasil.
and apparently you have to wait in country for a few days after you get it before you can fly back.
or, you have to fly to another country that colombia doesnt require the vaccine from and then fly into medellin.
Damn, what a headache!! Cheers for the heads up mate
@@AKJoel you can double check, but i know a digital nomad in medellin who went through the same thing and someone ask the same question about this on a facebook group I am in and what i wrote is the response everyone gave.
@@mojorider8067 yeh everything I'm reading says that too - ah well guess I'll have to get it!
@Kam wow that sounds horrible man... and they asked for the certificate to let you back into Colombia?
I think I'm gonna do that - quick trip to Uruguay or Buenos Aires! Your process sounds like too much of a headache unfortunately haha
Perspicacious
Thanks for watching!
I'm black and live in Chicago. Colombian food is NOT BAD.
He's hating, lol.
It's just not cosmopolitan like the big modern cities like Hong Kong, Japan, NY or Chicago.
Brazil has WAY LESS flavor in their food, unless you're doing Steakhouse.
I came directly from 1.5 years in Mexico so that's my point of comparison when it comes to food lol
The food?? What? I’ve been to Colombia🤣 and the food is good; I’m Nigerian so our food has a lot of spices, and even I enjoy Colombian food; it’s simple and filling
which were your favourite Colombian dishes?
I ask for the bill about ten minutes before finished at restaurant
That's a great idea 👍
I like the salads at ‘Saludpan ‘ on circular 4 , one block from 70 in Estadio- Laureles.
A super gringo 🤣🤣🤣 very insightful thanks mate!
Haha glad ya enjoyed it mate! 👍🏾
The poor Colombians need to understand that we're bringing money and possible business there.
Gringos sapping the wealth from the United States and giving it to Colombia is a very good thing.
It just means that certain neighborhoods will become more expensive.
If the government were smarter, they'd designate underserved communities as worthy of gentrification. Brazil is doing this with some success.
I may move there soon, and it's my hope to start a business there and employ the locals. I would also give nationals a discount if they show their ID.
Very well said, I agree 👍🏾
He deafly turned into a local guy with that hairstyle and tattoos all over himself. Without the accent, just not talking, he would look like a typical Venezuelan dude, or a black Colombian.
That's fine with me!
jajaja you took the words from my mouth on Colombian food compared to Mexican food. That Colombian time crap drives me nuts I am the always early guy lol. I also hate the bureaucracy there
haha yeh there's definitely some things you need to get used to!
So disagree with some of your comments (and after having viewed a lot of your content, that's not the norm cause I agree with you 99% of the time.
1 enternal spring. You literally moved next door to the Amazon rain forest, and Medellín is a lush city, how do you think it's that lush? Duh. And while it does rain almost daily, the showers are usually fleeting, the clouds pass quickly. That doesn't change the fact that the temperature is in the upper 70°F during the day, and mid to low 60°F at night, the whole year. I can't think of anywhere else with such consistent good weather.
2 the food. I hear the same comments on the expats groups regarding the food, but from people I know personally, they disagree big time. The food is great, but it comes from a culture that doesn't over season, or use a lot of sauces. Sauces are a huge source of calories, which helps contribute to the better health and fitness of the average Colombian. Colombian gastronomy is based around high quality local food, and it's not a global menu since tourism is in it's infancy. So while I agree on the lack of variety, I disagree big time on the quality and taste of the food.
3 lastly, the escopolomine. I've been traveling to Colombia since 1980, and have yet to meet a single person that has gotten drugged. Unfortunately the average gringo in Medellín is the lowest common denominator of human being, just looking for coke and hookers. If you look for the worst of humanity, you'll find it.
I think what happened was El Nino at the end of last year (when I made this video) when Medellin experienced al lot more rain than usual. You're right though - usually it's just an hour or so in the afternoon and then it clears up to bright sunshine as always. In respect to the food, that will always be an intensely debated topic lol Also the fact about Medellin attracting the worst type of human being, you are 100% correct. I really hope that changes soon!
The normal high temperature in Medellin is 24-27C not 20-22.. you have a 95% chance of rain at some point during the day. In dry season it’ll rain less than 20 mins during the day… during rainy season it can rain hard for up to three hours a day.
Too much rain either way 😂
You mention Uber several times.
I thought Uber was not allowed there?
Most taxi drivers use an app called Easy Taxi.
Uber is illegal but functions all over, you just have to sit in the front seat so cops think you're a friend and not a passenger
Jesus, dude. I am Colombian by birth and was thinking about buying a little finca in one of the charming little colonial towns in the mountains above the city and retiring there, but not anymore.
I have extended family in Medellin that are quite well connected, they are used to living with the constant vigilance you mentioned. Me, not so much. Can’t be arsed with that nonsense.
Those messages you were getting were absolutely chilling. It seems it’s not safe to have a public presence. You need to lay low and keep a low profile if you wanna be safe. Simply making UA-cam videos there could get you killed.
If I ever lived there the last thing I would do is make videos on UA-cam. Hell, aside from UA-cam, I don’t even use social media; no Faceborg, no Twatter, no Instascam. I have almost no online presence, by choice.
You might find the same thing will happen to you wherever you go in South America, if you continue as a UA-cam vlogger.
Anyway, wishing you the very best.
Funny story - I was actually pretty stressed about it for a little while cos Colombians don't play around...
But then after some digging I found out it was actually an American UA-camr also based in Medellin, who had been sending this messaging to rival UA-camrs to "scare away the competition."
Damn some people are crazy!
@@AKJoelNO WAYYYYY what UA-camr Name him so if he’s in me and my friends rotation we can unsubscribe if so!
@@AKJoel oh wow, that's a bummer! But on the other hand, I am glad that this appears to be less serious than you thought originally.
@@andreitoday Yeah to be honest I was very relieved! I
Just watched your video with Carolina entitled " Why Colombian Women LOVE Dating Foreigners. " BTW....her intro was better. Why did you turn off the COMMENTS for that video? Hummmmm....I wonder.😉😉😉😂😂😂
Lol if you know you know, too many creeps on Medellin UA-cam unfortunately.
is brazil safer than colombia?
I've only been in Brazil a month but I feel a lot safer here so far.
@@AKJoel Very little objective, to say something like that, in Brazil there is also insecurity
@@anamariaduarte4787 Medellin is much less safe than any city Ive been to in Brazil
@@AKJoel 1. 🧐Friend Objectivity above all... I lived in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro I know!...There is also insecurity and they steal, 🤔 No Place in the World is Perfect
Hello, the problem that you know only Medellin and you speak like your experience of Medellin is the same that in all Colombia. It's sad about yours mensajes but it's the problem about youtube too many people think all the youtubers are richs and try take money or make scared. Good luck in Brasil and Argentina.
Speaking specifically of Medellin, although there are general aspects (bad and good) that identify Colombians regardless of the region.
Hey Franck, thanks for your message! Yeah the video is mainly centered around the Medellin, but a lot of things do apply to Colombia as a whole. I get what you're saying though 👍🏾
1.🧐 Do not generalize!!!... because you are wrong only for a single city, you are not very objective!.. You do not know other Quiet and very Beautiful Places Like the Eastern Plains, Boyaca, Santander, San Andrés,Providencia, Santa Catalina, Mompox, Monteria, Valledupar, Coveñas, Tolu, Quindío Cafetero, Amazonas, Meta, Villavicencio They are very beautiful and quiet cities!...🤔 You don't know everything, but you generalize It's your mistake!... of Objectivity 🤨
Holy shit those FB groups are toxic.
Wonder if you will like BR this time. I never been but I speak a bit of Portuguese and the Rio beach life looks pretty good.
I loved Brazil! Can't wait to go back!
Rain? I’m in Florida 💀💀that’s a daily occurrence
hahaha rain sucks man!
El que logro que todos los extranjeros se congregaran en un solo lugar y que no salieran de alli merece un premio.
Estas hablando sobre Poblado?
@@AKJoel que comes que adivinas...
Gracias para enseñarme una nueva frase! 😂
@@AKJoel Very Typical Colombian Phrase, What Grandmothers and Mothers Say to Their Children👍
Hey... I think you should contact police and tell them about the messages... it’s important to track down those people... drug dealers are still around and that is how they operate... intimidation...
Thanks, but I figured out who it was!
@@AKJoel Hey Joel, great video. Oh man, don't leave us hanging! You found out who that was and maybe what the motive was? And you haven't posted that for us to see? Really? Or you did? Where is the link? I would LOVE to hear that story come full circle. C'mon Joel. Spill the beans!
Getting drugged is the man's fault don't be put yourself in those situations you can meet women at the park jogging that's where gonna go look for women when I visit medillin positive places positive people
I mean nobody deserves to be drugged, robbed (and sometimes killed) for making a few judgement mistakes - but you're also correct. The drugged and robbed cases usually happen when guys are looking for quick and easy sex and dismissing a lot of red flags in the process.
It's shocking to hear that last part
Yeah man, sucks but what can you do!
Joel, I am from Bogota. I have to admit most of what you say in your video is true, at least for Medellin, but don't generalize, Medellin is not all of Colombia, so don't generalize. As you are aware off, many "gringos" come to Medellin because they are looking for warm climate, easy women, sex, drugs and cheap way of living, not the kind of good citizens a community wants. Medellin is a beautiful city, but it's not the paradise digital nomads sell nor the best place on earth as most paisas (people from Medellin and Antioquia region) think. If you want culture, good food and specially get business done well, you are not going to get that in Medellin, Bogotá is the place to be. Paisa culture is pretty complex, have you asked yourself why the drug business was so strong in Medellin and Cali and not in the rest of Colombia? Colombia greatest asset is diversity, so all regions and cities are pretty different for good or for bad, many cities as Manizales and Barranquilla and Bucaramanga are easily overlooked but have plenty to offer.
Hey mate, firstly let me say I love reading insightful comments like this. With that said, trust me man I know about all the less desirable tourists that come to Medellin for drugs, party and women haha that's unfortunately a large percentage - I'm guessing Bogota doesn't have that at all? On the topic of diversity - it's funny you mention that because I just filmed a video about "Why I Left Australia for Colombia and Will Never Go Back" - one of the main points of why I love living here is the diversity in regions and people!
@@AKJoel. I saw all the video including the "bad expat", so I know you are pretty aware of the issue. Sure there is drug and prostitution in Bogotá, traffic is mad and commuting is a everyday problem. But Bogotanos (natives and by adoption) will not try to fool you into the "this is the best city in the world", we are pretty aware of our problems. Bogotá is probably the only city in Colombia where you will find people form all around the country and form all over the world, so there is no "Bogotanos are better" because there is not such thing as a "real Bogotano", which by the way make us more cynical. Contrary to Bogotá or Cartagena, Medellin has been exposed to the international culture or tourism just in the past few years, there a lots on English speaking schools and speakers in Bogotá, I don't know if in Medellin there is even one. So, as it happened in your case, once the "honey moon" is over bad and the ugly emerge in a rather unpleasant way. As someone who has travelled all over the world I have to say I don't agree what so ever with your statement that "colombian food is bad", probably you had a very limited experience with our food culture and the food scene in Medellin is not that great, most probably you got you "papa, arroz y carne" diet, South America has been described as vegan nightmare. Trust me I one of those that believe that bandeja paisa is nothing to write home about, but food is Colombia is a diverse as the landscape and as such the only place outside all the different regions where you can try that diversity is in Bogotá. On the ugly side of things, as a Colombian native I am pretty aware of violence as one of our main cultural problems, we are a violent society and people can jump from laughter to murder in a blink of an eye, so I truly empathize with your feeling of uncertainty due to the messages you received, they might have been sent you just to scare you, the truth is that there are plenty of pretty bad guys in Colombia, they might be statistically very few, but they do the job pretty well, sorry for that.
@@jfbaquero I've had a lot of people commenting about the food saying that they in fact love it - what are your top 3 Colombian dishes? I'm actually thinking about an extended stay in Bogota sometime this year to do a series of street interviews to learn about the locals!
@@AKJoel I can tell you my favorite dishes, but it a matter of taste. I love Puchero Santafereño (Bogota), Sanchocho de Gallina (Valle), Mamona / Ternera a la llanera (Los llanos), Posta Cartagenera (Cartagena), Lamb stew (Santander/Boyaca), Frijolada (all over the place, it can be vegan), Pepinos rellenos (Cundinamarca) of course Ajaco (Bogota), Lechona (Tolima, even though it is not easy to get a decent one). I am a meat lover, so most of the dishes are made of some sort of meat, I don't like fish and even though I eat seafood I really order it if I don't have an option, but there is also plenty of variety of fish and seafoods. If you visit Bogotá, I suggest you visit Doña Elvira Restaurant, it is local favorite somehow unknown to tourists. Most tourist that come to Bogotá only visit the Candelaria and maybe Chapinero and Parque 93, that is really just a miniscule part of the city and it does not give you a real perspective of the whole.
Y como sabe usted que el negocio de laa drogas no es fuerte en Bogota.
I'm agree with some of your comments, but not with others, especially at the end when you read text messages, all of them warning you about murders. With that one screw-up your video.
Lies, i went to mexico last year with my gf and the food wasnt any different and she is from the carribean and im from the cauca valley... medellin and bogota are the black holes of food and are poked fun of by other colombians for being bland and tasteless.
If you go into the more african oriented regions you will have more spices..in south florida, orlando, nj, and nyc you can find 50 colombian restaurants in every town doing very well.
I have lived in the usa and taste all sorts of food and saying that colombian food is bland when you only went to medellin is like me going to eat in kansas and saying all u.s. food is bland but never visiting nyc or l.a.
Fyi colombians in the usa and the uk ironically state that thwir foid is terribly bland compared to ours ,ironically lol
This is a good point, well said.
Can you list some good Colombian dishes to try?
P.S. 😂😂 Kansas reference
@@AKJoel @AK Joel sure, and we do have some vegetarian dishes.
Eating meat for the most part is considered rich mans meal growing up but i will mention many here with it.
Cuscus is a type of soup made of corn with a type of ahogado (it's like a garlic oil made with herbs, garlic, cumin,worcestershire sauce,tomatoes salt and pepper)
Then you have the actual cornmeal soup which is different.
There tamales and they differ from region to region. The valluno (cauca valley style) uses corn. Tamales are a classic Colombian food that you shouldn't miss on your tour of the country.
Colombian tamales are usually filled with two main components: meat, this can be beef, pork, or chicken, and corn mash called “la masa”. Depending on the region you may include sliced potatoes, peas, chickpeas, sliced carrots, rice, hard-boiled eggs, and the like. They use a sofrito to add taste. Sofrito, sofregit, soffritto, or refogado is a basic preparation in Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese cooking. It typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sautéed or braised in cooking. Colombian cuisine, sofrito is called hogao which is made with only long green onion and tomato, or guiso is made mostly of tomato, onion, coriander, cumin and sometimes garlic; it is used when cooking stews, meats, rice, as a dip or spread for arepas or other street foods and other dishes. However sofrito and hogao differ slightly.
Tamal tolimense, tolima style tamales uses rice instead of corn mash. In the carribean coast they use the term pasteles, the same term used used in puerto rico because they speak a carribean type dialect of spanish. For the rest of us pasteles means cake..fyi on the type of words you use in the different regions.
I can also include venezuelan hallacas aka tamales because they are literally the same country and we used to be the same.
You can also find steakhouse llanero grills. Llanos are the flatlands between colombia and venezuela and both colombians and venezuelans from the llanos are literally the same type of culture on both sides.
You can try lechona, stuffed pig with peas and rice.
Cuy in the south, guinea pig.
The paisa arepa is blad on purpose, that is used to eat salty or spicy things to counter it. There are large variety. The valluno style arepa is salty with cheese and curdled milk mixed into the dough. We eat flank steak woth onions and sofrito on top. Cosatal arepas have and egg inside. Some places stuff them with avocado and meats like the venezuelans.
You can eat chicken guisado. Or you can eat chicken sudado whoch is chicken bpiled in its own juices.
There are beet salads and vegetable soups.
Lots of other dishes. If you go to the pacific you will find plenty of afrcian dishes because of the old slave trade
@@cfG21 Perfect! Thanks for the tips mate!
For anyone else reading this - try the food above and report back!
Unfortunately most of it I can't try since I'm vegan haha
Yea food is bland they don’t have any special dishes that stand out
Colombians don’t like criticism.. it’s a shame that’s limiting your experience
It is what it is, every place has positives and negatives and I still love living here!
Not so Encanto.