Thursday, May 30, 2019

Last night I took my Zopiclona as before, got up 3 times during the night finally waking/getting up at 8:15.

Teresa wants to visit the finca today but first she needs to reach the “muchacho” Julian but he isn’t answering his phone.

Yesterday I contributed $100 to Motorrad Angels.  See the post I made before this one for further information.  The post was with the express approval of Jeff from Medellin Guru which is where I first heard of it.  I hope some of my readers will also think this is a good cause and will contribute.  Soon I plan on giving them a continuous $10 monthly contribution.

To contribute, go to MedellinGuru.com, do a search on Motorrad Angels (don’t forget to press enter), and at the bottom of the article you will have the opportunity to make a contribution – one time or monthly.

I wanted to watch the Today show at 9am but apparently we’re not getting a satellite connection for that channel.

Today is another cool overcast day.  It’s only 68 degrees at 10am and very overcast with an expected high of 76 degrees.  At 10:15 it started sprinkling.

Teresa said she wanted to go to Pricesmart after I come back home from meeting Chuck for lunch.  One thing she wants to do is exchange the cans of tuna she bought last month for another kind.  I told her to put them by the door so she wouldn’t forget but she only put them on a table that’s near the door.

I left the apt just after noon and Chuck was waiting for me at the entrance to the mall at 12:25.

We took an elevator up to the 3^rd floor and walked briefly around the restaurant area.  We finally settled on Leños & Carbon for lunch and got seats at their circular counter.  We ordered different mixed combos and a coconut lemonade.  We chatted for awhile and after about 30 minutes we wondered where our food was.  Chuck complained to our waitress and she said “momentico” and a couple minutes later apologized and gave us a free plate of paticon with avocado.  I told her I didn’t need more food than what I had already ordered.  Neither of us touched it and 10 minutes later I noticed that 2 separate parties that came after us already had their food.  We got up and I offered 20 mil for our drinks which was rejected by our waitress.  We left and went into the food court where we quickly got Chinese food at Sr. Wok.  After finishing our food we first went to an ATM so I could make a withdrawal.  Then we took an elevator up one level where we found 2 mattress stores.  I went inside the first and they had a 2”-3” memory foam mattress “cover” for about $200.  In the second store named Rambler I got a price of about $800 for a queen sized memory foam mattress.  Wow, those things are pricey!

We went to Café Arangos where we each had coffee and a slice of carrot cake.  I had an extra coffee and the total came to 25,200 ($8).

We walked to the entrance of the mall and said goodbye.

I was back at the apt just before 4pm.

Teresa and I left at 4:45 and took a taxi to Pricesmart.  I picked up a large jar of Planters Crunchy Peanut Butter, a bag of imported oranges, and a small container of Canadian maple syrup.  Again Teresa forgot to bring the cans of tuna but she found some other things.

We only had a 5 minute wait for a taxi back to the apt.  On our ride back Teresa shocked me when she said she wanted to go to McDonald’s tonight for a burger.  After further discussion I learned she wants to try a fish sandwich.

We left the apt at 7:15 and walked down the hill to McDonald’s.  It was busier than I expected and there was also a line of cars outside for takeout orders.  We discovered they don’t have fish burgers but they do have chicken burgers but Teresa ordered 2 pieces of fried chicken and I had a McBurger and a small Coke.

We went into a side room and right away, when moving the cup to Teresa, I hit the side of the tray and spilled her Coke.  We shared mine, I enjoyed my burger and she was okay with her chicken after she stripped off all the skin.

Back at the apt I talked to my daughter Jeannie who is moving tomorrow to downtown Chicago, walking distance from her job.  I finally convinced her to come for a visit – she said after she gets settled down in her new place – physically and financially.

9,029 steps today.

Joke of the day

Walter and Linda were a middle aged couple blessed with two beautiful daughters.

Although they felt incredibly lucky for having their girls, Walter and Linda always yearned for a boy.

They began trying for another baby, and it wasn’t long before Linda became pregnant.

Nine months later, they welcomed a baby boy into the world.

Walter was at work when his wife was rushed to hospital, so he got there as quickly as he could. 

To his horror, his son was absolutely hideous, especially when considering how beautiful his daughters were.

“How can I possibly be the father of that ugly baby?” he exclaimed to his wife. “It’s just not possible that I fathered him after we had those two beautiful girls.”

Linda blushed, which made him suspicious. “Have you been fooling around behind my back?” he asked.

“Not this time, honey.”

Motorrad Angels: Bringing Clean Water to Those in Need - Medellin Guru

Motorrad Angels: Bringing Clean Water to Those in Need

Posted by Jeff | May 14, 2019 | General | 2 

Motorrad Angels is a non-profit group of motorcycle enthusiasts traveling in Colombia and the world bringing clean water and medical assistance to those in need.

I first found out about Motorrad Angels a few months ago when I met for lunch in Medellín with a friend and Tom Palmer. Tom is the founder of this organization.

This non-profit charity organization started out in Colombia and has been expanding rapidly with clean water and disaster relief projects mostly in Latin America. And they have grown to where they have chapters in 29 different countries.

Bringing clean water and medical assistance to those in need, particularly children

History of Motorrad Angels

Motorrad Angels was started in August 2016 by Tom Palmer. Both founder and GS Trophy Rider Dennis Godwin are avid motorcycle riders who wanted to do more as they rode through impoverished areas in Colombia and other countries.

They decided to form an organization to help less fortunate people along the way during their travels. Here is their mission statement:

We are Motorrad Angels, adventure motorcycle riders bringing clean water and other life-saving assistance to vulnerable communities around the world.

Motorrad Angels riders carry and deliver Sawyer water filtration systems to those living in impoverished areas without clean drinking water. Each water filter supplies 100 people with potable water for 5 to 7 years. The filters can provide about 340 gallons per day or about 1 million gallons of clean water over the lifetime of a filter.

Motorrad Angels riders

In addition, the riders provide medical and dental assistance by acting as couriers and delivering supplies for organizations like the Red Cross, IsraAid and GiveTotheWorld.

Since their formation in 2016, Motorrad Angels has completed over 270 projects. And collectively they have ridden more than 93,000 miles, formed 37 chapters in 29 countries and have touched over 660,000 lives.

Besides working on water projects, this non-profit organization also works on disaster relief projects. Motorrad Angels has assisted many people affected by earthquakes in Mexico, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, floods in Peru, volcano eruptions in Guatemala and with refugees entering Colombia from Venezuela.

Website: https://www.motorradangels.org/

A Sawyer water filter

More About the Sawyer Water Filters

The Sawyer water filters used by Motorrad Angels are microfiber filters. And these filters can be back-flushed with clean water to remove bacteria and sediment and make the filter as good as new again. So, there are no cartridges to replace and the filter cost is only about $30 USD.

During the installation, community members are educated on how to install and maintain the filters. This helps ensure long-lasting sustainability. And the filters are estimated to be good for 5 to 7 years.

The water filters reportedly makes it virtually impossible for harmful bacteria (like salmonella), protozoa, or cysts like E. coli, Giardia, Vibrio cholerae, and Salmonella typhi to pass through the filter. And all Sawyer water filters meet or exceed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended removal rates.

Turning dirty, contaminated water into clean, drinkable water

First Project: La Guijira, Colombia

Motorrad Angels’ first project was in La Guijira, Colombia. This is an impoverished village in Colombia without access to clean water. People living in this village were getting sick from disease-ridden water. And they had to walk for three or four hours to retrieve it.

For this project, water filtration was established in La Guijira so residents living in extreme poverty would have access to clean water. And for the community, the impact of this project was tremendous.

After this first successful project, Motorrad Angels started to get inquiries from around the world from people interested in getting involved. So, the organization started to establish chapters in other countries. Each chapter is led by a captain who is an experienced rider and acts as a community liaison.

Motorrad Angels in Cúcata, Colombia

2019 Venezuela/Colombia Mission Background

For more than two years, a steady stream of refugees have crossed into Cúcuta, Colombia escaping the dire economic situation in Venezuela. Venezuela has been weathering an economic collapse and, more recently, a political crisis.

An estimated 3.7 million Venezuelans have left their homes for Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and other countries in the region. Colombia has opened its doors and reportedly 1.2 million Venezuelans are now in Colombia. This is equivalent to about 2.5 percent of Colombia’s population with more arriving every day, which is overwhelming border cities like Cúcuta.

Over a year now, the Motorrad Angels team has been visiting different areas of Cúcuta. They analyzed the very difficult situation of many people and also helped those searching for food, potable water and other basic needs.

With Venezuela’s healthcare system collapsing over the last year, many Venezuelans have crossed the border seeking Colombian aid for medical care. But the system in Colombia is overwhelmed and can’t treat all the refugees. This is why Motorrad Angels decided to help and connect with others in order to help as many as possible with a mission to Cúcuta.

Health mission in Cúcuta, Colombia

March 2019 Mission to Cúcuta, Colombia

From March 21 to 30, 2019, Motorrad Angels arranged for a health mission in Cúcuta, Colombia with 12 doctors working for 10 hours daily, doing medical checkups on women, mothers, children, men and elders.

Also, during this mission five volunteer dentists worked the first two days on site and afterwards in a dental clinic, providing dental treatments for those with severe problems.

Over 4,000 people were treated and taken care of in Cúcuta

Over a period of six days, over 4,000 people were treated and taken care of. And thanks to the support of World Central Kitchen, all these people had lunch provided on a daily basis.

Every medicine given out was prescribed by one of the doctors

This Cúcuta project involved a team of 11 Motorrad Angels members, many medical volunteers and many more local volunteers. Along with the health mission, members were able to assist refugees that were actively walking.

Many Venezuelans that enter Colombia do not stay in Cúcuta but rather continue traveling by foot to various cities within Colombia. The Motorrad Angel team visited multiple shelters locating refugees and evaluated their immediate needs.

Also, distributed 500 pairs of shoes, 500 solar-powered inflatable lights, and provided transportation to cities in Colombia

In addition, Motorrad Angel distributed 500 pairs of shoes, 500 solar-powered inflatable lights, and provided transportation to cities in Colombia like Medellín and Bogotá. The shoes were provided by Bosi and lights were provided by MPOWERD.

Furthermore, Motorrad Angels partnered with other organization like the foundation El Comité de Rehabilitacion de Antioquia, which helped in local matters as well as with the national pharmacy Cruz Verde, which delivered medicine and supplies.

Also, very important was the Chaplain of OFICA-ICC whose volunteer team provided space and support. Besides these partners, Motorrad Angels cooperated with the Norte de Santander government and the local division of the Department of risk and disasters, which helped with permits and several mobile units for the medical team.

The Cúcuta mission project budget was over $50,000 USD with just under half coming from another non-profit organization, GiveTotheWorld.

Special Mission: Venezuela Military Defectors

Along with this mission in Cúcuta, Motorrad Angels also spent March 29, 2019 treating ex-military Venezuelan defectors and their families who have surrendered to the Colombian government and are kept under high security in Cúcuta.

A team of 10 doctors and only one dentist worked for 10 hours in a coliseum located in a school that was provided as the working location. And a total of 400 people received medical and dental care.

Bringing clean water to vulnerable communities around the world – Motorrad Angels

Motorrad Angels Needs Your Help

Motorrad Angels is a non-profit organization and is always looking for motorcycle enthusiast volunteers for its projects.

In addition, Motorrad Angels needs help via donations to fund its projects. Also, this non-profit organization is a charity that is 100 percent volunteer-based. So, 100 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to Motorrad Angels projects. And donations are tax deductible for U.S. citizens.

For example, a donation of just $5 USD per month will enable buying two water filters, which will help 200 people with clean water for 5 to 7 years.

Make a monthly pledge to Motorrad Angels

Donate to Motorrad Angels

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Last night I took half a Zopiclona but it seemed to take some time to fall asleep – because of the soda perhaps?  I got up twice during the night, the second time taking the other half of the Zopiclona.

When I got up at 7am my back was feeling better than in many weeks so that’s a great improvement.  I have another adjustment today at 3:20 and Teresa said she will come with me if it isn’t raining.

I watched the first 20 minutes of the Today show and left for the gym.  I understood Teresa would be leaving in the next few minutes and again she probably has back to back classes from 10 to noon.

Today I added 5# to 3 of my exercises and I completed all of them in an hour and 35 minutes.

I read that the first Pizza Hut has opened in Medellin.  Oh, the horror!

Teresa was lying down when I left the apt at 2:45, walked down the hill to Avenida Las Vegas and quickly caught a taxi to the chiropractor’s office.  I arrived about 10 minutes early and it didn’t seem as busy as previously.  In the short time I was waiting a tall young man came in that looked quite buff – not body builder type, more like navy seal type.  But you could see by the way he walked & talked he was suffering some problem like a brain aneurism or from a car accident.

I was soon taken and again they put hot packs on my lower back but they left them on so long that the area started to ache.  Or maybe It’s because I’m not used to lying on my stomach.  The doctor came in and gave me my adjustment.  I asked him about the memory foam mattresses and he asked the young man that was now on the bed next to me.  He said he didn’t remember where he bought his but he paid a little more than 1 million pesos.  The doctor said he knows they sell them at a mattress store in Oviedo.

I made another appointment for the same time on Friday.  I walked up a long flight of stairs to Avenida Poblado (ouch) and got on a Sabaneta bus.  Probably because it was only 4 in the afternoon the bus moved pretty quickly through the gold mile.  Still he drove over a few bumps that gave quite a jolt to my now sore back.

In Envigado I stopped at the bakery and bought an English muffin and a sesame bagel.  I stopped at Exito and bought 3 bananas and 2 bags of milk.

Tomorrow Teresa is going to the finca to check on things and I am going to meet Chuck for lunch.

About 8:15 more rain.

6,340 steps today.

Joke of the day

A man was sitting quietly reading his paper one morning, peacefully enjoying himself, when his wife sneaks up behind him and whacks him on the back of his head with a huge frying pan.

Man: "Ow! What was that for?"

Wife: "What was that piece of paper in your pants pocket with the name Marylou written on it?"

Man: "Oh honey, remember two weeks ago when I went to the horse races? Marylou was the name of one of the horses I bet on."

The wife looked all satisfied, apologized and did some work around the house.  

Three days later, he’s sitting in his chair again, reading the newspaper. She whacks him with the frying pan once again, this time even harder than she did before.

Man: "OW!! What was that for?"

"Your horse just called."

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Last night I took half my Zopiclona and went to bed at 10:30.  I got up at midnight to pee, again at 3:30 when I took the other half, woke up at 6:30 and got up at 7:30.

My back seems to be only slightly better this morning so I’m glad I have another appointment for tomorrow.  Btw, the first appointment was 50mil and the following I believe are 70mil.

It’s about 9:45 and it’s raining lightly.  For the record we didn’t get any rain yesterday.

I left the apt at 11am while Teresa was lying down.  The possible significance of that will come soon.

I quickly caught a bus to the metro, a metro car to Exposiciones station and a taxi to Unicentro mall arriving about 11:45.

I had a Frisburrito and a coconut lemonade from Frisby.  In the middle of eating my burrito it finally dawned on me that I had left my bag with the chess board and pieces on the chair closest to the front door.  Sigh!  Maybe Teresa would have reminded me had she been up and around.

Rory arrived right at 12:30 and I gave him the bad news so we chatted for some time.  I learned that he is no longer welcome to teach English in China because of the tariff war.  I understand he is going to meet his parents in Italy and then he’s going to visit Mexico.  We said goodbye and good luck as there’s a good chance we will never see each other again.

I called Teresa and she said not to hurry home because she’s in El Tesoro.

I retraced my steps but got off the metro in Envigado.  I went upstairs to the 4^th floor of the mall to get a haircut.  Jose wasn’t there but I waited my turn for the same girl who cut my hair last time.  Midway through my haircut it started raining hard.  I got a pretty good haircut for 25mil ($8).

I went downstairs to Habia Una Vez where I had a café con leche and a slice of carrot cake while I waited for the rain to stop or at least lessen.  I ate all the cake but it was so dry that I told the waitress that they shouldn’t serve it to anyone else.  As I left I looked at the cake in the display case and it looked like mine was the only slice taken out of it.  Uh-oh.

The rain was down to just a light mist as I walked back to the apt.  Teresa called me just as I was outside Exito and asked me to pick up eggs and dish soap.  She said we didn’t need milk and I asked her how she knew if she was in El Tesoro.  She said that was a joke.  I told her that it’s a joke that I’m going to pick up milk and dish soap.  Lol!

I invited Teresa to join me to see Aladdin (7.4) at Oviedo mall at 7:15 but she said she wasn’t interested in the movie after seeing the trailer.  And it was still raining at least lightly.

I left the apt and was happy to see a taxi in the garage just dropping someone off.  He took me directly to Oviedo and I got off at a side entrance.  It was still raining.

I went upstairs and had no difficulty purchasing a single seat but it looked like most seats were sold.

I went downstairs and returned the paperback book Space that I had checked out weeks ago.  I read some from my new Nook book in their comfortable area.  At 7pm I went back upstairs and bought my popcorn and soda.  The escalators were out of service so it was a two story climb up to the next set of theaters.

Aladdin was interesting and I enjoyed Will Smith’s part as the genie.  Sometimes I thought Disney went a little loud on the music but it was otherwise enjoyable.

When I left the mall I saw a Sabaneta bus so I skipped a taxi and took the bus back to the apt returning about 10pm.

9,088 steps today.

Joke of the day

One day a Scotsman, who has been stranded on a desert island for over ten long years, sees an unusual speck on the horizon.

"It's certainly not a ship," he thinks to himself. As the speck gets closer and closer, he begins to rule out the possibilities of a small boat, then even a raft.

Suddenly, emerging from the surf is a drop-dead gorgeous blonde woman wearing a wet suit and scuba gear.

She approaches the stunned man and says to him, "Tell me how long it’s been since you've had a cigarette?"

"Ten years," replies the Scotsman.

With that, she reaches over and unzips a waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, takes a long drag and says, “Och - in the name of the wee man is that good!"

 "And how long has it been since you've had a sip of good scotch?" she asks him.

Trembling, the castaway replies, "Ten years." She reaches over, unzips her right sleeve, pulls out a flask and hands it to him. He opens the flask, takes a long swig and says, "Tis absolutely fantastic!"

At this point she starts slowly unzipping the long zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit, looks at the man and asks, "And how long has it been since you've played around?"

With tears in his eyes, the man falls to his knees and sobs, "Oh, sweet Jesus! Don't tell me you've got golf clubs in there too!"

Monday, May 27, 2019

Happy Memorial Day!  Thank you vets for your service to our country.

Last night I took half my Zoplicona at 10:30 and went to bed.  I got up once at midnight and again at 3:45 when I took the other half.  In time I fell back asleep and woke/got up at 8am.

I watched the first 20 minutes of the Today show and left for the gym.  Today the TVs were working but no wifi.  I completed all my exercises in 90 minutes.

Teresa returned at 12:45.

About 1pm I noticed we no longer have internet.  It came back 30 minutes later.

At 2:30 Teresa called a taxi for me, I walked outside and it was waiting there.  The driver dropped me off at the Chiropractor’s office at Carrera 43D #13-06 in the Manila barrio of Poblado (034 266 2183).  It was right across the street from the Tagliata restaurant that I’ve eaten at a few times with my brother.  I was 20 minutes early and there were 3 people ahead of me.  I could see into the back room and I saw him do that neck crack thing on a young lady. Yikes!  I was finally taken about 30 minutes after my appointment.  The doctor’s name is Daniel Bordelon and he’s from New Orleans.  He hadn’t put up all the plaques on his wall but I saw one from the US Army.

First they put heating packs on my lower back.  The doctor said I’m as stiff as concrete as he gave me a realignment treatment.  He also said I should get a harder mattress and recommended a memory foam one.  I have another appointment for Wednesday afternoon.

I walked to Cedimed where I picked up some of Teresa’s test results.  It appears she has slight osteoporosis but we’ll know more after we take the results to her doctor.

I walked across heavy traffic in Avenida Poblado and got on a Sabaneta bus.  It crawled thru the Gold Mile as I sat in the back fanning myself.  I finally got off at Doble Pizza and walked back to the apt.

Teresa said the gas man came and everything checked out okay.

I asked her if she wanted to go out for dinner tonight.  She said Otra Parte if it’s open.  I checked online and it appears it is.

Teresa took a quick nap while I took a shower to freshen up.

We left the apt at 6:30 and walked to Otra Parte.  We each had our usual juice and chicken pasta for 43mil.  I gave the waiter 50mil and told him to keep the change.

We were back at the apt just after 8pm so Teresa could see most of her Desafio program.

I finished reading James A. Michener’s Space – all 800+ pages.

8,644 steps today.

Joke of the day

A pretty blonde woman is driving down a country road in her new sports car when something goes wrong and it breaks down. Luckily, she happens to be near a farmhouse.

She goes up to the farmhouse and knocks on the door. When the farmer answers, she says to him, "It's Sunday night and my car broke down! I don't know what to do! Can I stay here for the night until tomorrow when I can get some help?"

"Well," drawls the farmer, "you can stay here, but I don't want you messing with my sons Jed and Luke."

She looks through the screen door and sees two men standing behind the farmer. She judges them to be in the early twenties.

"Okay," she says. After they have gone to bed for the night the woman begins to get a little horny just thinking about the two boys in the room next to her.

So she quietly goes into their room and says, "Boys, how would you like for me to teach you the ways of the world?" They say, "Huh?"

She says, "The only thing is, I don't want to get pregnant, so you have to wear these condoms."

She puts them on the boys, and the three of them go at it all night long.

Forty years later, Jed and Luke are sitting on the front porch, rocking back and forth. Jed says, "You remember that blonde woman that came by here about forty years ago and showed us the ways of the world?"

"Yeah", says Luke, "I remember."

"Well, do you care if she gets pregnant?"

"Nope," says Luke, "I reckon not."

"Then let's take these things off!"

The Advantages of Growing Old in Medellin - Medllin Living

The Advantages of Growing Old in Medellín

By

 Grace

 -

May 16, 2019

0

98

As Medellín becomes more popular with young travelers making their way through South America, what about the older generation of ex-pats who have lived in Colombia for many years? Or those considering moving to retire in the City of Eternal Spring? Devoting your future to a foreign country often takes serious research and planning, and yet, more people than ever are doing it. With the newfound appeal of settling abroad for the long-term, here are a few of the advantages of growing old in Medellín:

Warm weather

By Metro de Medellín Facebook

Medellín’s climate is generally warm all year round, reaching temperatures in the 80s during the hottest season, and never dropping below 60 (even at night). The warm weather, combined with plenty of open green spaces, tree-lined streets, and sweeping views of the valley in which Medellín sits, make the city extremely pleasant to walk around and also affects how people interact. Most days, you’ll find Colombians sitting at tiendas with a beer, watching the world go by on the street, or flying kites on the hilltops – the climate makes Medellín a sociable place, and the people are as equally warm as the conditions.

Physical benefits

By EnCicla Facebook

There are also significant health benefits associated with living in a warm location. Controlled exposure to the sun can increase Vitamin D levels, which in turn, boosts energy levels, improves your immune system, as well as prevents circulatory problems (something elderly people are at higher risk of in colder climates). The sunshine additionally positively affects memory and mood, as studies have proven that people who spend more time outdoors are generally fitter and happier. This certainly ties in with the likelihood of doing more exercise in warm weather conditions, something Medellín caters to very well with activities like the Ciclovia every Sunday, free swimming sessions at Estadio, outdoor gyms across the city and yoga classes in the parks.

While it’s worth noting that Medellín has rainy seasons with heavy downpours, the weather, in general, is a fantastic balance between being warm and fresh without being oppressive or uncomfortable. It’s also important to note that the sun’s UV rays are strong in Medellín, and foreigners and elderly people, in particular, need to take precautions to protect their skin when here.

Slower pace of life

By Metro de Medellín Facebook

It’s no secret that Latin America has a more relaxed way of living than compared to North America or Europe, and Colombia is no exception. The concept of time, for example, is very different. Colombians are famous for being late or vague with plans – it’s not out of rudeness, it’s because there isn’t the same expectation to be punctual as there is in other countries. The word ‘ahorita’ for example, translates to ‘a little while’, but in Colombia can mean anything from five minutes to two hours.

Because locals have a looser grasp of time, Paisas are normally very patient. Supermarkets, banks and the metro can sometimes have long lines, but there are rarely complaints from people. Instead, Colombians sometimes refer to themselves as ‘descomplicados’ meaning ‘uncomplicated’ – a nod to their flexible and care-free culture.

Care-free culture

By El Social Facebook

Paisa culture is exceptionally welcoming, happy and family-oriented. Work life and personal life is very balanced in the city, and come the weekend, certain neighborhoods are filled with music and people spilling onto the streets. Whether you’re looking for a sweaty reggaetón club with beautiful locals, a hidden bar blasting vallenato, or a game of cards with the regulars at the tienda, Medellín caters to all types of people looking to unwind. While the party scene is a big draw to the city, there are also plenty of wholesome activities like museums, parks, hikes and tours to keep busy during the day.

Colombia also places a strong emphasis on family values, and so it’s not uncommon for three generations to be living together in one house. In fact, every Sunday, extended relatives usually gather together to share quality time and of course, a few drinks. The importance of family means that most Colombians have a certain respect for people older than them, and you’ll often see people offering up their seat on public transport to seniors.

Low cost of living

By Finance Colombia

Compared to the states or Europe, Medellín is very cheap, and yet still offers a high quality of life. If you’ve managed to save in another currency like the dollar, euro or pound, your money will go a lot further in Colombia. Buying property costs significantly less than elsewhere in the world, and particularly in cities like Medellín, is a smart investment. Not to mention, day-to-day goods like food, gas, utilities and domestic travel are all more than reasonable. On average, a single person can live comfortably in Medellín on just over $1,000 USD per month – meaning if you chose to grow old here, you can devote excess funds to side projects (many ex-pats opt to buy a finca), new hobbies (like salsa dancing or Spanish classes), or simply making sure your permanent life in Medellín is that extra bit special.

It’s important to note that every year prices in Colombia go up due to inflation (typically between 2-4%), and the cost of living in Medellín is increasing as the city expands and foreign investment becomes more popular. However, the overall cost of living remains very manageable, particularly so if converting from a better currency value.

Great healthcare

By Las Américas Facebook

Colombia is well-known for its medical tourism industry, and for good reason. The country is home to a variety of skilled doctors and surgeons, and procedures cost of a fraction of the price they would elsewhere, plus the World Health Organization places Colombia’s healthcare system ahead of that of Canada, Germany and the U.S. Medellín specifically has eight of the top hospitals in all of Latin America, and most medical institutions are modern, have specialist treatment departments, as well as English-speaking staff. It’s a legal requirement that everyone living in Colombia has health insurance, which is offered through either the public company Nueva EPS, or private companies such as Sura and Coomeva EPS – both of which are inexpensive and cover health, dental and vision in their basic plans.

Learn Spanish

By Flavia Carpio

It may seem obvious but growing old in Medellín is the perfect way to improve your Spanish skills! Whatever level you’re at when you move, Colombia is famous for having some of the clearest Spanish in the world and Paisa friendliness means there are endless opportunities to practice. From learning basic phrases to unique slang, committing to the City of Eternal Spring for the long haul is sure to have you speaking like a local in no time.