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This post may offend some expats but I feel a need to express this. The place I will be referring to in particular is Medellin, Colombia, which I understand isn't indicative of all of South America. But it has been heralded as one of the best cities in the entire continent so I think it's a good example. I also lived there for several months myself.
First of all I found there are some very kind people in Medellin and I've had good experiences there when traveling to the countryside in particular. It is a great place to vacation. But as I spent more time there I found that I didn't get along super well with a lot of the expats because I perceived a lot of them to be ignorant to the reality that they were only experiencing a sliver of what life is like there with their high western incomes. People will go there and rave about their penthouse in Poblado, Laureles, or Enviago (the most tourist friendly neighborhoods), their made service, etc, without batting an eye to how others are living in the country. When I was there I ventured out of where I was staying in Laureles on foot (not the best idea), and ended up in some flat out scary areas. I went to high school in a bad area of Florida so I thought I was used to seeing stuff like that but honestly I began to fear for my life. Sure enough someone tried robbing me at gunpoint (I didn't have anything on me luckily), and I was lucky to get out of there. Another time I was coming back from a nightclub around 2am and I saw several men attack someone with a machete (on the main drag in Laureles mind you). So needless to say I'd had my fill of the dark side of this place. My point is, most expats living there stay in a bubble and don't venture out of the best neighborhoods so they have a limited perspective. This applies to other places frequented by expats like thailand and cambodia. Anyway, just something I wanted to point out.
People don't live an entire city, particularly a big one. 2 or 3 neighborhoods, perhaps 4 or 5 at most is where they spend 99% of their time in the city (those areas contains everything they need from jobs to restaurants, entertainment, etc). There truly is no need to go to other areas where you don't live and/or go often. This goes for expats and everyone else, and this goes everywhere in the world.
There is one thing and that is if you want to learn about a place from expats, at least make sure they know the local language. Not being fluent greatly hampers their understanding of the place they live.
Location: Formerly NYC by week; ATL by weekend...now Rio bi annually and ATL bi annually
1,522 posts, read 2,242,785 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rcsligar
This post may offend some expats but I feel a need to express this. The place I will be referring to in particular is Medellin, Colombia, which I understand isn't indicative of all of South America. But it has been heralded as one of the best cities in the entire continent so I think it's a good example. I also lived there for several months myself.
First of all I found there are some very kind people in Medellin and I've had good experiences there when traveling to the countryside in particular. It is a great place to vacation. But as I spent more time there I found that I didn't get along super well with a lot of the expats because I perceived a lot of them to be ignorant to the reality that they were only experiencing a sliver of what life is like there with their high western incomes. People will go there and rave about their penthouse in Poblado, Laureles, or Enviago (the most tourist friendly neighborhoods), their made service, etc, without batting an eye to how others are living in the country. When I was there I ventured out of where I was staying in Laureles on foot (not the best idea), and ended up in some flat out scary areas. I went to high school in a bad area of Florida so I thought I was used to seeing stuff like that but honestly I began to fear for my life. Sure enough someone tried robbing me at gunpoint (I didn't have anything on me luckily), and I was lucky to get out of there. Another time I was coming back from a nightclub around 2am and I saw several men attack someone with a machete (on the main drag in Laureles mind you). So needless to say I'd had my fill of the dark side of this place. My point is, most expats living there stay in a bubble and don't venture out of the best neighborhoods so they have a limited perspective. This applies to other places frequented by expats like thailand and cambodia. Anyway, just something I wanted to point out.
I suggest broadening your inquisitory base. I understand that for the most part you can only query what and who you have access to but there are tons of expats who actually live like locals. But I have to agree with you on one point....there are some who do move to less developed countries to live like kings due to the conversion, and those usually do not emerge themselves into the fabric of the communities that so call seem to now love. That includes weaving themselves into the actual fabric of the communities, learning and participating in the local cultures and languages. Its a psychology to actually embracing expat life as an actual resident as opposed to just being an extended tourist. Thats my opinion on it. I dont frequent tourist areas here in Brazil much, taught myself the language and live in a very Carioca neighborhood. Some people speak some english but for the most part my days are filled with speaking in Portuguese.
Location: IN>Germany>ND>OH>TX>CA>Currently NoVa and a Vacation Lake House in PA
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Most people are smart enough to stay in safe areas no matter where they live. Not sure why you decided to venture out into unsafe territory, but it wasn't very bright, was it?
You mean to tell me people who live in the affluent neighborhoods of Los Angeles, NYC, Chicago, and any other major city rarely if ever venture into the worst parts of their city? Retirees move for a variety of reasons, and once they reach an age, nightlife isn't a priority, and adventuring into some sketchy places isnt on the to do list.
I guess if you don't mind the crime, everything's fine.
Well Medellin has a homicide rate of about 14-16 people per 100k inhabitants. That's not unheard of in the US, some American cities like Chicago or Washington, D.C. might even have it harder.
I suggest broadening your inquisitory base. I understand that for the most part you can only query what and who you have access to but there are tons of expats who actually live like locals. But I have to agree with you on one point....there are some who do move to less developed countries to live like kings due to the conversion, and those usually do not emerge themselves into the fabric of the communities that so call seem to now love.
Having been an expat for the last four years I have thought about this a little. BTW, since it might be pertinent, I've been a working expat not a retiree and will be repatriating soon due to the job ending.
I think there is room for more than one type of expat. Clearly there are the gentrifying expats who move to benefit from lower cost of living. Like all gentrification it is both an understandable individual choice and a problematic overall aspect. Since I never expected to live in Seoul long term there are some differences but I never became fully immersed in the fabric of Korea. Yet I'm not a tourist and in many ways live like a middle class, middle aged Korean man even if my lack of language skills means that I can not integrate seamlessly into the social life outside of the expat community. Even without that I love many aspects of both Korea and specifically Seoul as a place to live.
This post may offend some expats but I feel a need to express this. The place I will be referring to in particular is Medellin, Colombia, which I understand isn't indicative of all of South America. But it has been heralded as one of the best cities in the entire continent so I think it's a good example. I also lived there for several months myself.
First of all I found there are some very kind people in Medellin and I've had good experiences there when traveling to the countryside in particular. It is a great place to vacation. But as I spent more time there I found that I didn't get along super well with a lot of the expats because I perceived a lot of them to be ignorant to the reality that they were only experiencing a sliver of what life is like there with their high western incomes. People will go there and rave about their penthouse in Poblado, Laureles, or Enviago (the most tourist friendly neighborhoods), their made service, etc, without batting an eye to how others are living in the country. When I was there I ventured out of where I was staying in Laureles on foot (not the best idea), and ended up in some flat out scary areas. I went to high school in a bad area of Florida so I thought I was used to seeing stuff like that but honestly I began to fear for my life. Sure enough someone tried robbing me at gunpoint (I didn't have anything on me luckily), and I was lucky to get out of there. Another time I was coming back from a nightclub around 2am and I saw several men attack someone with a machete (on the main drag in Laureles mind you). So needless to say I'd had my fill of the dark side of this place. My point is, most expats living there stay in a bubble and don't venture out of the best neighborhoods so they have a limited perspective. This applies to other places frequented by expats like thailand and cambodia. Anyway, just something I wanted to point out.
I'm in Medellin right now. if I decide to live here someday, I sure as hell won't choose to live in a dangerous area or for that matter visit one at night. I'd probably try to stay away from the city centers altogether, on a small finca.
You must be young and still want to show some 'street cred' or something. Some of Us harmless older numbskulls just want to enjoy decent value for our money, ok health in a beautiful place. No urgency to go huffing and puffing around in the dangerous parts to show how tough we can be.
Learning the language is definitely critical in my opinion. Not acting like an expert overstating your knowledge is also a good attribute to keep in mind...especially when encouraging others to see the city.
It's Colombia, it's a poverty sicken country and trouble is always one wrong turn away.
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