Learning a foreign language, quite frankly, a big project. It’s a little like starting a business. If you have ever tried to start a business, you know that in the beginning, you start with a blank slate, your hopes and dreams, and then it is all up to you to get it done. And by [...]
Here are some things to help you prepare… 1. People on the ground are your best resource. When I first went to Colombia, the number one thing I did right was to have contact with somebody on the ground. I was admittedly a bit nervous when I first went to Bogotá. After all, I was [...]
I don’t know what rock I was sleeping under for the first part of my life, but I had never heard of reggaeton until I came to Colombia in 2011. The music is literally a phenomenon in much of Latin America, with countless clubs and discotecas putting it on to really get the party started. [...]
What you feel before a night out Argentina: “I’m gonna solve this mystery.” Colombia: “I’m gonna have a good time. I really should bring a girl with me, though.” Brazil: “I’m gonna go hunting tonight.” When the dancing begins Argentina: 230am Colombia: 1145pm Brazil: 7pm, 10pm, 2am, 7am, 11am, 3pm… depends where you’re at What’s [...]
One of the questions that comes across my mind often is “Is _____ dangerous?” By “_____”, I’m thinking of a number of places in South America I haven’t been to yet. Specifically, these days I am thinking about Venezuela, a country which I have been curious about for some time, and which sits just across [...]
Having survived my latest (and hopefully last) bout with Ecuadorian bus rides, I arrived to Cali a few days before New Years. Feria de Cali, which is known as Colombia’s largest salsa party, was already underway, and I was eager to get a taste of it. I had long been curious about life in Cali, [...]
The secret is getting out on Medellin. I’ve been blogging about it for nearly two years, and more and more travelers are coming here every day. If you’ve ever Googled “Medellin” you’ve probably come across Medellin Living. It’s easily the #1 Medellin website for English speakers, and contains loads of great info on life in [...]
I really have come to dislike Latin America bus rides. It’s part of the most important thing I learned in 2012, and is based on the collected experiences I’ve had as a traveler in South America, especially in a number of experiences in Ecuador. Let me try to tell you about the experience at the [...]
After a passing a couple weeks in Arequipa and Cusco, I found myself in Lima the week before Christmas. I had been interested in Lima from a number of positive reports I had heard about the city. The food was supposed to be awesome, the city was supposed to have a great nightlife, and the [...]
After some time in Arequipa, I took an overnight bus to Cusco Peru, near where the famed Machu Picchu lay in waiting. Normally, I don’t go for the tourist attractions, but Machu Picchu is a wonder of the world, and I tend to hit those up if I’m in the area… just like I hit [...]
