Exit.
It was less than four weeks ago that I made the decision, some would call it "impulsive" decision, to move from New York City to Bogota, Colombia. I remembered the immortal, and ultimately inspirational words uttered by Miles from the movie Risky Business:
"Every now and then say, 'What the fuck.' 'What the fuck' gives you freedom. Freedom brings opportunity. Opportunity makes your future."
So, I said, "what the fuck," and here I am in Bogota. After today's stock market meltdown, I'm sure glad I did.
Welcome to the Johnson’s.
After a relatively tame night at Andres, which is a bit of an oxymoron, I gathered by two suitcases and backpack, and headed into a part of Bogota I had neither visited nor knew anything about - La Macarena. There, I was to meet a friend of a friend and her family, with whom I would spend the next few weeks while I got myself situated and found myself a permanent apartment. I arrived to an 80s style brick apartment building complex, similar to Rupert Towers on the Upper East Side. Though this was not the UES, this was La Macarena, an emerging neighborhood full of university students and dubbed a Bohemian part of town.
Upon my arrival, I headed into the building to meet my host family. My initial impression - man are they tiny. I towered over them like an ogre. But they were very friendly. My friend's friend spoke a little English, but her father spoke fairly fluently. After exchanging some pleasantries, they showed me to my room on the second floor of their duplex apartment. The room was spartan, but the view was amazing including a direct view into the Plaza del Torros, Bogota's bullfighting stadium.
I made myself at home, and quickly realized the quality of life I was used to was far from that of my hosts. The bathrooms seemed almost unfinished, and the water was never more than lukewarm. But I found the surroundings comfortable enough, even lacking the comforts of wifi or cable TV. Plus, I was here to do business, not sit around an apartment. And at 150.000 Colombian Pesos (COP) per week, roughly $75, it was too good of a deal to pass up.
Walking & Research
Over the past week I must have walked upwards of 50km, back and forth through the northern neighborhoods where my friends lived. It was this part of town that I would need to live, for convenience sake, and work to build the leading lifestyle brand I intended on creating. I got to know the city much better by walking around as much as I did, learning the Calle and Carrera grid and learning where things were in relation to one another. I took tons of photos using my blackberry of apartment buildings with apartments "se arrienda" (for rent), and noted the addresses to help myself figure what neighborhoods I liked best. I also photographed every business I came across that I believed posed a competitive threat. While I got a lot of exercise in the process, which was good since I wasn't visiting a gym, I also got my bearings and laid the foundation for my acclimation to Bogota and its thin air. Remember, Bogota is 8,600 feet (2600m) above sea level.
Mass Retardation
I decided that it was time to stop taking taxis. Not because they were expensive, pretty much $5 got you anywhere in the city you'd reasonably want to go. But because I wanted to get to know the buses and Transmilenio. The Transmilenio, while convenient and cheap ($0.50 per ride), was a genetic dead end in the evolutionary tree of mass transit around the world. It's kind of a double-length bus, that is elevated off the ground for no reason thinking it is a train. The Transmilenio drive on a "highway" of sorts, and make stops along the way in an express lane while normal commuter cars drive along side. Why its doors are 3' off the ground, why they didn't put in a rail system is beyond me. But it works, so that's that.
The buses, however, are truly an adventure. Countless buses speed down the calles with placard signs indicating what I believe are their destinations or routes. I've seen people jump on and off as the driver merely slows down at "stops." I'll save a journey on one of the buses until another day.
Get a Job!
While at an Internet Cafe (I should note that I also made a point of finding all the cafes offering wifi, FREE WIFI at that!), I stumpled upon a website that contained a link to a job posting for "English Teachers." I figured, why not make some cash speaking the language I know best while I'm getting my house in order. So, I went in and got a job to teach English to executives at Meta Petroleo, a subsidiary of Petroleo Pacificas. While the pay isn't great, it is cool for networking and I get paid for speaking English!
Apartment Hunting
Been apartment hunting like a madman as I need to be closer to my friends, and where I intend to do business. Commuting every day via Transmilenio, while cheap, is rather stupid. I've determined that due to my business plans, and the locations of all my friends here, I will need an apartment in the north. The neighborhoods of La Cabrera, El Nogal, El Retiro and el Parque 93 will be where I shall call home. Now just to find an apartment.
Andres
As expected, Saturday night ushered in a trip to an establishment so unique that words cannot describe it. One must experience it to understand. Needless to say, Vodka con Mandarino and Aguardiente were both served in vast quantities.
Wings
And as you would expect, a mixture of two liquors such as those at Andres would spell absolute doom. With a massive case el guayavo ("hangover") we went to Hooters for some much needed grease. Though here they do not use the same method of frying, and thus, if you could believe, the wings are not as greasy as one would expect. Yet the intended result was the same - a return to human kind. However, while Colombian women are beautiful, Hooters is NOT the place to go in search of such beauties.
Posts
