Questions...

Since I haven't left yet and can't blog about what life is like in Colombia, I thought I would answer some of the questions I've been asked lately.

1.  WHY Colombia?

We are living here for Robert's job.  For security reasons I will not be sharing on the blog any info about his employment here but if you are family or friends you already know that information.

2.  Is it SAFE to live there?

This is the question we get asked the most.  We believe it is and have done our research to support this.   Cartagena, the city we will live in is a cruise ship port of call for numerous major cruise lines. The city of Cartagena is a tourist attraction.  We are planning on taking every precaution while living in Colombia, just like we did while living in Thailand.

3.  Where will you live and how expensive is it to live in Cartagena?

Our assignment allowed us to live 30 to 35 days in a hotel while looking for permanent housing.  Robert is currently doing that but as a wife who has traveled both outside the states and within the states extensively, let's just say hotel life gets old fast!  Robert met with a Real Estate Agent and began looking for a condo.  Cartagena has a beach area much like Miami and this is the area we will be living in.  After 2 weeks of Robert looking at units and taking pictures and videos and sending them to me we found a place we both love and are waiting for it to be ready.  Now the other question I get asked is about how expensive is it?  Our assignment pays the rent for us but if I had to compare the rents in Cartagena to living it the states I would say it is pricey.  The area we have decided on is Boca Grande and we will be living in a 30 story building on the beach. 

4.  Why did you wait to go to Colombia?

We have spent the last 2 years traveling for Robert's job.  When we left Dallas and packed the house I remember packing my passport.  Once we began this journey I started to look for it, well I never found it!  Once I realized I wasn't going to find it I started the paperwork for a new passport.  Now I am waiting for it's arrival and then I will book my ticket and join Robert.

5.  Will your family visit while in Colombia?

Yes we already have family and friends busy getting their passports and scheduling dates and times.  We rented a 3 bedroom just so we would have plenty of room for visitors.  The international airport is only 15 minutes from our condo.

6.  What is the weather like?

Cartagena Colombia is tropical.  It's located on the Caribbean Ocean.  The climate will be much like what we experienced in Thailand.

7.  What language do they speak and how will you communicate?

Spanish is their native language.  I speak some (actually very little) and have been practicing key words.  I also have downloaded a translation app on my phone.

8.  How will you communicate with Family and Friends in the US while you are in Colombia?

We are still trying to work this out.  We know we can face time for free via WiFi with anyone who has an IPhone.  We can text and receive text for free via WiFi.  Once we get moved in our condo we will try and get a land line and find a provider for long distance and international calling.  For anything that is long we are using email.

9.  How long will you be in Colombia?

Robert signed a 17 month contract.  It could be longer or shorter, you just never know.  Our Thailand assignment was for 1 year and we stayed almost 4 years.

10. How often will you be returning to the states?

 We will be home every 11 weeks for a 2 week vacation. 

11.  What are you doing with your house, cars and all your belongings? 

Since we are on Single Status we aren't given a shipment overseas.  Instead, the company gives you a stipend to buy whatever your condo rental doesn't have.  They will pay to store your belongings in the states, but we decided to keep our house and our youngest daughter will be living in our home.  We are excited that every 11 weeks we still have a home to go home to.  We decided not to store our vehicles either since every 11 weeks we will need them and Kaleigh will drive them from time to time to make sure they are OK.

12.  What are you going to do with your time while living in Colombia?

Of course I'm not there yet so only time will tell, but I have some ideas of what I will be doing.  I know our condo has 2 pools and since it is tropical I will probably spend some of my time enjoying that.  It also has a workout facility and I know I will enjoy using that each day.  I'm hoping that I will meet some other expat women like I did in Thailand and do some fun things with them.  Robert has already met and spoke with a few women who are already there and they meet for lunch once a week and sometimes meet up to walk in the mornings.  I'm planning on getting back into golf and hopefully can find some other women who golf also.  Life still goes on overseas much like the states so there is grocery shopping, cooking and normal day to day things to take care of.  I hope I can do some volunteer work also, I loved the time in Thailand that I was giving back to that country and hope there is something similar for me to do in Colombia.

13.  Do you need a visa to live in Colombia?

Robert has a work visa to be able to work in Colombia.  I don't need this since I will not be working.  Since we are Single Status and will be leaving the country every 11 weeks no visa is required for me.  In Colombia you can stay in the country for 6 months without a visa.  Unless our visitors are planning on staying more than 6 months no visa will be needed for them either!

14.  How will you get around in Colombia and will you drive while living there?

No I will not be driving and I didn't really drive in Thailand either.  The company provides a driver and if he is not available while Robert is at work the company has a system in place for transportation for the wives.  The neighborhood we will be living is centrally located to numerous establishments for dinner and drinks so if we choose we can walk.  Also taxis are available and are cheap compared to the states.  Since we have experienced this before with transportation I think we will adapt easily to the lifestyle.

15.  What kind of food do they have?

Cartagena being a tourist area has a large selection of food to choose from.  There are many US choices.  McDonald's, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken are all available, not to mention Hard Rock Cafe.  From what I have seen online about the grocery stores I'm not worried about finding things we like to cook,  but once I arrive and go for myself I will blog more about this.

Hope this answered some of the questions people have had.  You can always ask anything in the comments and I will try to answer it.

I plan on blogging more in detail about all of the above once I arrive in Colombia and I will be sharing pictures of what Life in Cartagena is like.