Big Thank You!!

Hunter says on Sep 3, 2004, 06:47:

ATM card You need to get a Debit card or a Credit card.

A debit card has less charges on it normally.

Hunter

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koolto says on Sep 3, 2004, 07:52:

Money in Colombia You only need a debit card with a "plus" or "visa" logo on it, then you can withdraw money on pretty much every ATM in Colombia.

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Christinalkc says on Sep 3, 2004, 08:57:

what about a maestro/cirrus Logo This bank card from the australian bank that i have now only has this Maestro and Cirrus logo.... do u think I still can use it??

Christina

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Thededalus says on Sep 3, 2004, 09:06:

Cirrus is fine You'll be fine with Cirrus. You'll find it at about half of the ATM's.

Good luck on your trip. I'm excited for you... I wish I could go back myself :(

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Hunter says on Sep 3, 2004, 11:46:

Christinalkc Maestro and Cirrus logo are on mant ATMs so you will be fine.

Hunter

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caslug says on Sep 3, 2004, 12:50:

If you want to teach english, it should be fairly easy to get a job, BUT it doesn't pay much and the pay might be late. Also, the Biggest criteria to working in Colombia is proving that you can LEGALLY live and work(ie, no tourist visas). I've talked with a few langauge schools down there earlier this summer. Apparently the going rate for native english teacher is 21k peso/hr, but you're not going to get 40 hrs a week(maybe 10-20). Of course you if you lived there longer you might find places that will hire you "under the table". As for other employement, I couldn't tell you. BTW, I'm asian-american(USA) and had no problem in Cali/CTG they'll call you "chino" but's it's not a degratory term or meaning, just like if we call someone "thai" or "aussie".

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Sam Salmon says on Sep 3, 2004, 13:01:

Go to your Bank and obtain a duplicate card in case something happens to the original.
Phone all your Credit Card companies and tell them you'll be in Colombia and want to use your cards there.
' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'

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Christinalkc says on Sep 3, 2004, 20:28:

I have got a back up debit card from my bank already, so no worries. I guess I am the only traveller who doesn't own a credit card nowadays :(

Caslug: I see some of ur postings and I never imagained u r an Asian too, which is cool. I thought I am the only Asian posting here. Okay, I am not sure how can I get the legal rights to stay and work in Colombia without finding an employer beforehand. For me, I will be applying for a student visa once I reached Bogota and for all I know that does not entitle me to work. Please advice. I don't mind at all working and get paid under the table as long as there is income.. I used to work illegally in Australia.

Usually what kind of jobs would pay in such a way??

Christina

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Sam Salmon says on Sep 3, 2004, 20:43:

" I guess I am the only trave " I guess I am the only traveller who doesn't own a credit card nowadays
I suggest you get one PDQ if you intend to make hotel/plane reservations-carrying large amounts of cash is never a great idea and Bank machines run out of cash/run down altogether.

' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'

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caslug says on Sep 4, 2004, 15:23:

You can try to post ads in the newspaper for english tutoring/lessons instead of working for a company. Or when you're at the unviversity in colombia you can post it there too. Of course it's may not be steady work at first. But at least it's all cash so you don't have to worry about taxes. If you don't have credit card, you'll need to AT LEAST have bank ATM card I recommend citibank because you won't get charge transaction fee. There must citibank in OZ. Otherwise it would really suck to have to carry large amount of cash into the country and exchanging it. You will never get the government exchange rate using the bank or cambio places. You only can get it via ATM from a foriegn bank or credit card.

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caslug says on Sep 4, 2004, 15:29:

On my last trip i used my bank of america ATM card and found out I payed $60USD in transaction FEE!!! $3/withdrawl, since I was in colombia for 2 weeks, i was using ATM 1-2/day. NEVER AGAIN. Next time, i'm switching to citibank becasue no atm fee if you use their branch ANYWHERE in the world. ATM in colombia ONLY let you withdrawl 300-400k peso per transaction, so if you have to pay your rent of 500-600k, you'll need to withdrawl 2 times and get hit with tranasction fee each time.

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Hunter says on Sep 4, 2004, 15:36:

caslug In the UK, my debit card doesn't charge for each transaction, although many here do.

I looked up the best option tables on the internet for debit cards in the UK, seeing as I was looking to use it for overease transactions, I looked up the debit card with the best deals for that.

You must have similiar tables there in the US, I have you tried them.

Hunter

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caslug says on Sep 4, 2004, 15:47:

In US we have credit unions(similar to bank) that doesn't charge fees either. It's just easier for me to get citibank because they have one close to my house in CA and it's in all major cities in Colombia. But i guess if i go to a smaller town, then credit union is better.

off tangent... ATM fees are total BS and most US consumers are annoyed & pissed, there's a growing consumer movement that's looking to overturn the ATM fees. US Congress is looking into this, but I don't know where it's at. ATM fees are free money to the banks, because everything is done electronically there's no "cost/transaction" as the US bank claims. Maybe ATM fee is a US thing only. Take money when you can - Capitalism at it's finest! :-)

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Christinalkc says on Sep 4, 2004, 21:48:

Bank Account Yes, the bank in Australia charges AUD5 per transaction and that's a lot of money I consider. Anyways, I am no longer in Australia and I am in Malaysia now preparing and packing (a bit early haha?) I guess I will withdraw all my money from the Australian bank through the ATM in Malaysia and have it converted into USD. It is not a lot though but I will apply for a bank account once I get to Bogota as I will be obtaining a student visa. That shouldn't be any problem right?

Apart from that, I like the idea of posting advertisements in the school's notice boards and newspapers. Is it expensive to post ads in the papers? Well, I have no experience in teaching at all, just informal "friend to friend" English correction and explanation. If possible, I would like some advice about the methods and materials of English teaching.

By the way, is there any English version of El Tiempo with job search/recruitment section in Colombia? I figure my level of Spanish is so minimal that I don't think I could even understand the job scope or requirements in the jobs advertised in El Tiempo. Or is there any special bulletins/newspapers that cater to foreigners living in Colombia?

Another question is that I would like to bring my mobile phone to Bogota but I require a chip. Do you all think it is possible for me to purchase only the chip without the mobile, preferably on Prepaid Plan. Please advice. Thank you guys!!!

Chaolin,
Christina

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argtat says on Sep 5, 2004, 08:22:

hey cristina :) wishing you the best of luck but as well showing my outmost concern for you, a lot of your plans seem to run in very hypotetical scenarios, i havent followed all your postings but it sounds to me like you are winging the whole trip, ballsy girl you!! anyhoot i just wish i was there in bogota to help you, i am wondering how good is your spanish, this in order to teach english since it is my opinion you need to understand your pupil to instruct him (believe me before hand i apologize if it seems that i intend to burst your bubble or diss you i am merely curious). regarding your budget, aside from adquiring instruccion and finding a place to live and paying for transportation everything else is affordable, i am only concerned the tightness of your budget, wouldnt like to hear you ended up strandeed living under a bridge :( anyways i am only expresing my concern and wishing you the best of luck, i believe you said you were looking into the javeriana, an exgirlfriend of mine works there, ill ask if she can be a contact for you to get your bearings, i dont know if you posted your email but if youll like that would be a way you two could get in touch just so you know more people there who arent trying to take advantage of you i am rambling now so i will end here, i am sure my friend would like some practice with her english and you some with your spanish ta ta for now

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Christinalkc says on Sep 5, 2004, 09:12:

argtat First of all, hello to u, argtat! Well let answer ur questions one by one.

When I revealed my plans to go to Colombia, everyone thought I was insane considering Colombia is a place where opportunities are almost non-existent for non-spanish speakers and it is not a very developed country. I have a choice to stay in Australia (richer country with heaps of employment) or remain in my country (at least my own land) but I don't see myself grow in these two places to be honest. Even the people working in the Colombian Consulate thought I was very brave and courageous to go there by myself and another word, crazy too!

My budget is very very very tight. I guess I can only afford to bring enough for a month or two's survival. I know I am taking the biggest risk in my life but who knows if it's worthwhile. That's why I am in the rush of getting a job there to support myself partially. Looks like the bridge thing is getting closer.

My Spanish sucks! Almost zero level. That's why I am planning to take the beginner's course in Universidad Externado which is a lot cheaper than Javeriana. I am not sure if I will be able to teach English at all since I have no qualification and experience but I will give it a shot. I hope I will be able to pick up Spanish fast enough in order to put myself in a better position in landing myself a job apart from teaching as I would like to stay in Bogota for some time. By the way, my profession is media and multimedia.

Don't worry about me getting crossed with your comments and curiosity. I really value it and it helps me to understand my situation and hope more two cents worth will come in.

This is my email address --- christinalkc at yahoo.com.au

Please do email me with any comments or any ideas of where I can go to or things like that. And I really do appreciate that!

Chaolin,
Christina

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British Paisa says on Sep 5, 2004, 10:24:

As long as you have you work permit you should have no problem teaching English, go to the institutes that have their own material and you basically just have to brush up on a bit of grammar, the book tells you what to do; you probably won't be the best teacher but you will survive and as long as you aren't timid (which based on what you are doing is highly unlikely) you will be fine.
All the best.

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Hunter says on Sep 5, 2004, 13:45:

US dollars If you are go to covert the money in Malaysia, I would not convert it to Australian dollars, convert it straight to US dollars.

You will get a lot better exchange rate on US dollars in Colombia.

Hunter

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caslug says on Sep 5, 2004, 14:38:

Christine, if your going to colombia to learn spanish and grow as a person it sounds like a great idea. I wish I went abroad after my university days. BUT if you're talking about going to colombia to make money or START a career then OZ much better because it has more opp't than colombia. Try it out for a year, if you don't like it you can always goto OZ.

BP is on the money, the work permit is the key. I think getting one may take some work(I don't know myself).

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poco says on Sep 5, 2004, 18:59:

ATM charges I hate to see someone post not to use an ATM. Just because one person got screwed by their bank,, then that person needs to take it up with Bank America !!!! I doubt it was a debit card to begin with.

So,, go to this link and the ATM charges are cut out of my latest debit card statement.

Food plus Exchange rates ATM

I admit,, $3.00 is a little high,, but have you seen what other methods cost? If you can't afford $3.00 then you best stay in the United States and wait in line at the bank. The machines I used in the US are FREE,,, FREE if they are installed by the bank you use,, at least mine are,, another reason to change banks if you are getting charged. Needless to say,, foreign ATMS are NOT affiliated,, gosh,, lets make those guys do the exchange for FREE for all us foreigners,,, and no reason to pay for the machine or the guy putting in the new money,, he can do it on his lunch break !!!

I love the convenience of getting 400,000 pesos for $3.00,, plus,, someone has to pay for all those ATM machines,,, I promise you,, Colombians have no problem with waiting in line at the bank if they need to do a transaction,, you see,, not everyone overthere has a card,,

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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litost says on Sep 5, 2004, 19:20:

Hi Christina,

I'm glad to hear that things are moving along and that you've decided to take up your spanish lessons at the Universidad Externado, I'm sure you'll have a very rich experience.

As far as jobs are concerned, my main advice would be to first off talk to the other people in the course and at the University, they could point you in some direction or even offer you something there, you never know. In any case, you could also start puting up posts on the message boards around the campus offering english courses from a native speaker, it pays pretty well.

I hope to be in Bogota in a couple of months, It would be cool to meet up. Keep on posting!

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caslug says on Sep 5, 2004, 19:38:

Yeah, Bank of America is crappy for charging it's customer to use a non-BofA ATM. There are lots of bank in the US(Washington Mutual&Citibank being two) that doesn't charge ANYTHING on ANY ATM. What got me little pissed was that the ATM never warned about additional charges, so i didn't even realize it until i got home. ATM is best way to get money because some credit card company will charge you a fee to convert currency, like 2.75% or something.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Sep 5, 2004, 20:23:

Re. Credit cards Actually, you need to check with your credit card company. All Visa and Mastercards charge a 1% international transaction charge. Some of the issuing banks charge an additional 2-3%, but not all. If your have a credit card that only charges the 1% Visa/Mastercard transaction fee for foreign currency exchange this is your best possible rate (which you get by buying things on your card, NOT by getting a cash advance, which has other fees).

Just off the top of my head, an ATM withdrawal of 300,000 pesos is about $120. To get that you're charged $3 to $4. That's a really crappy fee when seen as a percentage.

I believe American Express charges 2% or more on all foreign transactions.

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litost says on Sep 5, 2004, 20:44:

caslug, that's not true, I have Washington Mutual debit card and I always get charged when using other banks' ATMs in the US, around $1.50-$2.00.

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Christinalkc says on Sep 6, 2004, 00:25:

which bank? okay, though i have my debit cards from both banks in malaysia and australia, i would rather bring in the cash and have it put in the banks in colombia i guess.

which is the best bank for students or foreigners??

chaolin,
christina ojitos

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Mr. Hollywood says on Sep 6, 2004, 09:39:

Cash is not king here Christiana, I know it goes against almost everything that's true about exchanging currency in the rest of the world, but bringing cash here isn't a good idea. When you go to a casa de cambio there are two rates, one for check and electronic transactions, the other for cash. The cash rate is ALWAYS about 5% lower than the check and electronic transaction rate. It's also lower than the rate you'll get using your debit card or withdrawing from an ATM. And there is no black market in dollars at a better rate.

So unless you want to write off 5% of your savings just to carry in cash, please consider doing it a different way.

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caslug says on Sep 6, 2004, 14:45:

Yep, ATM is the most conveniant. I may gripe about the "fee" but it's still only 2% vs 5% at the money cambio. Plus it's alot less stressful than trying to carry lots of cash and worry about it. In the US, there's banks that don't charge atm fees there must be banks like that in your country. Again, if there's a citibank i would recommend that.

Litost, i guess i was wrong about WaMu, i thought they advertise that they "reimburse" your ATM fee when you use other banks. There's always credit unions.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Sep 6, 2004, 14:58:

One other thing about bank accounts To open a bank account in Colombia you must have a national Colombian id card (called the cedula). Having a student visa qualifies you for one but you'll still have to go through the trouble of going to the DAS (which is basically the Colombian FBI and CIA thrown together, plus immigration) and applying. It might take a while.

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Hunter says on Sep 6, 2004, 16:42:

Security You will have to get the correct paperwork together to open a bank account and that could take you several months.

So you will have to leave the money at your place of residence, so security is a potential problem as well, do you really want to take the risk of losing all your money in one go.

I still would opt for the Debit card.

I would take out the maximum amount on each transaction, most ATMs will only give you 300,000 pesos. So taking into account how much the banks will make changing your money, it will probably work out a similiar cost.

If you do decide on bringing cash with you, bring US dollars, because Austalian dollars are not scene here much so you won't get a good exchange rate. An example is I enquired about the exchange rate with several banks would give me for British pounds, the rate at the time was 4,950 pesos, the banks would only give me approx 4,100 pesos.

Hunter

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Christinalkc says on Sep 14, 2004, 05:44:

I am comin!!! Hey guys!

Just 7 more days and I am off to Bogota.... I am so excited and scared at the same time! I guess I will just use ATMs since either way I will lose money but this saves me the hassle of converting from USD and things like that............ Amigos y amigas, wish me luck and please do leave me with ur contacts so I can at least meet up with some of u, who stays in Bogota! I sure do need some friends!!

Chaolin,
Christina (christinalkc at yahoo.com.au)

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