Expert: Cesar P. - 2/18/2002

Question
Can you give me a list of the mistakes americans make when they come to Columbia in relation to dress, speech, rules, gestures, etc

Answer
Dear AllExperts visitor:

Usually people are very understanding with tourists. Many tourists wear cameras, shorts and t-shirts, and sometimes a hat. I have seen american tourists in Colombia. They are easy to spot: white race (not latino), some are young and carry hiking gear (backpacks, etc.), they are heard speaking English, they go to touristic places and take pictures or videos, many go in tours and get out of buses and follow a guide, many go shopping and ask prices in English or try to ask in Spanish but the accent is felt. Well, in general, you know how tourists behave, look and do. There is nothing wrong with anything of that. Colombians are very easy going. There are no difficult rules like some arabic countries. Just enjoy the scenery, the kindness in people, the food, etc.

- Dress however you like (well, no nudity on the beaches or in public places. Woman should not walk without the top on the beach, but can remove the back of if while facing down on the towels)

- If you want to be confused/mixed with the crowd then maybe do not wear shorts unless you are in a hot area such as beaches or in summer time. If you look like a tourist (carry cameras, hats etc.) you will be spoted as a tourist, but who cares.

- Tourists go to touristic stores and will get charged more. Try to go to regular stores instead of the expensive specialty stores for tourists, you will save a lot of money. It is okay to negotiate, and you should. Most vendors on the street and small stores (not major chains) propose a price and you will negotiate it down to what you will be willing to pay. You will be amazed of the difference in price if you do not give up too soon. Shop at several stores for the same item you want, the diferences could be big.

- In Colombia they use the word "drogas" to mean drugs, but also medicine. Depending on the context and who you are talking to you should be able to figure out which one they are referring to.

- A rule for you would be to be watchful of thieves and other criminals. Watch your belongings. Do not trust anyone (lookout for fake taxis, etc., make sure they do not drive away with your luggage). Be specialy careful of people who steal wallets, hide your wallet with a chained wallet under your pants. Do not go to areas that look bad (dark, where there are some people that look dangerous, etc.) Try to do tourism with more tourists (in group, in tours), not alone. Colombia is safer in the main cities. There are guerrilla zones, do not go to cities where you have to go thru those zones. If you are going to take a long trip in bus, car or taxi to other states or cities ask if there is guerrilla in the way there. If that is correct, then it would be better to go by plane.

- Do not show a lot of cash or expensive stuff in public that would tempt thieves.

- When you change dollars, be careful that you get all of it and some of it does not get back into their drawer.

- If you give money to panhandlers, it could be bothersome, because some others will also ask you for money. Do not be rude with them, most are truly poor. You could have some coins most of the time to keep them happy.

- In regards to gestures I would say that as long as you are polite you should not have any problems. Just do not wick a married woman in front of her husband (just joking).

- Avoid buying jewelry from people on the street, if you do you will probably find out later that emeralds could be fake or have a real piece on the top and the bottom could be a green piece of glass. Gold jewelry could be just highly polished copper that will become dark in a few days (Once I bought one very nice looking at a very cheap price and I told the seller that I knew that it was probably fake, he kept on insisting that it was real). He even scratched the ring against a glass on the part where the supposed diamond was placed, the glass got scratched.

- When paying with credit card be careful that they do not add more zeroes later. Do not leave spaces where they could add numbers. I think I would write the price in words too. I prefer the printed numbers over the handwritten ones.

- Carry a calculator for currency conversions. You can get currency exchange in banks, but you will problably get more for your dollars on the small exchange stores. This stores pay better for large bills that for small ones, therefore give them 50 and 100 dollar bills. Stores in smaller towns will pay less than in big cities. The currency exchange at exchange stores in the major airports is not that bad, you could shop for their rate. The higher of the amount and the bills the better.

- Do not get drunk alone (you do not want to wake up without your wallet).

- Night clubs are somewhat more expensive than in U.S. If you go in group then they will probably ask for a minimum order of half a bottle for about 3 people or a bottle for more people.

- Some people get their watches. jewelry taken away from them in broad day light (e.g. inside a bus and they run away when the door opens). Purses get opened with knives.
Well, it happened a lot before. It is better to use taxis and not to wear jewelry in Colombia.

It is not as dangerous as it is pictured, but it is better to be careful since in occasion things happen to those that give chance to thieves. Do not stay out too late at night by yourself.

If you have questions, please let me know. What I wrote above does not look much like a list, but some of the details are important.

I hope I did not scare you too much. It is nice there and most people are very loving and friendly, just a few make things difficult.

Enjoy Colombia,

César P.