[Travesty]

I have about a 2 year road map to what would be a $70k job working 40-50 hours a week remotely through the internet.

I am based in SoCal right now. I was thinking of going to South America to stay in U.S. time zones and be able to work the same hours as the U.S. team. Plus I think I will save Asia until I am older.

That said I have never been to SA and plan to take a 2 week trip to Colombia in the next year. I also am thinking of planning a trip to Vietnam. I have limited vacation and am unsure how to spend it over these next 2 years if I have a good shot at well-paid remote work.

I was thinking about trying to live off $2k a month expenses so I can save well.

I am on Pimsleur Spanish II set and getting ready to move on to III. I also watch novellas on Hulu with Spanish subtitles and try to understand the chicas when they talk fast and get emotional.

I will be 32 then. Still pale, tall, and dark hair whitey most likely then as well. I dance well for a white guy I'd say. At a wedding with all white people I am usually one of the top 3 if not best male dancer. I don't know Salsa or Samba yet but I've taken intro classes. I'd say my game is intermediate all around with flashes of being advanced.

One concern is I have a terrible record with Latinas in the U.S.. The only ones that I have banged are half white and extremely white-washed. Full blooded first and second generation Latinas whether when I approach or online give me zero love here in California.

I was thinking Colombia as it is a shorter flight back when I'd have to do at least I am guessing semi-annual check ins with home base. Also it is between DR and Brazil, the two other countries I'd visit on weekends/vacation time when I could.

Any advice or thoughts while this is 2 years away?

Things I may not realize?

[Olav]

Colombia I'd say. Proximity, cheapness, and race (?) factors come into play here.

[Americas]

First of all, not having success with Latinas in North America =/= not having success down here. I think I banged maybe one (two? not sure) Latina in North America, but have banged many down here.

Secondly, being remote actually gives you the benefit of moving around. I wouldn't settle in one place automatically unless I was looking for a LTR.

It depends on what you are looking for. If you provide more details I can help you pinpoint a country better. For example, I would personally never settle in Colombia even though I did enjoy the country, for a few reasons. But other people really like it and continue to go there. I've lived in Mexico City, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, and now Buenos Aires and enjoyed them all for different reasons.

I also made a thread for gaming Latinas that a beginner might find helpful:

America's Eight Commandments for Gaming Latinas

[Travesty]

^ What details do you need?

I read your rules when you first made that thread, good refresher.

I'd like my location to be Spanish speaking since that is what I am learning.

Unless I fall in love with a country I'd see myself staying 1-2 years. On the other hand I'd give a country about 2-3 months, if I hated it and had no luck I would move.

At first I'd probably want to get into mini-LTRs and really learn the language and culture down there. I am not really treating this as a bang mission.

Since I will be 32 then I am going to guess I will start opening up more to LTR's in general.

I've turned a point where I don't want to be partying or out all night. I'd probably be daygaming, online, and trying to break into social circles.

I've heard you can't trust a Colombian chick as far as you could throw her, doubly for DR chicks. Brazilian and Mexican seem more GF material.

The priorities are:
1) extremely reliable internet
2) somewhere more accepting of foreigners it would be great to make local friends
3) hopefully a bit friendly for Spanish and SA newbies
4) have a nice apartment and lifestyle for $2k a month

I think I'd have to prove to my employer I am reliable that far abroad before jumping around all the time.

I can go deeper once I get a feel for things and get more comfortable with the language.

I will probably have 4 or so 2 week vacation trips between now and then.

Something tells me DR would be more of a week/weekend type trip.

Mexico is a possibility, but Colombian chicks looks-wise are more my taste.

I left Argentina out because I think I'd need strong Spanish to break in.

The only developing countries I've been to were India and Thailand. I did Thailand wrong as a pre RVF newbie backpacker circa 2008. That said I think I could live in a place like BKK or Chang Mai, but not much poorer of a place at least until I toughen up to the living standards.

I am guessing Colombia falls between them.

[iknowexactly]

Your boss wouldn't even have to know where you are if you have good internet.
Just get a nice tapestry and hang it behind you in your regular apartment.
When you decide to work from another city, just bring it with you and hang it behind you there. You don't have to lie. Just hang up the tapestry. Everyone is so stuck in the frame of being in the place each day, they won't even think you might be somewhere different.

I have a very small location independent biz, and it is great not to have to go a boring office with people whose lives are so circumscribed. I realized I was totally used to the feeling "I can't go anywhere" even after it wasn't true any more. Freedom takes getting used to.

[Americas]

(12-03-2014 05:08 PM)Travesty444 Wrote:  

I've heard you can't trust a Colombian chick as far as you could throw her, doubly for DR chicks. Brazilian and Mexican seem more GF material.

This is fairly funny because the only two LTRs that I have ever had were with a Brasileira and a Mexicana. And I had absolute horrible experiences with Colombianas (relationship potential-wise anyways).

Quote:

The priorities are:
1) extremely reliable internet
2) somewhere more accepting of foreigners it would be great to make local friends
3) hopefully a bit friendly for Spanish and SA newbies
4) have a nice apartment and lifestyle for $2k a month

Something tells me DR would be more of a week/weekend type trip.

Mexico is a possibility, but Colombian chicks looks-wise are more my taste.

I left Argentina out because I think I'd need strong Spanish to break in.

The only developing countries I've been to were India and Thailand. I did Thailand wrong as a pre RVF newbie backpacker circa 2008. That said I think I could live in a place like BKK or Chang Mai, but not much poorer of a place at least until I toughen up to the living standards.

I am guessing Colombia falls between them.

OK. First of all, while much of LA is developing country status, some of them are actually a lot more developed than people think. Places like Chile, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, and Argentina are actually middle-income and have parts of cities that feel no different than NA.

I've been to Thailand and I think there's a pretty big difference between that country and the more developed countries in Latin America.

Everything you said makes perfect sense and you've obviously already done some homework.

Argentina, I would agree is more of an advanced level of Spanish place. The people are a little more stand-offish here than most of LA and actually, frankly, some people here are just straight up dicks. However, that being said, Buenos Aires has the third highest standard of living in the region and is a fantastic city. But I think a second tier city like Mendoza could be something to look at, I loved that city and the people were super friendly.

Won't go into Brazil too much because your preference is for Spanish (that being said, you could switch to Portuguese right now and not lose too much opportunity cost).

Ecuador is a pretty good country for a starter. I think for friendliness and expat acceptance it's one of the best. It was recently voted one of the best for expats in the world and after spending a month and a half in Quito, it doesn't surprise me. Super cheap, uses American dollars as currency, easily to do side-trips on the weekend or whatever, the mountain area Spanish is quite easy to understand, and the people are friendly. The downsides is the talent isn't fantastic there, the food is kind of mediocre, and the internet/efficiency of things is not the best.

Lima could be an option, although I have never been there so can't comment.

I just spent a week in Montevideo and thought the city was fantastic. It's pretty developed, super chilled out, the girls are nice and cute, and it's right across the Rio de La Plata from Buenos Aires. I could see myself living there, good food but it could also get a little boring after a while.

Panama City or San Jose could be an option. Lots of English speakers, lots of expats, good talent for girls, and fairly safe choices for a beginner of LA. I personally couldn't do San Jose, it's kind of a shit hole, is a prostitution center, and too many Americans around. I am interested in Panama City though.

Paraguay and Bolivia are kind of gongshows, as are the three countries in the north and Venezuela.

Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Hondarus, and Belize are on the very underdeveloped side. I wouldn't trust the internet there, nor are any of their bigger cities much to behold.

Mexico is probably a good option. Close to home, great food and culture, endless places to explore. Mexico City is great, I just made a post about it in a similar thread to this today. It's probably my favourite city in LA behind Rio.

Colombia, well Bogota and Medellin are cool cities. Don't know if I could stay in Medellin for too long though, it lacks a lot of things outside of nightlife IMO. Bogota is pretty cool, but its pretty rough and tumble. Cali is an option.

I also think Santiago is a good option. I don't know why, but this city seems to get ignored on this forum. I have only spent two nights there (I am planning on going for a week in the very near future), so I don't know it well. But I know it is quite developed, is expat friendly, and clean. Much more expensive than the norm though.

I don't know the Caribbean well enough to comment, only been to Cuba.

There are also 2nd tier cities that can be great if you find your niche. Places like Pereira, Bucaramanga, Trujillo, Belo Horizonte, Cordoba, Mendoza, Merida, Puebla, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Maracaibo, and Granada are places that don't get talked about a lot sometimes but places I would enjoy setting up roots in. Also, with second tier cities if you find the right circles, they can be a lot more welcoming than the bigger or capital cities in Latin America.

[Helmutnl]

But it is commonplace that English in all countries in South America is slightly understood.
You would probably need to gain a more advanced level of Spanish before going there, I'd say, and that especially applies for Argentina, Mexico and Colombia.
In Brazil you would need Portuguese so that's another thing.
In Spanish you should reach level B1 or B2 I'd say, to converse well with the locals there.

[Travesty]

As a side note I live in a city area of about 150k on the beach that is a mostly suburan college town area. My lifestyle is surfing, playing music, going out and banging chicks. I like the idea of a place like NYC but not the value cost.

I really just need a nice centrally located apartment and enough money for dates to be pretty content. The catch is I want 7+ that are sweet, cool, and under 25. I am willing to put in the 3-5 dates with no problem I am not in a rush. I want to experience what American women can't offer. Banging 6s that show up to my doorstep from online dating sites is of no interest.

I would like my status as an American with a nice place to count for something though. I want 7s to be more interested with less work than America. It feels like in places in EE and DR this is easily possible.

Is this as easily possible in Mexico and Colombia or do I have to put in the same work as the U.S. to get a quality 7+ mini-LTR under 25yo?

I think I will trust my gut that the CA countries, Ecuador, Peru, Chile won't have the talent I am looking for.

I think Medeillin, Bogota, Cali, Mexico City, and Guadalajara are probably top on my radar.

Brazil seems too expensive overall. I am also into faces over body and I hear Brazil can have a butterface problem, also I hear obesity is rising.

I am worried in Mexico there is also obesity and only the upper middle class and up girls are thin. I also worry about their attitude being so close to America and having cousins they visit there etc...

I think second tier Argentina could be great if I had some decent Spanish to handle to longer time to break in without getting bitter on the place. So I feel like it could be in the cards for the later future.

I think a good game plan would be as far as vacations:

1) Colombia 2 weeks hit Medeillin, Bogota, Cali.

2) Mexico 10 days hit Mexico City and GDL so I get a weekend in each.

3) Argentina 2 weeks hit Mendoza and Cordoba, maybe BA for a weekend

Thoughts? Hopefully by the third trip 18 months from now my Spanish will be solid to better appreciate Argentina.

[Helmutnl]

Regarding learning Spanish I also recommend this book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suena-Student-Bo...8466755055

[Sonsowey]

I learned Spanish studying at a university, taking classes 6 hours a day five days a week. I can say everyone in my program in four months learned an incredible amount. The sheer amount of time, as well as being immersed in the language and making friends with Spanish-speaking students, practically assures it.

I knew people in their 30s and beyond doing this, the university could enroll you as a private individual or as part of a study-abroad. These guys in their 30s had no problem with girls there.

It was in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which is a beautiful small city with very great girls. PM me for details if interested.

[Travesty]

^ Thank you I will PM with questions.

In the meantime is this bullshit?:

"Cuernacava is the 18th most dangerous city in the world"

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree...pena-nieto

[azulsombra]

Travesty,

Based on your qualifications and requirements I think you would be happy in Colombia, specifically a place like Medellin. The talent you want will be there, the university population should supply you with under 25 yr females and its the only Colombian city that has a true Metrorail for transportation and logistical ease. Medellin also has springlike weather year round which will be an easy transition coming from California.

The city of Cali will likely be too hot and humid for you. The city is a little more dangerous although the talent can be good. Its also not as developed as Medellin. Its a poorer city too and the nightlife is pretty restricted to weekends.

Bogota has that Intl city hustle and bustle, along with more people and the ungodly traffic that comes with it. Friendly girls, talent all over the place. Weather sucks basically all year round...imagine seattle without summer ever coming. Doesn't sound like what you are looking for.


After a year or two once you've mastered spanish you could explore Southern Brazil and get some surfing in. Im sure you'd do well there. Once you know spanish its not too difficult to transition to Portuguese