Open an office in Medellin?

Good afternoon James, I have some thoughts for you. Will try to send an email. David

The ‘price of entry' to Poblado sector is reasonable by North American standards .. and this is the natural venue for your enterprise, based on what you told us.

There's no shortage here of what you listed that you'd be looking for.

The best areas of Poblado are classy and beautiful, with solid infrastructure -- a draw for Gringos .. and for Colombianos on the way up.

The Gringo-friendly group Inter******* holds its monthly meetings in Poblado.  This is the home of the Milla de Oro -- the Golden Mile, home to top hotels, shopping malls, most of the city's casinos, the famous Parque Lleras (JEH-rahss) and Parque la Presidenta.

cccmedia from Poblado, Medellin

Thank you for the response cccmedia - I am also looking at an office in Quito.   I should be stopping in there before the end of the year as well.   Do you live there permanently now?  Do you have the same insight into the Gringo communities in Quito, Cuenca, Baños ??

SoyJames wrote:

Thank you for the response cccmedia - I am also looking at an office in Quito.   I should be stopping in there before the end of the year as well.   Do you live there permanently now?  Do you have the same insight into the Gringo communities in Quito, Cuenca, Baños ??

I own a condo in Quito which is my primary residence.  I will be back in Quito late this month.

The 9350' altitude of Quito has become more of a challenge, which is one reason I have been spending more time in Colombia in recent months -- in Medellin and Eje Cafetero.

I don't recommend anyone move permanently to Quito without living there at such altitude for a good while, to be sure of the adjustment.

Medellin and the cities where I stayed in Eje Cafetero are at an altitude four or five thousand feet lower than Quito, and that seems to make a major difference in terms of my energy level.

As for “Gringo communities” in Quito, I think the term Gringo-friendy or Gringo-ready would be more appropriate, since Gringos are a small slice of the population anywhere in the capital.  (There is even a smaller percentage of Gringos in Medellin.)

In Quito... Mariscal and the upscale Gonzáles Suárez are sectors that would fall into the Gringo-friendly categories.  The business center of north Quito is another possibility, although I consider pollution to be unacceptably high near the major avenidas up there.

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As for Baños, it's not recommended -- at least by me.  The volcano on the edge of town was active as of last year, and scientists have said that Baños could be destroyed if Tungurahua had a major eruption.  Given the El Niño flooding, the coastal earthquakes and the volcanic activity that have all menaced Ecuador since last year, I wouldn't gamble on safety in Baños.

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There's a Cuenca forum of expat.com ... There could be some advice available to you over there about that much-loved city which is outside the Ring of Fire and volcano zones .. and at about 12 percent lower altitude than Quito.  I imagine that Nards and the gang would be glad to advise you.

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Since this is technically a Colombia thread, please post any additional comments or questions about Ecuador at the Ecuador forum or the Cuenca forum, or start a new thread in an Ecuador section.

cccmedia, from Medellin, Colombia

Good Morning - than's for the detailed reply.  Very helpful.   Medellin is the first priority but I truly appreciate the insight on Ecuador also.  I'll switch over to the other forums for any more Ecuador questions...

J.

I can probably connect you with a few people that have that info, but no on Expat.
I have been living in Medellin for 6 years and 25 years of traveling in Colombia.
Im retired and living a good life here.

Awesome - thank you soprano77.  I can also be reached at XXX  if that is easier.

Hello saludos desde Venezuela también quiero irme a medellín a trabajar aunque aún tengo empleo, creo necesitará personal, si puede contratenme por favor please ayúdeme estoy aprendiendo inglés y quiero. Me den oportunidad de mejorar mi entorno etcétera. Mi Phone ***

@ Vennezolanita > Please note that you are on the Medellin anglophone forum, can you please post in english so that everyone can understand please?

Thank you

Priscilla

Thank you Julien.  I am still figuring out expat.com.  Sorry for the transgression.

I am also launching an online venture (short version, very, very confident of revenues in the nine or ten digits within 5-6 years, and 32 years' specific expertise to support that. Which said, until it delivers you can call that a loud fart and I wouldn't object). Need a studio in South America, Medellín aggressively growing it's tech base, low costs, beautiful country, and the women, not gonna lie...

Hoping to make this part happen sooner than later. Chiang Mai also a must, but it is much farther away, less stimulating and god help me as an ass man I am convinced Colombia is nirvana.

Chiang Mai, Thailand, does not compare well to Medellín for weather enjoyment most of the year.  Chiang Mai does have mild weather from some time in November to early January as a rule.

I spent two solid months, July and August, in Chiang Mai one summer.  It was dreadfully hot every afternoon.  Early mornings were okay.  I had a doctor who brewed a special tea for me to restore my energy.  I was still lethargic most of the time that summer.

Given USA realities, Medellín has advantages -- same time zones as Eastern and Central USA depending on time of year .. and travel doesn't have to wreak havoc on your body just to get there (or do a return trip) from/to, say, Chicago, New York or LA in a single, if longish, day.

My last trip back from Thailand (2013) I was able to sleep only about an hour on the long flight, Bangkok to the West Coast.  The tiredness that resulted lasted for many days.  I ended up retiring from stressful daily work and moving to South America several months later.

cccmedia

Thanks for the input!

Honestly, Chiang Mai is because it's also pushing tech development and I will essentially need studios on all continents. I don't much have an Asian mystique thing so will likely leave that one in a partner's hands as much as possible. MTL, MDE and, inevitably SF will likely be where I put my time.

Europe looking into Scandinavia as alternative to default (London) or Florence (just love the city). Africa is last step, thinking Egypt or Dubai-ish, India asking friends who know it... But one at a time and that is MTL (home), then MDE.

It's a language support thing.

Difierent story from last time.

I thought you were a married family Man

Oh well whatever..