Following your life partner in Colombia

Member since 14 January 2019

LoïcViP18 March 2020 08:59:55

1777

Hi everyone,

If love can move mountains, it also makes people move abroad, in countries such as Colombia.
Following your life partner in a country with different customs and rules is an act of absolute trust and may require a period of adaptation.
This is why we would like to have your opinion to answer these questions and thus help future expats who are preparing to follow the same track by moving in Colombia.

What preparation do you have, or do you advise, to do before your departure in order to make the best of this experience?

What challenges have you faced? In what areas (finding a job, socialization, well-being)? How did you overcome them?

What is the outcome of this experience for you? Would you do it again if the opportunity arose?

Has your relationship with your beloved changed since your expatriation in Colombia? Do you have any advice on this subject?

If your expatriation involved children, how did you manage to maintain a family balance in the face of this life change?

Thanks for your contribution!

Loïc

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CaliRay Contributor

Member since 01 September 2010

CaliRayContributor23 March 2020 17:33:28

193

If you are coming to Colombia to be with your new love and don't have at least a reasonable grasp of Spanish both spoken and reading, learn it. If you know Spanish like that spoken in Mexico, Spain or virtually any other Spanish speaking country, be prepared to have no idea what Colombians may be saying at times. There are words used in Colombia that you won't find in other Spanish speaking countries. When in doubt, ask.

I don't care how much you believe you are in love realize that you aren't just coming to be with her or him, you are joining the entire family. You better understand this cultural norm. The family can solidify your relationship with your chosen one or they can wreck it and you will always be the outsider when things don't go smoothly. Be prepared for that.

If you contemplate marriage and are bringing significant assets into the marriage, get a lawyer and a prenuptial agreement. You, hopefully, will never need it but if you ever do it will save you from a lot of financial anguish.

If your new partner/spouse has kids, bring them into your world just the same as if they are your own blood. They didn't make the world they find themselves in and they need to know they are family.

These are only some of the things I can recall now. If I come up with more, I'll add later.