Hello, I am Elfi and living in Leon, Nicaragua since 2015. I moved here from Mahajanga, Madagascar, where I had a company for solar systems and video production for 11 years and was able to realize almost all my dreams. After a coup and 5 years of transitional government I was tired of the degradation in all fields of life - environmental, corruption, insecurity...
As there was a lot going on in Africa (ISI S, Ebola, terrorism...) I decided to take a look at Latin America and - after a 3 months visit - chose the "safest country of Central America" as my new residence. But now we are going through some heavy turmoil since 2 months - with almost 300 people killed, 1,000 injured, and armed gangs terrorizing the barrios and a crashing economy.
Many foreigners and also Nicas left the country, some are settling down in Panama. I am torn between going back to Madagascar (I am often homesick for my friends there and it feels like my home country, but then I should wait until after the election and rainy season), Guatemala (I could live there with my C4 visa until 2021) and Colombia which I don't know at all.
I would welcome a certain political and personal safety after the experiences I made. I live on my German pension which would facilitate the residency problem. I would like to live close to the seaside, in a town of 100-200,000 inhabitants, where it is easy to make local and foreign friends. Unfortunately I found it very difficult to make local friends in Nicaragua, because the social groups are very closed.
Does anybody know the Caribbean cities: Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta and Cienaga and tell me, if it is easy there to make friends and integrate oneself, how is the security feeling and if it is possible to find a furnished little house for me and my 2 dogs? Thank you in advance!
How is the security feeling ?
Santa Marta would be your best bet.
Barranquilla ugly and Cartagena too touristy.
Guess you are used to heat and humidity.
Aldo solar projected being developed in La Guajira closet to Santa Marta
Salsera wrote:Colombia... I don't know at all.
I would welcome a certain political and personal safety after the experiences I made. I live on my German pension which would facilitate the residency problem.
We don't do politics on Expat.com forums.
However, I can tell you that a new president will be inaugurated in Colombia in August .. and, regardless of campaign discussions/commentary, nobody really knows how safe and secure Colombia will be, going forward.
I would refer you a discussion at Expat-------.com where they openly prognosticate about politics, including ideas about what the recent presidential election means for four years from now.
I would refer you there, but such prognosticating is all bogus nonsense IMO.
cccmedia in Quito, Ecuador (highly recommended in most areas of the country for safety)
High-level corruption revealed in the Senate.
A Colombian Senator from Manizales, Mario Castaño,
has been jailed and charged with corruptly using his
high office to run kickback schemes.
Castaño allegedly received up to 20 percent of
government contracts he arranged and kickbacks
for appointments to government offices.
After a high-court investigation, Castaño was arrested
as the alleged leader of an organized crime group
that embezzled public funds.
One of his senatorial aides and at least half a dozen
of his other operatives were arrested before the
authorities came for Castano.
Source... colombiareports.com
@cccmedia So they didn't pay off the right people? 😅
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