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Karmalious

What do you love about Colombia?

By Karmalious in Off Topic

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Karmalious Explorer

Karmalious   50

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Colombia
 Timeline
Posted

Hello my fellow Colombianos. I'm bored at work and though it would be interesting to see what everyone else loves about colombia...

I have been recently on a TV-Binge watching Anthony bordain visit Colombia, or that Samantha Brown girl...And I just can't seem to get enough of that culture.

Me? I am a US Citizen living in Colorado Springs, but I lived in Bogota with my wife for about 6 months. For me, I love Caldo de costilla! Everytime i come home I end up eating crappy American soups hoping that it will somehow taste like my wife's. Sadly it doesn't compare. There is a restaurant called "lena seca" in Barrio El Encanto and for only 6,000 pesos you can get an unbelievable amount of food that is always super fresh. The owners , 3 ladies who recently graduated culinary school, change the menu everyday. So good and wholesome!

And those potato chips, actually those Plantain Chips, las verdes. (The salty chips). LOL soo good also. I usually bring home like 3 or 4 bags and share them with my friends.

And you know? Colombia kind of reminds me of the United States back in the 1950s ( Golden Era )...... Everyone, from 17 year old girls to an elderly old man is out on the streets trying to start a business. You can feel the entrepreneural spirit everywhere, it is almost contagious. I look at that 17 year old selling watermelons out of a cart in admiration.. Or that old man who sells Blood sausage from the back of his beat-up car... LOL mmmmmmmm the best I ever ate!

For our wedding, we went to Fusasuga ( just outside of bogota), it is like an hour drive down the mountain. And we rented a place on AirBNB in the mountains with a pool and 5 bedrooms for only $70 /night. An incredible deal! Our hosts were so kind and offered to go into the town to buy any supplies we were missing. It felt really magical.

And this is why I love these people!

--I have been taken advantage of before too. Whether a cab driver wants to take you on a joy-ride just because your American.... Or whether it is a street vendor who suddenly increases their prices by 30% just because your a gringo...kinda sucks. But after a half a century of violence and terrorism, and often at the hands of their own government... For the most part, the people I have met are very friendly. Some folks have even gone completely out of their way to help us.

VIVA COLOMBIA

PETITION I-130

1/2/2015 - Petition sent to Phoenix Lockbox

1/6/2015 - NOA #1 Receipt

7/1/2015 - NOA #2 Approved

7/10/2015 - Email from Nebraska stating sent the case to NVC

NVC

7/16/15 - Case Received by NVC

7/30/15 - Case number assigned

8/3/15 - DS-261 Agent available

8/4/15 - DS-261 Agent completed

8/4/15 - AOS fee available & paid

8/6/15 - Check cleared the bank & bar-code cover sheet now available

8/13/15 - AOS Packet & IV Packet sent to NVC by priority mail

8/15/15 - IV fee available & paid same day

8/17/15 - NVC received package

8/19/15 - Check cleared the bank & DS-260 available & DS-260 completed!!! ALSO, we received email notification from NVC that they received package on 8/17

- Case completed at NVC

- Case sent to Embassy on this date

EMBASSY

- Embassy received packet

- Wife received Packet 3/4 Instructions

- Medical appointment

- Interview

Point of Entry

- Enter Austin, Texas

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,293

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted

Never been to Colombia, but love Inca Kola.

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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