A little about us!

[Bill123]

I have often wondered just who the guys I communicate with on this list are. I know a few, but only a few. In other words, a little about each one would really help. Such as when we meet a person in face to face, it really helps in knowing who everyone is. Nothing specific necessarily, but just a little introduction....kind of a bio. This is of course purely voluntary.

Since I am bringing it up, I will start:

I have been at this search for I guess three years now, with 5 trips so far, all to Colombia. I live on the west coast and I've never been married. I own my own business, developing products, licensing them, and manufacturing some of them in China. I am one who is 99% turned off at the thought of dating AW. So as hard as it is, I am crazy enough to go south. And although full of roadblocks, red tape, risks and high costs, it is still one of the best decisions I have ever made.

next...!

[SJI]

I am 37, and live in Baltimore, Maryland. Software Engineer by profession. The first time I went to Colombia was in July of 1997, I thought I found heaven! I was 32. I thought it was the greatest place and they were the best women I ever saw, so friendly and charming, with this old world feel to the place. It was a little depressing to return to the states and I missed the slower pace of Colombia and the people. I met the most awesome latina in Bogota, but she left without much explanation. Since then I have not met her equal, and I just went through a stressful ordeal with a latina from Bucaramanga, but I am hopeful I can again meet a wonderful and mature latina once again like I did the first time.

[SJI]

Looks like it's just you and me on this one Bill.

Ok I have been slammed as of late for reading and not posting. Maybe I can change a little of this.

I am DWM 44, a governmental executive living in Michigan. I have a military background and have lived most of my life right here in god old Michigan. I am educated but not so much that I dont still have my "street sense". I tend to be very direct and sometimes I piss people off. I guess I am more like father more than I realize.

M first trip was to Bogota in 1999 so for I have made a total of 4 trips to Latin America. I have stayed away from Colombia since 2000 mainly because of the instability in the country. I know that the chances of having a problem there are slim but with my current job it is not worth the potential problem.

Everytime I return from one of my trips I am in a funk for a while because I miss everything about Latin America.

I love traveling to any place Latin and I want to someday try living abroad. Maybe Mexico or Costa Rica. If I had to decide right now it would be Mexico.

Richard

[Junfan]

33, DWM, I live in Dallas, where I have worked in finance for 11 years. I am more or less fluent in Spanish, which is both a result of my having studied it in HS & College as well as having been married to a Latina who spoke zero English. I love speaking Spanish, and use it every chance I get here in town. What a weapon it is when a gringo can truly communicate in her native tongue.

I don't think I will marry another Latina soon, but that does not mean that Latin America will not be getting regular visits from Uncle JunFan. Although I love it, I'm a little Colombia'd out right now having made 6 trips in the last 20 mos. I want to check out another country, just don't know where yet.

Mike http://www.sparhard.com

[Chao]

46, DWM, living in Omaha, accountant. Fluent in Spanish. I took four courses in Spanish at a community college. I practiced with Mexican American friends when I lived in Texas. I improved my ability to speak Spanish by visiting Mexico once, Colombia seven times, and having a Cartagenera as a novia.

I started my on quest to find a Latina wife in 1994 by purchasing addresses from TLC and writing letters. I don't recommend letter writing.

I corresponded with a lady in Monterrey, Mexico and visited her once. This is known as the "one-woman trip". I don't recommend this either.

I took the plunge in January 2000 and went to Bogota for two weeks. I signed up with the now defunct Centro Intercontinental. I met about 12 ladies, corresponded with one, but it didn't work out.

I went to Cartagena in August 2000 and signed up with Latin Destinations. I met about 7 ladies, including Gloria, my fiancee.

Since August 2000, I have returned to Cartagena 6 times to visit Gloria. We got engaged in December. She will be going to Bogota next month to apply for her visa. We plan to get married this fall.

chao

[DCNUPE/Eddie]

My name is Eddie, I'm 38, bi cultural (blk & puerto rican)and live in the DC area. I married a women from C/gena over a year ago and we are very happy together. I have been traveling to colombia since 1999, mostly for fun until I was hit in the head. I've traveled to Medellin, Bogota, Santa Marta, B/quilla and mostly C/gena. Been apart of this board since 98 or 99. Haven't posted much recently b/c I spend my time searching for better employment opportunities.
Over the years I have personally met with or talked with many of the vets on this board. I apologize for not sharing much about post marriage on this board but it appeared that my story was in conflict with some of the other stories. So I decided not to share. However, my wife and I are doing very well together. Of course we have our problems at times, but through patience and love we work them out. I will contiune to peek in at times until my priorities change but my email address remains the same (dcnupe@yahoo.com).
peace/cuidate
Eddie
p.d. What's up Richard? It looks as if I'll be back in LE.

Eddie,

Good to hear that news...we need good people.

Richard

[Dr. Detroit]

I've been a long time member of this board, under a different handle, but mostly have used it for info, not really posting much..for a few reasons. I'm a WWM 48 and holding (about 3") LOL. Have worked in manufacturing as a tech on equipment since '73, but always have the entrepreneurial wheels turning. (I probably need to talk to Bill 123 from the sound of his gig). Was born and raised in Michigan, but have since been around some and now in the Atlanta area.

Don't want to get into a ton of drawn out stats here, but I can tell you how I fell into the Latin scene. Had previously been to Honduras and Mexico and enjoyed them as excursions and vacations. I'm a classic case of a dude who stayed single too long and in the 20's let too many nice prospects slip away. So at 35, still single with no kids and dating mostly divorcees with kids and problems, I succumbed to a small ad in a Cincinnati newspaper about meeting Latinas for life mates, etc. It was then my new year's resolution in 1990 to join the then burgeoning Ed Beckwith's Latin Connections, which I did and did enough corresponding with ladies to set up my July trip to Bogota and Cali. I knew about 10 words in Spanish, but still looked halfway decent and in shape, so connected with some babes from Leo's Centro Intercontinental. I loved Leo! He pulled me aside about so many of the ladies and filled me in and gave me a crash course in the whole scene there and in Colombia as well. I was deeply saddened by his passing. Long story short, I ended up marrying the lady I fell for on this trip! And Ed said, left a few saddened that I never made it to Cali. It's about impossible to marry in this fashion with current laws and I would never recommend it anyway, but all I can say it that it was the best thing I ever did and worked out great for us. I will caution, as many here have, that it is a strain when your new bride gets here and is dependent on you for everthing. Fortunately back then I was probably more laid back and tickled to have a decent woman, so we both endured and I never regretted it. I got a ton of flack from some family and friends, that I had done this and I had really "lost it," etc. The redemption came as they finally got to meet her, see her quality, etc.

With time, our family planning was going great. One daughter 18 months and just getting ready to start for kid #2 and then get the old tubes tied. (Hey, I was aging by crackie). Some of you have heard of this story and it's very involved and sad for me, but it happened for whatever reason. We lost Maritza to a drunk driver on her way to work at a local hospital one night. Some people bounce back quickly from tragedy, but I'm not one of them. It will be 7 years in July since she's been gone and it seems like this past year is the first time my mind has been more clear and returned to some level of normalcy. My daughter is a big reason for keeping me sane and she's a jewel. She's been stuck with an old dude all these years who now looks like death eating a soda cracker--a real white dude, with puffed up beady eyes, who in his mind, still thinks he can hook another fox! LOL And I have-- to be honest had a couple ladies from down yonder (that is anyplace Latin American for me), to come here and actually consider marriage. So far it has not worked and I know I've learned a lot from all this. As one of the fellers on this board stated once--at this point my life is pretty good and it would have to be a perfect fit for me to now change it and take the plunge to remarry. I am still trying and hold out hope, but I just refuse to press the issue now. I want to go down and continue to enjoy what I love so much about Col. and all Latin America and if things happen to click, I'm hoping I'll recognize it a second time. If not, I was one of the luckiest dudes in the world to have had the quality five years I did and a great daughter from it.

Since I went ahead and made this way longer than I said I would (sorry),I want to interject my opinion about all of us who go down yonder looking....We are on the right track. I like gringas, but they're different animals. The guys who have taken the path less traveled and made the trip south have a hard time getting it out of their blood, myself included. We start out happier than a rat in a Velveeta factory, while down there and then crash into depression upon landing in the USofA! I am not an agency expert, but have enjoyed using every one that I have so far. I feel I have a good handle on that culture and what it can do to enhance our lives. It's a shame, but the whole scene has become more muddled now with Al Gore's invention. It's an industry now, so be careful, but keep on keeping on until you make it work for you! Sorry I got off thread at the end I guess. Told you I was new to the posting thing...LOL

Bueno suerte amigos!....Dr. D

[HonkyTonk]

Well, Tonk cleaning up the rear again. DWM, self employed living in Ga., dating almost 100% latinas since 1998. I thought I'd met the right one in Bogota in 1999 but all I got was taken to the cleaners, both wallet and heart. We split mutually 2 weeks before the wedding. I wiped the sweat from my brow on that one. So much for beginners luck. I wised up, saw things how they really are down there, and have loved it ever since having travelled to Colombia many times, Venezuela and Peru. All have ultra fine women.

I will never give up latin american travel, but also realize I may never find the one that I can just be comfortable with. At this point the last thing I need is more BS. If I don't find her in the next 2 years or so (I am not on a wife hunt) , I will continue to travel but not even consider an agency. If not marriage, I will concentrate on someday retireing and spending 1/2 the time here and the rest very south of here in the company of the latina of my choice and a few good friends. It couldn't get much better than that. Until then, I hope I find the right one that sweeps me away but I also sweep her away...more!

I'd prefer a happy marriage, but the alternative of extended Central/South American living, culture, latinas, spanish music (maybe a little old Jimmy Buffett), sun and the lack of any kind of rat race could suit this Gringo just fine till my time is up....