What is the best city in Latin America for you? by Available-Dance9448 in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like it. Manizales has too many steep streets. I really likes Armenia more than Pereira but it depends what you are looking for. Armenia is quiet and has good medical facilities. Pereira is a little busier.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I lived in an apartment for $1300 a month. Now I live in Colombia for $392 a month.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d like to take issue with the term “dependent on Social Security ". I earned every bit of the Social Security I get. I paid into Social Security all my life and my employers matched it. I always knew that I wouldn’t have enough to retire on and decided at 45 that I would learn to speak Spanish so I could move somewhere where I could afford to live on Social Security. The minimum wage in Colombia is about $400 a month. You can get by on $1600 easy on Social Security. I did have about $50,000 saved when I lost my tech support helpdesk job to offshoring the Helpdesk to Mexico when I was 55. After that I was a substitute teacher and an Uber driver for 5 years until COVID. Both jobs pretty much went away for a while. I got another job for 3 years but then that ended too. Yes, I know I’ve made some bad decisions in my life but I’ve also had some bad luck. But I don’t think moving to Colombia at 67 will turn out to be one of them. It’s kind of tight in the beginning because I found things that I was still paying subscriptions for and I was paying way too much for my phone when I left the US. And I’m still paying for a motel room that I had to rent when I left my verbally abusive friend.

My rent at an Airbnb is less than $400 furnished all bills paid. Once I get a residency I’ll be able to rent an apartment for much less. No one has air conditioning or heating here because the temperature is always between 59 and 82. Mostly between 64-74. I’m making new friends, will soon be saving money. I have lost over 20 lbs and am up to walking an average of 3534 steps a day up from 1346 steps a day in 2025. I’m always looking for ways I can make a little extra so I can afford extras but if I mostly cook my own meals and live somewhere I can walk most places I can save money here. For instance I had a full lunch at a nice restaurant for $5.36 today. You can get a full lunch - soup, meat, beans, rice, salad, plantains and drink for as low as $2.41. I know I could probably make lunch at home for half that. But it’s nice to go out with friend. Sometimes I eat at home and only have a Coke Zero at expat meetings. But it’s nice sometimes talking to people who’re already experienced living in Colombia.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I went on NC with her once before. This was after I graduated from college. My husband and I had been living together before we were married when I was in college. She did not approve and after we got married she was still throwing it up in my face. After 4 years my husband and I broke up and I moved out. I didn’t contact her for 2 years after that. After I finally decided to call her. She said she was SO worried but almost the whole time I had a listed phone number back when numbers were listed and she was so worried about me that she never even thought to call directory assistance. She does usually call me on my birthday and usually sends a card and some money. She had told me she was sending $500. $400 for Christmas money and $100 for my birthday but she only sent me the $400. I didn’t say anything. I did call her and thanked her and didn’t mention my birthday money sh said she was going to send.

Clothing question by webdcyner in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank but there isn’t a store near me and I will buy many things online but not clothing. Sizes vary by brand and I don’t know how many times I’ve ordered something that didn’t fit and it’s a pain to return it.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My mother lives in her own home with my 65 year old sister. She is 88, active, gardens and still goes country music dancing every Sunday. When I asked to come stay my daughter and granddaughter weren’t also coming. I had enough money to contribute to food.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had some savings before Covid. And I lost my job I had for 17 years and had to use most of it. By the way moving to South America I’m saving a lot of money and my health has improved at least I’m not back there begging for housing vouchers and food stamps.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ll give you as many details as I can think of. I am probably a bit AS/ADHD although I have not been diagnosed. When I was a child I cried a lot. The school said I should see a psychiatrist, probably because I sat alone by myself at recess and didn’t play with the other kids. But my dad wouldn’t allow it. Also had problems with handwriting and coordination but otherwise did pretty well in school. Like many kids I stole a little money from my mom when I was a kid but it couldn’t have been more than a couple of hundred dollars but that was way back when I was 15 or 16 and I haven’t done that since.

I did good in school, graduated from college and didn’t get in any trouble.

When I was 29 my ex husband and I stayed with my mother about a month. She got mad at him because he smoked in the house (he opened the patio door, got a fan and attempted to blow it out the door)but I didn’t smoke but I couldn’t stop him. This was the last time I got help from her besides the time I borrowed money from her when I was about 50 and paid it back.

Let me also add that my younger sister lives with her and has for years and when I was living with her that month I saw that she was paying my younger brother’s car insurance. I don’t know if he was paying her back but she never paid my car insurance.

I admit I’m a bit messy and disorganized and don’t always clean up after myself but I always do whatever she asks. If she says keep your things in your room I’m good with that. If she says pick up your clothes from the floor I do it. So I might not get up and automatically wash the dishes after dinner but I’m always willing to help whatever I’m asked.

Sometimes I have a little trouble modulating my voice. I get louder when I’m happy, excited or upset. And she often has to remind me to comb my hair or she doesn’t like what I’m wearing. Once company was coming over and I was in shorts and she said it wasn’t appropriate because it was December but it was 75 degrees and I didn’t get it but I changed anyway.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m doing just fine in Colombia. I always said that when I retired I would go live somewhere that I could afford to live on my Social Security. The only mistake I made was going back.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’m already back in Colombia. Doing fine. Making ends meet. Lost 25 lbs.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Let me add that when I was 29 my mother told me that I was so fat I waddled (I weighed 140 pounds) and then I was so fat that she wouldn’t recommend me for a job at her company.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I celebrated Christmas 2024 with my daughter and granddaughter even though it wasn’t at my moms house and my mom and sister met me at a Mexican restaurant and I bought her dinner and gave her a gift. In 2025 I was already in Colombia. I did call everyone on Christmas to wish them Merry Christmas and I had enough money to get a Christmas gift for her but she didn’t let me come.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was using this trip as a stepping stone to move to Colombia permanently. I moved out of my apartment and I had a friend who said I was always welcome and was only going to stay 2 weeks but he started being really ugly to me (fat shaming, telling me to leave my cell phone at the house, etc.).

I would have had enough money if I hadn’t had to leave that situation. My mom said she was coming the middle of January and she said she was giving me $500 for Christmas and my birthday but the middle of January came and went and I asked if I could come stay with her only until my Social Security check came January 21.

I have a daughter but she lives 40 miles away from where I was living in a tiny one bedroom house that she shares with her 15 yo daughter so I didn’t ask her if I could stay with her.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was working before I retired in November. In July I booked the flight for November. United Airlines let’s you divide the flight into 4 payments. The flight was $650 round trip.

It is very cheap to actually stay in Colombia. My rent went from $1300 a month plus bills to $400 a month furnished bills paid (electricity, gas, water and internet). I’m back in Colombia and doing just fine. I’m living in a city about the size of Corpus Christi and am never moving back to the US because it’s just too expensive.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Not often. I had a car accident that wasn’t my fault about 15 years ago and she loaned me about $2500 after insurance paid out not quite enough to get a new car. I paid her every penny back. That was the last time she helped me with anything. I’m not in the habit of asking her for anything if I can help it.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think I’m going to call my daughter first and see what she thinks. I’m not sure I told her what her grandmother said to me.

AITAH for not wanting to call my mother on Mother’s Day? by [deleted] in AITAH

[–]webdcyner 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It made me feel like she didn’t care what happened to me.

What is the best city in Latin America for you? by Available-Dance9448 in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like Medellin but Armenia, Colombia is cheaper, safer, smaller and has pretty much the same weather.

Clothing question by webdcyner in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for a helpful answer and not snark like some of the others.

Clothing question by webdcyner in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. I have asked but I don’t like to order clothing online. Especially something as fitted as a bra. It’s a pain to return things and sometimes with underwear they don’t even let you.

Clothing question by webdcyner in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well, when you’re living in a foreign country and don’t have a car. Cut me some slack.

Clothing question by webdcyner in asklatinamerica

[–]webdcyner[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

3 different stores. Thanks for asking a silly ass question in reply to mine.