medellin-police-ImageThere are mixed reviews with travel to Medellin and it depends who you’re getting your information from – a man or a women – also the length of time they’ve experienced in city. The city has technology, a great exchange rate and many things a traveler requires for a stay of six – twelve months. If you keep busy in Medellin comfort can be experienced for longer than this period. The women in this city are beautiful and the temperature is consistent year round given the Medellin’s proximity to the equator.

Medellin is a city on the move, although, there are limiting factors for those expats who’d like an extended stay in the city. One thing many travel guides fail to point out about Medellin are those issues which affect expats who decide to stay for periods of over one-year. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be back to stay in Medellin again as the city itself has many thing from the expat such as a great quality of life for an affordable price. It should be noted, though, the better off people of Medellin are very ‘traditional’ and into their ‘culture.’ By this I mean it’s hard to snag a  girlfriend from a better off family as her family and friends may not be 100% happy she’s dating an expat – a ‘gringo,’ if you like.

I’ve experienced over a year and a half of parking myself in Medellin. Now, there are mixed reviews about the locals of Medellin. Simply because most gringos passing through burn bridges along their way. Many are there for coke and prostitutes, which is a shame for the extended staying expat as he’ll be put into the same boat by the locals. While I was there I had a local girl have to tell fibs to her mother in order to leave the house to see me. Her mother owned a hotel and saw the activities of travelers passing through Medellin and ordering prostitutes to their hotel rooms. So, I can understand the mother protecting her daughter, although, it didn’t work in favor of me.

Now none of these things are a major issue for those tourists looking for a one or two month place to visit during their travel. The city is definitely a place which will mess with your mind. There’s a slow social deprivation if you stay for six months to a year, not by the girls, but from the local men. The local men are not always the friendliest to those passing through. Therefore if you intend to stay for an extended period of time, you can expect people will assume you’re passing through and categorize you as a gringo hunting for coke and whores. This is not always the case, but it does happen.

A thought to help female travelers to this part of South America is consider who you’re getting travel tips from while you’re being told Medellin is wonderful. The issue is: the requirements of a male and his travel can often be different to those of a girl’s travel requirements. Female travelers are not always considering the sex they are getting information from regarding their travel in South America. Medellin is a great place to visit if you like pretty girls in a city with technology – at least in the wealthier areas – but may not tick all the boxes if you’re looking for an extended stay and like to meet people of the same sex, too. I don’t mean not in a gay way, just to meet new friends during your experiences in another country.

I know I’ve address some negatives, but there are many positives on offer in Medellin, too. I don’t feel it’s fare on my travel friends who only get the option to read sugar-coated travel reviews, in many cases, on Medellin. So, I’m putting my neck out for you. I think the city’s great, but think about what you require from a city and for how long you intend to stay in it. If you have work to do and you don’t want to be disturbed Medellin will offer a great place to hang out. The cost of the city, I feel, is favorable given the quality of life you can achieve there. Every now and then you will meet wonderful people, too.