Papaya: Eat It, Don’t Do It

If you’re like me, you probably grew up feeling relatively safe and a bit careless. Where I grew up, no one thinks twice about wearing a fancy watch, expensive chains, jewelry, or clipping the newest blackberry to the side of your belt.

But some places are different, Latin America included. In Colombia, there’s a saying that goes something like this: “No de Papaya” which translates into “Don’t give Papaya.” That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t share your papaya with anyone. It’s a saying in Colombia that basically means “Don’t be careless and attract unnecessary attention to yourself or get taken advantage of.” Basically it means to have your wits about you, and have some street smarts. Don’t get taken advantage of by women, thieves, sales people, taxi drivers etc.

I’ll give you a couple of examples of giving papaya.

Example 1: You’re in a club and you have your phone on you. You leave your phone on the table and go to the bathroom. If you were at the table alone, you’re really giving papaya, but even if you’re with a group, leaving it there would be a bit careless, it’s still giving a bit of papaya, especially if it’s an expensive phone.

Example 2: You’re paying for a taxi and you take out a wad of cash in front of the taxi driver or when you step outside to pay for the taxi. Your giving papaya because anyone passing by will see you reach into your pocket and pull out a nice big chunk of cash, and you’re attracting unneeded and unwanted attention. Chances are nothing will happen, but you’re still giving papaya.

Example 3: It’s your first night in Cali, Colombia and you don’t know the city well. You get all dressed up and wear a nice shiny, expensive gold chain. You’re going out alone you call a taxi service (not giving papaya), but you fail to take a cautionary step and leave the fancy stuff at home, because first you need to get a feel for the city and the places you’re going to frequent. Not leaving the chain at home is giving papaya. You’re compromising your chain, money, and maybe even your safety.

So what happens when you give Papaya:
Eventually if do it enough times, you’ll run into someone who’ll want to take advantage of you. Leave your cell phone on the table and someone will snatch it when no one is looking. The taxi driver that sees your wad of cash might say he doesn’t have change to give you because now he’s seen you have a lot of money. Your gold chain attracted the attention of the wrong person and as you walk from Club A to Club B a young kid runs by and snatches it, or worse threatens to attack you if you don’t give it up.

Moral of the story: Don’t give Papaya

The Safest Places On Earth Based On The Global Peace Index

I recently found another good way to judge the safety of a region or country based a new index called The Global Peace Index. This index ranks countries on how peaceful they are with a color rating system. Based on the 2009 GPI index, most of Latin America is about as safe and peaceful as The United States. Based on the GPI the safest and most peaceful countries in all of the Americas are Canada, Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay.

The methodology for creating the global peace index is as follows: Twenty-three indicators of the existence or absence of peace were chosen by the panel of experts, which are divided into three broad categories: measures of ongoing domestic and international conflict, measures of safety and security in society and measures of militarization.

I think Ecuador should have been upgraded to Blue, but perhaps it was not due to the small conflict they had in 2009 with Colombia. I also think Colombia get’s a red rating because of the FARC presence, which is no longer a threat, unless you venture out into the jungles and mountains, and outside of the large cities.

I have to tend to agree with Venezuela’s red rating because of the deteriorating economic situation and escalating crime in Venezuela. Apart from that Venezuela is heavily militarized, and president Chavez is not afraid to stir up conflicts with Colombia. Also, Venezuela is undergoing and energy, and possibly water crisis, which will most likely increase the chances of political instability in the country.

Europe tops the list for peace and safety as a region. Eastern Europe gradually gets less peaceful and Russia gets a red rating according to the GPI index. South East Asia gets an average rating overall.

Overall I think the peace index is right on the spot. I do feel that things are getting more dangerous in the U.S. because of the economic decline. As unemployment starts to run out within the next year or two, I do feel crime will increase in the U.S as more and more people get desperate. Certain countries like Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Uruguay certainly top the list in terms of cost, safety, weather, and of course women.

Is Venezuela Too Dangerous?

Being so close to Venezuela, here in Barranquilla Colombia, I’ve thought about traveling to one of the Venezuelan cities that’s closest to the Colombian boarder. The one that made the most sense for me was Maracaibo Venezuela. From Barranquilla, Maracaibo is only about an 8 hour bus ride, but the entire time I’ve remained undecided because of safety concerns.

There are a few reasons to travel to Venezuela right now. First of all it would be a new adventure. I’ve never been to Maracaibo, and I enjoy exploring new cities and countries. The second would be the high inflation that venezuela experience (25% in 2009), which means the Venezuela is currently at a very steep discount for foreigners with foreign currencies. Finally, I can’t deny that one of the top reasons to go to Venezuela is because of the Venezuelan women.

The last time I was in Venezuela was about 3 years ago. I remember when I went to Caracas that some people had told me it was a dangerous city. I took the normal safety precautions when I traveled there, but it didn’t seem anymore dangerous than other Latin American cities I had already visited.

Since then I know for a fact the Economic situation in Venezuela has declined immensely. In 2009, the official inflation rate in Venezuela was 25 percent — the highest official inflation rate in Latin America. The economic hardship in the country has increased the crime and violence across the Capital city of Caracas, but also across other parts of the country.

One of the benefits of being here in Barranquilla is that there are a lot of people here in Barranquilla who have family in Venezuela, or who have traveled or lived in Venezuela themselves. There are also many Venezuelan people who live in Barranquilla. Anytime I come across someone with ties to Venezuela I ask them if it’s dangerous, and about 60% of the time I’ve gotten reports that it is dangerous.

However, you have to take into consideration that the majority of the Colombians who move to Venezuela move in order to find work. Most of the these Colombians are working class people, who tend to live in the poorer sections of town. These poorer sections of town are undoubtedly the more dangerous sections, but are not sections of any city which I would consider staying in.

Overall, I do think things have probably gotten more dangerous then before in Venezuela, as far as crime goes. However, looking for information on the Internet, I’ve seen that there are still many foreign travelers who venture into Venezuela without a problem. I would only consider traveling to Venezuela if you’re fluent in spanish, and are a veteran traveler. Even still, I think a trip to Venezuela should be taken with extra safety precautions and good planning and research. I still plan on doing some more research including making various online contacts before I make my final decision on traveling to Maracaibo.

Taking Taxis in Medellin, Colombia and Latin America

Most likely the best way for you to get around any city in Colombia or Latin America will be in a taxi. I’m going to go over the best rules to follow for taking taxis based on my Colombia experience. However, based on my other travel experience, the general rules apply to just about every other Latin American country and will give you a good overview of taxi etiquette no matter where you’re heading in Latin America.

First of all, in order to be 100% safe it’s recommended that you call a reliable taxi company and give them your location so that they can send someone from their fleet.

If you find a taxi driver you really like and trust, get his cell phone number and give him a call whenever you need a ride. I would generally not trust any taxi driver who does not work for a taxi service, or who you did not meet through a taxi service. But, even if you do meet someone who you think you can trust always be cautions and on alert. If you go out with the taxi driver as a companion make sure you don’t drink too much, and keep on eye on your cell phone and wallet. Most taxi drivers will be available as companion or tour guides for about 20,000 an hour. Keep in mind that after they pay the taxi fee and gas, most taxi drivers make between 30,000 and 50,000 pesos per day (in Medellin Colombia).

Specifically in Medellin, I’ve found that best taxi service to be available at this local number 444-000. You can even speak to a dispatcher in English. However there is another taxi service called “flota bernal”, which has a number of 444-8882. You can also find other taxi fleet numbers in the local phone book or just ask someone. The phone numbers for taxi fleet services are usually made easy to remember on purpose.

The Do Nots of Hailing Taxis

• Never take a taxi that is not yellow.
• Never hop in a taxi that already has two guys in the front seat.
• Never let someone hop in the taxi while you’re being taken somewhere. If this happens tell the taxi driver “no”, or just get out and catch another taxi

Other Things To Watch Out For
Be cautions when haling taxis off the streets. Sometimes hailing a random yellow taxi off the street is necessary but use you’re judgment, if you something doesn’t feel right just hail a different one. Generally speaking younger guys will try to hustle more then the older taxi drivers. When hailing a taxi off the street and not through a taxi service you should take a look at the drivers face and demeanor. If you’re not sure about it, just wave him off and stop another one.

There are generally three ways taxi drivers will try to hustle a little extra cash out of you. The first playing a taxi meter, or “metro”, trick on you. They either don’t erase the meter from the last customer, or they start it way before they get to your location. In Medellin the meter should start around 2000 pesos, but it may not be the same in other Colombian cities, this is something you have to find out on your own. Don’t ever fall for the meter is broken trick either. If the meter isn’t working, just get out and get into another taxi. Sometimes the taxi driver will start the meter the correct way, but he’ll turn it off as soon as you get to your location and round off the taxi fair to get a little extra out of you, don’t fall for this one either.

The second is by taking the long way to your destination, or even taking you out of your way to run up the meter. Most taxi drivers won’t do this, especially those that pick you up from the taxi service, but you should be on the lookout for that. The third and final way is that they will tell you that they don’t have change for your bill. When this happens you can ask them to get out and find some change “consiga cambio”, it’s their obligation to find a local store, small kiosk, or even gas station for them to find some change.

In order to avoid change problems, try to always have small bills and coins to pay for the taxi. It’s not a good idea to pay with a 50,000 peso bill for a small taxi ride, because most likely the driver will not have change for such a big bill.

In order to avoid being hustled, always make sure they restart the meter. All you need to say is “el metro” and point to it. In Medellin Colombia the meter starts at 1,900. Keep in mind that the driver might start the meter as soon as he gets to your location so if you make him wait a minute or two the meter will already be running so if you notice that it’s a 2,000 or a bit higher and the driver has been waiting, that’s the reason. Currently the meter starts 1,900 pesos approximately one dollar. If the fair falls under 3,900 pesos you have to pay the minimum or “minimo” which is 3,900 pesos, approximately 2 dollars.

Finally, all taxi’s have two form of identification, a fleet number that the fleet uses to identify them and a license plate. If you ever run into a problem with a driver, make sure you get both numbers and call up the taxi service to file a complaint against the driver. This is the main reason you should always try to call a taxi service, because in the event of a situation, you can file a complaint to the service and possibly get some type of compensation.

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How To Access Your Online Accounts While Traveling Abroad

Accessing your online accounts including banking and email accounts from hotel lobbies and internet cafes can be a good way to get your information stolen. You can never trust other peoples computers, you never really know how good the security at any given location might be. I’ve only gotten my information stolen one time and that was in the Dominican Republic when I used the computer in the hotel lobby.

If you’re planning on traveling and you’ll need to access your online accounts I recommend you take these few precautions just to make sure your information doesn’t get stolen by some keylogger, or some packet sniffing program installed on some foreign network.

Always use an https:// before the intended address. If you need to access your gmail account, use https://www.gmail.com instead of just http://www.gmail.com. The HTTPS means that the connection between the web browser that you’re using and the website you’re accessing will be encrypted, and if anyone happens to capture the network traffic, your information will be safe. But this step doesn’t safeguard you from keyloggers.

There is really no way to defeat a keylogger effectively. The only thing I recommend to be 100% sure your accounts are not compromised is to access your bank accounts only via phone. Most banks have international numbers you can call, but it’s not hard to reach the 1800 customer service numbers from foreign countries. Wherever you are, just ask how to call the United States, or whatever country your from, and they’ll give the codes to dial before you enter the number. In this way you avoid access your banking accounts from an infected computer.

Email is a different story. You won’t be able to access your email via phone, but what I recommend is to set a temporary password before your trip. Use this password while traveling and accessing your email from computers abroad, and then change the password as soon as you get back. If you’re traveling for an extended period of time, I would suggest changing the password every two or three weeks, or every month at the most. Although changing the passwords might seem like hassle, it only takes two minutes and it can give you piece of mind and save you headaches in case you do use a computer that was compromised with keyloggers or trojans.

I would also the the same for chat clients. If you’re going to be accessing chat clients abroad you can use a temporary password while chatting and never share personal information such as account numbers or other important identifiers over chat programs while traveling abroad. As with email you can change your password once you get back home.

Finally, remember to always close all sessions including email and chat. And if you know how to remove cookies or clear private data, do this as well before you leave any computer you might be using.

What if you have your own computer?
If you bring your own laptop, and you run good security on your laptop including a firewall and antivirus, then things will be much safer, all I would suggest then is to access HTTPS urls only.

What Happens If You Get A Foreign Woman Pregnant?

I stumbled onto a question on yahoo answers from someone who may have gotten a foreign woman pregnant and now wants to know what could possibly be consequences immigration wise and with child support.

The question got me thinking about a few important aspects of traveling abroad that need to addressed. Here goes:

#1. American men, and men from other similar countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK have astounding reputations with foreign women. Women look up to us as the cream of the crop when it comes to men. We’re seen in general as highly educated, considerate, and ambitious among other things. Foreign women look at us much in the same way many of us look at foreign women as the best this world has to offer. Let’s not ruin our excellent reputation by acting without discretion or integrity when we travel abroad.

#2. Let’s not give the feminist movement anymore excuses to put barriers in our way to meeting foreign women. There are people in this world who would love nothing more then to ban 100% all your interaction with foreign women. Acting irresponsibly while traveling abroad, especially in your interactions with foreign women will only add fuel to the fire, and give these people more amo to put up more barriers. The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act is just one small example of the draconian measures that could be placed on your freedom to take part in international dating and meeting foreign women.

#3. Don’t take it out on these sweet foreign women. I know some of us might have a bit of resentment or bitterness towards women in general because I know a lot of us have gone through some tough times with our local women. Nasty divorces, custody battles, child support, bad breakups, alimony, cheating girlfriends, I know, I know. When you travel abroad make sure you don’t take it out on the foreign ladies because they seriously don’t deserve it.

#4. Use protection. I shouldn’t have to say this but some guys might need to hear it. It’s not worth the risk of STDs or getting a girl pregnant. It’s just the responsible thing to do.

#5. If a condom breaks or you get a foreign girl pregnant somehow I would hope that you do the responsible thing. If there is one bright side to a situation like this, it’s that fathering a child abroad would probably be much much cheaper then fathering a child in the U.S. or Canada, etc.

#6. When in doubt, act with Integrity. Foreign women are the sweetest most feminine creatures on this planet, they deserve to be treated with honesty, kindness, and respect. Let’s give them the best we have to offer. If any women deserve this treatment it’s definitely them!

I personally don’t know whether the guy asking the question just had a bad “break” with a condom or what, but for those of you wondering what the consequences might be, I did a bit of research and came up with this answer:

If you have a child support assessment or court order or child maintenance order from an overseas country that has an agreement with your country of residence (I’m assuming it’s the U.S.), the overseas authority can request the U.S. Child Support Agency to collect the child support from you. Now I’m not a lawyer, so I would suggest getting professional legal advice to get the definitive answer.

Why Foreign Girls Make The Best Tour Guides

Traveling is all about immersing yourself in the culture, the people, and the way of life you experience through your trip. It’s easier to get immersed in the real culture with the help of the locals.

The locals will be able to safely guide you through your trip in a way that will allow you to more easily experience the real culture of a place. The locals know where the real parties are, they also know where some of the best food is in town, they know that Thursday night is good here, and not there, and they know how to get local bargains on just about everything from hotels, to taxis, to food, to shopping.

Whether you travel around with a local guy or girl doesn’t really make a difference. But since we’re men, our local guide might as well be a stunning foreign woman.

There’s nothing better then getting to know the real people and real culture with the help of a foreign beauty. A behind the scenes look into a different culture can be eye opening, life changing and memorable.

But it gets even better. All of these beautiful foreign women will be more then happy to show you around for free. They’ll welcome you with open arms and make sure your safe at all times. They’ll also help you with negotiating prices with the locals and if they know English, they’ll also help with the translations.

Some of you might like to rough it out on your own, and discover things for yourself, but keep in mind there’s always the option of hiring your free tour guide who can give you a behind the scenes look that you may never have seen without her.

Until Next Time,

Dan DeLa Cruz

How The Global Recession Effects Global Dating

How The Global Recession Effects Global Dating

Today I wanted to touch on a topic that has looming over our heads for a while now. It’s pretty clear we’re knee deep in a global recession and it’s not just effecting the United States. Practically ever economy in world is feeling the impact of this global economic slowdown. But what does this mean for global dating? How will this global slow down affect the men that are a part of this global dating movement?

Well, I have some good news and bad news and I’m going to lay out the pros and cons of this recession for you.

If you’ve read my book you know that I point out in one of the sections how the men from developing nations migrate to the wealthy nations in disproportionate numbers to the women. This leaves many single women back home and many single guys competing for the women in your local area.

One of the pros of this recession is that this trend is set to diminish and even reverse a bit within the next few years. As the global economies worsen the men that have migrated to will start to feel the economic pain of the recession. Many will loose their jobs, and many more will be making less money than they use to. For this reason, many of these men have already started to return to their homelands.

A recent article on newsday.com describes the fact that immigrants are now making a lot less money. You can read the article here: click here

I use to live in an immigrant community in the United States and I have a lot of personal friends that still live there and I keep in touch with them. I’ve already heard reports of vast amounts of men returning to their countries because of the economic situations in Europe, North America, and other places.

An article in networkworld.com gives us a glimpse at this trend. The article points out that:

Fewer companies filed petitions for H-1B visas this year as the economic recession continues to threaten U.S. jobs and shrink the demand for foreign talent.

U.S. companies since April 1 have filed some 42,000 petitions with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency for 65,000 H-1B Specialty Occupation Visas available for 2010, a fraction of previous years’ petitions. In 2007, the USCIS received some 150,000 petitions in a matter of days, and in 2008 the agency conducted a lottery after 163,000 petitions were filed in less than a week.

So what’s the good news about this bad news? The silver on lining on this particular cloud is that the male to female ratios in countries have experienced a lot of immigration, countries like the United States, will start to get a bit better.

The bad news is that as immigrant men move back home the ratios in developing nations such as Colombia, and Costa Rica will start to even up and won’t be as lop-sided as they use to be. In other words the rations won’t favor the men as much as they use to in places like Brazil. However in order for this to drastically effect either the ratio of men to women in the upper or lower tiers, it’s going to take a few years and by then, the global economy may recover and we will resume the trend in migration of men to more economically fertile pastures.

There’s also one very positive aspect to this global slowdown. With tough economic times ahead, many of the upper tier men who would have traveled, or who traveled in the past, will not be able to make the trip anymore due to the current economic situation. This means that the amount of upper tier men who make it down to the lower tiers will be far less during this economic slowdown.

My suggestion is to take advantage of this fact and make an extra effort to save money and slot some time. Since there are less foreigners traveling to Latin America, South East Asia, and Eastern Europe, it’s going to spell out better results for you in the end, as long as you can take your trip.

If your in a position to take a trip at this point in time, once you get to your destination it will be well worth it because now you’re competing with less foreign guys.

Many of the women I’ve met who have online profiles have told me that they talk to many guys, but for the most part it’s a waste of time because fewer men are traveling to visit them. Take this into account, when you’re saving up some time and money to travel to the lower tiers… with the current state of affairs, your trip now will mean a lot more to the women you will visit.

Finally, I’d like to add that safety may become a bigger concern as the world wide economies are impacted by the global slowdown. So be safe, no matter where you go! Although I haven’t seen too many signs of increased safety concerns in Latin America, I would advise everyone to be extra cautious due the current economic climate.

I’ll catch you later,

13 Steps To A Safe Trip

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been getting all sorts of questions by guys who are about to travel, or thinking about setting up a trip. One of the most common questions, involves safety. Everyone has heard stories about Pablo Escobar and the “guerillas” in Colombia, or the “favelas” in Brazil.

Part of the problem, is that the media only tends to cover the negatives, never giving credit to the positives. I am not sure why the negative stories always seem to reach the international news.

I’ve lived many years close to New York City and Newark NJ, and there was plenty of crime around this area. What city, does not have crime?

My father was robbed at gun point in Bergen County New Jersey. I’ve been assaulted in the streets of Bergen County as well. People get shot almost weekly in the Newark NJ. My point… Anywhere you go, even the city near where you live, has places where you are more likely to be involved in a violent crime.

Having said this, you should always prepare as much as possible for a safe trip. My rule of thumb is to keep everything low key, and try to fly under the radar, especially if you’re very new to traveling abroad. Once you get your stripes, visit a few different countries, get fluent in the customs, the currency and language, then you can start to dress a bit more flashy, but personally I never overdue it…

I’ve been traveling for years now and I’ve never had a problem. I think I can attribute this to the fact that I always like to play it safe.

So, I’ve made a short list of the top thirteen things you can do to have the safest trip possible. Some of these steps may seem a little paranoid, but I think you’ll be better off playing it safe, especially if you’re not a veteran traveler. I’d also like to say that the degree to which you need the 13 steps below really depends on where you’re headed. I haven’t made this list for any particular city, but more as an overall checklist for your safety. Some places are more dangerous then others, so the degree to which you follow these safety tips really depends on where your going. It may even vary depending on which section of a city (or country) you may be going to. Just keep in mind that I always try to error on the side of being extra safe. So here we go, and have a safe trip…

#1 – Do your research and ask questions. There are many sites you can visit that can help you learn more about the place you’re headed to. Some of these sites include, wikipedia.com, poorbuthappy.com, bootsnall.com and lonelyplanet.com. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have concerns.

#2 – Try to go with a group. I know many of you are headed out on your own. I’ve gone on many trips on my own, but there’s always safety in numbers. Try to go with one or two other people.

#3 – Try to learn the language before you go. Nothing makes you stand out more in a foreign land, then not knowing the local language. Even a little conversational knowledge will go a long way. Knowing the language makes you seem like a seasoned traveler.

#4 – Feel out your new surroundings. Remember that you are going to someplace you’ve never been before, and there may be areas that are safe, and areas that are not so safe. So always be alert and cautious while you get to know your new surroundings.

#5 – Don’t be flashy. Lave the IPODs, earrings, jewelry, fancy watches, and Iphones at home, or in the hotel room. Be cautions about where you pull these things out and what you carry on you. I try to be as low key as possible, especially when I’m in a place I’m not familiar with. I generally don’t like to be too flashy, even if I’m in a safe place.

#6 – Travel with the locals. If you’ve already made friends on the Internet, they will look out for you. No one knows the local city better then the people who live there. Try to make some friends online before you go, or meet some locals once you get there. Let the locals guide you safely through your trip.

#7 – Be cautions at night. I generally don’t like to walk around at night. For the most part I stick to taking taxis to and from wherever I’m headed if it’s already late.

#8 – Hail a taxi off the street as your last resort. Have your hotel, club, bar, or friend call you a taxi. Although the taxi’s on the street are generally
safe, you never know, so I always try to get my establishment to call me the taxi. They know who to call and who the good guys are.

#9 – Don’t cary around too much cash, and stash it in different places. In the event you do get robbed, don’t try to fight. Just give them the stash in your back pocket. Thieves will almost never hurt you if you cooperate. So, although I’ve never been robbed, if I found myself in that situation I would give them everything they wanted right away. I usually keep a little stash in my shoe or sock, or some other pocket.

#10 – Cary around a photocopy of your passport and license. Leave the real thing in the lock box at your hotel, or in a safe place along with the rest of your valuables. But always try to remember to carry the copies, in case you run into trouble with the local law enforcement.

#11 – Don’t leave drinks unattended. I’ve had instances in local bars around here in New York where my dates drinks have been roofied. Make sure you keep a close eye on your drinks, especially if your on your own. I try not to drink too much in general, especially when I’m in a place I’ve never been before.

#12 – Don’t bring too much attention to yourself. I personally like to fly under the radar as much as possible. I try not to bee to loud or make a scene.

#13 – MOST, IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN. Remember guys, It’s better to be overly cautious until you get use to your new surroundings. But most importantly, remember that you are in an environment that favors men. These foreign women love guys like you, and they will show you a great time.

Have A Safe Trip,