Hola Amigos,
I’m now since 3 weeks in Colombia. My daily life works more or less. Since my last Blog there are some things which have changed. I have right now my own bike here (woman mountain bike in violet with a basket in the front) which is borrowed from my Spanish teacher. Beside working, studying Spanish and cycling I’m also a member in a fitness club. But as you know for everything in your life you need money so here I will start with my next experience here in Colombia.
It’s not recommended in Colombia (actually in South America) to take a credit card with you especially as a foreigner. Of course I keep this advise and pay everything in cash. Therefore I’m a regular visitor at the cash machines here in Bogota. It’s also quite dangerous to take money at the cash machines on the street at night because you can get easily robbed there. Nevertheless I needed money so I went by bike to the next cash machine (at 8.30 p.m.). No, it’s not happened what you think. I wasn’t robbed by any person, but similar to it. I went into the room where the cash machine is placed, put the ATM card in to slot, typed my PIN code in as well as the desired amount. No problem, the money came out. I put my ATM card into my pocket, handled some other things as something at once began to cheep very loud. I was scared and turned around if someone will attack me. Nothing, so I turned around to the cash machine and at once the ATM took the money back into the slot before I could take it. I was confused because I needed at this moment the money absolutely. Ok, what to do?
I left the room with the cash machine and went outside to talk with the a man from a private security company, who is responsible to take care about the ATM machine (I guess not about the people who will use the ATM). I tried to explain him what happened (with my little Spanish) but he didn’t understand anything. As well as the beer was no option for a solution at this time for my problem (no challenge). I went back, did the same procedure again but took the money immediately after the ATM offered the money.
At the next days I recognized based on the statement of my bank account that the amount was debited twice from my account but I got it only once. Frankly speaking, I’m still (after 3 visits at the bank afterwards) fighting to get my money back. I think nobody wants to understand me there because it would mean that they have to pay me the money back.
So I can tell you that first of all you have to take care about the cash machine and then about what happens behind you.
At the end of day I didn’t have a seat on my couch with a beer because I lost too much money to drink or buy a beer.
Saludos de Bogota
Jürgen
