Why I Feel Safe in Colombia

Summary

The speaker shares their personal experience of living in Bogota, Colombia, dispelling common misconceptions about safety. Despite the city's reputation, they find it safe due to living in a good neighborhood and taking basic precautions. They acknowledge others' negative experiences but emphasize that luck and preparation play a role in safety. The video also contrasts Bogota's safety with other cities, highlighting the importance of personal lifestyle choices and the need for a balanced view of crime statistics.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The speaker feels safe living in Bogota, Colombia, attributing this to personal experiences and living in a nice neighborhood.
• 🔒 Taking basic precautions is emphasized as important for safety, regardless of the location in the world.
• 🌍 The speaker acknowledges that others may have different, valid experiences and opinions about safety in Bogota.
• 📱 A personal anecdote shared was about having a phone nearly stolen while walking in the street, highlighting the need for situational awareness.
• 🤝 The speaker has not experienced significant issues in Bogota, suggesting that associating with good people and being aware of surroundings can contribute to safety.
• 🏘️ Living in a 'wealthy neighborhood' is a personal choice for safety, and the speaker could opt for even safer gated communities but chooses not to.
• 🌐 The speaker does not advocate for Bogota as the ultimate safe place but shares their positive experiences as evidence of its safety.
• 📊 Bogota is not in the top 50 most dangerous cities in terms of homicide rates, suggesting it may be safer than commonly perceived.
• 🌐 The speaker contrasts their positive experience in Bogota with negative experiences in other countries, like Nicaragua.
• 📈 The speaker mentions that Bogota has changed dramatically over the past 20 years and criticizes the outdated perception that it is still dangerous.
• 💼 The speaker discusses the importance of creating one's own reality and not being influenced by others' negative experiences or perceptions.

Q & A

How long has the speaker been visiting Bogota, Colombia?

The speaker has been visiting Bogota for about a decade.

Why does the speaker feel safe living in Bogota?

The speaker feels safe in Bogota due to living in a nice neighborhood, taking basic precautions, and having a good understanding of the area from personal experiences.

What is the speaker's view on the necessity of living in a safe neighborhood?

The speaker believes that no matter where they live in the world, they would choose to live in a nice, comfortable, and safe neighborhood.

What was the only issue the speaker had in Colombia?

The only issue the speaker had in Colombia was a failed attempt by a motorcyclist to grab their phone while walking on the street.

How does the speaker's experience in Colombia compare to other places they have lived?

The speaker feels that Bogota is safer than some other places they have lived, such as Central American countries, and they have not experienced any major safety issues there.

What is the speaker's opinion on the safety statistics provided by The Economist?

The speaker finds The Economist's safety statistics to be questionable and potentially Western-centric, citing examples like the ranking of San Francisco as very safe despite known issues.

What misconceptions does the speaker address about Colombia?

The speaker addresses misconceptions such as the idea that Colombia is universally unsafe, pointing out that it has many good things going for it culturally and that it has changed dramatically in the last 20 years.

How does the speaker describe their lifestyle in Bogota?

The speaker describes their lifestyle in Bogota as active, living in a nice part of the city, and being aware of their surroundings without needing to live in a gated community.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of being in the right neighborhood for safety?

The speaker believes that being in the right neighborhood is crucial for safety and that they would choose to live in a safe area regardless of the country they are in.

What advice does the speaker give regarding personal safety in Bogota?

The speaker advises not to walk around with your phone in plain sight, to be aware of your surroundings, and to associate with good people and go to good places.

How does the speaker's experience in Bogota compare to their experiences in other South American cities?

The speaker finds Bogota to be safer than some other South American cities, particularly those in Central America, and feels more secure there.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Personal Safety in Bogota: Dispelling Misconceptions

The speaker shares their personal experience of living in Bogota, Colombia, and addresses common misconceptions about the city's safety. They emphasize that they have felt safe due to living in a good neighborhood and taking basic precautions. The speaker also acknowledges that others have had different experiences but argues that their decade of experience in Bogota has been largely positive. They recount a minor incident involving a phone theft attempt and stress the importance of being aware of one's surroundings. The speaker also discusses the luxurious side of Bogota and refutes the idea that they live in an alternate reality, suggesting that others can create a safe reality for themselves as well.

05:00

📊 Comparing Safety Statistics and Personal Experiences

This paragraph delves into the discussion of safety statistics, comparing Bogota with other cities globally. The speaker mentions that Bogota is not among the top 50 cities with high homicide rates, suggesting that it is not as dangerous as some might believe. They also criticize certain studies and rankings, such as those by The Economist, for being potentially misleading or Western-centric. The speaker shares anecdotes of feeling safer in Bogota than in other cities they have visited, like Barcelona, and discusses the importance of context when evaluating safety. They also address comments from others who express concerns about safety in Colombia, providing counterarguments and personal insights.

10:01

🌍 The Nomad Capitalist Lifestyle and Business in Colombia

The speaker discusses the concept of the Nomad Capitalist lifestyle, which involves living in different places and not being tied down to one location. They mention their business expansion in South America and the importance of understanding the global landscape. The speaker also talks about the potential risks of having a physical business in Colombia and how they manage their personal safety, including the use of security when necessary. They acknowledge that while there may be higher risks in certain areas, they have not personally experienced significant issues. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of personal experience and lifestyle choices in determining one's perception of safety in a location.

Keywords

💡Safety

Safety refers to the state of being secure and free from danger or harm. In the video's context, it is a central theme as the speaker discusses their personal sense of security while living in Bogota, Colombia, a place often perceived as unsafe. The speaker attributes their sense of safety to living in a nice neighborhood and taking basic precautions, such as not walking with a phone in hand, which is exemplified by a personal anecdote of an attempted theft.

💡Bogota

Bogota is the capital city of Colombia and serves as the main setting for the video's narrative. The speaker challenges common misconceptions about Bogota being an unsafe place by sharing their positive experiences living there. The city is used as a case study to discuss broader issues of safety, lifestyle, and personal experiences versus public perception.

💡Misconceptions

Misconceptions are false or mistaken ideas or beliefs. The video addresses the misconceptions about Bogota's safety, suggesting that some people's negative views may be outdated or based on stereotypes rather than current realities. The speaker aims to correct these misconceptions by sharing their firsthand experiences and statistics that indicate Bogota is not among the top cities with high crime rates.

💡Neighborhood

A neighborhood refers to a locality within a town or city where people live. The speaker emphasizes the importance of choosing a safe neighborhood as a factor contributing to their sense of safety in Bogota. They argue that regardless of the location, one should always opt for a safe and comfortable neighborhood, which is a universal principle rather than a luxury unique to Bogota.

💡Precautions

Precautions are measures taken in advance to prevent harm or loss. The video mentions taking basic precautions as a part of the speaker's strategy for ensuring personal safety. An example given is the advice against walking with a phone in the open, which can attract thieves, highlighting the speaker's adherence to simple but effective safety measures.

💡Statistics

Statistics are numerical data used to represent facts or information. The speaker refers to statistics to support their argument that Bogota is not as unsafe as commonly believed. They mention that Bogota does not rank among the top 50 cities with high homicide rates, using this data to counteract negative perceptions and to provide a more objective view of the city's safety.

💡Personal Experience

Personal experience refers to the events, knowledge, or situations an individual has encountered or lived through. The video is largely based on the speaker's decade-long personal experiences in Bogota, which they use to argue that it is possible to feel safe and enjoy a good quality of life in the city, despite its reputation.

💡Lifestyle

Lifestyle encompasses the interests, opinions, and behaviors that make up an individual's way of living. The speaker discusses the importance of lifestyle in determining one's choice of residence and sense of safety. They suggest that their active and cautious lifestyle in Bogota contributes to their feeling of safety and that others can create a safe reality based on their lifestyle choices.

💡Tax-Friendly

A tax-friendly country is one with a tax system that is favorable or beneficial to residents, particularly those with higher incomes. The speaker mentions that while Colombia is not the worst in terms of taxation among OECD countries, there are more tax-friendly options for those considering full-time residence, indicating that safety is not the only factor to consider when choosing a place to live.

💡Global Business

A global business operates internationally, often across multiple countries and markets. The speaker runs a global business and uses Bogota as a base to understand the broader context of South America. This keyword illustrates the speaker's perspective as a businessperson who values the strategic location of Bogota for accessing the South American market and staying informed about global trends.

💡Residence Permit

A residence permit is a document or status that allows a person to live in a country for an extended period. The speaker suggests that having a residence permit in Colombia could be part of a diversification plan, indicating that while they may not live there full-time, having a permit provides flexibility and a backup option for spending time in the country.

Highlights

The speaker feels safe living in Bogota, Colombia, despite common misconceptions about its safety.

The speaker has a decade of experience in Bogota and attributes their safety to living in a nice neighborhood and taking basic precautions.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of choosing a safe neighborhood regardless of the location in the world.

The speaker's only issue in Colombia was a failed attempt at phone theft, highlighting the importance of not displaying valuables in public.

The speaker has taken colleagues to Bogota and advises against using phones in the open to avoid theft.

The speaker has not experienced any significant safety issues in Bogota, including during nighttime walks.

The speaker argues that being in the right neighborhood and associating with good people are key to ensuring safety.

The speaker's experience in Colombia contrasts with their perception of safety in Central American countries.

The speaker discusses the change in Bogota over the past 20 years and how it has become safer.

The speaker criticizes the perception that Colombia is still in the era of Pablo Escobar and highlights the country's positive aspects.

The speaker mentions that Bogota is not among the top 50 cities with the highest homicide rates.

The speaker questions the validity of The Economist's safety index, citing inconsistencies in the rankings.

The speaker addresses common concerns about safety in Colombia and provides personal anecdotes to counter these.

The speaker discusses the importance of creating one's own reality and not being influenced by others' negative experiences.

The speaker talks about the potential of Colombia for business expansion and as a base in South America.

The speaker shares their perspective on the need for security and how it varies depending on the situation and location.

The speaker concludes by stating that their positive experience in Bogota may not be universal and that individuals should judge based on their own criteria.

Transcripts

I've spent anywhere from 1 week to

several months a year at my home in

Bogota Colombia a place that many people

feel can't possibly be safe but today

I'm going to tell you why I feel safe

when I'm living in

Colombia we're going to talk about my

personal experiences we're going to talk

a little bit about statistics and then

we're going to talk about some of the

common misconceptions and I'm going to

respond to those why I feel safe in

bulot is simply my own experiences I

have about a decade of experience being

there to judge off of and I think

there's a couple reasons for that I live

in a nice neighborhood uh I take basic

precautions you know one of the things

that people will say is well that's nice

for you to live in a nice neighborhood

no matter where I go in the world no

matter where I would ever live in the

world I'm not going to live in a bad

neighborhood people can be upset by that

and people can try and use that let me

tell you anywhere I'm going I'm living

in a nice comfortable safe you want to

call it a wealthy neighborhood that's

where I'm going to live and that's

exactly where I'm going to live uh in

bulat I could live in an even more safe

neighborhood I could go up to the north

and live in the gated communities I

don't but I live in a nice part of

bulata uh somewhat Central in the north

and so I understand that other people

have had issues their opinions are valid

their experiences are valid I'm going to

tell you what I think I've done perhaps

differently maybe some of it's just luck

I guess that's what all crime is if you

don't become a victim of of crime

there's a certain El of luck there but

luck is where preparation makes

opportunity and the only time I've had

an issue in Colombia is stupidly uh

you're walking in the street with your

phone I know they tell you not to do

that it's so hard when you're walking

around just to not pull the phone for a

minute I had a guy ride by the

motorcycle and he literally had his hand

on my phone and for some reason he

couldn't grab it or just didn't whatever

reason just drove off and then turned

back to look if I was running after him

or something and I learned the lesson

hey you know don't walk down the street

with your phone I've taken a number of

our colleagues to uh to Bogota and if we

ever walk around somewhere I'm like

don't don't take it your phone like it'

be fine I've never had anything worse uh

than that but that's been the one

experience that I've had uh I still have

the phone if you go back to the 2010s

when I first visited there I went on

dates I dated a couple of people uh that

lived in Bogota uh never faced any

issues uh there I've walked around with

no issues I do try and be aware of my

surroundings uh I might not you know be

using headphones especially if I'm

walking around after dark uh but you

know again for me being in the right

neighborhood associating with good

people going to good places you know

being aware of what's Happening uh that

is you know pretty good way to ensure

that you're safe and so we showed you a

glimpse inside my life in bogot with our

recent video live like a king where we

showed you some of the luxurious side of

bogat people said that perhaps I even

lived in an alternate reality but I live

in the reality I've created and I think

that you can create that as well I am

not an advocate for anyone particular

place I do not live full-time in bogot

again the most I've spent there was I

think about 4 and a half months

generally I spend one two three weeks

per year there now you could say that

actually makes it a bigger Target

because I'm much more active I'm meeting

more people I'm going out to more places

you know when I spend you know many

months per year in one place I spend

more time just sitting at home harder to

be a victim of of violent crime sitting

uh in your piar you know well above the

street uh in your in your condominium uh

but I'm pretty active when I'm there and

so we can all create our own reality uh

you know I know that many people who go

to Colombia they favorite places like

medine I like the weather in bogatar

it's a especially as someone who spends

time in places like koal and po uh where

it's hot and humid the more London Vibes

of the weather appeal to me uh and I

think it's more safe and I'll come back

to the stats in a minute what was

interesting on the LI a king video which

I definitely recommend you check out was

there were foreigners telling Colombians

saying how it wasn't safe I'm sorry but

you sound to me like so many other

Colombians with the complex about their

own country who only highlight the

negatives Colombia has so many good

things going for it uh in the culture

and I think that so much of the negative

has been talked about and people in many

cases are still living in the Pablo

Escobar times my Taylor uh who is from

bogatar

has lived overseas uh he came to Nomad

Capital live a couple years ago and he

talked about when he was growing up yeah

it was much more difficult but he can

see in the last 20 years how

dramatically his city has changed and I

think uh some foreigners and maybe some

locals kind of live in that era when uh

it was dangerous you know it wasn't in

Colombia that I had someone put a gun in

my face and try and take my wallet that

was in nikar Rockin I think Central

America statistically and just the way I

feel uh when I'm in those countries is

much more unsafe you go to a capital

city in a Central American country with

the exception of of Panama City perhaps

uh you're not going to feel nearly as

safe as you do in bogot I understand Al

Salvador has cleaned things up

dramatically but you go to Honduras you

go to Guatemala you go to Nicaragua you

go to even the capital of Costa Rica

where I don't know why you you'd go

there you you'd fly there and then you

drive somewhere nice but uh those to me

are much more dangerous so my experience

is speak for thems I've been there for

10 years uh I'm not going out and uh

meeting hookers I'm not at crazy tourist

bars at 2: in the morning uh not saying

that if you do those things you deserve

to uh be a victim of violent crime uh

but you know I'm living a pretty uh

simple life and I think that's part of

why I'm in the you know position that

I've I've done you know knock on wood uh

statistics uh we've talked uh in the

past about homicide rates around the

world Colombia does have six of the top

50 cities Bogata is not one of them so

not to say it's the safest city for

violent crime or homicide um you know

Asia the Middle East Eastern Europe are

much better in terms of violent crime

stats uh but it is not the top 50 it is

one of the the safest you know cities in

Colombia we can also look at Studies by

The Economist Now personal safety in

Bogota is ranked at below average

however and we've told you this for

years this is the same index that ranks

watch thieving Barcelona above Dubai for

safety and they Claims San Francisco is

very safe just play the Tucker

[Laughter]

laugh you can't even make some of this

stuff up I mean to say that Washington

DC and San Francisco are very safe

places and Dubai where like half a

person gets offed every year like is not

like these statistics that you see I

mean statistics are statistics murder

like fine that's the government's

numbers but the economist coming around

and saying bogat is not safe but you

know please make sure that to step on

the poop in San Francisco or or else

maybe someone will come out and stab you

like though no that's perfectly safe I

you you literally can't make it up it is

so like Western Centric let's go through

your comments though on uh why you think

Colombia is not safe uh people have said

I'm going to get robbed I told you the

one story of how in the guy want to get

the phone pretty simple solution uh

don't have your phone now now hey if you

want to walk if you want to live in a

city where you just walk around on your

phone all the time then yeah I mean a

country like Colombia may not be the

best place for you and perhaps that's

why I don't live there full-time I think

it's a great base to have in South

America our business is expanding in

South America I think there's potential

you know in that condent um there's a

number of things that I just like about

it I haven't gotten robbed so that was

the experience that I've had

uh I felt more safe with my

possessions just dayto day in bogot than

I do in Spain uh when I was in Barcelona

for New Year a couple years ago I left

my watch in the hotel safe I didn't want

to go around because we've had multiple

clients that have told me that the the

gang of watch thieves just descended to

them and sarily took off their watch and

ran off with it uh one Colombian said

you have to be very careful with your

belongings that's a big big issue while

walking driving in general every time

you were on the street be careful no

doubt there's a greater level of caution

that needs to be exercised and so take

this in the context of someone who for

multiple reasons doesn't want to live in

one place every single day of the year

does it need to it doesn't want to um if

you're looking for a place to live every

single day Colombia is not a

tax-friendly country if you live there

full-time uh it's not the worst of the

oecd but it's there's certainly far more

tax friendly countries to move from if

you are a successful person I I'm not

sure Colombia is the place to live

full-time and perhaps they need to be a

bit more cautious uh in Colombia or

other ltin American countries uh would

would you know great on you but for me

to be able to spend time there but not

have the requirement to spend a lot I

can feel safe there people asked uh why

do you need security well a lot of

successful people have security I often

don't uh I do walk around without

Security in the in the context of

filming live like a king people saw okay

here's a guy who is the security you

know we are using expensive camera

equipment now would you need Security in

Dubai for that yeah probably not um so

I've never said that bogot is the safest

place in the world there's a difference

between saying you got a bunch of guys

going around with expensive cameras and

me just walking to lunch where you you

wouldn't necessarily need security but

obviously there's people who need

security no matter where they go I mean

I have security at noad capitalist live

every year um you know security doesn't

mean someone's going to beat you up

uh it might just mean you need to make

sure you can get through a crowd uh but

sure uh you know if you're going to walk

around with expensive cameras I can

think of better places than Bogota I

don't know about you I don't walk to

lunch carrying an expensive camera

someone said that my car was armored I

don't think it was uh we told people uh

the car service that we use uh people in

Latin America I think do often try and

drive less ostentatious cars although

not so far from me there was a Maserati

dealership uh up until recently I guess

they weren't selling enough

Maseratis um again people have armored

cars everywhere in the world someone

else said high-profile businesses have

been assaulted by thieves and bogot this

person perhaps doesn't understand what

we're here to talk about bogot for me is

a lifestyle Hub it's a place

to go and spend time it's a go place to

go and enjoy it is a perch from which to

see what's actually taking place not

only in that country but in general

South America you get to go and meet

people I run a global business I want to

know what's going on in all corners of

the world we've made a bigger hiring

push into Colombia recently so those are

local Colombians they know how to handle

themselves as far as I know they all do

live in pretty safe neighborhoods but we

don't have an office that c people come

and and just you know can break into and

even if they could break into it they

just find a couple people sitting on

laptops doing office work so I do know

people who own businesses uh in Colombia

uh and and they've been doing fine so

sure uh maybe the risk there is higher

but if you're living The Nomad

capitalist lifestyle you would not go

and open an on the ground business in a

place where there are there is that kind

of risk but you could go and live there

and spend part of your time there you

could have a residence permit or own a

home there as a backup plan um but

that's the answer very simply to that

and so I understand there people who

have had bad experiences and I'm not

here to judge people who have had bad

experiences I'm here to tell you about

my experience my experience is is as an

otal and as valuable as anyone else's

experience and uh you know for me I

think if you are you know a party

creature and you are single and you're

going out meeting a lot of people uh

there is probably a higher risk in a

place like bogot I do think Bogota

statistically is safer than some of the

other cities so understand if you go to

medine you are trading uh a bit of

safety for what you perceive to be a

better lifestyle perfectly happy for you

to do that uh you know I you know safety

is not my number one criteria in terms

of the stats because again I know I can

build a safe life anywhere but you know

that's my experience in bogot it may be

for you it may not be and what we tell

of our clients all the time is you have

to judge the criteria that are important

for you somebody might prioritize

lifestyle above crime statistics and

figure as I do hey I'll just live in the

right neighborhood I won't associate

with the wrong people other people they

want their kids to be able to walk

around uh at midnight and you know that

may not be the best place for you uh

doesn't mean that you couldn't have a

backup plan residence in Colombia or you

couldn't buy a property to go to as some

kind of diversification plan uh but

that's my experience in Colombia uh I'm

happy to spend time there I never worry

about going there and I never worry

about having problems but that comes

from my personal lifestyle