5 Things to Be Aware of When Coming to Medellin

In my opinion, the fear people have of Medellin is misplaced. Rather than worrying too much about getting killed, abducted or robbed – these are 5 things to be aware of as they’re more likely to impact your experience:

By Kaveh Paymayesh

November 23, 2021

Medellin is a city that I really love and enjoy being in, and I’m not the only one! After all, the city gets a lot more right than it does ‘wrong’ – that’s why an increasing number of us are choosing Medellin as the place to live.

However, in doing so, there are particular matters that we must accept and be aware of when here. After all, no city is perfect.

Let’s cover 5 things that kind of suck here.

The panhandlers

For those that don’t know, these are people that stop you in the streets, asking you one way or another, for money.

They are part of the package of being here in Medellin.

People tend to be very concerned about crime and safety – obsessing over the likelihood of being robbed, or even worse: physically violated.

Whilst this is natural, it’s not necessarily warranted.

These same people are usually surprised after spending some time here. They realize that Medellin’s reality does not align with its reputation. Let’s not forget that if children can survive unscathed in Medellin, or seniors, then we can too!

Implement safety precautions and stop worrying about the rest, which is beyond your control anyway- that’s the rational thing to do.

These PANHANDLERS on the other hand… They are something that we’ve all dealt with (or miserably failed trying). They’re part of the reality of being here in Medellin and YET almost nobody anticipates them before coming.

They’re one of the most irritating things about the city. Whilst these guys generally don’t pose a threat to your safety, they’re highly annoying (if not relentless).

Okay yes – robberies and homicides are infinitely worse events with worse outcomes, but how many times have I seen those things happen during my time in Medellin? Never!

How many times have I seen foreigners getting owned by panhandlers? Ooft, too many times to count (that includes me, too).

Tell me more about these panhandlers...

They can be found anywhere, everywhere. Sometimes you see them coming, sometimes they’re as elusive as parking officers.

The worst and most common scenario is that they catch you out in a bar, or in a restaurant. Do you know how embarrassing it is to be out with a date, and have your fragile masculinity savaged by a kid that doesn’t understand ‘NO’?

I guess you gotta see the humour in it because it is quite funny. Well, otherwise you’ll go nuts!

Seriously though, many bars and restaurants are roadside, with chairs outside for people to enjoy the weather and vibe. That’s all lovely, until somebody provides an unsolicited service in exchange for money.

The good news is that it often requires a simple ‘No – gracias’ and they’ll leave you alone. You’ve got to be firm, don’t worry about being blunt – they’re the brazen ones, not you.

These panhandlers are common in El Poblado, or anywhere people are spending good money. Don’t think you’re getting away from them so easily!

However, sitting inside or upstairs in any establishment will effectively stop them from bothering you.

Caution: I’ve heard about panhandlers becoming increasingly stubborn. This looks to be the result of the 2020 lockdowns & the mass migration of Venezuelans into Colombia.

On expat forums, I’ve even read of certain individuals being borderline harassed, with one poor guy even buying a pen he didn’t need only because he wanted to be relinquished. Supposedly, this was just outside Santa Fe Mall in Poblado – a really nice and upscale area.

I’ve actually had one of these guys single me out when I was at an outdoor bar in Laureles, ignoring all the Colombians in favour of a juicy foreigner.

I was fuming! I took that one personally, obviously!

Dealing with these guys is a part of day-to-day life in Medellin. It is annoying – just look at how blunt Colombians are in dealing with them. To completely ignore the panhandlers – that’s the strategy of your typical Paisa.

However, you don’t need to completely ignore them – they know we’re foreigners, be polite but be firm. No eye contact, don’t slow down, walk with conviction, with confidence.

Finally, remember that these people have it rough, they’ve been dealt rubbish cards. Giving feels good and a little goes a long way here. Don’t take it as a sleight on your ego. Not like I did.

What bothers me is the harassment; being tactfully ambushed when I’m having a romantic meal is not hot stuff. Especially when the whole ordeal drags on…

The prevalence of poverty

Money is definitely not the be-all, end-all. Having said that, poverty absolutely sucks (obviously).

Well, that is something you should be aware of when in Medellin – it’s pervasive.

I know that for many people coming here, they’ll have never seen slums. I certainly never had before coming to Medellin. That in of itself was shocking. I even remember secretly being quite frightened when seeing them – though you shouldn’t be.

No, what really bothers me though is seeing the homeless living on the streets, sleeping on sidewalks as if it were normal; it’s not something you want to normalize.

I know that the scale of homelessness is greater in the US than in the UK, where I’m from.

Nothing could have prepared me for the sobering reality of life for many in Medellin. It’s sad. To get numb to it, it’s sad.

There are a lot of malnourished people dwelling on the streets.

What is worse is that poverty has worsened through 2020-2021. We can thank the COVID pandemic for that. Here in 2022, things are improving though!

The roads (drivers & traffic)

Guys – I’ll never shy away from backing my beloved Paisas (the people of Antioquia).

They’re warm, easy to talk to, very helpful…

But that all changes when they board their car and occupy the road. Coming from the UK, I almost had a panic attack the first time I got in a car.

And that was just outside the bloody airport! Entering Colombia and being pressured into a taxi is something to be aware of.

Being 21 at the time, I remember thinking it was ‘cool’ to drive recklessly, as if it demonstrated some kind of competence.

After a while, you realize that there’s nothing good about it. I’ve seen the outcome of lethal collisions here in Medellin and let me tell you, they ain’t pretty.

The first lifeless body I’d ever seen was in the streets of Medellin, and it wasn’t the result of homicide but rather a deadly accident.

The incidence of crashes is higher in Medellin than it is in most places in Europe. That’s because there’s a higher tendency to ignore the rules of the road. If I had a penny for every time I saw a driver run a red light – I’d be RICH.

The traffic

Lord does the traffic in Medellin really suck. Despite concerted efforts by the government here, it’s a problem that is worsening, not improving.

Just to put into perspective: an 8km journey can easily take you over 30 minutes. This is quite standard.

The main roads – the Autopista Sur & Avenida Regional, run through the heart of the valley (following the river). Be aware of them during your stay in Medellin! They are victims of regular, painful traffic.

Inefficiencies

Coming from the UK, we are used to things being optimized for efficiency. That’s not the case in Colombia…

Things that should be straightforward are often complicated by thick and often unnecessary bureaucracy. If you’re in Medellin as a touristic or whatnot, then you’ll not likely be encumbered by it.

If you’re looking to dive into the property market, however, or even just get a more permanent visa, good luck! Things are made to be more convoluted than necessary.

Another notorious example of inefficiency can be seen in just about any shopping checkout section. Be aware of just how long it takes for queues to move and for goods to be paid for pay for!

In Northern Europe, we have the luxury of queues often being benchmarked for speed and efficiency. I’m sure the same applies to North America.

Oh yeah, another thing to be aware of is that cashiers/checkout operators love to tie your plastic bags before handing them over to you.

A lot of us foreigners

How sad is that?

One of the worst things about this Colombian city comes from the fruit of its own success: foreign interest.

On one hand – I’ve met many fantastic foreigners in Medellin. Let’s not forget about the brilliant entrepreneurial spirit that has emerged over recent years. These are the kind of foreigners I love to see! Productive, interesting, inspiring…

On the other hand:

Sex tourism is big here, punters are hard to overlook. Everytime I enter Centro (downtown) and see a foreigner, I cringe at the possibility of them concealing a camera to record unsuspecting women.

Unsuspecting? Not so much these days, people are clued up to what’s going on with all these XXX rated YouTube thumbnails. This is having a negative impact on the way we (from developed economies) are being perceived.

Be aware of your presence in Medellin. How you carry yourself will have a massive effect on the way the city interacts with you. It’s a place of many faces.

I love that about Medellin.