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Digital Nomad Stories
Digital Nomad Stories
The Best Neighborhood In The World To Live
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the world's coolest neighborhood? Buckle up, because we're taking you on a captivating journey through the energetic streets of Medellin, Colombia.
This episode is a goldmine of insider tips, so if you're a digital nomad or dreaming of becoming one, prepare to be inspired!
Connect with Kendra:
- @selflove_journey_ on instagram
- On her website
- Leave a review or voice message at digitalnomadstories.co
Digital Nomad Lifestyle in Medellin
Speaker 1Hey Nomads , welcome to Digital Nomad Stories , the podcast . My name is Anne-Klaassen and , together with my co-host , kendra Hasse , we interview digital nomads . Why ? Because we want to share stories of how they did it . We talk about remote work , online business , location and dependency , freelancing , travel and , of course , the digital nomad lifestyle . Do you want to know more about us and access all previous episodes ? Visit digitalnomadsdoriesco . Alright , let's go into today's episode .
Speaker 2Welcome to Digital Nomad Stories , the podcast . My name is Kendra and I'm your host today . And today I'm happy to share some insights about media here , because the time out just announced that currently the world's coolest neighbor to live is Medellin , in Colombia , and I'm here . So I thought it's an amazing opportunity to just share with you some insights why it could be like this , like what is the amazing thing about Medellin and how I'm experiencing it . So first you might hear some more background noises today . That's because of just authentic Medellin nowadays . So I'm recording this episode in one of the co-working cafes and that is the first fact . It's like this vibrant neighborhood , so it's difficult to find a quiet place , but at the same time , that's a beauty behind it where we'll come later . So just to give you like the authentic experience . So , first of all , why could it be and I was reading a little bit about it . The time out says it's like this late back atmosphere , so it's like relaxing . Also here it's like chilled , cozy . It's like in a huge city , but you feel like the neighborhood is a huge city , but you feel like in a little town , I would say like in a little village , and on the same time , it's like super vibrant , animated . You have like this local flavor . That's what I love so much . It's because , like this local people here , they are like always smiling , talking loudly and singing , so you always hear noises , but that's like this , this happiness that's in there . You know , there's vibrant energy . So it's like this . Next , because , on the one hand , you have like more , more international people here , but still it's not this internationalized neighborhood . You still have this traditional Colombian traditions , for example , fruit sellers , like men who are walking with their little carry-on box , let me say , around the street wanting to sell avocados , mangoes , papaya , banana , and you still see like a lot of local people on the street , whereas , for example , in Bogolado , another neighborhood in Colombia , you see a lot of international people . So if you prefer this , then you go there .
Speaker 2But let's go a little bit more into detail . So what you might also ask , first , as a due to know whether it's like this working environment , right , like this remote working , and here , yeah , what I said is like always a little bit noisy , but for sure you can also find reworks where you can rent your phone booths , whatever , to have a silent surrounding . But what is like really beautiful here is like more and more co-working coffees are popping up . So a lot of beautiful coffees . And what I love about it , it's not so just white or black , it's like a lot of green . The city is so green , so it's full of plants , of flowers , and this vibe you find in the coffees , and there you always see people working or meeting for a coffee , reading a book . So it's a perfect place if you like to go to nice coffee places Just enjoying , for example , the taste of coffee , because it's also one thing .
Speaker 2Colombia is the country for amazing coffee and one more local coffees are selling local , fairly traded , organic coffee and it tastes amazing , not comparable with the coffee you get in the supermarket . So this is one thing . And also the internet connection is quite good for Colombia , so you can really rely on the internet if you need it . I don't know like I'm not a programmer , but for the work I do in the computer it's quite okay . So yeah , so there you have , like just in Lauderdale , I could name you 20 coffee places where you can go see it work .
Speaker 2For example , right now in Wuhan , I just opened three months ago and they are having really a coffee farm in close by , like two hours in the mountains for Medellin and here they sell their authentic coffee and when you're sitting in the garden they have all these coffee plants . Then you have simiakow working where you really are , so on to self , with sort of people working , yeah . Then you have , for example , naturalia Cafe where you also get like healthy lunch , healthy serve . So it's like whatever you want you can find here and if you have any question and coffee you can always reach out to me . Then , besides the working , the safety right .
Speaker 2So I feel it's a neighborhood where I walk around super relaxed . I just got a bike because I'm from Germany and what I love and what I'm missing when I'm living as a normal I don't know is going to other places , is going by bike wherever I want . So I highly appreciate cities where I just can use my bike as a transportation , and Lauderdale is a perfect neighborhood for it and because it has so many biking rail also cycling roads , and I just got to use bike for 80 bucks and it's like super good . So it's also a thing that's going more here , like people going by bike , and it's for me it's also an amazing opportunity because then you're not stuck in the traffic jam and although you can all the time get them over here , it's easy or no real .
Speaker 2It's also everything walking distance , so you can really just walk , going by bike , taking a cab and feeling safe . Obviously , I mean , we are in Colombia so you need to have your precautions and you have to also have a gut feel , but it's in general life . I feel safe , yeah , and there's then like the beauty also is like when you walk around this neighborhood . When you bike around this neighborhood , you see all this green plants , this beautiful flowers , the people selling all the fruits , so it's like also colorful green and it feels like a holiday walking around the city , right , so it's like beautiful . And also beside this you have parks here If you want to climb and live it down . So just 20 minutes walking from here , you have Parque Estu de Rio . It's a little artificial park now and next to the river where you also just can sit to check your book , and from there you have a nice view on the mountains . Another thing I love about it is that you are like millions of cities surrounded by the mountains and at night you see , like the mountains , all these lights there , all this beautiful flavor With this the weather , obviously , if it's a green city , it's raining , right , but the rain it's like maybe one hour , really two hours , and then the sun comes out again . The people here call it like the city of the internal spring and like this it is . You know , it's like I mean like around 23 degrees , so it's always like a comfortable climate . Sometimes it's raining , sometimes it's sunny , but it's like yeah , it's like , really I would say , a great mixture Not too hot , not too cold . One thing where also this neighborhood is so vibrant here you have the city called Las Atenas , so the 17th Avenue , and there's like nightlife . So there you have this typical Colombian dance where people drink beer , guadientes , but also all those dance schools and little dance bars where you can , if you're into them , if you want to learn it or if you already danced it salsa , bachata , tzu , kitsumba so every night you find on the street a possibility to learn to dance , like dance classes , and afterwards the so-called socials . So socials are you just go and every song you can dance with a different person , so you really learn dancing and you enjoy also dancing . And then usually at some point there's like a little dance show , like for 10 minutes a couple who really dances amazingly like Chateau Sars showing their show , and this is personally something I really enjoy , because for me it's like this is what I also searching when I'm going to a city having this possibility to also dance . So you're working the entire day , but then you don't need to fear this feeling of missing out or being stressed like after work . You just dance a little bit and you can relieve the stress and start the next morning again .
Speaker 2And what I love then doing is going to the gym sports or meditate . And there's also amazing in Lauderdale because here you have a variety of possibilities due to sports . You have crossfit gyms , you have functional training gyms , you have yoga studios , you have normal gyms , you can even go for one . Here's also the stadium where you can see a lot of soccer games , but besides that , there you have the pool , you have volleyball , you have tennis courts . You see people in the local and that's full of locals having a one-bed taking their bike and locals going by bike to exercise , or they are like open air sumba classes , so you can really find your way to exercise here . And also the yoga studios are beautiful that are opening up , and also the crossfit gyms are really good , high quality and , as I just said , locust .
Speaker 2One thing I really also mentioned already in the beginning , but one thing I really love about this neighborhood , lauderdale , is this co-living and co-creation and collaboration of locals and internationalites . So it's not that you are like in a caffeine and they are just internationalites or just locals . Like the locals are happy to meet the international people , they are open to learn new cultures . They are super-entersed also in learning to speak English . Also , if they cannot , they really try to communicate with you and they always try to help you so that you feel comfortable , that you feel safe , that you feel at home here , they say , like this Mikasa is the gaza , so my house is your house .
Speaker 2And also I also lived in other digital nomad areas , for example , san Marcos in Guatemala , where you just where it's like super divided locals with internationalites , or you maybe need a certain period of time there , but this is what I really appreciate here . Also in the events , like in the socials , I said , like the dances at night you get , you see , like international people who want to learn , who already dance , and the locals who just can dance amazingly , from whom you can learn a lot when you dance with them , and so also that's a way to make local friends , right . Besides this , then , dancing sports , where it's like this mixture . What I currently observe , what is really , really growing in Medellin , is all this conscious , mindful event seen . So here , like every week , like now you can find possibilities to go to a woman's circle , to a man's circle , conscious dances , like ecstatic dance , kakao ceremony this weekend is a full moon , so a lot of full moon activities like yoga , full moon kirtan , this music , singing , journaling , workshops , work , sound healing , amazing massages , family constellations , like whatever you are looking for you find here . Or also like connecting events , like just having authentic conversations with other , with locals and nomads .
Speaker 2I just went this week . It's called Foxy Small Talk . You find it in several areas around the world , in different cities , and they have said you meet each other and you are not talking about ah , where are you from , but maybe , for example , what really makes you feel alive , so you generate the creepers of printed relationships . And I laughed . We were like 50% , 50% locals , 50% International . You know it's trying to talk English , international is trying to talk Spanish , so it was really like this heart to heart meetings . Also , I'm organizing the women's events .
Speaker 2I already would forecast and I see the trend that medellin is also becoming a hotspot for conscious events . And then also like because of the surroundings of medellin , so that's not about the neighborhood but the surrounding so many cute villages , little towns within , like this , green , majestic mountains , with rivers , with waterfalls . So one thing I don't like so much about medellin is that everything in the ocean I love to swim , or with us , but then I just take a bus that leaves every hour to one of the villages nearby , one or two hours , and then they are amazing , beautiful , with us , or waterfalls , you can swim , wait and just relax the day . And yeah , that's amazing . At least think if I forgot something .
Speaker 2Maybe I just coming back to this because one when I was reading about why medellin was nominated as this or became this world's coolest neighborhood , I also read that because the stadium is here and it's cool when Columbia is playing or the local football club or another one . You hear like the people partying , you see the fireworks and usually you get a ticket to join it and it's a huge adventure .
Speaker 2it's an amazing experience to join one of the local football soccer game here . So this is also one food .
Living in Lauderdale-Ness
Speaker 2Maybe it's another topic , because what I really like about laurinus is also this variety of restaurants , because it's not just like , for example , here in Bovallado , where you have all these expensive international restaurants that are charging . I mean Columbia is affordable , right , still , clearly it's like way cheaper than Europe , but it's like not that cheap anymore as one year ago . So also the prices are going up a little bit . But for example Bovallado you have those fancy restaurants .
Speaker 2I mean you can go there just 15 minutes by cab if there's a traffic jam , and but here in Laurelis you have this mixture , yes , these fancy restaurants , but also you find like local food , local fast food . You know those little corners where you can buy bananas , palito de queso , arapahiere , you know shuris , so just to name a few and like you find local food , like when there's a pizza , it's like this typical , like beans with pork , belly , fried egg rice . I mean it's like super heavy , you cannot eat it so much , but sometimes you can find it . But then , if you're going to be vegetarian , healthy food , there are so many amazing restaurants and they sell , for example , the plate of the day , the menu of the day for lunch , and this is really affordable . It's with entwins main dish and then it is served a juice , a fresh fruit juice . What's also like the beauty here , all these fresh fruits and , yeah , this you can also find in . Then also the health stores , where you can get all your good ingredients for preparing healthy food .
Speaker 2Like the first time I was in Colombia , 2014 , I was lacking a little bit some possibilities to not have too heavy food , and this has completely changed . Like here in the stores , you can get whatever you want . So another thing where I started talking about was like the prices . Now that might also be something interesting for you . So , for example , going to a social at night costs you two euros .
Speaker 2Having a lunch like this menu I told you is like five euros . Having a super fancy dinner at night can be under 15 euros , but still it's like going to Poblalia , the neighborhood like this five euros . So it's still on the thought of . And , for example , for my gym , for a really cool crossfit studio , I am paying 60 euros per month . So you know that it's like you just need to see . It depends , like maybe now for you think about tenorets , but she did just because before one year ago it was like 30% less . So that's why it's also because of the change rate what is increasingly in the crisis housing . So , as more and more people want to live now in Loreles , obviously the apartments are less . There's a high demand , so the prices are raising , but on the same time , more and more co-living are opening , so more and more places are opening where you can find it .
Speaker 2Here's also Airbnb , but also Viko , for example . It's a cheaper platform to find apartments . There are so many Facebook groups , so where people rent houses . So I think , depending on your budget , you will find something . You can find an amazing loft or you can afford a room in a shared apartment whatever you need . Yeah , I think this is the most important thing and I will not make this episode too long , so it's really just to give you some quick insights . When you plan to come to Medellin , text me . It's like my home base . I will be here for the next months now , and also the Facebook groups here are working really well , for example , experts in medicine or female entrepreneurs' medicine . There you can find something .
Speaker 2Now , when I said female entrepreneurs , I might have touched on the point that , obviously , if you're not so much into the conscious event but in building your business , in being with other entrepreneurs , that's also a hotspot . I mean , you have so many networking events and the beautiful thing is here , I feel , people are supporting each other . So if you're coming with a project society , our business or if you're already super advanced in your business and you just want to work remotely or show people in your solutions , he has an open mind , that mindsets , so people love it or welcome it to see other people advancing in their projects , helping each other . You find lovely connecting events so that's also an opportunity For me , for example , hosting kind of these events . You also find places you can rent . So , yeah , maybe to not make it like too much a dream and just thinking about honestly from my heart , what do I not like about living in Lauderdale-Ness ? The first thing that comes to mind I love it because I'm this vibrant person the noise . So in case you feel you really need your wealth , you cannot have so much noise at night . You just search like an apartment that's a little bit in the outside of your work Lauderdale-Ness , and maybe then you ensure that you have good internet connection at home and you just work from there . And for me , obviously missing the ocean , if you like , super-notion-lower , but the West it's all good . You also have one central comission , so a huge warehouse . I mean more like all the international stores , like Levi's , h&m , whatever they're not in Lauderdale-Ness but in other neighborhoods , but you can go there if you need to buy stuff like this . So I really like for myself .
Speaker 2To sum it up for me , I recommend it fully to the people . I really feel at home here , because I feel safe . I feel I can be authentically me , and that's beautiful , because people appreciate you , how it shows you are . You can really do what you find events depending on your character . You find what you need and you can create your everyday life based on your needs , what you want to do , and this is something I really really appreciate that I can really create here my routine , that I need to feel for the most and shine my light , right ? Yes , so , having said this , I hope to see you here and , yeah , which out to me if you have any question . I hope it was useful for you , I'll be back .
Speaker 1And that's it for today . Thank you so much for listening . I appreciate it very , very much . I would appreciate it even more if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts for me . That way , more people can find this podcast , more people can hear the inspiring stories that we're sharing , and the more people we can impact for the better . So , thank you so much if you are going to leave a review . I really appreciate you and I will see you in the next episode .