Friends have asked how I spend my days. Easy answer: Waiting in line at a bank. My daily routine has been to get in line at the local bank, wait in line to get a ticket that indicated which particular queue I was to go and my place in it, and then wait my turn again. A very polite concierge (Jasmine) helps me get my queue ticket, and the bank provides comfortable seats for its patrons. I'll be here for a while, and I'll be back tomorrow.
A monitor screen flashes and announces the status of each queue, waiting line, and teller station. I'm
sure it's quite efficient...because the combinations of queues (indicated by letters), your place in line
(indicated by number) and teller station (another letter) is constantly shifting. Tellers, bank officers
and clerks are very busy, I'm sure, because they constantly get up, change desks or disappear behind doors. The training they go through must be incredible, and it needs to be. It seems that all bills are paid by making a personal appearance at a bank teller. Your water, electricity, natural gas, home owners association, school tuition, school lunch account, school bus, rent, cell phone, medical insurance, and cable bills are paid at the counter. (There are ATM-like kiosks to pay some bills, but don't be intimidated, there's a helpful bank clerk to help you with that machine.)
and clerks are very busy, I'm sure, because they constantly get up, change desks or disappear behind doors. The training they go through must be incredible, and it needs to be. It seems that all bills are paid by making a personal appearance at a bank teller. Your water, electricity, natural gas, home owners association, school tuition, school lunch account, school bus, rent, cell phone, medical insurance, and cable bills are paid at the counter. (There are ATM-like kiosks to pay some bills, but don't be intimidated, there's a helpful bank clerk to help you with that machine.)
Oh no! Did my attention wander? Did I miss the announcement calling me to the front of the queue? Whew! No chance of that, it's been only an hour.
I've learned (the hard way) that you can only pay bills for an account at the bank with which the company you owe money to has accounts. If your school banks at Banco Bogota, you must go to Banco Bogota to pay the tuition. And if you don't have an account at Banco Bogota, make sure that you bring cash. Checks and credit cards aren't accepted. (The 'hard way' is to wait in line, finally get to the teller and then use your very weak Spanish to be told that you're in the wrong bank. My
personal record is going to seven different banks to pay one bill. Seven.) Fortunately some businesses use teller kiosks that serve to collect cash on their behalf. But of course, you must find the right teller kiosk for each business. (Hint: Look under the stairs at the shopping mall. Again...This is true.)
Important notice: I am not complaining. Everyone I meet is super nice, and the level of service is better than I've seen anywhere else (except maybe some private banking offices in Zurich). I now know all the bank officers and they greet me by name. We've grown quite close, as they help me with my Spanish, read my prepared notes, use the translation app on my phone and smile as they tell me that I'll have to come back tomorrow.
I am not complaining. We are so fortunate to owe money to a very understanding and flexible landlord and other businesses. They've given us much slack to get our accounts in place. And local friends have shown us the way too. Importantly my full-time job is setting up house, so I don't have to miss work to do this. Everyone's been really great.
Well we finally have an account! And with money in it. $100. Not much, but it's a start. And I have a new debit card! So I finally pay our bills.
So let's open up the power of international banking and transfer money from the US to our new local account. Easy! I just used my US phone's app to make the transfer, and two emails confirm that the money left the US and made it into my new Colombian bank account. After all that work, the money transfer went super smoothly. I transfer more funds. Great. The funds are in the account. Next step: pay bills.
Not possible. The money's in the account, but it can't leave. Safest banks in the world.
After a day struggling, I learn that I must first prove to my Colombian bank, that the money I put into it is my money, prove that I earned it legitimately and that it will be used for legal purposes. All I'll need is four months of of documentation and letters from my US banks (really). No worries, it's all in the name of anti-money laundering and security. I'm cool. My creditors are cool. The bank officers are super nice.
A couple days later and I have the papers. Sitting with the bank officer, two hours is all it takes to free up the money. Oh sure, there are more mountains to climb to resolve online banking, bill paying, and account management. But after a month of trying, the money's here and we can use it.
Welcome to Colombia and the safest banks in the world!
