Bogota - Post Report Question and Answers
Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
I don’t think it’s easy to make friends with locals because of my limited Spanish but others with more Spanish likely have a better experience. I can’t speak from experience regarding prejudices. As a people, Colombians have been very kind and warm to our family and friends that have visited. - May 2024
Yes, but due to classism and high income inequality if you are an expat who is well-off it can be harder to socialize with people of lower income, even just because of the part of the city lower income people tend to live in (far from where the diplomatic expats are). There is some racial prejudice in Colombia, especially against Afro-Colombians and Venezuelan migrants, but discrimination tends to be stronger along class lines rather than racial ones. - Aug 2023
I think it can be easy if you are introduced. I have not found CNG Colombian parents to be that friendly. It helps if you speak Spanish fluently. - Feb 2021
If one has an introduction from an American or old friend, it's possible to make friends. Organically in public, forget about making friends. Bogotanos tend to be EXTREMELY guarded to those they don't know. I've heard those of African descent having a hard time, and it seems some Colombians can also be racist against those of Asian descent, too. - Jul 2020
I have found it easy to make friends with the locals. - Feb 2020
