Speed Dating in Colombia

Ready, set, go! Speed dating arrives in Bogota

By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director

Bogota – Friday, February 12th, 2010

An American English teacher is organizing the first speed dating events in Bogota in over a year.

Atlanta born Jason Wilson, who is married with a Colombian and has lived here for the past seven years, says he decided to set up his new company, Speed Dating in Colombia after noticing that during his private English lessons students frequently ended up asking him for “marriage counseling” and advice on relationships.

The laid back Wilson currently organizes English conversation groups near Bogota´s parque de la 93 and says he is setting up these new speed dating events so that people can have somewhere to “meet new folks” while “practicing their English.”

Foreigners and Colombians are welcome to attend Wilson´s speed dating events, but they must speak English and pay a 40,000 pesos entrance fee after registering on Speed Dating in Colombia´s website.

During the events each participant gets four to six minutes to talk to someone of the opposite gender before rotating over to the next guy or girl. Wilson says 6 men and 6 women have already signed up for the first event at Balché Wine Bar next Tuesday, which is targeted at 25 to 45 year old women and 35 to 55 year old men.

Another event for men aged 25 to 40 and women aged 20 to 35 will be held at the Pa´lo Bonito lounge on Wednesday night.

Participants at Wilson´s events will use scorecards to express their level of interest in the people they meet. The following day, participants will be contacted by the organizers with the phone numbers and emails of those who expressed interest in them.

Wilson is hoping he can stage several speed dating events per week in Bogota and other major Colombian cities, organizing events by different categories like age ranges, hobbies and religious affiliations. He says he is aiming for events that include up to 20 women and 20 men.