Evan Joseph Marks, better known on social networks as “El Gringo Evans,” was born on June 25, 1992, in Minnesota but grew up in California, so he feels more part of this place.
Something curious about Marks is that he has a large family; his mother had a son at her first birth. But in the second, triplets arrived, a great surprise for the whole family and an amazing gift for his life.
"I have a big connection with my brothers. We are very close; we know each other so much that even when talking, we answer simultaneously”.
For him, it was incredible a few years ago to imagine that now, he would feel Colombia more as his native country than the United States since he says that the warmth of the people, how kind they are, and how they treat him to make him feel as if he were one more Colombian.
That is precisely Colombia’s magic: Every foreigner who arrives falls in love with its customs, people, climates, and everything that this great country has to offer you. So, if you are considering living in this country, many visa options could be useful.
At Medellin Guru, we have expatgroup.co as an ally. Many of our readers have completed their visa process with them and have had a good experience.
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How did you get to Colombia?
Everything goes back eight (8) years ago when Evan arrived in Chile through an agreement with his university in the United States.
He stayed in this country studying for several years and finally obtained the “International Negotiation” degree, where he could also perfect his Spanish. However, languages have always been his forte. Amidst laughter, he says that his brothers at school were not so good at speaking Spanish, so, like in a movie, he would put on his brother’s clothes and take the Spanish exam for them.
He always had the facility to speak this language, so in 2013, when El Gringo Evans arrived in Chile, he was delighted with the Latin culture; he discovered new rhythms, enjoyed the country, was able to perfect the language, practice his accents in Spanish and also, there was room to form unforgettable friendships because in Chile he met two friends from Cali, Colombia, who without thinking about it, would be in charge of changing his course.
His colombian friends always told him that he had to travel to Colombia and that he would fall in love with the country, and the insistence was so great that, sometime later, he decided to travel.
First, he got to know Bogotá and then Medellín, where he decided to stay, At least for now.
“Medellín es una chimba."
In the following YouTube video, you will find El Gringo Evans’ interview; In which he will tell more details about his personal life as an artist, and of course, he will talk about his perspective as an expat, about Medellin Guru and will, share some tips for those expats who live in Colombia.
The most Colombian Gringo
Evan is a language teacher and has worked in some universities in Medellín. But for some time, he decided to join social networks to share his life with his brothers and tell the whole world about Colombia.
On Instagram, he has 11.6 thousand followers. On YouTube, he has 124 subscribers. On TikTok, he has 119.9 thousand followers, where he daily shares his videos of things that happen in Colombia, exploring places, rapping, and more content.
“El Gringo Evans” is also dedicated to music and enjoys rapping in Spanish. Not only this, he also loves to indulge in Latin fusions like salsa, vallenato, and champeta; the latter, a genre that he was able to interpret in his latest song called “La chica de la bicicleta,” which, so far, has more than 16,000 views on YouTube.
If you also want to come to Colombia, fall in love with its culture, tradition, climate, and landscapes, and you have in mind to stay long term, you will need to be protected, and that is why at Medellín Guru, we partner with two allies who will help you always be protected in another country, but they will help you obtain your visa insurance too.
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Medellin Guru's comprehensive Colombian culture series
In Medellin Guru, we love Colombia, and we usually write many blogs about Colombian culture, places to visit, and other tips for all expats to have a reliable guide and valuable and relevant information about Colombia. Read our blogs about Colombian Culture here:
- Top Tourist Attractions in Colombia: Top Things to Do
- Top Things to Do in Medellín and Nearby: Top Tourist Attractions
- How to be an Expat in Colombia: 12 Tips to be a Successful Expat
- Top Things to Do in Cali and Nearby: Top Tourist Attractions
- Celebrating July 20th: Colombia Independence Day
- Norte de Santander: 5 Escapes for a Weekend Adventure
- Unlock Ipiales in 24 Hours: Your Essential Adventure Blueprint!
- Pasto: Discover the wonders of the Surprise City
- Top Popular Colombian Drinks to Try When You Visit Colombia
- Villa de Leyva: A Colonial Gem in the Colombian Andes
- Traditional Colombian Food Dishes You Must Try in Colombia
- Medellin Guru Launch 2023: Gentrification, Tourism and Investment
- Popular Colombian Desserts You Must Try While in Colombia
- Exotic Tropical Fruits of Colombia a Fruit Lovers Paradise
- Popular Colombian Soups to Try When You Visit Colombia
- Día de las Velitas: Day of Candles Tradition in Colombia on December 7
- Things in Colombia That May Be Strange for Foreigners
- Things Colombians Do That Foreigners May Find Weird
- Popayán: A Well-Preserved Colonial Gem in Colombia Worth Visiting
- Tejo: A Colombian Game That Rewards You for Explosions
Other things to see and do in Colombia
- Caño Cristales – the most beautiful river in Colombia, which has also been called the most beautiful river in the world by some people.
- Carnival in Barranquilla – the second largest carnival in the world.
- Cartagena – Oozing history, romance and sun-drenched beaches, the allure of historical Cartagena is hard to resist.
- Ciudad Perdida – the site of an ancient city in Colombia that is older than Machu Picchu in Peru.
- Colombia’s Pacific coast – often overlooked by tourists visiting Colombia but offering untamed nature and undiscovered beauty that is off the beaten path for most foreign tourists.
- Desierto de la Tatacoa – the second largest arid zone in Colombia is Tatacoa Desert, which has surreal desert landscapes and some of the best stargazing in Colombia.
- Guatapé – a picturesque pueblo near Medellín known for its huge rock and lake. And it’s likely the most visited pueblo in Colombia by foreigners.
- La Guajira Peninsula – one of the most visually stunning places in South America, which is located on the northern tip of Colombia where the desert meets the sea.
- Las Lajas Sanctuary – the most beautiful church in Colombia, which has also been called the most beautiful church in the world.
- Medellín’s Christmas lights – Medellín’s annual world-class Christmas lights known as Alumbrados Navideños.
- Feria de Las Flores Medellin – Medellín’s world-famous flower festival each year.
- Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados – a popular national park in Colombia located in the heart of the Colombian coffee region.
- Parque Tayrona – known for its beautiful beaches and the world’s highest coastal mountain range.
- Popayán – a colonial gem in Colombia best known for its white buildings and churches, it’s a city off the beaten path for foreign tourists but is definitely worth visiting.
- Rio Claro Nature Reserve – located about three hours from Medellín, Rio Claro is the perfect place to unplug from hectic daily life and enjoy a picturesque crystal-clear river, canyon and tropical rainforest.
- Salento and the Cocora Valley – Salento is a picturesque pueblo in Colombia’s coffee region and the nearby Cocora Valley is one of the most striking landscapes found in Colombia.
- San Agustín Archaeological Park – the largest group of pre-Columbian monuments and megalithic statues in South America and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- San Andrés – Colombia’s Caribbean island which is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve featuring many beaches, islets and coral reefs that are filled with flora and fauna.
- San Gil – Colombia’s adventure capital that is full of things to do including white water rafting, paragliding, caving, rappelling, hiking and much more.
- San Jose del Guaviare – a hidden gem and eco-tourism location off the beaten path and offering wildlife watching, jungle trekking and delving into Colombia’s prehistoric past.
The Botton Line: El Gringo Evans: From United States to Fall in Love with Medellín
For Medellin Guru, it will always be an honor to make visible the stories of those expats who fell in love with Colombia, who have stories to tell, or experiences that are useful to other foreigners in the country.
Also, we created a complete guide for US citizens, with their exclusive hotlines, in case of an emergency in Colombia. You can download it below.
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