“I had to reinvent myself,” Jennifer Enright, 60, explains. “After working for years as an executive headhunter for high-tech companies in Seattle, I had had enough. Too much rain and cold, and I injured myself from too much repetitive motion.”
After selling their home, their cars, and all their possessions, she and her husband Kent embarked on a travel adventure through Central and South America looking for a better lifestyle. It was in Ecuador where Jennifer found her new calling. “My husband became ill while we were there and we met a biomagnet pair therapist.” This was her first exposure to this form of alternative healthcare. She saw first-hand how successful the treatments were and decided to study the technique.
After completing her training in Ecuador, Jennifer and her husband could have gone anywhere in the world. “We chose Medellín because alternative healthcare is popular,” she says. “People come here for healthcare in general.”
Eight of the top 22 hospitals in Colombia are in Medellín. And the quality of healthcare in Colombia is excellent. In fact, the WHO (World Health Organization) ranks Colombia’s healthcare system higher (#22) than those of both Canada (#30) and the U.S. (#37). Foreigners are eligible to sign up for the national public health insurance plan, Entidades Promotoras de Salud (EPS), once they are residents and have obtained a cédula (national ID card).
Additionally, they loved the climate. It is nearly impossible to talk about Medellín without mentioning the perfect climate. With daytime highs in the low to mid 80s F, and evening temperatures in the mid 60s F, there is never a need to wear anything heavier than a light jacket, regardless of the month on the calendar. “The weather is perfect for me,” she states “I don’t even need a blanket at night. And I love living in the flatlands, you can walk and walk and walk.”
She has transformed her home on a quiet, tree-lined street in the Los Conquistadores neighborhood of Medellín into a business that is an oasis for wellness, tranquility, and healthy living. Waterfalls, green plants and stone structures greet you as you enter the front door of her house. There is sense of calmness with the soft lighting.
Jennifer rents three bedrooms in her spacious home through Airbnb. Sometimes her guests are travelers just passing through for a few days. But more often than not, her guests come to receive the biomagnetic pair therapy that she provides and to enjoy the healthy living environment.
“I pay $1,000 a month for rent and then another $100 for utilities,” Jennifer explains. She more than covers her expenses in rental income and treatment services. A one-hour session costs $30. Her clients find her by word-of-mouth or through social media, and are both expats and local Colombians.
Living in a city where the people appreciate and value what you do for a living is a wonderful feeling. “Medellín is both very innovative in some ways, and in others a little backwards,” Jennifer explains. “And therein lie opportunities for expats to contribute their knowledge and skills. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
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