Well.
i gotta say, i have been to S America in January. just recently. and man, like alex said. i guess you would classify me as shallow, but i had the time of my life in Rio. i stayed AT the COPOCABANA PALACE. it rocked.. more hot women than you have ever seen in your whole life.. and yea. just be smooth and you got it. understand while you are saving this 10g's you need to learn portugese really well. then you wont have to pay shit for anything! including any women. watch out for the nasty prostitutes. i went to the clubs. and to the beach, and was just straight up to the girls there. i was alone, but i was better that way. just treat them just like you treat the women you pick up in your home town. but its just 2 times easier cause your AMERICAN. lol.. i may not have hooked up with 100 women, and i wont throw any numbers except it was not a single digit number. but i had the best time of my life EVER.
im going back again in 2 years. maybe jump in with me.
this time i will be even more game. but you have got to go for more than a week. i went for 3 weeks. and it was better. made some great friends. people i will contact throughout my life. so, get her done and get your savings up!!!!!
oh, as far as your ex. well, dude, let it go. no reason to fret over the past. the past is the past for a reason as well as your ex. she is your ex for a REASON.
the only thing you can control is the present and future. so focus on those things and not the dead weight holding you back.