Colombia a Tourist Destination

Colombia is known for their two major exports, drugs and coffee, and their one major import, political prisoners through kidnappings. However, I have come to find Colombia much safer than what the media or movies might suggest. Yes, the FARC is still alive and active in Colombia but they tend to target specific high profile and political people for kidnappings. The average tourist is not at risk unless he directly enters into known FARC territory. In fact, I have found Colombia much safer to travel in than all the other Central and South American countries I have visited mostly because the people are so friendly and because of the high police presence.

The police are always visible. Medellin has seen an 80% decline in crime over the last 5 years due to the increase in police presence in the city. The police are incredibly helpful as well. At one point in Medellin, a police man personally escorted me for 15 min over bridges until he felt that I was in a place where I could easily make my way to the museum without making a wrong turn. Since I didn't feel that I had entered into a bad neighborhood,Ｉquestioned him about the safety of Medellin. He told me that some places are not safe and the locals agree. (I learned later that the street with the transvestite prostitutes really isn't a street I should visit again. I could probably have figured that out on my own.) The police set up stop points along the road to prevent hijackings as well and so taking night buses is once again safe. I have even run into the police at the local botanical garden doing their own sight seeing and they warmly greeted me and quizzed me. The police are often surprised to find an American woman traveling alone given the bad press Colombia has received in the states. But compared to other countries I have seen, and given current US relations with many countries, I think Colombia is one of the safest countries to visit these days in Latin America.

Colombia is becoming a tourist destination as my friend Dave told Colombian President Uribe at a luncheon in NYC last week. He used me as the example! It is true. Although, I do not encounter many Americans traveling here, there are plenty of Australians, Israelis and Europeans I have met along the way. And every tourist I have met has absolutely loved Colombia and Colombians. I do recommend visiting before tourism really strikes and steals some of the beauty and authenticity away as it always inevitably does with every country.

Play time

The Abergue Infantil Daycare center is superbly run. I have been so impressed with the teachers, staff, quality, and care that they provide for the kids and the parents only have to pay $6 a month for their child to attend. This may not seem like much, but for the parents of these kids, $6 can be a lot. Luckily, the daycare has other sources of funding to keep them running.

The teachers are all so enthusiastic and love these children so much. They love playing music during the days and often, we all get up and start dancing. The kids then join in and we jump around the hall. In fact, the teachers are actually great merengue dancers and often put on a show. They have tried to bring me into the dance mix, but I usually fail miserably. I have also been impressed with the creativity of the teachers and thorough education they provide, physical exercise the children receive; a PE teacher comes twice a week, and early basic sex education. The other day, Mariella played a game with the children where they had to outline each others bodies with chalk on the floor. Then the kids had to fill in the missing body parts. The kids couldn't figure out the difference between boys and girls until Mariella pointed to the exact location of the difference, and the children yelled out the difference. They even drew in the difference as seen in this photo.

I do encounter times when the children shock me. Samuel,a 17 month old boy, loves to kiss all the girls especially if they are crying. He will wipe away their tears and then kiss them on the check. Most, but not all the girls, like it. Tiffany in this picture even returns the favor. He has become a real Valentino. However, the other day, I watched in horror as he gave Melanie a kiss on the check and then promptly started biting off her check until she started bleeding. I quickly removed her from him. Valentino had turned into a vampire. I comforted Melanie and addressed her wounds while Orlinda, a teacher, explained to Samuel that what he did was wrong although, I'm unclear how much of that he understood. On another day, Orlinda told a boy that he could show his drawing to his dad. Upon hearing this, Anderson, a 5 year old boy, yelled out "I don't have a father" in Spanish saying it more as a statement than anything else. I wanted to cry. Last month, Anderson's father hung himself. I'm not sure if Anderson fully comprehends the situation.

For the most part, they are extremely well behaved children. They put their toys away, they push their chairs in, they remove small chokeable objects from the 2 year olds hands, they support one another down the stairs and almost all the 2 year olds are potty trained. However, they will not stop crying until justice is served. I am often searching out the root cause of their crying and then disciplining the offending child by placing him/her against the wall with the unhappy face. They never like that. Immediately after serving the sentence, the crying child stops crying. Disciplining more than one child at once is difficult. One morning, one of the teachers left me to watch over 30 of her kids while she attended to another matter. They were all playing with legos, but then at one point, Samuel started to eat the legos and the older kids started to throw the legos at each other. I had to break up fights, discipline kids, comfort crying children, remove chokeable items, and refind my inner peace all at the same time. Tough day indeed.

On Thursday, I joined some of the kids to their very first school trip to the local library. The children loved the opportunity to play in a new setting. We played with balls, bicycles, computers, books and their imagination. Although, I love every minute that I spend with the kids, I have reduced my hours at the daycare since I am now teaching English to children at an orphanage, which I will write about later. I am very behind on my blogging with much to catch up on.

Kids Galore

On Wed, I started my job and then quickly switched jobs. I met Teresita at the children's clinic unclear of what I would do. Apparently, Teresita also was unsure since my Spanish still had a ways to go before I could interact with adults. She volunteers every Wed and just directs the parents to the right window and that didn't sound very fun. She told me that I would not get much kid interaction and suggested that I volunteer with a daycare center down the road. We went to visit and I fell in love with the kids and figured that they would be forgiving of my Spanish and would be easy to understand.

The daycare holds about 55 2 to 6 yr olds. About 32 of the children live at the daycare from Mon to Fri because their parents either live too far, or work in other people's houses during the week or just don't have the money to take care of their own children during the week. The daycare is partially funded by the used clothing shop attached to it that is run by elderly volunteers as well as through grants since they are NGO affiliated.

So, how do I spend my days? I teach the children how to tie their shoes. I encourage them to share their toys. I kiss their booboos when they fall and wipe away their tears. I play make-believe with them and participate in their activities. I give them tissues and instruct them on how to blow their own noses. In return, they teach me the latest dance moves. They keep me full of smiles all day long. They show me the world through their young eyes. They even let me nap with them. I only wish that their parents could share in the joy that I have in watching them grow.learn and explore every day. Most of the time, I have at least 10 of them screaming for me to watch them play while another 5 of them sit on me or hold onto a part of me. They love the attention and need the affection.

Although, I thought that I would better understand their Spanish, I have found 4 year olds Spanish even harder to follow, especially, when it comes through the intermittent sobbing. Today, I had to ask Mariella, one of the teachers, to translate as to why Marie was crying. Usually the kids cry over another child taking their toy. Apparently, Marie thought I had left and was sad. She didn't want me to leave again. Hearing that broke my heart because I know that I will eventually have to leave and I don't want to hurt the children. They are all so precious. I have grown attached them as they have to me.

Today, I asked the children to sing some songs to me and 5yr old Daniella broke out into a popular rock song, and 2 backup singers joined her in full dance. She rocked on and we eventually all joined in. So, this is my new life and home and I am looking into also helping with a local orphanage if it works out in time. I love the weather and people of Medellin; they are just so hospitable and friendly.

In fact, a 68 yr old local man, Juan Guillermo joined me for dinner tonight. I went out alone to a hole in a wall since I haven't felt very social in the evenings after the last couple days with 55 kids. Juan migrated over to my table and bought me a beer and then displayed all of his obsessive compulsive tendencies by moving all my dishes around in just the right order and in making me eat just how he would eat the food. The salad had to have a certain dressing, as did the chicken and the beans had to be combined with the bread in just the right way, and I had to drink my beer when he thought I should, etc. etc. I appreciated the company, nonetheless, as well as his hospitable nature; he insisted on paying for my dinner in the end. Although, at the end of the dinner, I saw his 68 yr old lips coming directly towards my face and I swiftly moved in time to receive a kiss on the check. He then went his merry way in the other direction.

Coke: the drink and drug of choice

Whenever I enter a restaurant, I try to order a Pepsi, but only Coke is available. Like Coke, the drink, coke, the drug, is just as prevalent. Coca Cola once contained cocaine in it when the drink first came on the market and so the connection to Colombia makes sense. Access to the drug is easy to come by and one only need to ask a bartender to get the right contacts and phone numbers. I am told that 1 gram of coke costs about $4 here where as in London, a gram might cost about $80 and in the US, a little less than that. One doesn't have to be a Hollywood movie star to afford an addiction. Tourists at my hostel are regularly using coke and I feel a little weird being in this type of surrounding, but no matter what hostel I am in, I will encounter the same. Sometimes, I think some people travel to Colombia just for the drugs. I am saddened to know cocaine is capable of not only ruining lives, but also causing the deforestation of the lands and costing billions of American dollars and those creating the demand are partly to blame.

The cultivation of the coca leaves and the production of cocaine is causing massive environmental issues. Coca leaves only contain about 0.1 to 0.9% of cocaine and therefore many plants are necessary for production, which only results in deforestation of the land and removal of key and native wildlife thereby damaging fragile ecosystems. Coca farmers don't always bother to properly terrace the lands and ensure against the top soil from eroding and therefore, after heavy rains, the land is no longer useful for further coca production only leading to even further deforestation. Additionally, the production and purification of cocaine hydrochloride, the powder usually found on the streets requires the use of sufuric acid, ethyl ether, acetone, and kerosene; chemicals that are just poured into the soil after use or dumped into the river streams that feed the wildlife and people of the land.

Colombia controls about 80% of the world's supply of cocaine. The US attempts at controlling the flow of the drug into the US have been costly, but minimal. The US has ineffectively given billions of dollars to Plan Colombia that is suppose to eradicate coca growth as one of its objectives. However, the use of spraying chemicals all over the countryside to kill coca plants only helps to further pollute the environment and move the coca growers farther inland while they deforest even more land. According to the UN, coca output is down 2%, but planting of coca bushes is up 27%. Plan Colombia may be eradicating coca plants from hitting the market, but it has only increased the number of plants being planted, adding to the deforestation concerns. Moreover, a new strain of the coca leaf has emerged that is resistant to the chemical sprays. This strain not only produces more leaves, but also is suppose to be more potent. This is a byproduct of Plan Colombia and does not help its cause. The war on drugs continue...

Kitsch and Glamour

Most evenings, I have been checking out the various and interesting night life which ranges from totally kitsch and glamour to salsa to theme park adventure. I have never visited such random clubs. Sat. night, some folks from the hostel and I went to a club called Vinacure' that is something of a circus nightmare/experimental art exhibit. Live geese greeted us at the door and inside paper mache figurines filled the rooms. In between dancing songs, transvestites lip synched to songs while doing flips and the splits in their 4 in heels. At another bar, I watched a man dressed in a red Elvis costume sing on top of the bar. 70 and 80's tv show memorabilia decorated the walls along with anything tacky. At another bar, country western dressed women danced in the barn-like dance club. Really the only place I have enjoyed visiting has been just a regular dance bar without the themes and shenanigans. What happened to simplicity?

Most travelers can not afford to go to the clubs. The clubs usually charge a $5-20 entrance fee and then on top of that the drinks range from $10-20. Colombia is not cheap and I don't know how the young here afford to go out, but the clubs are always packed with locals.

In order to better blend in with the locals, I have started to shop for a push-up bra. While shopping, I noticed that even the mannequins are a little inflated. Every other store seems to sell lingerie and at least the clothes are cheaper here.

This city is really a single guy's paradise. The women are stunning, super fun, incredibly nice and friendly, great dancers and open to dating foreigners. In fact, the women tell me that there are more single women than men here. Below is a picture of Catherine who is dating a guy at my hostel and visual evidence to my above statements. I have to be careful to not develop the ugly duckling syndrome here.

Adopted and Employed

When I first moved to Minneapolis, I really didn't know anyone and luckily met Virginia who adopted me into her family. In Medellin, she has extended her Colombian family to me. Yesterday, I attended a house gathering of her entire family to celebrate life after their Uncle's funeral mass. I met just about everyone and sadly, my Spanish comprehension went in and out all night. Virginia's grandmother must not have thought I understood anything she said since I had to ask her to repeat things regularly. After a glass of wine, my Spanish improved. I visited them again the next day since Gonzalo invited me over for fried pork and beans on Sat. Apparently, every Sat for the last 40 years or so, the family meets for the traditional fried pork, beans and plantains as well as a chance to catch up with each other. I loved being around such a tight knit family and look forward to seeing them again.

As for my interview, I believe I have infiltrated the Colombian health care system and landed a volunteer job. I must not have fully understood the Director of the Clinic the other day. Apparently, I needed to go through a formal interview process with a local volunteer organization before I could volunteer with the clinic. I have passed through the hoops thanks in part to Virginia's grandmother's glowing recommendation, which I hope she doesn't retract after meeting me. Teresita, the volunteer coordinator for health clinics and hospitals, is also trying to get me a job with another kid's clinic up the road. I may have a very busy month and am excited to start work. I have no idea what my responsibilities will be, and I guess I will find out on Wed.

I am still touring around the city and to the outer areas. Doris, Jill, Sinead and I visited el Penol or the stone the other day about 2.5 hours West.

The stone is literally a rock 200m high surrounded by an enormous man made lake. I'm not sure why or who developed the lake, but it does provide for a beautiful day trip. We meandered around the nearby city, Guatepe' as well.


Most of the time, I wander aimlessly around the streets of Medellin alone in order to obtain a better sense of the city, the people and the culture. I like being the only foreigner I see all day until I return back to the hostel. Today, I passed through what seemed to be a transvestite brothel area with plenty of women hanging outside of a worn down hotel. I guess they must receive business at all hours of the day including at 1pm when I walked by.
I especially enjoy passing by the various stalls of interesting fruits and watching people meander around themselves. Yesterday, I stopped in the Barefoot Park and received a personal foot tour. My guide and I took off our shoes and walked through the various settings. My feet enjoyed feeling various surfaces and in receiving such personal attention.

Job Hunting

On Monday, Doris and I toured through the various cafe's in Bogota. I also tried calling the volunteer groups with no luck again. So, we boarded an overnight bus to Medellin. Throughout the night, the bus made stops along the road for police checks, and I felt safer knowing that the police regularly monitor the roads. We arrived about 10 hours later.

Medellin is known as the city of eternal spring because the weather is always fantastic year round. Medellin and Cali are also known for having the most beautiful women in the country and some consider in the world. The mix of African, indigenous, and European descent lend to creating really gorgeous women and the numerous plastic surgeons only help to accentuate their beauty. Interestingly, Cosmetic Surgery tourism is increasing in this country.

Medellin is also known for having once been the drug and murder capital for the cocaine cartels with the drug lord Pablo Escobar having lived here until the government hunted him down for 499 days straight and killed him in 1993. Since then, Medellin is a peaceful and relatively safe city.

Medellin also has some of the friendliest people. Men and women of all ages invite me to sit at their table for lunch, they easily engage in conversation in lines, and they readily answer any question I might have. I really like the people of Colombia. I just wish I could get a job here

My friend Virginia's step dad, Gonzalo, is from Colombia and she put me in touch with his family. They recommended I check out a health clinic for kids. I met the director of the clinic, but unfortunately he did not have any job openings. He did spend 30 min talking with Ophelia, who is the head of the Medellin local volunteer organization, to help me find a job at another clinic. I didn't realize this, but Ophelia ended up calling Gonzalo's family as a reference. I haven't even met them and yet Gonzalo's mom, who is 81 yr old, gave me a glowing recommendation. I now have a job interview for tomorrow. I just hope I don't blow it with my imperfect Spanish. Additionally, Gonzalo invited me to attend his uncle's funeral mass tomorrow. I really hope I don't screw up my Spanish.

Although, I have been told that Colombians speak the clearest Spanish, I am having a difficult time understanding them. I don't know if it is because I have been away from Spanish for the last month or maybe I never knew the language to begin with. Whatever funk I am in, I hope to be ready for both the interview as well as the funeral tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I have enjoyed touring the city. Bortero is from Medellin and so many of his sculptures adorn the parks. I spent most of my first day touring around the poorer neighborhoods located on the hills while meeting the friendly locals.