For the last year, in Colombia, many of my conversations with fellow Brits or people from the States have, at some point, turned to what people’s expectations were or what their friends and family think of their trip to Colombia. Having returned for the UK for Christmas, I’ve dealt with this once again, but first-hand. Now, with a bit more knowledge of what life is like in Colombia, much of it makes me laugh.
Here’s a run-down of some of the best questions and statements I get when I tell people I’m living in Bogota, Colombia:
“Oh, I just bought a banana from there.”
– Did you? …Nice
“Wow, is there mafia everywhere on the streets?”
– I’m in Colombia, not the 1920s New York
“Why aren’t you tanned?”
– Go look up Bogota on Wikipedia.
“What are the women like in Colombia?”
– See here.
“Do you see any kidnappings?”
– Err… No.
“Is it like all the films you see?”
– Definitely, definitively, absolutely not.
“Where’s that?”
– Sigh.
“I was told there are tanks on every corner.”
– You need new friends.
“I have a friend who has a friend who went and…”
– I’m going to stop you there and tell you it’s probably false.
“Are drugs legal there?”
– Funny you should ask… No.
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Me and my parents in Colombia
Once these questions are out the way, the conversation usually moves towards more insightful questions, which I’m grateful for. Inevitably, I tell them about the beaches of Tayrona, the parties in Bogota, the streets of Cartagena and everything else that makes travel to Colombia absolutely essential for anyone with a love of travel.
I head back to Colombia this weekend and I look forward to receiving several guests throughout the year. Family, close friends and even acquaintances are becoming interested in venturing to a country they knew little about 10 years ago, but are frequently hearing in the media or through word of mouth that it’s the place to be. They’ll come, they’ll see Colombia, and they too will return to the same barrage of questions. Let’s hope it starts a chain.
Paul
Tom on
FYI, the altitude is 100% irrelevant. Why? Because the distance between the earth and the sun it’s quite a lot. So, some meters more or less won’t make any difference. What makes the difference between one location to another is the the angle between the place and the sun, the humidity and the pollution.
CTravel on
“Why aren’t you tanned?” … Not a stupid question. I have gotten darker in the 3 months I have been here. It is a higher altitude than most places in the states and anywhere in England, so perhaps your friends DID look the city up in Wikipedia and maybe you can take a refresher course yourself..It is 2000 or more meters closer to the sun than where I was in the states, that is why people tan despite the fact that it is generally 10 to 20 C…Also, transmilenio blows, which is what I say when friends ask about the transport..