I’d been working and living in Colombia for an amazing five months when I came to the end of my work contract and had to return to the grey and soggy UK. It was great to be back with all my home comforts. I’ve been guzzling down Cadburys chocolate and gulping down tea at an astonishing rate and it’s of course amazing to see all my family and friends again.
I am though starting to miss the odd thing about Colombia. I was only there for a short time but I loved the country, the people and of course the food. These are ten of the things that I am missing the most.
1. Getting taxis
Or more specifically being able to get taxis without having to consider selling my internal organs. My god, taxis are expensive in the UK.
2. Watching Bogota
Whether it was street screaming matches that I didn’t understand, rappers on the bus, tiny ladies trying to control a miliion dogs or just the weird and wonderful to me, daily occurrences of living in a place so foreign to me. I miss the everyday weirdness of the city.
3. Being special and English
I was unusual, I was considered fancy, from a far-off world of Harry Potter, tea parties and the queen. In England I am unexceptional, no one parrots my “cute British accent” and I am more likely to be found dining on Quavers and Dr Pepper than scones with clotted cream.
4. Busetas
I must be losing it but I miss Busetas. I hate having to find a bus stop and look up timetables when I could hail a buseta on the street, pay barely anything, get dropped off right next to where I was going and listening to the driver’s out-of-tune singing.
I haven’t quite got to the point of missing the transmilenio though.
5. All the Graffiti
I love graffiti. Not the scribbly taggy thoughtless kind but Bogota is full of incredible, enormous works of art that span public spaces and underpasses. It makes walking through the city an exercise in spotting the biggest and tiniest pieces of graffiti.
6. Arepas
Oh I miss these delicious treats. For 2,000 pesos I would tuck into a tasty arepa rellenas n the way to work. With eggs ham and cheese.
7. Empanadas
Speaking of Arepas, I have to mention my other firm cheapo favourite, Empanadas. With carrot, chicken and mushroom, pineapple and ham, rice, egg and pretty much anything someone inventive has thought to stuff into one.
8. Oh sod it, the food in general.
I miss bandeja paisa, chocolate con agua, caldo de costilla, and I’d happily rip a mans arm off for a steaming bowl of Ajiaco.
9. Watching the football
I have never liked football but I loved watching the world cup in Colombia. There is something that the English need to take from the Colombians about actually enjoying the football, rather than just moping when they don’t win. I liked the little bar in Cartagena where every time there was a goal a guy at the bar would blast out celebratory salsa and everyone started hugging, jumping and screaming. We need to bring the love back to the beautiful game.
That and I’m a bit in love with James Rodríguez.
10. Dancing
Or just the music, the sounds of latin music drifting out of shops and cars wherever you go. I’m currently sat in a coffee shop with some smooth jazz in the background and it just isn’t doing anything for me. I want Salsa, Merengue damn I’d even take some Reggaeton.
Jess
