Sure, you might say that you can never spend too long in Colombia. But there are definite signs that you have gone native, and the Colombianization has been complete. Here are some of our favourites:<\/p>\n
This Colombian phrase for saying \u2018I\u2019m sorry\u2019 initially confused and bothered me a fair bit. It literally means \u2018what a pity\u2019 or \u2018what a shame\u2019. As an Englishman, I am obviously always on the lookout for a good bit of sarcasm and the first few times I heard this phrase I was sure people were being insincere. Imagine someone stepping on your foot on the bus or bumping into you on the street and saying \u2018what a shame\u2019 \u2013 how can it sound anything but sarcastic? Yet much to my chagrin, I have noticed myself using the term several times every day. It seems just to roll off my tongue and before my brain has time to process what I am saying it is out there, making me feel slightly dirty and repulsive.<\/p>\n
– Azzam<\/p>\n
\u201cOh!! This pastry is sooooooo delicious. Aiii!!!\u201d \u201cWow!!! It\u2019s one o\u2019clock. ONE O\u2019CLOCK!!!\u201d \u201cMy God! The weather is amazingly MILD today!!\u201d Such remarkable, informative revelations are usually accompanied by an intricate series of inhalations, exhalations, moans, sighs, and extravagant facial expressions.<\/p>\n
– Gilesy<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t make any wild generalisations, but I can base my comments on my own experience. In every house that I have lived in here and in every one of my friends\u2019 houses there is an oven. Obviously. However, thus far I am yet to find one which actually works as an oven. You know, for crazy things like baking and the like. No no, it seems that they are simply there for aesthetics, for not one actually has the capacity to function as it should. Instead they are seen as handy storage units. The fact that I don\u2019t even think about roasting or baking any of my food anymore highlights my evolution from Londoner to strange hybrid-crossover-foreigner-who-has-been-here-a-while.<\/p>\n
– Azzam<\/p>\n
When I’m in England I spend a great deal of my time in a pub with a pint in my hand, chatting to my friends. This, ultimately, is our entire plan for the evening. Here in Colombia, while drinking and chatting are perfectly acceptable, more often than not you’ll be dragged to the dancefloor in order to throw some shapes. It’s got to the point where now simply drinking and chatting doesn’t suffice; I feel unfulfilled. My night simply hasn’t been a success unless I’ve jigged a little.<\/p>\n
– Paul<\/p>\n
As regular readers of this blog may know, I have a love-hate relationship with Colombia\u2019s national spirit. Essentially, I love it and I hate the fact that I love it. Or maybe it\u2019s that I hate it and love that I hate it. I\u2019m confused. Must be all the aguardiente.<\/p>\n
– Azzam<\/p>\n
Where are they from? What are they doing here? I hope they\u2019re being careful.<\/p>\n
– Gilesy<\/p>\n
Instead of pointing with your rather accurate finger, you have begun pointing with a vague and rather uninformative purse of your lips. Instead of saying “bad” or that you don’t like something, you now bring your hand to your neck in a kind of “chop”. Just two of the mannerisms you’ll pick up if you spend a decent amount of time in Colombia.<\/p>\n
– Paul<\/p>\n
“La mano arriba”…<\/p>\n
– Gilesy<\/p>\n
Remember back home when you’d keep your eyes firmly pointing to your feet, avoid as much small talk as possible and generally having no interaction with people you didn’t know? That’s all changed now. I regularly start up random conversations with strangers in bars, cafes, on the street… Basically anywhere. And, most surprising of all, people are receptive. They talk back. They even\u00a0enjoy\u00a0<\/em>talking back. That’s one habit I’ll have to get rid of when returning to England.<\/p>\n – Paul<\/p>\n What else have you picked up (or seen others pick up) having lived in Colombia?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sure, you might say that you can never spend too long in Colombia. But there are definite signs that you have gone native, and the Colombianization has been complete. Here are some of our favourites: You say \u2018que pena\u2019 instinctively This Colombian phrase for saying \u2018I\u2019m sorry\u2019 initially confused and bothered me a fair bit. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[115,626,4,66,97],"tags":[2735,58,356],"yoast_head":"\n