Thank You, Colombia.

6 Nov

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Dear Colombia,

One day, I hope to come back, to see your pink Amazon dolphins, explore your coffee region, experience the flower festival in Medellin, but for now it is time for me to move on.

I’ll be heading back to London in 2012, but I will never forget you or the six months I spent in your little village of Mogotes.

You opened my eyes to a different world, let me drive through your beautiful mountain roads, showed me your traditions. I even got to sit around the dining room table one day snapping the heads off of bucketsful of live ants that would later be fried and eaten as a snack. I saw the local medicine man at work. I drank aguardiente and chicha, rode a horse and played tejo.

You gave me your peace and tranquility. You sent me home with new skills. I learned to read and communicate in your language. I learned how to work with your natural resources like guadua to make my own jewelry. I saw the process it goes through, from plant to product, the same with fique and the same with panela from sugarcane. And you introduced me to a hard-working and talented group of women who deserve to have their work promoted and sold in places they may not have access to otherwise.

One thing I can say for sure is that your greatest asset is your people. I was welcomed by everyone I met and was continually impressed by the hospitality, the kind gestures, the way they make time for each other. The Colombians I met along the way were energetic, dynamic and warm. They have left a lasting impression on me.

Thank you for breaking all of the negative stereotypes I’ve read in the media, for never making me feel unsafe or unwelcome. And so I am moving on, but I will be back at some point. In the meantime I will happily defend and promote you as a destination for the travelers looking for a new destination. (And I will remind them you are spelled with an “o”, not a “u”.)

¡Gracias por todo!

Un abrazo,
Steph

PS – If you’re looking for me, I’ll be around.

Find me on my London blog: http://littlelondonobservationist.wordpress.com

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Hasta Luego

Conversations with Colombians: Javier Cáceres

Sarah Thérèse liked this post

6 Responses to “Thank You, Colombia.”

Sarah Thérèse on Facebook November 6, 2011 at 4:24 pm #

I’m tagging along when you go back to Columbia doll

Reply
Stephanie Sadler on Facebook November 6, 2011 at 7:14 pm #

You are more than welcome

Reply
elizahart @ mybasketballdiary November 24, 2011 at 2:40 am #

Great letter of gratitude.. I always thought Colombia is spelled with a “u”. Pink Amazon dolphins? I want to see them as well..

Reply
Joey Mc January 23, 2012 at 5:36 am #

What pink dolphins in the Amazon??? Wow if somebody tells me this I will think he is joking with me. I should check it out

Reply
Jorge Mario March 3, 2012 at 8:14 pm #

Es encantador leer tus impresiones de mi país, saber que todo es tan cierto, tan amable y bello.Un abrazo

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