It’s impossible to fully appreciate a place you’ve never been to.
You have to meet the people, taste the food and visit the landmarks to acquire an understanding of what the place is about. And even then sometimes it takes an epiphany of your own.
Before landing in Bogota, Colombia’s Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Probably something stereotypical that I had seen on TV or in a movie, like an older Colombian man carrying a pot of freshly ground coffee riding on a donkey, or drug lords shipping hundreds of kilos worth of cocaine from their billion dollar mansions.
Needless to say, my predictions weren’t even close to what the country was really like.
Bogota was nothing like I had ever seen. People were working to live.
By 5 p.m. major stores were closed and families were outside spending time with each other and friends.
They danced and playing games in the street, eating arepas and drinking café con leche.
It didn’t matter that their family of nine was living in a one bedroom home or that they barely had enough money to eat that week.
What was important was that they were together.
In Colombia the social class structure is strict.
Unfortunately, if you’re born poor than there’s not much opportunity to move up in society because you’re only given what your family can provide you.
On the coast in Cartagena, locals don’t often drive, but rather ride buses called “Chivas” where the drivers will blast loud music and pass around shots of aguardiente (a flavored liquor derived from sugarcane) to the passengers.
People generally seemed happier than the average American despite their lack of freedom and opportunity.
So what are we doing wrong?
As Americans, sometimes we lose sight of what is really important.
With the unlimited opportunities we’re given it’s easy to mix up our priorities and get caught up with our jobs and school, causing us unneeded stress.
So if I learned anything during my two weeks in Colombia it’s to be thankful for what I have and not to worry about material possessions.
This summer I arrived in a third world country that I knew nothing about, expecting to learn about the people and their lives in Colombia.
I left, however, with a better understanding of who I was and where my focus should be along with a greater knowledge and an appreciation for Colombia and its culture.