Colombians

Bill Turley (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Sep 9, 2008, 18:04:

Pirate2late says on Sep 9, 2008, 18:12:

Why WOULD you stereotype??????????????


el Pirate

"Fly it until the last part stops moving!"

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Cheers Terry says on Sep 9, 2008, 18:37:

Not sure what kind of observations you're fishing for.

You're going to a Latin country, not frigging Mars.

Stop being so coy.

Cheers,
Terry

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TobyBoy says on Sep 9, 2008, 20:30:

First, you should read some history. Colombia has always been a vanguard of "Western thought," even before the USA and other 'western' nations were. WESTERN Cities such as Bogota, Santa Marta, Cartagena, etc, are MUCH older than St Augustine in Florida (oldest in USA), and they've had institutions of higher-learning earlier as well; CULTIVATING WESTERN ELIGHTENMENT principals even before the USA did, as French philosophy was translated into Spanish before it was translated into English.
After you have read the history, you will learn of Colombia has embraced and protected democracy (often at a very high price) for longer than any other country, except the USA, which technically became a republic just before Colombia (La Nueva Granada) dd. However, it should be pointed out that Colombia became the second oldest "western-constitutional- republic" in the world, after the USA, even beating out the cradle of democracy; France, as a modern republic.
Colombia then became the land of (western) poets, and the nation with the best healthcare system in the Americas (according to the W.H.O.). ...Oh by the way, Colombia is situated in the western latitudinal hemispheric region of planet Earth.

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Simon says on Sep 9, 2008, 20:34:

I thought the cradle of democracy was Greece!

But I love your style Tobyboy, spead the word about Colombia!

"Just an honest, decent Colombian trying to do the right thing."--Simon

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TobyBoy says on Sep 9, 2008, 20:36:

Not of MODERN democracy Simon.

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Sea Gull says on Sep 9, 2008, 21:09:

I am fishing for stories about meeting the people. Meeting the family of your love interest. Something you observed in the streets or cable car.

Not stereotypes but real stories of the people. Good or bad.

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august says on Sep 9, 2008, 21:26:

Tobyboy, good points. I feel like I was aware of all that, but never put it all in that sort of historical timeline.

As far as making generalizations about Colombians, which is probably not to be encouraged, I can speak more about paisas than others and would say that on the street, paisas tend to be brutal in a cold social way, but once you get into a one on one conversational exchange, even if they're strangers, they're like cousins, in a good way.

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TobyBoy says on Sep 9, 2008, 21:36:

Thank you for your comment August, andI like your candor very much as well (Re: Paisas, etc.). After having travellled around this challenging planet of ours as much as I have, I have come to realize that Colombia is simply the best palce (for me). There are so many wonderful stories of kind, self-less actions on hte part of Colombiasn who have chose to help me along the way, that to me, it is no surprise that other world travelelrs such as Brian Andrews (RCNnews.tv) , who have dared to take a more thna casual look at Colombai, has fallen in love with the way öne feels" while we are there. There is bad everywhere, and Colombai is no exception, but the good is so overwhelming to me, that I would hope that Mr./s. Sea Gull just taks the plunge and actually goes to Colombia to do his or her own research, if not done already.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Sep 9, 2008, 21:38:

Ok, seagull, I'll give you story. (Others have already read it)

When by Bf (later my husband) introduced me to his mum she wasn't very pleased. She had thought her youngest would be a perfect match with neighbour's Carmen, the only daughter of a rich merchant. Then he comes home home with this little gringa, ponytails and miniskirts and not a penny to her dowry.

The only words in Spanish I could say were "No comprendo". (But I listened and understood much, much more)

Mum: " Son, you should know that those gringas are TERRIBLE"
BF: " Mum, mum she's not a gringa. She's a EUROPEAN.
Mum (throwing her arms towards the ceiling): "EUROPEAN, EUROPEAN THOSE ARE THE WORST KIND!!!!!!!!!!"

15 years later, with our kids growing and apple of her eye, I used to remind her of those kind words at our first meeting. She would just laugh or deny them.

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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goin_south says on Sep 9, 2008, 21:41:

Truly... a Cinderella Historia.. jaj

nothin I say is to be takn for my words, but rather for the words of Sailor Jerry.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Sep 9, 2008, 22:08:

It's a true story. Would I make up something like that?

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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Rachel157 says on Sep 10, 2008, 17:56:

Everyone my husband introduced me to was really friendly and very accommodating. They offered me food and drinks every ten minutes. They really try to make you feel welcome. Just don't turn down anything they offer.

One thing that drove me nuts though is when we were at a club, or anywhere that was playing music, they would want you to dance and would not take no for an answer.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Sep 11, 2008, 07:54:

Yup, you'll be force-danced if you like it or not. Cumbias and boleros are not that hard, salsa is more complicated, but when they drag you to the dance floor by sheer masculine force and make you make a fool of yourself dancing joropo that's when you'll learn a whole new meaning to the word "embarrassed". (And then, you'll hear them whispering behind your back..."hahaha gringas can't dance, no rhythm in their bodies....hehehehe look she's stopmping with her feet, does she think she's a guy or what?"

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Sep 11, 2008, 08:03:

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Sep 11, 2008, 08:18:

I've been that terrified gringuita way too often...only lucky that hubby doesn't dance that good either, didn't dance, should I say. All our male friends did try to make a dancer out of poor old two-left-feet-Desi and they took it as a personal failure when there was little progress. I used to drag some interesting male friend into the kitchen or patio, with two measures of whisky and talk politics all night instead....

That "if you can't dance you never get yourself a Colombian" is only true when applied to other Colombians or second generation; we "authentic" gringos are exempt to the rule. We're not required to know how to dress either...lack of style is in our defective genes.

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Sep 11, 2008, 08:32:

El Polo says on Sep 11, 2008, 09:14:

Funny stories guys, when I was younger all my female cousins would make me dance so I learned by force mostly, we would practice not in a discoteca but in the backyard, we just put some music on that was that, simple fun. Now whenever im back in my pueblo the females actually invite me to dance, and most are impressed at how well I could dance, especially CORRONCHO style which mean CLOSE. Costeñas are really happy women, also know as TRONERAS, its not rare that when they are having a good time they will ask you to dance, if you say no, your a MARICA. Whenever in a party and you hear a disco de los HERMANOS ZULETA get prepared to DANCE!!!

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Sep 11, 2008, 09:19:

CG that "cuteness" factor or slack given to gringas that can't dance comes only from Colombian males. I would think it's just the opposite for gringos.

I have no idea why, but many Colombian women seem to feel insecure around women from other countries, especially the ones who haven't travelled a lot. It takes some time for a gringa to make true female friends in Colombia, but like in my case, those friendships endure over years and across the distance.

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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paisa29 says on Sep 11, 2008, 10:54:

"many Colombian women seem to feel insecure around women from other countries"

I think it is pretty normal that you fell insecure when you can´t understand the same language or don´t know anything about the topic they are talking about, but it is not especifically for Colombian women.

"Fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" Conrad Hilton

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Sep 11, 2008, 11:16:

Perhaps not, but I'm referring to this specific case when a foreign woman starts establishing social contacts with peers in Colombia. On the surface it looks like everybody wants to be your friend, you get invited to all social functions, parties, homes, everybody is really very friendly, but at the same time, you feel like people are observing you, making comments behind your back, sizing you up. It's not the same face value kind of meeting of people I'm used to.

Now, don't take me wrong, I have bunches of female friends in Colombia, women I went to college with, our kids played together, we keep in touch and I appreciate their friendship more than anything else. But, I also know some others that pretend friendship but talk shit behind my back.

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

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Barbaridad says on Sep 13, 2008, 13:49:

at TobyBoy - thanks for sharing this with everybody!

La alemana paisa

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