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"Our similarities bring us to a common ground; our differences allow us to be fascinated by each other" - Tom Robbins.
If you find yourself in a different country and you are curious to understand the culture and your surroundings a little better, I advise you to do one thing: get on a bus. You learn so many remarkable things when using a bus that can leave you with both a mundane and profound insight into the lives of the people living there. From how strangers act towards one another, to what the traffic rules are, there are countless cultural nuances to absorb.
To begin with, in Colombia there are no bus stops, you simply wave down the bus at whatever point you are on the pavement and it will slam to a halt to let you clamber on. The driver immediately sets off again and you have to have extremely good balance whilst you scramble desperately for the coins to pay him (it´s almost never a woman). The driver can somehow drive on and work out your change at the same time as navigating the dangerous roads. On the Caribbean coast of Colombia it works slightly differently. There is always a young boy who literally hangs out of the open door of the moving bus and lets the driver know when to stop for passengers. He ushers you onto the bus and then, after a while, will come round to collect the fare carrying a wad of cash between two fingers. I never knew if this boy was somehow related to the driver or if he was a teenager simply working for some extra money, singing loudly to himself as the breeze from the open door momentarily dries the sweat on his back.
One of the loveliest aspects of bus travel in Colombia is the ubiquitous sound of salsa music. Despite the buses being cramped for space and only having on average 25 seats, there is always a large speaker, usually situated at the front of the bus where there could be room for an extra vital seat, playing, but more often blaring, the sound of salsa. So important is music to Colombian people, that they cannot even catch a bus without the comforting background buzz of the trumpet and cowbell.
One exciting day a few weeks ago, as I flagged down a bus to take me the ten minute trip into town, I was surprised to realise that the bus driver knew me and warmly welcomed me by name to sit in the front next to him. He maneuvered the turn-stile so that it would not click as I came through and thus was not required to pay the fare. With a big grin on my face I climbed into the seat as the other passengers eyed me enviously and were curious as to how this gringa was on first name terms with the driver. He merrily started chatting to me as if we were old friends. "Rose! Are you happy here in Manizales? How is your job? How´s life?!" Desperately trying to remember where the hell he knew me from I politely answered his questions and practiced my Spanish chit-chat. It turned out he was one of the ten motorcyclists I had met when I went rafting in the Río Claro back in October. After taking a quick selfie together, I told him to "let me off here!" amidst other passengers shouting the same "Me dejas acá por fa!" which is the normal way to stop the bus, again not abiding any bus stop signs. I hopped off with a smile and a wave but he had already begun to accelerate, cheerfully beeping the taxi in front out the way.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I am lapping up the dancing culture here and I love seeing the surprise on Colombians´ faces when they find out that I can dance. One guy said to me the other night, "You are the first European I have ever met who knows how to dance, I didn´t think British people had a sense of rhythm!" I enjoy defying stereotypes and making a lasting impact on others! I would tweet a new topic #BritsCANdance if I had the slightest idea of how Twitter worked.
I have found the reactions from many of my English friends and family amusing that on seeing a photo or video of me dancing with someone they have assumed him to be a special romantic interest of mine and they have proceeded to ask for more information about this presumed amante. However, in Colombia, dancing with someone does not have the same significance as it does in British culture in that it is assumed that you both fancy each other (although sometimes you may, of course!) Rather, it is a social norm that when out with a group of new friends, your family or complete strangers, everyone takes it in turns to dance with one another. It has made me realize that in our culture we share little physical contact compared to Latinos. Why not dance some salsa with your friend´s husband, your brother, or your 16 year-old next door neighbor? I am relishing this breaking down of barriers and the idea that dancing with everyone is a way of introducing yourself in a physical, instead of verbal, way. So friends, no need to get all excited if you see a photo of me in the arms of a handsome man… that´s just the way it is in Colombia!
Recently I was lucky enough to have my friend Amanda visit me in Manizales as she was making her way through South America. While reflecting on the time she spent here we made a cultural discovery about the mindsets of Colombians that I had not registered yet. I decided to take her to one of my classes so she could meet my students and see me in action; after all, how often is it that you get to watch your friend at work? The class was a discussion about a film and one of the topics was "how do you know if you are a good person?" Without hesitation almost every one of the students answered along the lines of "a good person is someone who is always happy and has a positive and optimistic attitude on life." While these qualities are important, Amanda and I agreed that being pessimistic and a good person are not mutually exclusive in our culture. We acknowledged that as Britons we are typically known for our tendency to moan and be negative in many situations, but this does not mean we are not kind hearted and generous too which are qualities that we would more associate with being "good". So why is a "positive" attitude so important to Colombians in defining a person as "good"? Amanda supposed that it could be down to the weather and climate. Colombia is for the most part a sunny, hot and tropical country boasting to be the second most bio-diverse country in the world. All those flowers, beautiful birds and sunshine… who could possibly be down in the dumps? I suggested it may be something to do with Colombia´s tragic history of war, corruption, and displacement. When millions of people´s lives have been affected by tragedy, what use is a person who brings nothing but more anguish and hopelessness to the situation? Better to be a bright, sunny character who raises people´s spirits instead of depressing them further still. Whatever the reason, the fact remains, positivity is key if wanting Colombians to like you!
Lastly in this piece I want to focus on just how generous and friendly Colombians are. Whilst walking through an unfamiliar neighbourhood of Manizales on Saturday night in the company of a very nice young man, our attention was distracted by the sound of beautiful music swimming out of an upper window down into the street below. Through the window we could see a little boy taking a video of the supposed performers on his phone. We called up "Hey! Is it live music?" He replied that it was. We rounded the corner and asked if we could come in and see. "Con mucho gusto, bien pueda!" came the reply of an elderly woman, "With pleasure, come in, you´re welcome!" We walked up the steps onto the open patio filled with other faces peeking into the bright living room where there were two musicians singing classic Caldas music wearing their sombreros, guitar and accordion. Delighted, I sat and listened, watching how the neighbours of all ages sat together appreciating, enjoying the simplicity of a Saturday night get-together. The elderly woman who welcomed us, bustled out grasping a bottle of aguardiente which she generously dolloped into shot glasses and handed one to each of us. Grimacing as I downed the firey liquid (I really should be used to it by now), we got talking to an old man who told us tales about times gone by in Manizales. My gentleman friend asked him about what life and love was like when he was younger. "Ahh" he said "if you liked a girl, you wouldn´t touch a hair on her head! If you were lucky, you got to sit next to her. We were very respectful." And what about the war, was life very harsh in those days? In a soft voice he told us over the harmonies of the singers, "Ha! Life in Manizales has always been wonderful!" And as I sat there absorbing the magic of the night and looking out at the lightning-drenched sky, I smiled to myself "And it still is".
- comments
M.B Great writing. So atmospheric. And I do love a bus! :)
Carrie Lambe A beautiful piece of writing Rosie, thank you for sharing it with everyone
Janet koralambe I so agree about buses Rose. Travelling around India on buses was a revelation. How wonderful to just be able to walk into the house of music. It makes such a difference that you have learnt the language well enough to be able to communicate properly with the people around you. I almost wish you were staying longer so that I could come and visit - it sounds like such a beautiful country
Janie Weeks From one travel blogger to another, this is a really good read! Enjoyed today's post very much and absolutely agree with your public transportation suggestion. We also like to shop at local markets to glean another perspective on culture and daily lives of the local folk.
Miranda What a beautiful peice of writing Rose, thank you so much. I have to confess I burst into tears, especially the last bit. I also agree with all about the buses. What a wonderful experience you have had. A magical country in so many ways.