Viva
COLOMBIA: Heart of Heaven, Heart of Hell
by Larry
M. Lynch
The Pros
and Cons of Living and Working in Colombia
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| There’s
an old saying about Colombia,
“When God
was creating the world, He put gold into South Africa, some was left over,
so He threw it into Colombia.
"He put
coal into Appalachia, but there was some left over, so He threw it into
Colombia.
"Then God
distributed minerals like Iron and Nickel, again there were some left over,
so He threw them into Colombia.
"Brazil
received tropical fruits and Emeralds, there were some of these left over
too, so He threw them into Colombia.
"The Middle
East got a pot full of oil; the remainder God poured into Colombia.
"Flowers
went into the South Pacific islands, there were some of these left over
as well, so He threw them into Colombia."
"Wait a
minute," a watching angel said to God. "Do you realize that you’re making
Colombia one of the most powerful nations on earth?"
"Yes," God
replied, "but don’t worry, I haven’t given them their politics yet."
Americans are very afraid of going
to Colombia and for good reasons. In recent years, inflation has devalued
the peso by half, a virtual civil war has been waged unchecked for nearly
40 years, rates of crime and violence have been among the highest in the
world at times, and of course, there’s the “drug problem”. So why would
anyone consider coming here? |
 Larry
M. Lynch is a university English professor and
technical background copywriter who grew up in the Baltimore/Washington
area and has been living in Cali, Colombia for the past seven years. He
has more than 100 magazine articles, stories, and essays published in print
and online publications to his credit. He spends his semester breaks adventure
traveling and researching articles in Mexico and Latin America, and writing
as much as possible.
.
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“I came here because a friend who
was working in Cali liked it here and recommended it,” says Glenn Yates,
an English teacher now in his second year at a bilingual school. Tired
of Canada’s frigid climes and “empty nest” syndrome, he fled to a land
of year-round warm weather, warm smiles and an even warmer welcome.
Colin Jacobs, weary of depressingly
gloomy days, chill and drizzle, found his way to Cali from his native London
– more than 20 years ago – and hasn’t left since. “I don’t think I could
live in London again;” he stated, “after adjusting to the tropical climate,
healthy foods and easy-going lifestyle here, I’m not really keen to go
back.” He added, “And with this perfect weather, I’m spoiled for life.”
Indeed. Can you blame him?
NATURE’S
BOUNTY IN FULL
Nature yields, in full, her bounty
and beauty all year long, here. Hundreds of varieties of flowers unfurl
into bloom, perfuming the air even in winter. Hummingbirds and multi-colored
finches dot the scenery in such numbers that you’ll undoubtedly think,
“Surely there’s a machine around the corner manufacturing them.” Markets
here abound with ripe, fresh tropical fruits. For example, the Borojo is
said to have aphrodisiac properties in its dark brown, thick, creamy pulp.
Chontaduro, the plum sized bright red and yellow fruit of a palm tree,
is sold on corners everywhere as a high-calorie snack eaten with salt or
covered with honey. Carambolo, also called star fruit for its five pointed
shape, has a haunting, light, bittersweet flavor you’ll find refreshing.
Why not try a two-and-a-half foot
long Guama? Reminiscent of a giant string bean, with a cottony, sweet pulp
and thumb-sized shiny black seeds. There's also Zapote, Granadilla, Maracuya,
Curuba, Guayaba, the bright orange and green Lulo, with its tart greenish
pulp that makes a juice like lemonade – but better. All of these and more
are here to pack your pantry along with a bevy of over-sized vegetables.
What? You haven’t sampled these yet? Let me tell you then, they’re ALL
delicious! Just wait, you’ll see.
The twelve month long growing season
allows papayas to attain nearly the size of watermelons, carrots as big
around as your wrist, mangoes weighing up to two pounds each and Coconuts
that can contain as many as three glasses of “water.” Orange juice bursting
with flavor is always fresh-squeezed here. Practically all other fruit
and vegetable juices are too. Finally, the tantalizing aroma of Colombia’s
strong black coffee, considered the richest in the world, will wake anyone
from their deepest slumber with a smile. Called “tinto”, it’s served freshly-brewed
to every house guest or office visitor as a common courtesy.
| Not only are the fruits and vegetables
different, but other foods as well. They eat ants here. Yeah, you read
right – ants. But not the ones you slap away from your picnic vittles,
these are specially-raised “Hormigas Culonas” which have an enlarged abdomen.
They’re cleaned, then roasted or fried and served with a wedge of cheese
or a small container of honey. Only the crunchy abdomen is dipped in honey
then bitten off and eaten. They’re sort of like partially popped kernels
of popcorn. Hey, don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it. To be honest, I
had the “willies” my first time too. Now I’m an “old hand” who buys’em
by the bag when they’re on sale in the Spring.
CRIME, VIOLENCE,
INSECURITY AND DRUGS
But what of the crime, violence and
insecurity? Problems, yes – but not of the “run-screaming-to-the-hills”
intensity. At least, not yet. But then, how secure is it where you live
now? |
| Sancocho: one of the national
dishes of Colombia, stewed rooster - feet and all - served with avocado
salad and steamed rice and small baked dough cakes called "Arepa." |
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Most conflict-related problems occur
in the countryside, between the military and right or left-wing factions.
While this can make intercity travel risky at times, residents inside the
major cities of Bogota, Cali, and Medellin, feel little impact from most
skirmishes. These larger cities and mid-sized population centers like Pasto,
Popayan, Manizales, and Armenia, are reasonably well policed and usually
not unsafe if you’re careful.
The FARC, ELN and AUC, Colombia’s
three largest non-government military groups, fight principally in strategic
regions of the North or deep South of the country. People in the big cities
continue to live quite normally, adjusting to the infrequent power failures,
rare phone or water outages, and winter rainy season flooding that is more
of a nuisance than life-threatening. These annoyances are typical of many
third-world countries. To help insure your safety however, you should keep
abreast of the local news by radio, TV and newspapers, avoid intercity
travel at night, keep a low profile politically, not blatantly advertise
your foreign national status or earnings and stick to public places in
good neighborhoods for your nightlife activities. If you’ll adhere to these
guidelines you should be just fine.
| Drugs? Most of the drug
production is actually for export, so except for warring drug factions
in the Coca-growing areas of the country, there’s little everyday impact.
Colombia’s current President, Andres Pastrana, has adopted a “get tough”
attitude with guerilla forces. President-elect Alvaro Uribe won his upcoming
August inauguration based on his hard-line stance on Guerilla and Para-military
forces, as well.
No longer does the sound of helicopter
gunships firing into the suburban brush greet your ears in the evenings
as in times past. The Colombian peso has stabilized and inflation is single-digit.
During major holiday periods like the Christmas season, New Year, and the
Holy Week preceding Easter Sunday, government military patrols of principal
highways, seaports and vacation resort areas are stepped up to insure protection
and safer travel for vacationers. Conditions, although they slow to change,
seem to be improving. Life in Colombia, however, can continue to be an
adventure for the unwary. Here especially, you must be careful. |
| Coca plants are often used as
ornamental shrubs in front of homes or on patios, as in this case. |
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QUALITY
OF LIFE
Santiago de Cali, or just Cali for
short, a modern, bustling metropolis of more than two million residents
set alongside the 12,000-foot-plus green peaks of the Farallones, makes
a respectable showing in its offerings of art, culture, entertainment,
shopping and nightlife. Crowned “Salsa Capitol of the World,” a title wrenched
from post–Fidel Cuba, there’s no shortage of discos and “viejotecas”
catering to the young and not-so-young. Juanchito, an eastern suburb, houses
120 of the city’s hottest dancehalls where about 200,000 residents go to
party each week. The Municipal Theatre, Tertulia Arts Complex, and Jorge
Isaacs Theatres offer regular productions of musicals, dance, ballet, orchestra
and drama in Spanish.
The two largest shopping malls, Chipichape
and Uni-Centro, house multi-cinema complexes featuring first-run films
from the USA in English, usually with Spanish subtitles. Publications such
as Time, Newsweek, People, National Geographic, Atlantic, USA Today, and
the New York Times, along with dozens of other magazines and newspapers
in English are readily available at Libreria Nacional bookstores
and local newsstands.
Ethnic restaurants specializing in
Chinese, Japanese, Vegetarian, Brazilian, French, Argentine, Mexican, Mediterranean,
Italian, regional and typical cuisines continually tempt the palettes of
Caleños. A plethora of shows, programs and courses provide creative
outlet and pleasure for the soul of even the most discriminate of residents.
Check out the links below for numerous year-round holiday celebrations.
Judges even elected a black woman as Miss Colombia for the first time in
the pageant’s 60-year history. Bored? Not in Cali, even if your Spanish
is a bit sparse.
| A LITTLE
TASTE OF HOME
Many ex-pats judge their new home
on the quantity of familiar names that abound around them. There’s always
a need for that “little taste of home” no matter where you are or how well
you may have adapted. McDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, Coca Cola, and Domino’s
all have a presence here in Cali so you won’t feel stranded. If you travel
to Bogota, the capitol, there are more of these recognizable names to greet
your homesick eyes and slake your thirst for the familiar. Many back-home
style fast-food establishments have Latin counterparts which will shortly
become all too common as you adjust. Culture shock should remain at a bare
minimum. Remember though, that among other things you are here for new
experiences, right?
IF YOU DON’T
SPEAK SPANISH
¿No hablas en español?
Not an insurmountable problem. If you come here and search for a job, you’ll
typically interview in English, but as a working resident you’ll likely
want to pick up more |
| McDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, Coca
Cola, and Domino’s all have a presence here in Cali, so you won’t feel
stranded. |
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than just tourist Spanish. Fluency in
the language is essential for long-term dealings here. Both the Universidad
Santiago de Cali Institute of Languages and the Pontifica Universitaria
Javeriana have affordable Spanish programs for foreigners called “EPE”
or “Español Para Extranjeros”. Berlitz (see link below) has a presence
in Cali, too, with Spanish classes available. A private tutor is fairly
easy to come by and is an inexpensive option. Likewise, the British Council
maintains an extensive list of English-Spanish tutors and teachers. Cali
British Council Director Jonathan Deer, himself a London transplant, landed
in Colombia in 1995. The council (see link below) offers a host of services
to Colombians and foreign nationals alike. Spoken Colombian Spanish is
clear, well pronounced and has a high grammatical level, making it one
of the more desirable versions of Castellano to learn. Even the most rudimentary
Spanish speaking skills should get you through customs and immigration
and allow you to get set up for starters. Not to worry, you’ll be just
fine. Colombians are very friendly and sociable. Most people who can will
help you. Anyone who knows a little English will be glad to try it out
on you, often much to your amusement.
| WORKING
IN COLOMBIA
Native speaking English teachers
are scarce here, and excellent salaries attest to the high demand. To qualify
for most teaching positions, an applicant should: be a native speaker of
English, have a university degree (any discipline is OK), and apply for
a temporary visa to work. Patience, a sense of humor, a positive
attitude and a generous dose of enthusiasm also help greatly. If you have
a teaching certificate and some experience – even volunteer teaching, it’s
a definite plus. Work is available on several school levels including language
institutes, trade schools and universities. I sent out a dozen or so resumes
which landed me half that number of interviews the same week, culminating
in several on-the-spot job offers. Most companies will assist you
with finding accommodations and doing visa paperwork.
Other ex-pat job options include
major hotel positions in administration or hospitality, administrative,
public relations or technically-oriented positions with multi-national
corporations. Companies like Colgate, Firestone, |
| A campus view of the Santiago
de Cali University. |
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Goodyear, Michelin, Esso, Mobil,
Shell, Pirelli, Western Union, DHL, Fuller, Xerox, Canon, Siemens, Whirlpool,
Brother, MicroSoft, Sony, Coca Cola and Mazda, have a presence here, to
mention a smattering of names. These welcome stable, bi-lingual personnel
with a strong work ethic. “Mañana” is an all too common concept
with local staff. It’s especially brutal coming from supervisory personnel.
The U.S., Canadian and British Embassies maintain lists of multi-national
companies, bi-lingual physicians, dentists, attorneys, translators and
other professionals to help start off your search or address your personal
needs.
A FINAL
NOTE
Don’t worry needlessly over the politics
and news reports. Never mind the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Contact your
country’s embassy for lists of business entities. Call, write or e-mail
some of the universities or institutes to get a specific feel for their
needs and requirements. Check out websites. Assemble your diplomas, certificates
and letters of reference. And don’t forget to collect sample materials
like photos, maps, posters, postcards, magazines, music and other memorabilia
related to your state or hometown. These will be indispensable for your
interactions with locals. Live, travel and work in Colombia? Yes,
you can. Just remember to prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime
when you do come. It’s up to you whether Colombia becomes the heart of
heaven or the heart of hell.
For More
Information
Colombian
Holidays and Celebrations
http://gosouthamerica.about.com/library/blColhol.htm
Berlitz
Language Courses
http://www.berlitz.com
Cali British
Council
http://www.britishcouncil.org.co
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