When I moved to Colombia I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I mean, I had some idea: I’ve been to a few Latin American countries, my boyfriend and several friends have been to Colombia before and they gave me the lowdown on things they’d seen and done, so I wasn’t going in totally blind. That said, there are some things that can’t be described, or that you just have to see with your own eyes to appreciate.

So, in the spirit of High Fidelity, here’s a shortlist of things Colombians all seem to really like, in an effort to get at the root at what they are like:

• Malls. I don’t take most Colombians for the ‘valley girl’-type that likes to hang out at the mall and shop excessively. There’s one key reason that malls in Colombia are always hopping: free air conditioning. A/C is another thing Colombians love, but it doesn’t exist everywhere, so people gather in malls to enjoy the cool together.
• Casinos. There’s at least one in every mall, and there are always people in them. Colombians also seem to really like lottery games: there’s usually a booth in every grocery store and little stands on street corners with old men selling scratch tickets.
• The Colombian national football (soccer) team. It should go without saying that South Americans in general are into football. Colombians LOVE Colombia, and they wear their yellow jerseys on game days… or any day, really. It’s all about the yellow, red and blue here, baby.
• Loud music. Actually, loud noises in general. Bus drivers play super loud music, horns are honking all the time, and you would not believe the volume at which movies and previews are played in theaters here. It’s a wonder the entire country hasn’t gone deaf.
• Ice cream. At any hour of the day, you’ll probably see someone eating ice cream. I’m delighted at how prevalent the stuff is: gelato, popsicles, frozen yogurt… you name it, it’s here. There’s nothing more disarming than seeing a group of adolescent boys or middle-aged businessmen walking together down the street, each happily licking from a cone of soft serve.
• Fresh fruit juices, particularly of the bizarre/exotic fruit variety. Lulo juice is pretty bangin’, I’ve gotta say. Juice can be bought fresh from street vendors, bottled in stores, or served at restaurants, and Colombians love them all. I do, too.

McDonald’s has little kiosks around that JUST serve ice cream.
Why this isn’t a thing in the States is beyond me.

A packed mall food court. (Note the yellow jerseys around.)

When it comes to fashion, I’m blown away by a few things, especially in Barranquilla. In spite of the fact that it is balls hot here (like, in the 90s and humid just about year-round), people wear pants and closed-toed shoes almost exclusively. Sure, you’ll see a woman in a dress and sandals (usually suuuuuper dangerously tall platforms or wedges), but the default uniform for most Colombians is pants. Women here love to wear them some tight, tiiiiight jeans, too. It’s funny: to wear ultra-skintight jeans and a tiny top with your tetas hanging out would be considered normal and conservative, but wearing a knee-length dress is more escandaloso. It’s all about the legs showing: boobs are nothing (as is clothing that fits like a second skin), but bare legs apparently = bien sexy.

I’ve seen some bizarre English translations and phrases on t-shirts since I arrived here.
This gem was at a juniors’-type shop. Pretty bold, Colombia!

Doing as the Colombians do.

Colombians are fascinating in that it never seems like they’re in much of a hurry, except for when they’re driving. I’ve had more than one terrifying taxi ride since I’ve been here. No one uses their turn signal, people honk their horns like it’s a language in and of itself, and drivers weave in and out of lanes indiscriminately. It’s kind of nuts, and this is coming from someone who managed to rack up three speeding tickets last year (oops).

Learning all the cultural differences and idiosyncrasies has been frustrating and fascinating at the same time. It’s just like learning any new place: creating a routine, finding things you like… it’s a process. It was an amazing historic event to see the FARC peace agreement reached after decades of war while I was down here. Keeping my mind and heart open to amazing things just may be my mantra for life in Colombia.

Things are still difficult as I’d shared in my last post, but I’m trying. I’m finding things, little pockets here and there that make me smile. Like the overshared meme says: it may not be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.