10 Things I Now Know About Colombia

1) You can buy pollo-flavored Margarita chips. Amazingly (and terrifyingly), they taste like chicken.

2) They sell Smirnoff Ice in a can for $1.40…I explained ice-ing to a Colombian and he thought it was hilarious and great

3) Jaywalking is a way of life…the existence of crosswalks is doubtful most times

4) The real reason behind always wearing boots or close-toed shoes in Bogota: walking on the “sidewalks” is like all-terrain hiking (#UNCpreparedmewell)

5) Colombians find it completely acceptable to stare. Even if you catch them at it and look at them, they won’t look away

6) Age is nothing but a number

7) The extent of Colombian hospitality, kindness, and generosity is endless. Upon meeting you, people will give you their phone number, address, email, and offer you a place to stay

8) Tell any Colombian male that you’re here for a year and they will most definitely inform you that you need to find a Colombian lover....and then not-so-subtly hint that they should be your lover

9) Caleños (people from Cali) love 2 things: enjoying life and salsa dancing

10) Colombia has 150 types of fruits and all the fruits come in different types…I will probably end up drinking more juice than water. My two new favorites: lulo and guanábana

ARRIVAL

My Fulbright orientation in Colombia officially began July 24th, but I arrived the night of July 19^th with my friend, Meg Frost, a fellow Fulbright ETA (English Teaching Assistant). We decided to come early in order to celebrate Colombian Independence Day, which was July 20^th.

In typical Emma style, Meg and I were late to board the plane in Miami—we were the last ones to get on and even had our names called on the loud speakers (we prioritized phone calls, what can we say). Shortly after I found my seat on the plane, a flight attendant came up and asked if I was Emma Din. I thought I was in trouble, but it turns out I was being given a free pass to anything on the plane :) Meg’s Colombian friend (Brian) had told his mom (who works for American Airlines) our flight information, and she had asked her friend on our flight to “take care of us.” What did this translate into: extra snacks, free white wine (put me to sleep every time), hilarious conversation, and consistent check-ups to make sure I was perfectly happy.

Second best part of the flight: Wonderfully Ridiculous Plane Friends. I sat next to Tony, a 52-year-old military contractor from the U.S. who had traveled all around the world through his job. Hearing about his experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq, Europe, and Colombia were phenomenal. Talk about being engaged in conversation. Next to Meg was Alfredo, a 50-year-old Venezuelan petrol man. His favorite topic: politics. He gave his opinion on all the recent U.S. presidents, Colombian presidents, and Venezuelan presidents. He is conservative and owns 2 homes in Venezuela and 2 in Colombia…needless to say, he wasn’t a big fan of Chavez. Thanks to Alfredo, Meg and I landed an invitation to a polo match, an invitation to Uribe’s finca (country house-type farm) outside Medellin, and an invitation to utilize his personal driver.

Best Flight Ever.