October 18, 2009
We continuously find ourselves living in two separate worlds, two separate classes. Of course Colombia is a poor country were the majority of people are living pay check to pay check and these are the people we live around in our neighborhood and enjoy spending time with but then there is the top 1% of the country that are wealthy upper class people (pinky up) and of course we are partly in their world too since we teach their children and many of the teachers and administration are also high class. So one minute you can find us on the public bus or shopping in the open markets or in other moments you may find us wrapped in a freshly cleaned white towel laying in a sauna that is scented with lemon grass. It is strange to go one from one extreme to the next. But the funniest part of this dichotomy is listening to the opinions of the people on the opposite ends of the class spectrum. They see this city through very different lenses. They live in the same country, the same city but their lives couldn’t be more different. Never have we experienced such class separation and it is a unique experience to be living classless with one foot in each world.
Our weekend-
Friday night worked late and then had my third grade coworker check us into the club we were swam, soaked in the sauna and ate yummy food. From there another coworker picked us up and we went out for drinks and food and talked about the tumultuous history of Colombia and the role and presence of the Guerrillas. Very enlightening (when I got home I watched you tube videos of the amazing rescue of the people who were released from the Guerillas last year, after being held hostage for six years!)
Saturday a coworker picked us up and we went to his house in a surrounding town of Pance, a high-class neighborhood of quite streets, large houses swimming pools and many hired servants. Here we did an amazing hike up a river to a waterfall we swam in the cold water. Back at the house we were served lunch on the patio as if we were quests at a restaurant. Out for ice cream and then time to nap before heading to the party.
We continuously find ourselves living in two separate worlds, two separate classes. Of course Colombia is a poor country were the majority of people are living pay check to pay check and these are the people we live around in our neighborhood and enjoy spending time with but then there is the top 1% of the country that are wealthy upper class people (pinky up) and of course we are partly in their world too since we teach their children and many of the teachers and administration are also high class. So one minute you can find us on the public bus or shopping in the open markets or in other moments you may find us wrapped in a freshly cleaned white towel laying in a sauna that is scented with lemon grass. It is strange to go one from one extreme to the next. But the funniest part of this dichotomy is listening to the opinions of the people on the opposite ends of the class spectrum. They see this city through very different lenses. They live in the same country, the same city but their lives couldn’t be more different. Never have we experienced such class separation and it is a unique experience to be living classless with one foot in each world.
Our weekend-
Friday night worked late and then had my third grade coworker check us into the club we were swam, soaked in the sauna and ate yummy food. From there another coworker picked us up and we went out for drinks and food and talked about the tumultuous history of Colombia and the role and presence of the Guerrillas. Very enlightening (when I got home I watched you tube videos of the amazing rescue of the people who were released from the Guerillas last year, after being held hostage for six years!)
Saturday a coworker picked us up and we went to his house in a surrounding town of Pance, a high-class neighborhood of quite streets, large houses swimming pools and many hired servants. Here we did an amazing hike up a river to a waterfall we swam in the cold water. Back at the house we were served lunch on the patio as if we were quests at a restaurant. Out for ice cream and then time to nap before heading to the party.
Saturday Night we went with our neighbor Enriques' friend’s house for a small after wedding party. Here we drank aqaurdiente, sat in a stuffy apartment and well didn’t do much…it was akward at best! Aaron’s comment was the best… “sometimes I just step outside myself and look at the situations we are in and just think about how freaken strange” So after about an hour we headed out (11:45) and headed to my other friend and coworker Suerillas house for an amazing night of dancing. She is from Colombia, her husband from France and so there were about 50 people at the party from all over, Europe, Colombia and North America. It was by far the best house party. Everyone danced the whole time! I loved it, now that I finally now how to dance salsa. We stayed at the party till 5am!
Sunday Suerilla and family visited, lunch with Stephanie and Hana who also baked me a birthday cake (so sweet!)
Sunday evening I think Sunday evenings in my neighborhood may be my favorite part of Colombia. I imagine this is what the US was 70 years ago. Everyone is in the streets, and the park outside the church is full of people, food vendors, kids sliding down cement sidewalks on cardboard (forest river?), teenagers making out, old people watching the world go by and then us gringos taking it all in. After our friends left we brought birthday cake to our neighbors and walked with them and their dog around the neighborhood and sat in the park. And then we hung on the front stoop laughing about moments from the party of the previous evening. There was thunder in the distance and cool wind rushed through the streets. I wished these moments would never end but underlying this is the dread for Monday…the start of another work week!
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