Today will mark the longest I’ve been outside of the DC metropolitan for more than two weeks. Heck even living in DC Proper (that always makes me laugh) for the past 6 years I don’t think I’ve failed to cross the Maryland line for longer than two weeks, but maybe. In the weeks preluding my trip I realized something I hadn’t quite thought about; my trip through Costa Rica this time last year was the longest I’ve been outside the DC area let alone the country in my lifetime. Which was one of the impetuses for plan to skip out for 2 months. Just to live somewhere else even it’s just for two months.
So far, the experience has been exciting and challenging (in a good way). I’ve made a couple a “friends”; Alex, a bloke from Liverpool, England and Lisa a teacher from the U.S. whom I’m volunteering with. We all just returned from a three-day visit to TAyrona National Park. The volunteering in La Boqullia is fun and very new. I’ve only volunteered in Olaya once as this Friday no new activities were planned but I’m looking forward to returning next Friday.
One thing I had to get adjusted to is the cost of everything. The conversion is roughly $3,000 COP to $1 USD. Say something cost say $12,000 COP that’s approx. $4 USD I’m spending. I had a daily budget I wanted to stick to as best I could. With everything being much cheaper compared to U.S. prices, I quickly had the mindset of, well if it’s so much cheaper I’ll just buy it or do it. For example, a cab ride is roughly $2.50 in dollars compared to the Uber and Taxi prices in DC. So I was like well I’ll just take a cab everywhere as opposed to walking $20-$30 minutes, what’s $2.50… I’m walking a lot more! Same thing with food. I’m attempting to making adjustments there as well. Haven’t been as capable.
Only negatives thus far have been; giving a cab driver $50,000 COP when I thought I was giving him $5,000; not realizing I was given $30,000 COP less in change than I was supposed to after purchasing some socks; almost losing my camera but luckily the driver found it in the car and losing my sunglasses due to some strong waves while in Teryona National Park. Oh, yea I got seriously profiled in a small convenient store. Tuesday night I walked in to purchase some water and snacks for my 5-6 hour bus ride to TAyrona. When I walked in two employees standing close to the door kind of looked at me funny and the guy asked me something in Spanish a couple of times I didn’t understand. I responded with, “no entiendo” a few times before he said, just looking? I said yes, always trying to see the positive I thought, hmmm perhaps they could tell I was American and just wanted to help but their facial expressions didn’t really convey that. Anyways, I eyed the water, grabbed two bottles and went looking for snacks still feeling a little put off by how I perceived their reception. Again, this store is very small maybe the quarter the size of a 7 eleven. I walked down the aisle turned around to see the same women sort of following and staring at me. She quickly turned around after I noticed her. WHAT THE…?!?! I thought. Firstly, she was terrible at it. I actually said to myself, you can do better than that. But now I was kinda pissed and surprised. I was about to walk out but thought nah let me get my stuff and go. Looked a lil more and saw her eyeing me again… I said in English is there a problem? Then quickly let ago as 1. She probably couldn’t understand (but I’m sure my face said it all) and 2. They’re ones with the problem and tried not to let it affect me. The cash register was pleasant though… 🙂 I was surprised because while the neighborhood I’m Manga (more on that in a bit) has more Colombians with a lighter complexion than the rest of the city. It’s definitely not void of the more brown-skinned Colombians. Cartagena as a whole is predominantly brown skinned. It’s actually just a mix of people who just like blended all kind of ways. Some look just like a black person from the U.S, some more indigenous, some more of what is the stereotypical Latino appearance and A LOT just mixed with all three.
I doubt it but maybe it was a just a cultural difference or because they could tell I was American… Don’t want to give anyone the impression this is how it is in Cartagena or even Manga. Just an interesting experience I was surprised happened here.
As today marks the longest I’ve been away, I’m curious if I’ll notice a shift or alteration to my experience thus far. The only thing I really miss from home is you all, protein bars and not having more chicken during my home meals. So far so good…
Live. Laugh. Love. Travel. 