Tag: Colombia

Looking Back

December 31, 2024 by Cassandra Johnson

This is also a work in progress like the previous post. (I am still dealing with some questions for myself).

If I am honest, I have not lived in the United States for a while. I have been away since November 2023, except for visits in both April and August 2024. I was still in the US (in San Juan, Puerto Rico) when I started, but a few months later I landed in Merida, Mexico where I stayed throughout Christmas 2023 and New Year’s, into my February birthday. Not until April was I ready to leave Merida, for a short stop in Houston, TX, before getting back to Mexico to see two more recommended cities. Guadalajara (was not the best experience among so many other great ones). Still, my curiosity and aim to have and share nice experiences with others around the world was my focus.

Following Oaxaca, Mexico (which I loved), I revisited Peru (this was about the third time in some cities). I thoroughly enjoyed myself with a lot more income at the time, and mostly living my dream of everyday life as an expat there. I was there for 3 months. I have wanted this since I volunteered there in part of 2010 and 2011. I enjoyed volunteering in Bolivia in 2011 as well, but Peru stole the show.

After Peru, I went to Colombia (Medellin was the first city and where I stayed most of my allotted 90 days – until next time). Bogota was just six days (really nice, still) and Cali and Ipiales were the one-day stopovers I mentioned last time. An added note: When traveling through Colombia, I particularly enjoyed the travel hack of overnight buses as they saved money with one night of lodging not needed, and most hours spent sleeping. I had been aiming for this since I flew between the US, Mexico, Peru and into Colombia.

Okay, well, sleeping on a bus is not the most comfortable feel (facts) but as another precaution, I kept the trips to about 11 hours or less (allowing for added stops). *I remember longer trips from my past and they can get old. I also like the safety of arriving in a place in the daylight, at home or abroad. I was advised to do that my first time in Lima. The only unfortunate circumstance back then was how every decent DC flight landed around 10 pm. Fortunately all went well, and the remote city I later reached was in the accompaniment of another future volunteer/fast friend. We planned to meet in Lima and go from there.

I am now back in Ecuador. I only visited Guayaquil for a few days in 2019, but now I have been able to check out Quito and Cuenca.

Next: I was recently thinking about Paraguay or Uruguay (this would be my first time in each). I am really excited about Brazil but a little worried about suddenly discontinuing to use Spanish and checking out parts of Paraguay and Uruguay would give me the continued opportunity to use Spanish. However, I do think this could mean survival Portuguese and some important phrases will be a fun activity to add to my more fun to-do lists.

Crossing Borders: Colombia to Ecuador

December 30, 2024 by Cassandra Johnson

This is a work in progress: I have been going through a rough patch – so this is a rough draft.

Overall, I found people in Colombia to be very nice and discovered this even more, the longer I stayed. *There were instances where I did not feel like I fit in (something I can revisit in general at another time, for various reasons).

Throughout my stay, I soon discovered that I was being treated in a very familial manner and very often, people either did not know where I was from or assumed I was from Colombia or that I now live there. I was in Medellin (for approximately 2 months) and Bogota for just 6 days. The same was true of both and I was not even prepared for my stay in the small border city of Ipiales with a small town feel.

It was during the rain and not the sunshine, as well, when I realized how nice the people were in Ipiales. I was preparing to be someone who absolutely stood out in the small Colombian city quite different from Bogota and Medellin, but there was never really a time when that happened in an off-putting way. I felt like what I suppose anyone who did not look local felt like but, just like them (I imagine), I also  probably was just treated and seen like any foreigner who passed through their Colombian border city to get to the Ecuadorian border city of Tulcan.

(I also learned later that Ipiales is popularly known for a church, which I did not visit). Overall, I felt welcome and accepted, two vibes I cannot help but notice. Camaraderie in the rain was one of those reiterated moments. A strange look was just curiosity and I felt the hospitality and greetings that stick with me so much more.

Solo Together

October 29, 2024 by Cassandra Johnson

I have learned not to give too much to my introversion as I do also love community. I have also learned to recognize my solo needs, to be better to myself.

I do enjoy bonding when I am not feeling inexplicably self-conscious. Alternately, I also acknowledge my resilience to regroup and revitalize myself.

What has been most interesting to me lately, however, is how I have come to notice similar solo needs in a number of other people. The number is larger than I would have expected, and realizing this has made me more empathetic, so apart from hanging out with them, dancing with them, chatting with them, drinking with them (some flirting)… I have felt another type of connection.

By collecting my thoughts and tranquility when I am alone, I remind myself of what I really want and need, and I remind myself of the fact that I need to try much more of this out before I can be certain if what I need or want still stands. Minds may change. Therefore, I need that alone time, good for such thinking and also for clearing my mind (not overthinking and just being still).

Sometimes I need more of the quietness than others, but I have recently taken note that I am not so alone in this. Ironically, in the simile of needing those inward moments, I suspect other people may need this too.  After almost a year of countless accommodations and interactions as a digital nomad, I do not think I have just coincidentally been vicinity booking along with a large number of other introverts. I do not think so, because in other instances, I notice what seems real extroversion on the part of a number of outgoing people who naturally seem to receive energy from interacting with others. Yet, I have caught them “escaping” too. I have caught them escaping the noise, whether it be very literal or figurative. I have caught them in a variety of ways in their own quests for solitude.

Adalia Aborisade’s video on how to travel as an Introvert really spoke to me and what we may do or feel from going inward. Me being someone who also likes hanging out, seeing the world and meeting people, she and the other viewers reiterated for me that sometimes we get away from who we truly are because our true selves are not accepted or expected, especially when we are out there exploring our overall dreams. It is not uncommon to be told you need to participate in the group at all times. They also reminded me it is not uncommon to be misinterpreted and cajoled. I think I just judged myself too strictly thinking I could no longer carry the introverted label, when a part of this actually seems to be welcomed by most people to varying levels. I am also reclaiming some of my shyness, though it may appear differently now. My nature has not changed at the core.

I see people looking for their solo spaces and moments as I especially spend my traveling time between hotels and hostels. People were looking for moments and spaces on the terrace, in the kitchen, in an extra room, in their own room or a shared room in their bunk bed while others were out touring or in other parts of the hostel or hotel. People were even randomly hoping for a moment at breakfast or in front of a large screen community television.

Someone reading. Someone gazing and thinking (seemingly daydreaming) while reclining. Someone listening, laughing  to videos on their phone. Someone delving into work on their computer, but as they would in their own private office with no boss.

I see the people. I see us. Moments apart and common bonds in solitude. These are the moments we recollect ourselves, maybe even forget the pending issues or worries of our days, maybe even finally come up with a solution after we have had some time to relax away from what has to be done or decided.

Perhaps, this is just a much needed mental break or another moment to help us be honest with ourselves and to be ourselves.

My Quiet Freedom

September 30, 2024 by Cassandra Johnson

It was Sunday and things seemed quieter in the main areas of Medellin and especially where I am staying. However, this was really just building up to unexpected activity, which I seem to think is more so the normal atmosphere on Sunday, just depending on what social spots you visit besides the contrast of places closing early or not being open at all.

This particular day, yesterday, reiterated what I like about traveling in Latin America and traveling overall. It was a day where there was still a lot to see and many gastronomical options like cafes and restaurants open. I noticed this as I walked more, and I noticed a lot of people were spending their day in Parques del Rios in Medellin. I imagine there were many families and friends also concentrated in other similar recreational spaces. This was me deciding to make my way back to Parques del Rios for the second time though it was a considerable distance from my accommodation. Maybe next time, I will take the metro for part of the way. Most likely, I will not. I enjoy getting there this way, feeling like some exercise and seeing the various performers at the intersections. I had similarly challenged myself, recently, to find a special library in Medellin as well, and getting there and focusing in on my work and thoughts was worth the trek. (Biblioteca Publica Piloto)

My walk to Parques del Rios was on my way to the San Diego neighborhood of Medellin. Later, I was able to explore and end my day picking up some fruit and juice on my way back to ultimately connecting with other hostel guests I had not met earlier and especially one, yet to arrive.

Sunday was peaceful yet vibrant. I ran into a Capoeira group and many families and their pets taking advantage of the warmth in the park, along with vendors and other musical performers there. I watched part of a live concert in the San Diego mall which was super busy as opposed to the smaller ones that shut down earlier.

In the end, I was impressed by my muscle memory finding my way back in the dark and the rain, with a Colombian woman even inquiring If I could give her directions. I apologized to her in Spanish stating I only knew some places and thought momentarily I could be of some help. She smiled and was very gracious.

I recalled meeting a Colombian guy on the way there who was randomly curious where I was going and who asked for my number. I have no plans on dating (I am kind of potentially hopeful and have my heart set on one person) but I feel like I am meeting a lot of like-minded local and traveling friends. I also laughed to myself that once he got my info, I conveniently pretended not to understand the “espere” “wait for me” he stated, because that did not really make sense for me to do so and did not really speak to my security or desires. I am leaning into my instincts and whims and enjoy when they kick in on any level.

Between Time

September 29/30, 2024 by Cassandra Johnson

My post was initially going to begin about money lessons learned, after spending quite a sum in Peru. However, I enjoyed the freedom it brought me, and I also realized that what I was beginning to write was a thinly veiled manner of beating myself up. So I have to find the healthy medium between blaming the powers that be, blaming myself and realizing there is a whole lot I have to contend with, being a freelancer, just as there were many other things I had to deal with being an employee. I note how I have worked really hard in both circumstances, so the lamenting may come but I cannot allow for it to stay.

First of all, I am willing to keep up the work. Mini breaks and this more chiller way of life is helpful. I just need to lean into the tweaks. So I have pretty soberly come face to face with the idea of adding to my workload as a means to eventually not having such a big workload. but wait, hear me out, as I want to pay off every bill, hold on to my investments, trade and just have my current freelancing and side hustles as extra cash that are not needed. I am looking for a low-maintenance completely remote job to meet my goal and, hear me out, for all those reasons above.

Added bonus: I am starting from a place of still hoping to continue my traveling dreams. 😊 So the search is notably hitting different. I feel like such a job will be a bonus to an already palpable life, much less like the times I applied within my country, (though these will be US employers) . . . much less like the times of feeling I needed to make my bones and eventually giving into my way of attempting to meet the expectations of the people and the work environment, which can be fruitless with some managerial situations as I learned more than a few times. I would get to my tasks after so many others and if we put ourselves last along with others putting themselves last is an inevitably deteriorating combination.

So easy to lose a balance.

I also noted an inherent issue with my freelancing relationship in which allotting time towards work cuts into time I can make money easier and quicker in other ways, since a lot of time is then used chasing payments. Also noted: I could be learning on working on managing my freelancing contracts better. Advice welcome here.

So far, I have revisited one of my favorite sites, Idealist.org along with a ton of others which is quite daunting but encouraging, depending on how inspired or discouraged I am at the particular moment. 😊