Feria de las Flores and the Sub 20 Mundial

Me in my beautiful Fulbright t-shirt overlooking Bogotá.

The whole Fulbright 2011 Crew (ETAs and Research students) and Our program director Alexandra.

My two week anniversary in Colombia has come and gone and I get happier and more comfortable in the city of eternal spring everyday. Although like everything there are ups and downs as things continue to settle. The weather is something I definitely cannot complain about, it is perfect. The first few days I was here around 3 or 4 you would hear a huge thunder clap and then minutes later there would be a torrential downpour. This would bring the temperature down slightly, but it'd remain very agreeable. The past week has been hot! Like Quito, the sun is super strong so when you are walking around with the sun bearing down on you it is easy to break a sweat, but as the sun goes down the temperature stays a perfect body temperature, you don't even need a sweater and you are comfortable. Sometimes a soft breeze will blow and we Americans look at each other and say "this is paradise".


As I mentioned before Medellín is busy and hectic, full of tourists who have come for La Feria de las Flores (Flower Festival- July 29th-Aug. 7th) and for the Under 20 World Cup which Colombia is hosting. There are games in all the major cities in the country including Medellín. There has definitely been soccer fever in the air as Colombia has continued to win, as well as lots of national pride and international bonding as Colombians and foreigners go watch the games and cheer for the teams of other countries.


Last weekend I stumbled out of bed Saturday morning (after too much Aguardiente the night before) and made my way up La Ochenta to watch el desfile de los carros viejos (the old car parade). First off, let me say that I love that Colombia is as into parades as Mendocino and Elk :). It was impossible to find my friend in the huge crowd, so I sat alone and watched many old cars (ranging from the 40s-60s) drive by with the passengers dressed in attire of the proper era. Then I took a wrong turn going home and ended up going for about an hour long stroll in the boiling sun (and i got sunburned). Sunday was the final day of la Feria and el desfile de los silleteros. There is no translation that I have come up with yet for silletas (silleteros are those who carry them), they are basically wood framed flower arrangements. They range from emblematic, symbolic or just beautiful. They are made in a village in el campo by peasants who grow all the flowers, put together las silletas and carry them through the parade. These silletas can weigh up to 90 kilos and are carried by children, adults and elders in the warm andean sun. Truly an amazing feat you can see the pain on their faces as the sweat drips off their noses. However, these are farmers, working people, and they have an incredible strength. My camera battery died at the beginning of the parade so I don't have pictures to share, but two other Fulbrighters took lots, so hopefully I will have access to those.

 an old car broken down in the middle of the parade and getting pushed

a very festive paisa woman!

Yesterday, Tuesday, we (the four Medellín Fulbrighters) got last minute tickets to the Quarter-final FIFA game Argentina vs. Egypt. Initially I thought I was rooting for Argentina after having had such a wonderful experience living there in the summer of 2006, however I was warned that most Colombians were rooting for Egypt because Argentina has the history of being the best and knowing they are. Plus if Colombia were to make it to the semi-finals or finals they'd rather play Egypt than Argentina! Entering the stadium is what the American youth might call a "clusterfuck": 38,000 people filing in through 26 or so entrances and trying to find their seats. Furthermore, in classic Latin American style no one really knew what was going on or what they were talking about. Elly and I ran around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to find the right line to be in. We asked a million different people and everyone gave us a different answer. Then a police man said it didn't matter what line we got in, but when we got to the door they turned us away because we weren't sitting in that section. So then we got back in line (these are long lines mind you) and finally got into the stadium (step one accomplished) then we asked one woman working where sector 1 fila P was and she directed us to the complete wrong spot (go figure). So then we asked someone else and she sent us up another flight of stairs to another level. There we were directed a few other times until we finally stumbled upon what seemed to make sense as our seats, but alas there were Colombians sitting in them. We worked everything out and then the other two Fulbrighters Meg and Miles joined us in Fila P.

 The crowd.

 Elly and I, finally in our proper seats.

 I don't know if you all have been following the games (I'm guessing probably not, except maybe Jonathan Shepard) but the game ended 2-1 in favor of Argentina. However, Egypt deserved to win. They played a way better game, had way more shots on goal and more ball possession. Interestingly, all the goals were PKs and there were SIX yellow cards given in the match. It was a game of fouls and the outcome was unfortunately under the control of the referee. However, all the fouls, PKs and yellow cards made for lots of excitement in the crowd. My favorite part of the night was probably the end of the game when Argentina was celebrating and boasting to the crowd (who had not been in their favor all night) and 80% of the stadium began chanting back to them "¡hijos de putas, hijos de putas!" (sons of bitches). After the game we followed a massive flow of people down Carrera 70 to a bar where we and the rest of the city of Medellín watched Colombia play Costa Rica. Colombia is certainly the stronger team but Costa Rica gave them a run for their money. At 70 minutes the score was 2-1 Costa Rica, the four of us looked at each other all thinking the same thing: "we better get out of here, we don't want to be around if Colombia loses". However, luckily as we waited to get in taxis Colombia scored twice ending the game ahead 3-2, they now play Mexico which will be a great and tough game.


Eternally missing the Mendocino Coast, my Elk community, friends and family...Always sending my love from Medellín.