¡Colombia Positiva!

Under 17 Women's World Cup, even more photographs

2008-11-05T03:16:00.001-05:00

Under 17 Women's World Cup, New Zealand.

2008-11-05T03:14:00.001-05:00

More Photographs

Under 17 Women's World Cup, New Zealand.

2008-11-05T03:08:00.002-05:00

$ November 2008, Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
Result:
Colombia (1) vs New Zealand (3)

Colombia and New Zealand... the Olympics bring to two countries together...

2008-08-11T15:27:00.002-05:00

...on the cover of Eltiempo.com at least:

Colombia signs up for XO laptop

2008-05-29T20:14:00.001-05:00

From the BBC website:

About 65,000 children in the Caldas region of Colombia will soon be getting an XO laptop.

It has signed up to the One Laptop Per Child programme which puts cheap PCs into the hands of schoolchildren.

Escopetarra: Instrument of peace

2008-03-13T20:48:00.001-05:00

"The Gun Guitar"...
This has been getting a lot of press lately. Fantastic.

Ethical jewellery good as gold

2008-02-04T22:21:00.000-05:00

"Customers don't realise that one wedding ring weighs 10 grams and causes three tonnes of toxic waste," says Greg Valerio, whose company aims to follow fair trade coffee with ethical gold jewellery.

His jewellery shop in the southern English city of Chichester has formed a partnership with miners in a cooperative in Choco, an underdeveloped region in northeast Colombia, called the Green Gold ("Oro Verde") project.

Read the full article here.

(c) Reuters

Colombia's Under-17 Women's football team - South American champions - Classified for the World Cup in New Zealand

2008-01-31T14:50:00.000-05:00

Hopefully the New Zealand based Colombian community will organise some sort of support base.

Sir Edmund Hillary: 1919-2008

2008-01-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

One of my biggest heroes, Sir Edmund Hillary, passed away today.

Quite often in class, I would ask my students to talk about a personal hero, and when the students would ask me about my personal hero, I would tell them about Sir Ed, and the work he did in Nepal, after becoming famous.

I'm overwhelmed by the coverage Sir Ed's passing is getting worldwide, including being the top story not only in New Zealand, but also on the BBC and CNN, as well as in Australian media.

Even the Colombian media are featuring it pretty highly on their news websites, despite it coinciding with the release of Clara Rojas y Consuelo González by the FARC.

Canal Caracol has it featured on it's homepage, as a sports story:

El Tiempo also features the story on it's homepage, being the third top story, after to major local stories:

Colombia's laziness museum hopes people will bother to come

2008-01-06T14:06:00.000-05:00

Another nice story from BBCnews.com

Bogota is ranked 21 on a list of 53 destinations recommended to visit in 2008

2007-12-10T15:47:00.000-05:00

From ElTiempo.com (In Spanish)

A new hot-spot for the tourism industry

2007-12-10T15:40:00.000-05:00

After 27 years of total stagnation, tourism is starting to flourish in Colombia again.

Another really positive story about Colombia from the BBC.

The original "Ugly Betty"

2007-12-04T17:44:00.000-05:00

I'm not a fan at all of the US version of "Ugly Betty", and to be honest, it took me a while to "get" the original version (From Colombia).

I've just spotted this article on the BBC news website, about the original series, written when it was first aired.

Colombian hostage's kids campaign in Europe to save mother

2007-11-23T14:33:00.000-05:00

Although this is not positive news about Colombia, I think that this is a very well written, balanced and well researched article. It appears that the journalist actually looked for an angle and did some research, rather than do a bit of 'cut-and-paste' journalism, which is so common nowadays.

Seeking Garcia Marquez magic in Colombia

2007-11-19T16:33:00.001-05:00

Here's a lovely story about Colombia, on the BBC website.

Enjoy.

The England soccer captain, Bobby Moore, has been cleared of stealing an emerald bracelet in Colombia.

2007-08-20T20:42:00.000-05:00

Wow. You learn something new every day!

Thank you, my friend.

2007-08-14T03:04:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I hate the internet, especially as a means of communication.

Since being back in New Zealand, I hadn't been in contact with the family who ran "Plays Cool Foundation", where I was helping to develop English teaching resources for public schools in Bogotá. I had sent them a few emails, but recently they had been bounced back, as the account was inactive.

I hoped that I would be able to find their contact details on the internet, so I did a Google search for them.

To my dismay, the only reference I found was a death notice for my friend. It was in the magazine of his former workplace, and was complete with photograph, so I knew it was him.

My heart goes out to his wife, Liliana, who I worked a lot with, and their kids, Laura and Daniel, who I loved chatting and playing with.

Eduardo Alberto Bernal Rengifo: 1970-2007, May you rest in peace, my friend.

Crap public transport

2007-06-18T01:32:00.000-05:00

Getting around Bogotá can be complicated, cramped buses, buses never arriving on time, buses not stopping to pick up or set down passengers, overcrowded Transmilenio, ripoff taxis etc... but today tested my patience...

Normally my bus comes every 30 minutes... I expect it to be late, due to peak hour traffic, but I waited over one and a half hours today! Added to the generally crap day I had at work, I was in a pretty foul mood when a usable bus came along... not my usual, but one that would leave me within eight kilometres of home, where I could catch another bus to get home...

Now, in Bogotá, I sort of came accustomed to these sorts of delays, but not in my hometown of Wellington, New Zealand.

More Bushit protest photos

2007-05-23T04:15:00.001-05:00

Adios Colombia, y gracias

2007-03-27T20:52:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving Colombia tomorrow, and going back to New Zealand...

I'm sad to leave, but I know that it's time to go. I hope to return within the next few years, however.

over the next few months, I'll be posting some of my thoughts and observations about my fourth trip to Colombia.

BUSHIT part two

2007-03-14T15:59:00.000-05:00

As promised, some photographs of the anti-Bush protests.

"Ley Seca" due to the visit of George Bush to Colombia

2007-03-12T13:46:00.000-05:00

Whilst it was prohibited to buy and consume alcohol in public areas in Bogotá, this law did not extend to the meeting of Uribe and Bush, as seen in this photograph from El Tiempo:Obviously what's good enough for the goose, is not good enough for the gander. Apparently at the head of the table is José Obdulio Gaviria, one of Pablo Escobar's cousins.

BUSHIT

2007-03-11T23:15:00.000-05:00

US President George W Bush visited Bogotá today, and despite the high security, many people were out to protest against his visit. There were a handful of people out in support the visit, which the state run media (Especially RCN Television) were quick to point out.

All of the main roads leading to the centre of Bogotá were blocked off by riot police, armed with batons, tear gas and armoured cars with water cannons.

I arrived at about 12:30 in the afternoon, about half an hour after protesters had gone on a rampage, smashing the windows of shops and banks near the "Centro Internacional" (International Centre) commercial district, and had clashed with riot police. Further along the road, I could see clouds of tear gas being fired by the police, so I decided to take a back road.

I arrived to the planetarium, where a group of about 200 protesters were chanting slogans, in front of a unit or about 50 riot police. The remnants of the earlier violence was clearly visible, with paving stones, bricks, rocks, glass and sticks littered the ground between the protesters and the police.

This group were pretty peaceful, with various people taking turns to shout chants. The crowd got a bit more emotional when a camera crew from CNN turned up and started filming. A small group approached the crew, and I was concerned that it was about to get nasty again, but the group continued to shout slogans, and burnt a US flag.

At about 3 p.m, another group of protesters arrived, adding another 100 people to the crowd. The second group were a bit more radical than the first group, and after about 20 minutes, started encouraging the crowd to make their way closer to the centre, by moving around the riot police. I tagged behind for a few minutes, before realising that if things got nasty, then there was little room to escape, so I decided to leave.

A few minutes later, I heard the pops of tear gas launchers being fired several times, and shouting. I doubled my pace, and then jumped on a bus. The bus was pretty full, and several of the passengers had also taken part on the protests, and were feeling the effects of the tear gas.

I'll be posting photographs soon.

A visit by the leader of the free world.

2007-03-10T19:58:00.000-05:00

Sunday, 11th March, 2008, will see U.S. President George W Bush visiting Bogotá for afternoon tea with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

I don't have a problem with the visit, per se, however I find it rather ironic that the leader of the "free world" would mean that so many fundamental human rights would be taken away from the Colombian people.

For the last week, extra security measures have been in place in and around Bogotá, including:

22 000 members of the security forces patrolling the streets or securing the airspace. This includes armoured cars patrolling the streets and Blackhawk helicopters overhead.
ID checks and body checks at TransMilenio stations. The woman who helps clean my in-laws´apartment was checked when entering and leaving TransMilenio on Thursday.
Security forces stopping private vehicles and buses, to carry out security and ID checks.
Cancelling the traditional Sunday "Ciclovias" (The network of streets closed off for use by cyclists, skaters, joggers and walkers).
Prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol.
Restricting entrance to the centre of the city.
Prohibition of passengers on motorcycles.
Closing of El Dorado Airport to all air traffic.
The military entering people's homes and forcing the occupants to sign waivers allowing them to search the premises.

The last in particular is of a concern, as it is illegal for the Police or military to enter private premises, without authorisation from a Judge.

Last night, I witnessed an accident where a Military Police patrol crashed into the back of a taxi, holding up traffic for several hours.

It makes me wonder what could be done with the money spent on this visit by the Colombia government.

Countdown

2007-02-28T12:17:00.000-05:00

One more month until I leave Colombia.

Dia sin Carro - Day without Cars

2007-02-01T08:57:00.000-05:00

Although only about 25% of the population of Bogotá actually have a car, the incredible change that takes place on the annual "Day without Cars" is incredible. It's possible to feel the difference in the air quality, whlist walking outside, and the noise level was well down on a typical day.

New year, new vision (literally!)

2007-01-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

The new year is well underway, although the vast majority of the world's population don't actually celebrate the new year on January 1.

After being begged, bribed, cajoled, threatened and even cried on by almost everyone at work, and some students, I agreed to stay on at Wall Street Institute, teaching English, for an extra six weeks, so with the extra weeks of (paid) work, and the social projects I'm involved in, my days are pretty full, however I did find time to get "Lasik" eye surgery. After procrastinating for almost five years, I decided that I had really had enough of contact lenses and glasses, that I should take advantage of the cost of this surgery in Colombia (About US$500).

So, last Friday, I was able to say goodbye to wearing glasses, and had the surgery.

The procedure only took about half an hour, from start to finish, although the actual surgery only took five or six minutes. The procedure wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. The only time I felt a bit of panic was a few seconds after the laser was doing its work, and I could smell the burning. It was over before I knew it, and I was told to relax for a few moments. Even straight after the operation, I could see that my vision had improved greatly. I really wanted to "try out my new eyes", but I knew I had to have my eyes closed... My gosh, I was so excited, it was difficult to keep my eyes closed!!!

Natalia and I went straight home, and I went straight to bed. Fortunately the operation was in the evening, so it was starting to get dark, and the light didn't bother me too much. I couldn't sleep much that night, partly due to the excitement, partly due to my eyes hurting and watering a bit, partly due to having to wear goggles to stop any dust getting into my eyes, and partly due to some of our neighbours having a party until 5 o'clock in the morning.
The next morning I had to have a check-up by the surgeon, who told me that everything went well, and that I should expect some fluctuations over then next few weeks, and that I'd have to wear sunglasses for a fortnight.
Six days after the operation, and everything is fine, although I have to take some precautions (wearing the sunglasses during the day, and the goggles when I sleep). I still sometimes think "I better remember to take my contact lenses out" before I go to bed!

Okay, I'm off now. I'm not supposed to spend extended periods of time in front of the computer!

Tejo, aka "The dynamite game"

2007-01-24T12:50:00.000-05:00

Tejo is an adaption of a traditional sport here in Colombia, and basically consists of throwing a metal "Tejo" or disc, which weighs between 500 grams to 2 kg, towards a target area of about 75cm x 75cm.

The target area is made of soft clay, and in the centre there is a metal ring, about 15cm in diameter (Called a "bosín"), with two small triangles filled with gunpowder ("Mechas"), placed at the top and bottom of the bosin.

Depending upon the rules agreed upon by the competitors, the idea is to throw (underarm) the tejo and have it land inside the bosin or to hit a mecha and have it explode.

The competitors are divided into teams, and players from each team alternate throws. A point is awarded to the team whose tejo is closest to the bosin. Of course, the tejo must stick into the clay, in order for it to count. If a player gets a bosin, the team is automatically awarded six points, the tejo is removed from the bosin, and for the rest of the round, the only points scored can be bosins or mechas. If a player hits a mecha, and it explodes, the team gets three points, and the round continues as normal.

Another important rule is that it is compulsory to drink beer whilst playing the game: Using the facilities is usually free, but the place makes it's money from the drinks.

I went to play tejo with my wife, her sister, and two Swedish friends, and we had a thoroughly enjoyable night. In general, the "foreigners" did better than the Colombians!

Smegged off English Teacher: How smegged off with my job am I today?

2006-12-28T12:48:00.000-05:00

Smegged off English Teacher: How smegged off with my job am I today?

After much begging, pleading and crying from several people at work (both colleagues and students) I've agreed to work for another six weeks.
The only person who isn't happy with this is my manager

I'm off

2006-12-08T17:51:00.000-05:00

Well, all good things must come to an end, and I've made arrangements to leave Colombia and my job.

No Games, No Sport Either

2006-12-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

Well, my joy at being able to watch live Cricket on "Sports Max" is over... The station has been replaced with Fox Sports, so all I get now is Football (Soccer), Boxing and Tennis.

I don't like cricket oh no, I love it

2006-11-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

There must be a large number of confused Bogatanos right now. A few weeks ago, cable TV operator "Cable Centro" started provsioanlly broadcasting Jamacian sports station, Sports Max.

Not only is this station in English, but in keeping with Caribbean passion for Cricket, the station has basically been broadcasting 24 hour Cricket coverage, incuding the West Indes tour of Pakistan, India's tour of South Africa and The Ashes tour (England in Australia)

I'm loving it, although possibly I'm the only person in the city that's actually watching it!

New 1000 and 2000 Peso notes

2006-11-18T18:23:00.000-05:00

New, or rather, slightly redesigned notes are being intorduced by the Banco de la República.

Both notes have the same design, but are reduced in size slightly.

The "new" notes are the 1000 Peso and 2000 Peso notes.

Apparently the useful life of a banknote here is six to eight months.

I only wish that the 20 Peso coins would be withdrawn, as they are not accepted by all shops, which is a real hassle.

EL COLOMBIAN DREAM

2006-11-17T20:53:00.000-05:00

I went to see this film this week...

It was pretty good, with some good ideas and concepts, but the Director tried to do too much, and the themes weren't carried through very well.

A very long film, almost two and a half hours, was entertaining, however, and I did enjoy it overall. It's not a film I'd rave about, but it's a film I really had to see.

Fear Factor/ Frente al Miedo

2006-11-14T15:19:00.000-05:00

Carolina, my younger sister–in-law, will be appearing in a local version of “Fear Factor” soon.

Alert! Stolen painting ¡Alerta! Pintura robada

2006-10-31T20:10:00.000-05:00

This painting (Gatuperio - Hodgepodge) was being exhibited at Abnocto Bar (Avenida Cll 32 Nº 13-45) in Bogotá, Colombia, from 17th to 21st October. Unfortunately just before the end of the exhibition, this painting was stolen. This oil painting is 21.5cm x 17.5cm in size, and is framed. If you have any information, please contact us by leaving a comment on this webpage.

Esta pintura Gatuperio, ha sido exhibida en la primera muestra de arte gótico, en Abnocto Bar (Avenida cll 32 # 13-45), Bogotá, Colombia; el día sábado 21 de octubre 2006. Desafortunadamente después de la finalización de este evento, esta pintura fue robada. Descripción: Pintura al oleo sobre madera, tamaño 21,5cm x 17,5cm y esta enmarcada. Si usted ha visto esta obra o tiene alguna información por favor comuníquese con nosotros.

Play's Cool Foundation

2006-10-29T15:46:00.000-05:00

I continue to try to balance having a life, working to satisfy the bank manager and working to satisfy my soul. Not that the last two are always mutually exclusive.

An interesting project I have become involved in is a Non-Governmental Organisation, working in the area of education and poverty. The goal of Play’s Cool Foundation is to develop English teaching resources, and supply them to the greatly under funded and under resourced public schools in poor areas of Bogotá.

Play’s Cool Foundation was formed by a Colombian family, who had spent a number of years in Australia, and were greatly impressed with the quality of the public schools there. They decided to dip into their own pockets to try to improve the education system and teaching methods in public schools here. I worked with them late last year, and earlier this year, teaching in a bilingual private school, testing ideas for the resources, and recently we have been working to fine tune and expand on our ideas. This has been an interesting challenge for me, as I have more experience teaching adults and teenagers, rather than children; however it is a challenge I have been enjoying greatly.

If this project goes as planned, the method will be somewhat revolutionary for public schools here, not only for the teaching of the English language, but teaching as general.

Obviously it hasn’t all been plain sailing, and lack of funds and contacts with the right people are seriously hampering progress, however we have submitted the first draft of the first eight units to a publisher, so hopefully things will start moving pretty quickly soon.

I come from a land down under...

2006-10-27T20:02:00.000-05:00

I met a couple of Australian backpackers today.

Markets, Flea Markets and Fairs

2006-10-23T10:15:00.000-05:00

Me, I love buying crap. Rummaging through second-hand stores is one of my favouring pastimes. I also love browsing through flea markets, which fortunately for me, are plentiful in Bogotá, especially on Sundays.

Currently in central Bogotá, there is a flea market (or probably more accurately, a stolen goods market) on Crr 7a with Cll 20, a second-hand book market on Crr 7a with Av.Jimenez, and a craft market on Av. Jimenz with Cll 6a.

Heaven on a stick!

Smegged off English Teacher

2006-10-17T16:06:00.000-05:00

I have a new (sub) blog, about some of the "fun" I'm having working as an English Teacher here in Bogotá.

Rock al Parque 2006

2006-10-12T21:19:00.000-05:00

Every year, Bogotá has a free music rock festival at Simon Bolivar Parque. Billed as the most important free rock event in the Americas, Rock al Parque (Rock in the Park) attracts both local and international acts.

This year, the main act is French singer, Manu Chao, and his band, Radio Bemba Sound System. In Europe, his concerts cost around €100 to attend, but he has insisted that his two concerts in Colombia are free events!

The Frighteners... Don't Fear the Reaper... Déjà vu

2006-10-07T19:20:00.000-05:00

Date: 1996, probably a Saturday evening, possibly in August.
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
The film: The Frighteners @ The Regent Cinema

One of the main reasons for seeing this film was to hear The Muttonbirds' version of "Don't Fear the Reaper" at the end. Of course, I enjoyed the film, although I'm still a bit puzzled about the opening scene. The cinema was full, and the audience also seeme d to enjoy the film. Time for the credits, and the first few bars of "Reaper" filled the cinema... and then... the sound went off! Gutted! Judging by the moans, I wasn't the only one who was waiting to hear the song! I left
the cinema more than a little annoyed! It wasn't until a few months later that "She's been talking" was relesased, with "Reaper" as a "B-side", well, as track two. This CD is still one of my treasures.

Fast forward...

Date: 2006, Saturday afternoon (today)
Location: My place, Bogotá, Colombia, South America
The film: The Frighteners on Caracol TV (One of the private TV channels here)
I was doing a bit of channel surfing, and suddenly I see Rachel McKenna, and I think I'm watching Shortland Street! But no, Dr. Ropata is nowhere to be seen, but rather Michael J Fox, and I'm watching the last part of The Frighteners, dubbed in Spanish (Los Espectros)! Choice! I anticipated hearing The Muttonbirds on Prime Time Colombian TV, which would keep me buzzing for a few weeks! Time for the credits, and the first few bars of "Reaper" filled the house... and then... the sound went off, time for the news! Gutted!

Now all I've got to look forward to watching tonight are Colombian versions of "Who wants to be a Millionaire", "Survivor" and "Who's the Boss?" (The main actor, a Cuban, is married to a Kiwi, who used to direct Shortland Street!)

Website of Natalia Parra (Colombian Artist)

2006-10-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Natalia now has a website showcasing some of her work from over the last three or four years.

It is still in development, and new works and information is constantly being added.

I encourage you all to have a look, and let us know if anything should be added.

¿Quién manda a quién?

2006-10-01T12:40:00.000-05:00

While I'm on the topic of TV shows, Colombian TV station Caracol recently premiered it's local version of the sitcom Who's the Boss? Basically Caracol bought the original scripts, and filmed it with new actors, including Cuban actor Alberto Yoel Garcia from the film Habana Blues.

Whereas I'm not a big fan of the show, I do make and effort to watch it when I can, as Alberto is a friend of mine, and a former student too. His wife, a New Zealand TV and film director, is also a good friend of mine, and we used to hang out a bit when they were both in Bogotá when Alberto was shooting the show.

Personally, I think the scripts should have been modified a little, to be a bit more Colombian, and the canned laughter should be reduced and varied. Alberto is a great actor, although this is possibly not the type of show he really wanted to do. He's currently in the Dominican Republic, hosting a Survivor type reality show.

Ugly Betty/ Betty La Fea

2006-10-01T11:44:00.001-05:00

One of the most popular Colombian television shows made was the telenovela (Soap opera) Betty,La Fea, which was the story of an unattractive young woman working in the fashion industry. Basically this was a Cinderella type story, and the soap, which was shown in many Latin American countries, as well as countries such as Indonesia, with great success, ended with Betty being transformed into a beatuiful young woman, and marrying the handsome Chief Executive of the company. The spinoff series Ecomoda, which was touted as more of a sitcom, flopped. Betty,La Fea has now found a new audience, in the United States, with ABC producing their own version, Ugly Betty, with actor America Ferrera, from the film Real Woman Have Curves, as Betty.

Cameron Sang the VAMPIRE!

2006-09-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

Doing a bit of ego searching, I came across this work of fiction... or is it?

But before she opened it, it opened itself. Mikhail felt his heart sink at what lay beyond the threshold. Or rather, who.

Cameron Sang stood outside the door, eyes blazing red. "Miss DeCourt. I have been waiting to meet you. How clever of you, Mikhail, to keep her here for me."

"What . . . ?" Xanna turned around, confusion stamped across her face. "Mike, what's he talking about?"

"Oh? Are you acquainted?" Cameron inquired, sugar dripping from every word. He stepped into the room, and closed the door behind him. "Why, yes, I believe you must be. I heard your charming little argument all the way down the stairwell. I doubt the other occupants of the building could hear it, so your secret is safe on that account."

"Are . . . are you a vampire?" Xanna asked, fear evident in her tone.

"Yes, my dear, I am. I am Cameron Sang, Eldest." He started to pace around her, studying her all the while. "Shame on you, Mikhail. Didn't you tell this charming young woman that I wanted to meet her?" He smiled at her, and she saw his fangs, much longer and whiter than her own, clearly against the blood red of his lips. "You see, ma chere," he continued, lowering his voice confidentially, "one of the things the Eldest vampire in any given area must do is decide who shall create a Childe." Xanna felt fear freeze her heart. "And you, petite, were made without my permission. I don't like that at all. I was unsure about your Ancestor . . . until tonight." He turned his glowing ruby eyes upon Mikhail.

Epilogue to previous post

2006-09-25T21:55:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems as if my paranoia was well placed.

The blackout at work wasn't as innocent as I had thought, as the University had received a bomb threat, and the power was cut because of that. I'm still investigating as to why most of the University was evacuated, but we weren't notified.

Fw: Urgent Info to British Community

2006-09-23T23:07:00.000-05:00

I received the following information from the honourary New Zealand Consul in Colombia (via the British embassy) yesterday:

Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 10:33 AM
Subject: Urgent Info to British Community

On 21 September 2006 we received information that the FARC are currently intending to attack a commercial centre or place of entertainment in the north of Bogota. We strongly advise against all visits to such locations between Calles 72 and 127, and east of the Autopista Norte at the present time.

This information will be included in the Foreign Office Travel Advice for Colombia later today (www.fco.gov.uk)

Nick Miller
Consul/ECM
British Embassy
Bogotá

This is the first time the NZ Consul had released any information like this, so I was more than a little concerned. Normally I'm not really overly concerned about these things, but a few hours later at work, all the power went out, which freaked me out a bit. (I was instructed to conduct a class in the dark, with only a candle and my flashlight for illumination.)

This afternoon, all the power to our apartment block went out for about 8 hours, coupled with the death of a student at the main campus of the National University of Colombia today, added to my paranoia.

This alert has been top news in many of the news media here in Bogotá, as the Colombian authorities denying that they have any information about any planned attacks. This may be true, however in the past, bombs have gone of without the authorities knowing anything about them.

Not my usual type of post

2006-09-09T20:10:00.000-05:00

I'm not usually one to write about anything this controversial on my Blog or Website, but this one has really bugged me, to say the least.

Not long ago, Colombia legalised abortions, under certain circumstances. Obviously this is highly controversial in this mainly catholic country.

A few weeks ago, an 11 year old girl became the first person in Colombia to undergo a legal abortion, after she was made pregnant by her step father. Politicians and religious "leaders" came out to condemn the doctors who performed the abortion, and the girl herself, yet noting was said about the step father. One conservative senator even stated that she's adopt the 11 year old, so she wouldn't have to have the abortion. I'm still trying to work out the logic behind this.

The Vatican's response was to excommunicate some senior members of the Catholic Church here in Colombia. They made no comment about the girl's step father.

Last week I heard another politician on the radio stating that she believed that people who commit sexual abuse on family members should be forgiven, as they were only human, and humans make mistakes. I wasn't sure if I understood correctly, until a friend confirmed what I thought was said was actually said.

Also last week, a 14 year old girl, another victim of sexual abuse by a family member, underwent an abortion. Yet again, politicians and the church criticised the doctors and the girl, but not the rapist.

I'm not trying to comment on the rights or wrongs of abortions, but I do have a clear view on sexual abuse, especially by family members: THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SEXUAL ABUSE.

El Trueque de Libros (As told by the Swedish Chef: Bork Bork Bork!)

2006-09-03T16:39:00.001-05:00

Thees ves un oodd vee-a beest. Zee idea ves tu hefe-a a messeefe-a bouk feur, boot insteed ooff peuple-a booyeeng bouks, zeey bruooght elung zeeur oold bouks, und ixchunged zeem, oon a oone-a-fur-oone-a besees, fur zee secund-hund bouks et zee feur, regerdless ooff zee munetery felooe-a. Zeen iff sumeune-a vunted zee bouk yuoo used fur zee ixchunge-a, zeey cuoold ixchunge-a oone-a ooff zeeur bouks fur it. Zee oonly reel cetch ves thet yuoo hed tu ixchunge-a a bouk ooff zee seme-a soobject oor type-a. ie-a: Oonly peperbecks cuoold be-a ixchunged fur peperbecks, cheeldren's bouks fur cheeldren's bouks, fureeegn lungooege-a bouks fur fureeegn lungooege-a bouks itc, dependeeng oon vheech merqooee-a yuoo vere-a in.
Bork Bork Bork!

I theenk thees ves un interesting cuncept, elthuoogh fur me-a, zee beeggest prublem ves thet zeere-a vere-a nut eeuoogh bouks. Mezeemeticelly, iff bouks ere-a ixchunged oone-a-fur-oone-a, zeen zee qoountity ooff bouks vuoold remeeen zee seme-a. Es zee stuck ves cunstuntly chungeeng es peuple-a ixchunged bouks, zee idea ves thet yuoo'd hefe-a tu keep cumeeng beck tu see-a iff zeere-a ves unytheeng interesting. Es zee merqooees vere-a qooeete-a smell, it ves qooeete-a deefffficoolt tu get tu sume-a ooff zee tebles, ispeceeelly veet ell zee peuple-a veet bouks, beekes und dugs poosheeng tu get tu zee tebles.

El Trueque de Libros

2006-09-03T16:39:00.000-05:00

This was an odd wee beast. The idea was to have a massive book fair, but instead of people buying books, they brought along their old books, and exchanged them, on a one-for-one basis, for the second-hand books at the fair, regardless of the monetary value. Then if someone wanted the book you used for the exchange, they could exchange one of their books for it. The only real catch was that you had to exchange a book of the same subject or type. ie: Only paperbacks could be exchanged for paperbacks, children's books for children's books, foreign language books for foreign language books etc, depending on which marquee you were in.

I think this was an interesting concept, although for me, the biggest problem was that there were not enough books. Mathematically, if books are exchanged one-for-one, then the quantity of books would remain the same. As the stock was constantly changing as people exchanged books, the idea was that you'd have to keep coming back to see if there was anything interesting. As the marquees were quite small, it was quite difficult to get to some of the tables, especially with all the people with books, bikes and dogs pushing to get to the tables.

Upcoming photographic exhibition

2006-08-28T21:05:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be having a small exhibition next month at work. Most of the photographs will be blackand white photos I have taken in Colombia, but also some photographs from New Zealand. Hopefully the viewers will see the photos and see something new about their city, and also be interested in the images from New Zealand.

TransMilenio price rise

2006-08-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

The fares for TransMilenio went up yesterday, by 100 Pesos, to 1300 Pesos... it's now 30% more expensive than a standard bus, personally however, I expect buses to increase their prices by a similar amount soon.

How soon is soon?

2006-07-31T12:15:00.000-05:00

Erm, sorry folks, my Cartagena report is still being written, and it was hampered a bit by the fact that one of my films got damaged, and can't be processed. Not happy...

Anyway, the main ¡Colombia Positiva! website has been updated and redesigned... take a look!

Back from Cartagena

2006-07-13T23:13:00.000-05:00

I'm just back from a week and a bit in the historical city of Cartagena. I'll be posting a full report soon.

Photo stuff

2006-07-01T20:23:00.000-05:00

Even though digital photography has made photography more and more commonplace, I'm still churning through rolls of 35mm film, and if anything, I going back to the basics, and using simpler and older equipment. My most used camera is a 20+ year old Olympus XA, which is something of a minor classic.
Unfortunately I have neither the space nor the equipment to develop my own films here, and I'm a little picky about where I get my films developed and my photographs printed, and have used several different labs to find the right one. Generally the labs get one shot, and if they mess up, either in quality or service, then I move on.
Here are my recommendations:

Poder Fotographico: Cra. 5 #20 - 60. In general, this is the one lab near the centre of Bogotá that I use for the majority of my work. The service is excellent, the staff are knowledgable and the quality is the best I've come accross in Bogotá. The prices are a little more expensive than there competitors in the area, but significantly cheaper than the chains and department stores. The extra cost is well worth it, however, as I cannot fault their quality.
Foto Almacen Rozo: Situated on Av. Caracas, #58-12, has a good range of second hand cameras, and friendly service.
Internacional de Camaras y Lentes: Also located in the Chapinero district of Bogotá, at Cra. 13# 63-39 L-18: This is the largest photographic shop in Bogotá, with the most extensive range of second hand equipment, and friendly service.
Quality Color: Various locations around Bogotá: I generally steer away from chains, as usually the quality is poor, and the staff unfriendly. I normally buy my films here, however, as the prices are excellent, and the staff are friendly, although often slightly misinformed. Not always punctual with the delivery of work, however, but nothing compared to experiences I've had in some other places.

TheTerracotta Army of Qin Shihuang

2006-06-28T15:23:00.000-05:00

The National Museum of Colombia is currently exhibiting a handful of the soldiers from the Chinese Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shihuang.

Whereas this exhibition could not possibly capture the grandeur of this incredible historical site, it enabled me to get a small insight into just how incredible the whole thing is.

We originally wanted to go on Sunday, but so did twenty thousand other people, and the queue stretched around the block. Yesterday we had to wait about 30 minutes to get in. The exhibition wasn't all that big, and it was fairly crowded, but we managed to get a good look at everything there.

It was well worth the visit, and the admission price of 5000 Colombian Pesos.

Right place, right time. Again

2006-06-21T21:14:00.000-05:00

Work has been very busy lately, and I have had some interesting challenges in class, which is exactly what I need right now. Of course, money is also nice, and a token pay rise last week was nice. However, I have been offered a job, that is not directly teaching, but still in the education area. The hours will fit around my classes, and I will be developing resources to be used in schools to teach English. The methodology is very different from the normal methods employed here, so it is a very exciting opportunity for me.

Right place, right time: Bogotá celebrates Afro-Colombian culture

2006-06-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

Usually I get annoyed when students don't come to class, but this time, it worked out well for me.
I left work about 40 minutes early, due to students not turning up, and as I left the university, I could hear music coming from Calle Septima, the main street in the centre of Bogotá.

To my delight, a festival celebrating Afro-Colombian cultures was taking place, and in my bag I had my brand new secondhand Yashica Samurai half-frame camera, loaded with film, and just itching to be used. There were plenty of people around taking photos, so I felt pretty safe getting out my camera too. Normally I prefer to be able to experiment with new photographic equipment in more controlled environments, but there's nothing like a bit of pressure to bring out the best.

Culturally, Colombia is very, very diverse, but most Colombians really have no appreciation of how diverse it really is.
Although this particular celebration focused on music and dance, which is a little stereotypical, even with me being tone-deaf and rythmically challenged, I could see and hear the variety in the musical and dancing styles.

¡Futbol! ¡Futbol! ¡Futbol!

2006-06-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

Although Colombia failed (again) to qualify for the football world cup, Colombia is gripped by 'Alemania 2006' fever.

Along with the usual pirated DVDs, books, belts, umbrellas and dogs being sold on the streets, the biggest selling item these days are stickers of the players of the World Cup.

At work, students are rather distracted, if they decide to turn up to class. Many students haven't even bothered to come to class.

Transport strike not as bad as expected

2006-05-25T19:28:00.000-05:00

Fortunately today's public transport strike wasn't as bad as everyone had expected it to be. Most bus companies decided not to strike, as the local government announced they would impose sanctions on those bus companies who did strike. However, many thousands of people were affected by the limited strike action which took place. The TransMilenio system was again stretched during peak hour in the morning, and buses not taking part in the strike were not as regular, and were also packed full.

Fortunately for me, my first class was at 9:00 am, which was well outside peak hour, and although I had to wait some 15 minutes for a bus to come along, I got to work without problems.

Possibly yet another transport strike

2006-05-24T10:03:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow (25th May 2006) looks like it could be another tough day, as the private bus companies are set to strike again.

For most people, it will be nearly impossible to get to and from work, although that won't stop them from trying, as not going to work means no money, and no food for the family. Would you travel 90 minutes across the city, work for ten hours, and spend another 90 minutes travelling home for less than NZ$20 a day? Many people in Bogotá have no choice but to do so. When the bus companies are on strike, travelling time is at least doubled or tripled, and employers still expect their staff to arrive on time.

With necessity being the mother of invention, the people of Bogotá resort to using trucks, bicycles, mopeds, dumptrucks and even horse & carts to get about, despite being charged two or three times the price of a normal bus fare. As you can see from this photograph from the local newspaper 'El Tiempo', safety is not a big concern.

How will the strike affect me? Well, possibly one of my private classes will be cancelled, which is a bit stink, as the pay is great for a couple of hours work. No class, no money. fair enough. Classes at Wall Street Instiute probably won't officially be cancelled, but students just won't turn up. Fortunately I'll still get paid for them, although the two hour private classes pays more than five hours at Wall Street. I'll do my best to make sure the private class takes place,even if it means travelling for two hours, squished up like a sardine, and walking five kilometres.

Transmilenio: updated information May 2006

2006-05-19T11:16:00.000-05:00

The TransMilenio mass transport system in Bogotá has received a fair bit of criticism since it started in 2001, but in all fairness, it is still the best solution to Bogotá's traffic woes.
Recently, new routes were opened, and along with them, came a compete overhaul of the route numbering system and the routes themselves.
This caused an incredible amount of confusion amongst both users and staff, and conincided with a two day strike by the Bus companies that aren't part of the TransMilenio system. TransMilenio just couldn't cope with the huge number of passengers, and went into meltdown.
Many people, including myself, were stuck in the stations, and had to jump over fences or through the doors normally used to enter the buses, in order to escape getting crushed.
Taxis were charging extra during the strike, and I ended up having to walk to and from work.
People are slowly getting used to the new routes, but I wonder when the next change will be.
Follow the link for the updated TransMilenio page.

October 2005: Social Projects

2006-05-19T10:56:00.000-05:00

Contact Cameron Sang if you are interested in contributing towards social projects in Colombia.

Although not affiliated with any official charities or NGOs, we are organising a number of social projects in rural areas, with children without families and with youth.

Previously Cameron and Natalia have worked as volunteers in Colombia in orphanages and in rural projects.

Currently they are involved in community project in the 'Cuidad Bolivar' neighbourhood in Bogota, that combines education, community work, parenting skills, nutritional and health education as part of a holisitc approach to education. They also have a number of other social projects planned.

See Social Projects for further details

September 2005: Swimming with the Guppies: San Andres Island

2006-05-19T10:55:00.000-05:00

Swimming with Guppies may not sound as spectacular as swimming with Whales or Dolphins, but it is an experience that I will not forget!

The Colombian governed island of San Andres is another spectacular piece of Colombia, and a place where I am honoured to have been to.

Many people I have met in Colombia who have been there have recommended San Andres as a must see, and I can now I know why.

However, like anywhere that relies on tourism as it's main economic activity, not everything is as it seems in the advertisements and travel agents, and the best of the island can be seen with a bit of background information.

August 2005: Driving through a war zone in my Father-in-Law's car

2006-05-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

WARNING: Contains some rude words.

Despite the improving security situation in Colombia in the last five years, it can still be a bit dodgy travelling by road, especially long distance.

The journey from Bogota to Medellin goes through some spectacular countryside, and must be home to millions incredible stories.

Driving in Colombia, especially in the cities, is an experience in itself, and not for the faint hearted.

Read Cameron's account of his trip from Bogota to Medellin.

Don't hold your breath....

2006-05-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

Updates will probably be pretty irregular... time is not one of my most widely available resources right now. Having to travel around a city like Bogotá chews into the day in pretty large chunks, sometimes it can take me an hour to travel 15 km, especially in the rain, when the traffic slows down to a crawl.

Public Transport and Gas

2006-05-18T21:16:00.000-05:00

It's been a mental few weeks in Bogotá:

On May 2nd and 3rd, the (private) public transport operators went on a two day strike.
The strike was timed to conincide with the (public) public transport system changing the route numbers and routes.
Basically the strike paralized the city, stretching the (public) public transport system beyond capacity.

Yesterday and today (May 17th and 18th) pretty much the whole city was without gas, due to a broken gas pipeline. Cold showers for everyone.