I feel I know Barranquilla reasonably well: I’m finding my way around the city, making friends and—at last—working out how to use the bus network, without needing to get off the bus because I misread where it was going. But for all I think I know Barranquilla, there’s another side that I’v[...]
Archive for the ‘Day in the Life’ Category
March 5th, 2010 - 10:46 pm § in Day in the Life, Mexico
From One Farm to Another: WWOOFing in Mexico
Micah Kiljoy is a a native to Portland, OR and has spent the last two winters hitchhiking up and down the coasts of the United States. This is her second time in Mexico and first time participating in the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) program. She spends most of her time reading,[...]
My Hips Just Don’t Move Like That
One of the biggest challenges of living in Latin America: dancing like a local. Even the most awkward adolescent boys can shimmy their hips in a way that feels physically impossible to me. Over time I’ve gradually resigned myself to the fact that I will never be able to dance like them. It would b[...]
Day in the Life: Gualeguaychú Carnival, Argentina
Last weekend, myself and ten other volunteers rented a mini-van to venture from our temporary homes in Córdoba to the province of Entre Rio to experience the grand spectacular Carnival parade, the largest such event in Argentina. Stocked up with our favorite local Bon o Bon chocolates and other tr[...]
Life Without a Cell Phone
In many places you travel, picking up a cell phone with prepaid minutes or an international SIM card is simple and reasonably cheap. Unfortunately for me, Costa Rica does not fit in this boat. I’ve heard mixed opinions about how hard it is to get a cell phone. The consensus is that you can get [..[...]
Removal is a Social Crime!
Last week, I went to a demonstration in downtown Rio where favela residents were protesting against the city’s decision to remove several of their homes and neighborhoods. About two hundred men, women, and children —representatives from several communities — gathered in front of City Hall with[...]
Safety Versus Freedom
While living in Managua, the hardest things I’ve had to balance are my personal safety and my sense of freedom. Everyone I meet here is paranoid about personal safety-often for good cause I’ll admit. A lot of the recommendations are fairly obvious and apply to just about any big city: Don’t wa[...]
Day in the Life: Barranquilla Carnival – ¡Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza!
The motto of Barranquilla’s Carnival, or Carnaval in Spanish, is ¡Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza! (literally, “Anyone who lives it, is who enjoys it”). Over the past month, life in Barranquilla has been turned upside down as people live and enjoy the start of the Carnival season. Sin[...]
Scorpions and Tarantulas and Rats, Oh My!
One of the main reasons I chose my volunteer position was the free housing provided at the field center. Prior to making the move, I asked my standard first question: “Are there tarantulas?” The response was just short of laughing in my face. Aside from tarantulas, we are also the pro[...]
Day in the Life: Elections in a Foreign Land
I didn’t realize how disenfranchised I would feel on Sunday as I eagerly observed Costa Rica’s presidential election. For weeks I had been reading about the candidates, listening to impassioned arguments between coworkers, and watching countless cars go by with their candidate’s colors streami[...]
