June 16, 2015Posted on LADO TEFL Facebook page
Tonight I was asked the question that I have been asked so many times before, “Why Colombia?” meaning: why did you choose to move to Colombia out of all the places in the world? My response was typical, well for me “Porque no?” “Why not?” The common response has to do with the cost of a plane ticket, my ability to work and recruit students, the neutrality of the Spanish, blah blah blah, etc. etc.
The truth, and the most genuine response is the one I often don’t t…ell. It is the heart and soul of a vibrant nation and my reason for making a drastic move. I have worked for 2 years in a vivacious and diverse international setting, an English school in the heart of Washington, D.C. I have seen many students and staff come and go to and fro, many of them Colombian natives. I made some pretty remarkable connections in those two years. Those relations spoke to both my heart and mind (literally- en Español). It certainly helps to speak the language, mas o menos… yo estoy tratando.
My point is that these connections are deeper than language and culture. Through the people I have met I have felt right at home without even stepping foot in the country (Colombianos are very gracious hosts– as I’m about to find out). For me southern comfort mixed with Hindu hospitality and perhaps an ornate country twang.
Bogota seems to be none of that and yet all of it at once.
On the menu of international flavor Colombia spoke to my taste buds. The people you meet and network with have amazing powers to open your mind and heart to seeing or feeling a different way. I encourage you to find your palate –and let the tasting begin!
-Salina Khanna