Blog Uno

The trip to Mexico City went well except for the part where I had to go through U.S. Immigration and was asked innumerable questions based on my nationality. Fortunately, I have learned to disregard the discriminatory treatment that we Colombians are put through when traveling internationally. Now... what is culture? This is a deceiving question; it seems easy, yet it is tough to answer. When I hear the word culture, what first comes to my mind is how culture tends to be constituted through common traditions, customs, practices, attitudes, goals and values shared by a group. However, I recognize the complexity of culture and understand that my definition of culture is just one of the countless possible definitions. In my particular case, I consider myself a very patriotic Colombian, as it is the country where I was born and raised until I was 14. I say that I am very patriotic, as I always seem to emphasize my nationality even without noticing. I also tend to argue with individuals who stereotypically refer to Colombians only as drug dealers and terrorists, which is why I always encourage individuals to read and get to know the culture before drawing conclusions.

It is interesting to see that I consider myself a very patriotic Colombian because when I travel back home my cousins tell me that some of my actions indicate that I do have a North American influence. In Colombia, I am a minority in terms of religion as more than 90% of the population is Roman Catholic while I am not. When people see that I refuse to go to church on Sundays and disagree with Catholic Church doctrines, I am perceived as strange. Even though, I consider my self 100% Colombian, many could argue that I am not, therefore it is very hard for me to define Colombian culture as even within Colombia there is great differences between regions. For instance, individuals from the Caribbean coast of Colombia where Cartagena and Barranquilla are located; tend to dress and talk different, they are also more laid back than individuals from the capital who are often characterized as conservative and “well dressed”. In addition, Colombia has a diverse population ranging from Afro-Colombians, Indigenous groups, Europeans, Middle Easterners, Asians and other Latin Americans. Luckily, I was able to live in various cities within Colombia and experience many of the differences among regions. Nevertheless, I do have to say that overall Colombia is a nation that is highly marked by class. There is major wealth inequality, which creates great division not only in financial terms but also in the way Colombians perceive one another. This is often based on social strata, professional status and family names to the extreme that in some cities your surname indicates how you are perceived by the rest. This type of inequality bothers me greatly as individuals are more concerned about what neighbourhood you live in, what car you drive and what school you go to; instead of destroying the “label” and getting to know the individual.

Transition to Canada

My family moved to the United States where my father had lived for several years. After a lot of thought, my parents decided to move to Canada, as their intended purpose was to find opportunities of progress for my older sister, younger brother and I. Once we arrived in Canada, we all witnessed the variety of cultures that were present, predominantly in Toronto. I personally perceived that this type of multiculturalism was very positive, as I would have the possibility of discovering new cultures. I love the diversity of cultures existent in Toronto as I have been able to develop a more open mind throughout the years while enjoying the magnificence of Canada. However, I will never forget about my roots, as I believe that in order to achieve a true identity one has to recognize and value where one comes from.

For all those who want to take a look at the real Colombia, please watch this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyFXVslYYzI&feature=related