Readers know that I am just not that cool – or up-to-date with social media etc.. As much as I hate to admit it, it’s a little bit after my demographic.. I am a bit too much Gen Z, and not enough today to be entirely natural with all of the online mediums. I still remember dating a informational systems major (see, even the name of the degree gives me away!) in college, and having him show me email for the first time. Of course, it was kind of a nerd messaging system then because it only worked on campus, and it only worked for people who had their own desktop computers, (which wasn’t very many of us.) Of course, less than two years later – everyone had a desktop and the internet was becoming “a thing” but it has quickly left me in the dust. It’s embarrassing since my mom (who is in her mid-80’s is more computer literate than I am.) Now, my dad – he refuses to use anything but a flip phone (he gets super irritated trying to learn the features of smart phones)- so we have a bit more in common there. It’s hard to realize that you have become dated, despite your best efforts. It comes along with no longer listening to the pop stations (as you find yourself twisting the dial to salsa channels, throw-back stations or even the dreaded talk news..)

So I am still working on my next podcast – but it’s a bit of a challenge – to avoid background noise – get past the fact that my voice sounds like That! and to avoid the same old trite soundbites. There are plenty of cooler, hipper IG perfect podcasters talking about Colombia. In fact, most of them have Gringa in their name. It’s one of the things I still argue about with my friends here.. They want me to be commercially successful – which is another thing I don’t quite understand about podcasts. I just want to be genuine. Not another bleach blonde bimbo “La Gringa………..” talking about the most instagram worthy photo locations, and such. I don’t want to show visitors to Colombia how to fake like they have experienced Colombian culture. In fact, I find that trite, annoying and a little bit offensive that all these little cuties (because they are all very cute versus my middle aged self) post pictures of a couple of famous Colombian destinations, a meal or two – and then declare that they have had the “Colombian experience.” I have becoming here since 2010, finally moved here permanently in 2019 – and I can tell you that I still haven’t finished my Colombian “experience.”

It’s not a hashmark to be checked – it’s a rich and vibrant country with a wealth of things to do, see and experience. Not everyone needs to move to Colombia to enjoy this beautiful country – but it would be wonderful if tourists could take more time to actually enjoy Colombia, instead of just finding the best photogenic angles of themselves in front of monuments that they haven’t even bothered to learn about. That’s kind of hard for even the most earnest tourists to do anything more profound when most of the “Gringa” podcasts out there are promoting exactly that sort of superficial garbage along with a “what happens in Colombia,” type attitude..

And I suppose I am supposed to say that that’s okay because vacations aren’t supposed to be educational lessons, etc.. etc.. But, I just can’t.

I am not the kind of person that would enjoy flying half-way around the world to fight over towel space on a crowded beach, or loungers at an expensive hotel. There’s no need too spend thousands of dollars to do that – especially if you are going to do it to the detriment of an actual opportunity to see something new – and learn something. Not only that – I think this trend of superficial tourism is so darn destructive. Travel is supposed to build bridges and be a cultural exchange – between the visitors and the inhabitants. The visitors learn about a new culture (and gain respect for it) and the inhabitants learn a bit about the people who come to visit. But that’s not happening anymore – or at least not in a way that builds bridges..

All over the globe, hordes of tourists are descending like locusts on social media featured hotspots.. And then they proceed to show their asses (literally and figuratively, in many cases) in a game of online one-upmanship before heading off to the next destination. And it’s making the inhabitants of these lovely places – places that people are racing to see – hate us. Luckily, the majority of people who come to Colombia aren’t going on narco tourism tours, or vandalizing national monuments. But they do litter in our national parks – and flout carefully constructed rules designed to protect the environment (like wearing lots of lotions, creams etc.) and going into the famous river of five colors. They also fail to respect locals – and continuous bring up sensitive topics. It’s not cute to probe or make jokes about a national wound, even if you see locals selling items related to it. Individuals who sell confederate flags do so to make a living – and that doesn’t make it collectively okay.

I know that as a person born in the United States that there are certain topics that are painful to me. Topics that are too large and complex to explain to a total stranger in a social setting. It hurts me to think about how the nation of my birth has failed us, in the past and continues to fight (and often fail) on issues that shouldn’t be so difficult. These things that are shameful to me, even though I have nothing to do with it. Many people from the United States, like myself don’t really want visitors asking about our civil rights legacy (George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, Slavery or racism in general) so why do we feel that it’s okay to throw other peoples’ hurts in their faces?

This has changed the way I look at a lot of people, people that I consider friends – as I watch them do this – even after I’ve asked them not too.. And they smile and grin while doing it – all the while thinking they are cute, funny or somehow original. Maybe this sounds trivial to some of my readers, but it has permanently changed the way I look / feel about these people.

So – maybe this so-call ‘gringa’ can be a bit of downer – because I don’t want to always talk about the shiny and superficial (sometimes, sure). But I also feel that I have an obligation – as a permanent resident here – to learn about my new home, expand my perspective, and learn to see things without that unique stain of ‘American superiority.” If you want to come on that journey with me – and I haven’t offended you too much with my opinions – please continue to join me on Kristin in Colombia..