Road Rage

Earlier this morning I was almost run over. People who have experienced the way most drivers drive in Bogota -and in the developing world- know it is a risk we have to live with everyday. However, I consider myself a good pedestrian. I usually use the almost non-existent pedestrian crossings, or cross the road at corners, or -as a last resort- wait until the road is completely empty before crossing. Two reasons for this: Common sense and part of living in a society, and because it is a habit I'd like my daughters to have. I don't believe cars have priority over people and believe drivers should be responsible and respect pedestrians.

What happened today? Same as everyday, Emma and I walked to her school. On my way back I took the usual route. I know how bad the traffic is, hence I rather walk down secondary streets where there is less traffic and less stress. I got to the intersection of Calle 118 (In Bogota, "calles" run from east to west) with carrera 21 ("Carreras" run from north to south) and waited for the traffic to subside. At the time (8:30 am) there are enough cars to make one wait for about a minute before crossing is possible. When a chance came by I crossed carrera 21 (east to weast). There was a green car heading east on calle 118 but it didn't have a blinker on and also had a stop sign to obey. However, the car didn't indicate and missed the stop and almost hit me. It may have not been awfully close, and knowing local traffic likely an unremarkable incident, but what happened next was absurd:

Green Car Driver: (Crossed looks and gesticulates from inside the car)

Me: (Simulating blinking with my hand) Use the blinker!

GCD: (stops the car and lowers the passenger window) Son of a B^*^%, dic&%ad. What is your problem?

Me: Learn how to drive. I don't have to guess which way you are heading. Use your blinker.

GCD: (Insert profanity every second word) You learn! (and a lot more that I don't really recall)

That was when I decided it wasn't worth it and kept on walking west. The guy drove off and I assumed that was the end of it. About half the way through the block I was thinking about all the come backs I could have used; that he was mediocre, that the absurd reaction of getting upset, swearing and even acting violent when found in error is a bad aspect of our culture, that thanks to people like him we live in a hell of our making. But I was also glad I hadn't reacted by lowering myself to his level and had walked away from a worthless discussion. Or so I thought. What I didn't expect was to find him waiting for me at the next intersection. (He went around the block and waited for me). And it continued:

GCD: (Remember, profanity every third word) What's your problem? I wanna see you driving to see what an Ass you are...

Me: (Glad I had my thoughts prepared) (said what I mentioned above)

GCD: Loser. You don't even have a car. Surely don't even know how to drive...

Me: (LOL and LOL. To me that says a lot about the person) LOL

GCD: (More profanity, said something else and drove off eastward on calle 118)

Note: In Colombia "haves" believe they are better than "have-nots" "making it" implies having money and not being bound by the rules. In their minds not having a car is a sign of a loser.

I kept walking west, a bit upset, but laughing at the guy's reasoning. Essentially, because he has a car, he believes himself better that a person walking. It is sad, and reflects poorly on our way of thinking (and likely a western way of thinking), a way of thinking where your value as a person is tied to your possessions, not your behavior or its consequences. But what really upset me was to find him stalking me when I rrive to my building. And once he saw me watching him, he took off. 

I guess the incident ended there, but I am not sure. And I feel concerned. I believe I acted right, but I am still concerned.

What would you have done in my position? Or,

in the green car driver's position?

What are your comments? opinions?

I'd like to hear from you.

Note: This is my version of the events, trying to be as objective as I can. If the driver shows up maybe he has a different version, but I honestly believed it happened as told.

101 actions to improve Bogota

A british journalist, living at the moment in Bogotá, wrote a blog entry with 101 reasons to love Bogotá. It is an interesting, nice and even romanticized view of the city, but what really caught my attention were some of the comments. Some people loved it, but some others trashed the entry and the author, calling her racist, classist, naive, suffering of a superiority complex, etc. I guess both ends of the spectrum have some degree of truth in their appreciations, as Bogotá has some amazing and some awful things. I do firmly believe that to change the city we need to start by making changes to our behaviour. Here is a list of 69 actions that we all can take to improve the quality of life in this city. Can someone help me get to 101?

1. Smile more often.
2. Cordialy greet strangers a least once a day.
3. Respect queues (lines).
4. Avoid blocking intersections
5. No littering
6. Respect the right of pedestrians to share the roads
7. Cross the roads at corners or at pedestrian crossings
8. Respect pedestrian traffic lights and not crossing the road during a green traffic light
9. Don't park where not allowed. Hazard lights don't make cars magically disappear.
10. If you must stop do it before crossings. Don't create traffic jams under the excuse of convenience.
11. Use the car's indicators. Nobody has to know where you are going.
12. Obey traffic signs. They may be silly, even contradictory. But they are rules, not suggestions.
13. Don't use the car's horn in residential zones
14. Only use the car's horn when necessary
15. Don't bribe police officers
16. Don't do anything that deserves a ticket. But
17. if you do it, pay the ticket, What makes you think you are above the rules?
18. Obey traffic lights. You will have to stop at the next set anyway.
19. If you employ people, have them working legal hours only
20. If you employ people, pay them what is legally required if they work after-hours
21. If you are an employee, be honest and do your work conciously
22. Be punctual.
23. When using public transport let people alight before trying to jump in
24. Don't linger at the doors of public transport buses. You have no hazard lights to announce your presence and are on the way.
25. Understand the stress of cab drivers. It is not an easy job.
26. If you are a cab driver, respect the needs of your passengers. They have nothing to do with your stress.
27. Leave home 10 minutes earlier than you absolutely have to.
28. Recycle
29. If you have a pet, pick up after them.
30. Vote
31. Vote consciously. For whomever you believe deserves your support.
32. If no one deserves your support, or you don't know who does, vote informal. But vote.
33. When driving your car, remember the world doesn't end at the bumper.
34. Sidewalks are for pedestrians. If you car has to use a driveway, remember you have a duty of care with pedestrians.
35. Let at least one other driver a day go through. Tomorrow someone will let you through.
36. If you make a mistake, own it and fix it. Don't become aggressive to justify it.
37. If you are stressed out or mad at something, get out and look at the mountains. Aren't they beautiful?
38. Don't drive your motorbike on sidewalks.
39. Use bikepaths.
40. If you need to go through, excuse yourself.
41. If someone needs to go through, let them.
42. Help someone. Tomorrow someone will help you.
43. When a street kid asks for change, don't give them any. Buy them bread, juice or something else. Is easier to get ahead in life with less hunger and some compassion than with change to disappear.
44. Invite a street kid to some food. It is good for the economy and better for them.
45. Pay your taxes. We need them.
46. If you know of corrupt behavior, denounce it. That guy is robbing you!
47. Buy legal. Illegal merchandise takes away jobs from people who need them.
48. Give way to ambulances. Next time it could be you in it.
49. Exercise. It'll make you feel better.
50. Walk more. Helps improve traffic and the previous point.
51. Don't text while walking. You'll hurt yourself.
52. Respect other people's rights.
53. Look out for others. If you spot something suspicious, call the police.
54. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
55. When doing something, do your best.
56. If you commit to something, meet that commitment.
57. Don't be chauvinistic. Women deserve respect above all.
58. Be tolerant. You have not clue about the other person's situation.
59. Don't pay for illegal or false documents or errands. Criminals do so.
60. Plant a tree or a plant. There is too much concrete in this city.
61. If you have been well served, leave a tip. If not, leave nothing. Good service should be again a trademark of the city.
62. Save water. There isn't enough for all of us.
63. Save power. It is expensive and that money can be better used.
64. Remember the good things that happened to you today. I know there is at least one.
65. Take care of parks. Those are for your enjoyment.
66. Watch less TV.
67. Share quality time with your dear ones. Not breathing space, quality time.
68. If its raining, and you have an umbrella, share it with someone.
69. If you really want a better city, stop complaining and change yourself.
70. ??

Sometimes we really wish we were wrong

The last entry in this blog tried to analyze the macabre difference between being rich and poor. Part of the objective of that entry was to show the absurd situation our country lives, where in case of a violent death and depending on your location in the social pyramid you get more or less government concern  and media coverage. 

Well, a few days ago another pair of students was murdered in Cordoba (article in Spanish) and those murders haven't received the same coverage that received the murders of Mateo Matamala and Margarita Gómez; furthermore, they have barely been covered by the media. The main coverage I have seen happened when the mayor of the town where the crime happened, asked the president if this case was going to be ignored or it would receive similar treatment as the other one. What was the President's answer? a COP$100 Million reward (USD$60,000) to find the culprits.

Well, that pretty much gives us an idea of the current going price in case of murders in this country:

-If you are a peasant, destitute farmer or unemployed poor young man, and get falsely accused of being a member of the guerrillas: COP$5 Million (USD$3,000). -see the "falsos positivos" case (Spanish).

-If you are a college student from a lower socioeconomic background: COP$100 Million (USD$60,000)

-If you are a private, elite university student: COP$500 Million (USD$300,000)

It is embarrassing and sad. I'd love for me to be wrong and all this to be just a nightmare. I'd like to know that in this country life is sacred and that justice -even crawling- serves its purpose. But that is not true. Here justice and support from the government is measured by the importance of one's family or the size of one's bank account. We have to have open eyes while loving this country where we sometimes really wish our opinions were wrong.

Better being rich than poor

What is the value of a person's life? That is a complex question. A few days ago, while at the wake of a person dear to me, next door the funeral of Margarita Gómez was taking place. Margarita had been murdered in the region of Cordoba (Northwest Colombia) (Link in Spanish) in early January. A packed church and a swarm of reporters trying to inform the public of the progress of the ceremony (and that of Mateo Matamala, her boyfriend, both students at Bogota's most prestigious university, murdered at the same time) showed the concern of a society for their families and the lack of sense behind such a crime. While Margarita was fare-welled by her family and friends, the President anounced (Spanish) a reward of 500 million pesos (about USD$300,000) for information conducive to the capture of those responsible for this crime.

Besides the philosophical discussion about the virtues of using rewards as a mean to solve crimes like these, it is remarkable to see the haste by the authorities to find the causes and people responsible for such an absurd crime. However, in a country where victims are in the thousands, why isn't there the same apparent haste when the victim is a peasant, the unemployed, or anyone else from a common background? This is a country where people with means live in a different country to people without them; a country where health, education and justice are as readily available as fat is one's bank account. A country where the support and recognition to victims of violent acts is inversely proportional to their place in a perverse social pyramid; a country of ill-fated bubbles.

Without trying to diminish the importance of giving justice to the families of Mateo and Margarita, we can only wish all victims of violence had the same support from the authorities. Our society badly needs a justice system that values the life of everybody, that works for everybody, that helps transform a country of invisible victims and powerful victimizers into a country with opportunities for all and hope for the future. A country worth transforming, not fleeing from.

Now the government announces its “unbreakable commitment” to eliminate those criminal mobs that operate in the region of Cordoba. Unbreakable only after the death of two innocent but high-society victims? Where was that commitment at the time of the murder of tenths of other victims? Well, it wasn't there yet because in this country, even after death, is better to be rich than poor. 

Transcendence

There are a few questions we all ask at one time or another through our lifes:

What is going to happen when I am no longer in this world?

What is waiting for me “at the other side”?

When will I cease existing (being)?

OK, I'll admit to it the first one is a tricky question. It depends on what we have done, but it boils down to not much: there will be pain and sorrow amongst those who love us, a few headaches (bigger or smaller depending on our ability to sort out our earthly affairs), but in general the world will keep on going around-and-around and the impact of our death will fade away as do the ripples after the pebble sinks in the water.

The second question is trickier because is based on faith. Nobody knows for certain what (if there is anything at all) waits for us at “the other side”, and whatever each person believes is their own and the result of conscious or subliminal decisions. The fact is trying to answer this question has resulted in wars, deaths and also acts of courage. And since this discussion never gets anywhere, we may as well leave it there.

The third is the interesting question. To know when will we cease existing (being) we need to separate our physical existence from a transcending existence. The physical existence ends when we die. And, when will that happen? Nobody knows. To die we just need to be alive and that is a common characteristic of everyone reading these lines. Hence, there is no point in worrying about it; “Live as if you are about to die, but be ready for tomorrow” has been my motto and it has worked well so far.

On the other hand, what would transcending existence be? Is that I cause and that goes beyond my physical entity: my children, the consequences of my actions and the ideas I make happen. Is that for which I am remembered. And I believe transcendence -and immortality- lies in the ability to be remembered long after our physical existence has come to an end. That is where we can make a difference and live for ever in this world.

That is why I invite you to transcend and for your actions to make you live for ever in the hearts of those you have touched; to make your ideas reality, to improve our world and maybe, just maybe, live for decades or centuries; to make our children a reflection of our positive qualities and to grow up with the tools to transcend themselves. I invite to start being immortal from today.

--This entry honors the memory of Angela Hernandez, who passed away last week and of whose transcendence I am a witness

Someone stole our stuff!

This entry should have been written towards the end of June, but at the time we were too busy and there was no time for blogging. But since this is the story of our return to Colombia, this is a chapter that has got to be written.

It was Friday, the 25th of June. We had organized with the customs broker (whom was going to deliver all our stuff coming from Australia to our house) to deliver the move first time on Saturday morning. But then we got a call from the managing director of the company to tell us that…. Wait. Not everybody knows our process to try and bring our things to Colombia.

When we made the decision to return, we decided to move back only the most important stuff. Why? Because bringing household items back to Colombia (and especially from Australia) is unbelievably expensive. First, Colombian law specifies a levy of almost 30% (15% flat tax and 14% VAT) on the valuation of the items. Additionally there are clear –though arbitrary (for example, one can bring three a/c units, but only one computer, one typewriter (seriously?), or one TV set)- rules on what items a Colombian citizen trying to reside back in the Country can brought in. I naively thought wanting to come back to “chip-in” for the country was an idea supported by the government. Someone even told me there was actual policy on trying to bring back to Colombia “runaway brains”. But it was not correct. The letter of the law reads like every citizen trying to come back is trying to smuggle household items into the Country. Colombia has a culture of evading the law and that makes you feel treated as a potential criminal for following the rules and regulations. In here one is guilty until proven otherwise. Why would someone –after living overseas for over two years- want to smuggle some second hand items in? Wouldn’t it be possible people were trying to continue with their lives? Anyway, there was also the fact that finding information about moving back to the country was a challenge. The consulates don’t really help, information is scarce, difficult to understand and, sometimes, even contradictory. Second, shipping stuff into the country is very expensive. About US$1,000 –by sea- per cubic meter from Sydney to Bogota, and an important part of the freight was the Buenaventura (a seaport in the Pacific Ocean) to Bogota leg.

Therefore, we decide to sell or give away most of our stuff and chose to bring only what had sentimental value or what was going to make the girl’s settling easier. Travel mementos, books, pictures, almost all of Emma’s bedroom, presents received, toys, etc. If it was valuable to us it was in one of the thirteen boxes. If it wasn’t it was left back in Australia. And then, after the priceless help of our friend Gloria to have everything safely packed, on March 20^th the company picked up the move from our house in Sydney. ETA into Bogota: End of May.

Our stuff actually made it into Buenaventura at the end of May. After going through the customs inspection and nationalization process (essentially payment of the levy) the shipment was ready to be sent to Bogota on June 20^th. As the presidential elections were held on June 21^st across the country, the broker decided –for security reasons- to delay transport for a few days. And on June 24^th the truck left Buenaventura towards Bogota, where it was expected about noon on the 25^th. And it did made it to Bogota: a couple of kilometers inside the city a group of people wearing army uniforms stopped the truck, dropped off the driver and stole it. And with it all of our stuff; it made a 15000 Kilometer trip to be lost four or five kilometers from its destination.

This is where we go back to the call from the manager of the customs broker. It was Friday afternoon and we were driving into a local mall when the mobile rings and she tells us the news. Our reaction? Baffled first, then incredulity and some anger, followed by deep sadness and helplessness. Who would want to steal our clothes? Where will our wedding pictures going to end up? Are they going to use the girls’ cot? Etc. Also, is someone going to use our documents to commit some type of fraud? (Every confidential piece of paper was in one of the boxes) . We only wanted to come back to help, hopefully make a difference. That is why we ask: Does anyone have an idea of why this happened to us?

Bubbles

We all live a different reality. Influencing factors like culture, education and the environment tend to homogenize realities across individuals with common backgrounds, but can also create chasms from small differences. That explains why some totalitarian regimes spend so much effort in crushing dissidents; they do create the cracks that break open the reality to their fellow citizens. But today’s purpose is not to go into such touchy and complex subject. It is to talk a bit more about the reality we choose for ourselves.

As I mentioned in my previous post (The Trough of Disillusionment) right now our reality is not what we expected or wanted. Our point of view is biased by our experiences overseas, and mainly by the fact we became parents in a different culture, where respect towards others is a daily occurrence and is understood as a building block for a better society. And since parenthood is arguably the largest change a person goes through in their lifetime, our reality changed completely in October 2007. That may be why it is so difficult for us to reconcile the idea we had of Colombia with what we have found.

What we have found is a society (like all, but greatly magnified) with many realities. But in this particular case we can equate realities with bubbles. Each person lives in his or her own bubble and believes that is the extent of the world. “It happens everywhere” some would say; that is correct, but here the bubble becomes and armor to protect and isolate oneself from the world. Furthermore, it obscures mi view and the less I see outside the better my bubble is. That is why, for me, Colombia is not a country with 40 million people; it is a region with 40 million bubbles. Every person wants things their own way only, and would only open their bubble to let in the people they care about. That is way an unknown Colombian is rude, intolerant and lacks culture. But as soon as we open up our bubble and let you in we become warm, lovely, interesting and good friends. The best thing that can happen to you when in dire straits is to have a Colombian friend at your side; the worst is to have an unknown Colombian in front of you.  Some of these words may sound harsh, but are not far from the truth, unfortunately.

I don’t want my bubble to become obscure. I want to keep knowing that my acts have consequences to other people, that from my actions derive the reactions I get; that in the same way I look up to some people living better than I do I should not forget there are millions that live worse off; that we all need to chip in to make a better world. I don’t want to forget that treating others with due respect and generosity make a better society. What I don’t know right now is if I can survive in this culture without letting my bubble become obscure. And that is a dilemma that tears my heart in half. But I know I want to keep popping bubbles, helping others see further than what is evident. And to do that I need to –everyday- keep a clear view which should solve my dilemma. 

Anyway, Do you know how obscure is your own bubble?