Getting busy in Bogotá

Less than straightforward explanation of a bus route (note: picture stolen from Bogotown blog)

I finally have friends! Even though they are friends of a friend of a friend, I now call them my own, resulting in a quadrupling of the number of people that I know in Bogotá. It makes me feel quite warm inside – a feeling that I hope deepens as classes start at Los Andes on Tuesday. I’ve enjoyed the new company, beginning to dabble in Bogota’s nightlife and not doing all my city exploring by myself. My apartment has become more social as well with the arrival of the other student, Gabriel, who is much more talkative than the caleño, Daniel.

But the good news doesn’t stop there. I’ve met twice with former Rotary Peace Scholar Juan Esteban, who spent two years at UNC/Duke and afterwards returned to Bogotá to work at the Universidad del Externado. He is doing research on dialogue between ex-guerrillas and paramilitaries as well as demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants into society. I am going to help out with some of his research and also participate in a study group that he plans on forming in February.

I also have wasted no time in starting salsa classes, with the goal of learning salsa caleña, a style characterized by incredibly fast footwork. It’s not easy to find in the States, but Colombia has become famous for it. To get an idea of what its like when danced socially, you can check out a video here.

I like Bogotá more with each day that passes. It has hundreds of cafes, of which I’ve visited a dozen. They do not always excel in quality of coffee – though Café Don Pedro, which roasts its own coffee on site, is a definite exception – but do extremely well in terms of ambiance. Bogotá is also said to have more bookstores than any other city in Latin American, which I definitely believe. All in all, the city is a happening, busy, cultured place that I’ll be able to continue exploring throughout my entire year here.