Bogotá or bust!

I was able to take in some new scenery and discover many amazing, cultural wonders of Colombia’s capitol city last weekend, when my German friend (Melanie) and I traveled to Bogotá for the largest International Theater Festival in the world! I’ve still been struggling quite a lot here in Cali, so I must say that it was good for my heart and soul to be in new surroundings, and I discovered that I am a huge fan of the atmosphere of Bogotá. Aside from a very memorable German version of Macbeth that included 8 German men playing all roles (both male and female) in FULL nudity (!!!!) and a really impressive Spanish flamenco dancing show (two productions of the theater festival), we saw many neat attractions. Here are some images and descriptions:

We rode cable cars up to the scenic viewing point of Monserrate, which has 360-degree views of the massive city (which is situated in a valley) and surrounding green mountains.

We viewed many famous works of art. Here's the Mona Lisa, according to Botero (Colombia's most famous artist, who really enjoys embracing the chubbiness of mankind) and a work of Picasso.

Bogotá is home to many beautiful churches, cathedrals, and chapels.

Melanie and I befriended many pigeons in the city's center.

The highlight of our excursion, however, was the festival’s inaugural parade, which was the COOLEST parade I’ve ever seen in my life. It was pretty much a 2.5-hour nonstop party that included tons of dancing, enthusiasm, audience participation, incredible costumes, Latin American culture, and resounding energy. Here are some highlights:

[This last one was quite eye-catching! A man passed by completely naked, riding a bike in a glass cage. He was the ninth naked man that I saw throughout this Bogotá experience, mind you!].

Intensity Level = High

Colombia has recently found itself in the midst of quite a heated controversy and conflict, and I assume that most of you have heard at least bits and pieces of the crazy events that have unfolded here within the last few days. It's really hard to know who to believe and anticipate what will happen, and the news reports are coming in at rapid speed. Basically, here's a quick summary: Last week, the FARC released four political figures who had been kidnapped and in captivity for six years, and this important step was made possible in part through the assistance of President Hugo Chavez (of Venezuela), who has constantly been involved in the process of negotiation with FARC leaders. All seemed to be going well-- as this was noted as great progress. However, on Saturday, Colombian military officials crossed 1.1 miles into Ecuador to kill Raúl Reyes (a top FARC leader) and 15 guerrillas. This has caused quite the reaction from Correa (president of Ecuador) and Chavez. Here's an article that gives a bit more of a summary of the various actions that have been taken:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/02/ap/world/main3898139.shtml . Things are constantly changing, and new facts are continually brought to the public eye. For instance, recent reports have declared that Reyes' computer contained proof that Chavez had given $300 million to FARC leaders, which has completely outraged Colombian President Uribe (who hopes to bring him to the international court). It is quite the crazy atmosphere; here's hoping that all gets resolved peacefully and quickly!

Jump Rope Club

I've been teaching my Jump Rope Club at los "Hogares María Goretti" for four weeks now, and... well, it isn't exactly the structured, organized team that I had anticipated! It often seems like chaos (imagine 27 girls with jump ropes in a small space), and I still don't have enough ropes for all of them. I try to plan "lessons," but it turns into "do whatever you feel like." Last week, one little girl had an "emotional crisis" (imagine her screaming/kicking/yelling at a man who wasn't there) in the midst of Jump Rope Club, and she was in a psychiatric hospital for 8 days. It was sooooo crazy and so sad! The girls definitely come from broken homes and have had really horrible experiences in their short lives. I was feeling like a huge failure with the whole thing, but one little girl (a 6-year-old) and I had the following conversation: Girl: "I wish I could go and see my mommy. I can't, and it's my daddy's fault." Me: "Oh, that's really too bad." Girl: "He was raping me. Do you know what raping means?" Me: "Yes, that is really awful. No one deserves to be treated like that. I'm so glad that you don't have to experience that any more. Aren't you glad that you are living here at los Hogares Maria Goretti?" Girl: "It's okay. I wish I could live with my mommy, but I really like it when you come and jump rope with us. That's what I like about Hogares Maria Goretti." Ah, that totally made my day! See? I may not teach them a single trick, but it made me feel like I'm some sort of positive influence for them. =) I do hope to get a little more control and organization with it at some point, and I'm even hoping to have a little performance. We shall see...

Since I don't really see myself in the role of "coach" yet, I feel like my main role is official photographer. Seriously! The girls LOVE to have their picture taken, and I think I've captured about 350 shots of them thus far. I often regret revealing the fact that I had a digital camera to them (as they pull on my arm and tell me, "Now take a picture of me like this! And like this! And like this!"..."And how about a picture to send to my grandma? And one to put in my bunk bed? And one for my friend?"... "And now PLEASE take a picture of me with my dolly!!"... "And one with my favorite stuffed dog!"), but I think it really is something that they can have that means something to them. I try to do things that individualize them (as you can imagine what it's like living in a small home with about 30 girls of various ages), so I guess it's worth it. I just have to set picture-taking limits...

"And now a picture of me with her because we both are wearing pink..."

One notable event that I experienced with the Girls of Hogares María Goretti was a large dance performance. (They apparently are more dedicated to the art of dancing then they are with jump roping; perhaps I'll have to talk to their instructor to get some pointers!). It was quite the affair! There were many preparations (hair, make-up, costumes), and their 15-minute show featured various types of dances from different regions of the country. Volunteers had graciously donated and made the costumes, and the girls were quite fetching. I felt like a proud parent!!