Adios, Medellín; hola, Cali!

The 23rd of January marked my last day in Medellín, and I must admit that I was very grateful for this relocation. I had been feeling very vulnerable and lonely in that large city-- without much guidance, and I’m very happy to report that Cali is a whole different story. The Rotarians have taken me in with more hospitality than I could have ever imagined, and I feel like I’m very well protected and in the best of company. There have been a few awkward moments (especially as I’ve attempted to navigate the university that I’m attending… Talk about not knowing the cultural norms and standard procedures!), but my social network is large, and there’s a lot less ambiguity.

The city of Medellín itself does have a lot to offer, however. It is the only city in Colombia with a metro system, and it has (comparatively) a lot of development. (Caleños, or people from Cali, have often told me how envious they are of Medellín’s impressive attractions]. This comes, nonetheless, with the poverty (the children and disabled adults aggressively pursuing me on the streets, following me, pulling my arm, begging me for money) that often accompanies urban centers in the developing world, and the city also features lots of unpleasant, smelly areas as well. Here is a slideshow featuring scenes of Medellín, just to give you a glimpse of what it’s like:

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Cali, on the other hand, isn’t quite as advanced or well maintained as Medellín (not that Medellín is an icon of the modern world!). Here are a few images of Cali:

Cali is known for something completely different; its reputation comes from its salsa dancing. It is world-renowned as the “capitol of salsa,” and my few dancing experiences thus far have shown me that it is absolutely necessary for me to take classes and improve my dancing skills to avoid complete humiliation. The women (and men, I must add) here have hips that move in most amazing ways (Shakira, after all, is from Colombia!), and my non-latina, non-elegant tactics are definitely not up to par. Oh, well! This is just another obstacle to be conquered. =)

Some friends in Medellín invited me out for a night of cumbia, merengue, vallanato, regatón, and salsa dancing. This is just a general shot of the dance floor.