Compassion and Decency

Bill Turley says on May 5, 2008, 13:24:

Kalder Right On
I have seen many of the same things here in Somondoco. There is a large covered colesum, open to all and free. Street cleaning, garbage pickup, care for the unfortunate,etc-
I have had car trouble several times and it seems people line up to help out. Before I knew anyone here I was trying to drive up a road, adjacient to the lot we eventually bought, when my over confidence in 4WD created a situation I will never forget. My little Samuri slid straight sideways ending up with one rear wheel hanging over a chasm. I paniced and when I tried to shift to low range the car went in neutral. This form of neutral requires a mechanic to correct the situation! Here I was, essentially alone in a very strange place. We were with friends of my wife's. My wife as usual left the area. She went to town with our friend's husband. She called for a tow truck and went to town to wait for that. Her friend called out to some one I couldn't see, who answered. Shortly men started to arrive one with a team of oxen. They pulled me back of the road helped me to push it so I could turn it around and then to push me so I could go down the hill to a main (dirt) road. This was my first experience with the community sense of caring thatis a fact of life here.

Last Christmas season an esmeraldero raised money Internationally to provide presents for over 500 poorer children in the region
So I absolutely agree with kalder

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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slguy says on May 5, 2008, 14:16:

great post, kalder.

i have only made a few trips to colombia, so my experience is limited. i see lots of cynics here about colombian friendliness - but serious stuff needs to happen to me before i stop thinking that colombians are among the most welcoming people on earth.

i had folks in estrado 6 in north bogota (who certainly need nothing from me!) open their home for a surprise birthday party for me - to assure that it would truly be a surprise. i had never met these folks before - but they opened their home, and fed 25 guests, so that i would be surprised.

i got very sick one night in the streets of cartagena - and a taxi driver took me to my hotel...refused all payment. he even barked at the bellman to hurry and help me. the next day, he stopped in to check on me-still refusing to let me pay him.

i'm always in awe of how a country with so much innate violence can also produce such warm, caring people.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Lcacique says on May 5, 2008, 17:21:

Great post kalder and I agree wholeheartedly with the previous comments.

kalder said: "And when you consider all the hardships and problems that Colombia's up against, from what I've seen, its people seem to be doing a pretty good job at upholding the values of decency, honour and kindness."

I would make a slight change...I think when one considers what many Colombians have gone through or are going through, they do an excellent job at upholding the values of decency, honour and kindness.

For me personally, the kinds of qualities mentioned briefly here in this post represent the majority of Colombians.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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Alma del Norte says on May 5, 2008, 17:35:

Nicely put Kalder, well written. Your comments, esp. Bill remind me of an experience I had when I was riding up to Bogota from Santa Marta about 14 months ago. I have taken the following from my diary:

"At one point I had a puncture miles from anywhere. I somehow managed to roll to a stop outside a shack without falling off. I ask the occupants where the nearest place is that I can get a puncture repaired. They say; "about 13 kms thataway", which is a very long way indeed with the sun beating down and suicidal drivers whizzing past. These people haven't got two beans to rub together, but I ask them to keep an eye on my bike and soft luggage which contains a laptop, camera et al - needs must. I get the wheel off, and stick out my hand, at which point a car which should have been scrapped years ago, screams to a halt and reverses wildly in the face of oncoming traffic. The car contains a large family, and they offer to take me to a "llanteria". I bundle in, clutching my deflated wheel and this guy takes personal pride in getting me to my destination as quicly as possible. The windscreen is cracked from corner to corner and riddled with stone chips like bullet-holes. Meanwhile, all my worldly goods lie discarded on the roadside in the middle of Colombia - this is not a trip for the anally retentive. The first place is closed, but we are reliably informed that there is another place, "a bit further on". We stop dead in the middle of the road for further directions amidst a cacophony of car horns and swerving, causing a group of grass cutters to nearly meet their maker. Eventually we arrive, by which time the kids are shouting in my ear something about "Santa Claus", (the Christmas decorations are still up in Colombia, by the way), and one of the children has given me all the spare change in the car, which the father insists I keep, "for luck". As I gratefully exit the the vehicle, we exchange salutations, handshakes and hugs, and I say; "a little money for the gasoline?". Immediately the dad says; "sure, how much do you want?", and plunges his hand into his pocket. Quickly, I put him straight, and he looks disgusted. We exchange farewells once again, and the family disappear at top speed on the wrong side of the road in the direction of Bucaramanga, a dangling exhaust pipe spouting plumes as it goes. Some hours later, tyre newly plump, I arrive back at the solitary bike and the family who are duly standing guard over her. Guess what? Yeah, everything intact and as it should be."

I live in this country because of those kind of experiences.

La vida es una rutina

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britabroad says on May 5, 2008, 19:35:

Kalder, you softy! (Can't do the 'wink' thing cos my Spanish keyboard is playing up)

It's all very true. I guess that goes to show that the ordinary, and some of the not so ordinary, people of Colombia are basically caring individuals who have a strong sense of social justice and fairness. It's always the arseholes who grab the headlines, although every week there seems to be at least one less arsehole here to worry about.

Leave the big stick at home...carry a cannon!

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kalder says on May 6, 2008, 02:43:

I agree. The post has brought out some great stories. Thanks guys.

With regards to your question: I think power, authority etc. attracts the corruptible and people with the weak need for dominion over others. Look at your bosses. I expect most of them are wankers.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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kalder says on May 6, 2008, 08:33:

To get on you have to be (all too often) a supine crawler with a firm grasp of jargon.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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kalder says on May 6, 2008, 12:38:

Most Members of Parliament are former lawyers. I'm sure that tells us something.

Fifty years ago they came from a far broader range of professions. The Parliamentary Labour Party actually had some members who were working class. Fancy that.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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Bluesdude says on May 6, 2008, 20:41:

I just got to tell you..... From the stories I hear coming out of the US, I am wondering which is more dangerous and corrupt. I live in Cartagena, and there are a lot of folks here who don't eat if they don't hustle the tourists (Colombians and Gringos), so I don't blame them too much for that, but it's still a hustle. Once you get away from the tourist areas, where most people see you as a mark, you can meet some really nice, caring folks. The problem is that there are still gangs, paramilitaries and the FARC to deal with in some of these out of the way areas too. No, the reason that other developed nations are ahead of Colombia is because most Colombians will accept substandard workmanship, lies, and failure to keep commitments as the norm. They will not complain (except ineffectively among the "victims") or challenge injustice, ripoffs, bad service, low quality, etc. So... usually what gets delivered falls short of functioning effectively. Until, the average person has a sense of what quality is, life will continue to be mediocre or worse. My favorite term for this comes from Herman Wouk's book: "Don't Stop the Carnival." He referred to the listlessness of the natives of his Caribbean Island as an "attitude of pointlessness." As in "Why should I do a great job?" "What's the point?" OK fine.

Bluesdude No Mas Gringas Por La Vida

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slguy says on May 6, 2008, 20:55:

"Don't Stop the Carnival." is on my annual reread list..has been for years. one of the few wouk works i like...but it's on the greatests hits list.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Boatygringo says on May 7, 2008, 04:14:

Bluesdude, I totaly agree with your post. I also live in the Cartagena area and have to put up with the same shoddy services, both from merchants workmen and government officials though I find if I become (an ugly american) and make a fuss I can get things done that the locals will just just accept with no complaiint. By the way I dont like to do it but some times the Gringo in me just takes over.

Boatygringo

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kalder says on May 7, 2008, 08:40:

It's very difficult to collate reliable statistics about mental health issues. It's only conjecture that there's a direct correlation between a society's level of 'development' and the numbers of its citizens suffering from psychiatric disorders.

Taking the pre-80s Republic of Ireland as an example: It was one of least developed (in terms of urbanisation, industry, infrastructure etc) societies in Western Europe. But it still had dreadfully high levels of alcoholism, depression, sexual dysfunction, personality disorder etc. Well, at least it did so anecdotally; as I said, it's very hard to establish accurate figures about these things.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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kalder says on May 7, 2008, 08:49:

I think the thing about the much vaunted American eccentricity (or perhaps, more properly, Californian eccentricity) is that they've got the resources to advertise and disseminate their kookiness. I'm sure there's just as many wacky cults in Russia, Indonesia or Botswana as there are in the States; they just haven't the money to spread the gospel globally.

"kalder- have you ever had a woman?"--Sam Salmon

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slguy says on May 7, 2008, 09:39:

i dunno, kalder. california has an amazingly high number of strange people...maybe it's cultural embracing of these folk - or maybe it's the water. ;). but publicized or not, one only needs a few minutes on venice beach, or golden gate park, to realize that the twilight zone is alive and well on our left coast...

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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kat1 (Moderator) says on May 7, 2008, 10:10:

american says on Wednesday May 7th, 2008 8:46:

many irish that came to london 30 years ago seemed to have a lot of emotional problems...which were suppressed through alchol



I though they were alcoholic already jejejej

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Desideria (Moderator) says on May 7, 2008, 10:14:

:) yeah, that's what I heard too. And all that drinking will create lots of emotional problems even if you didn't have them to start with.

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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slguy says on May 7, 2008, 10:48:

they're irish.nuff said. ;)

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Robert Jorge says on May 8, 2008, 06:49:

I blame American social dysfunction on the 60's and 70's social movements by radical groups and some of the hippies.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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slguy says on May 8, 2008, 10:29:

i blame it on..."shit happens".

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Tinto (Moderator) says on May 8, 2008, 10:31:

bell bottom pants and birth control pills.

;-)

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Bluesdude says on May 9, 2008, 10:16:

Rubito, there IS a spark here! A little like the old west but tamer. A LOT of people carry guns here, so maybe it's better to not complain too much. Also, I know I am a guest in this country and it's not my job to fix anything, But sometimes I think, "how can I help these people take pride in their workmanship?" And the folks from the interior of the country do that, but not too many on the coast do. Before I get in too deep, I believe that the "coast" culture applies to many countries, including parts of the US. When people do things here it's more of doing something that looks like what was supposed to happen or be built or delivered, but it's not really it. And getting to "it" may take three or four tries. Living on the coast is trying if you are used to anything happening according to plan. I am gradually giving up that notion. It's a hard go, but I could never go back to the burbs in the US and be happy.

Bluesdude No Mas Gringas Por La Vida

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