“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” - Mary Ritter Beard
In recent past, Comuna 13 was plagued with incredible violence, death and upheaval. Lots of fighting took place between various armed groups. Controlling this area meant control of the highway leading to the coast and the import/export of illegal goods. Tired of death and turmoil, the citizens and local hip hop artists took a stand for peace. Major projects have been promoted in this area, such as a large escalator system to help in the mobility of residents and the addition of beautiful graffiti. One local hip hop group, using proceeds from tours like I took today, help youth in the area see there are other options for them to choose, rather than violence. It was clear during the tour how important it is to the citizens, that the outside know that they are desperately trying to rehabilitate their image since the days of Pablo Escobar.
Yesterday, after visiting the Modern Art Museum, I attended a Language Exchange at a local restaurant. Samson attended this when he was in Medellín and recommended I go so that I could meet other people. At the event, I sat with two other Americans, 3 locals, and a guy from Finland. I tried speaking a little Spanish when I could, but mostly ended up helping the locals practice their English through conversation. I would have never taken part in something like this in the US, but I'm glad that Samson kept insisting I go. Since I did have a positive experience, I'm going to try another one tonight.
Having been in Medellín for 6 days, the biggest things I notice, in compared to Quito, Ecuador, are that the local people are much more beautiful and diverse, and the city is full of color. The color is coming from tasteful street art and painted buildings, combined with green spaces and trees. The weather is also more amicable since it's sunny and warm. That's why they call Medellín the City of Eternal Spring.
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| Yummy breakfast (eggs, plantain, cheese, arepa) |
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City Center |
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Botero Plaza |
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Comuna 13 - Previously very dangerous and controversial area.
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| Bicho, local graffiti artist and some of his work |
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