Colombia: Small Great Things

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

'We Are Color. I love that Medellín is full of life and color!

 

 

 

 

When travelers get together, great stories are bound to be told. Last night, I had dinner with a girl from Scotland that I met over the weekend in Salento. She's in the middle of her three month travels over Central and South America. We traded stories, tips and recommendations and generally enjoyed each other's company for a few hours. While traveling with friends comes with many benefits, traveling solo has forced me to get out in ways I didn't know I could, to meet people. If I had been with friends, I would not have taken the opportunity to meet these great people and hear their perspectives on life. I love creating these relationships while traveling the world and this trip has proven to be rich beyond words, in that respect. 

Today, I made extra time to reflect; reflect on my trip and reflect on life. Two things were natural catalysts for my reflection.

The first was my visit to the Memory House Museum which has taken the time to document various perspectives of conflict and war in Colombia, through engaging and interactive exhibits. I've said before, that most interactions I've had with people in the tourism industry here want so bad to move past their treacherous history. As I solemnly walked through this museum, I couldn't help but think how lucky I am. I haven't had to deal with anything as harsh as people here have. I don't have gangs vying for territory or drug cartels passing through. I haven't lost friends or family to war and violence. I'm saddened to think about that reality for many here. 

As I was visiting the second museum, the Museum of Antioquia, I stopped for a few minutes between each floor to rest and read some from the book that I was nearing the end on. "Small Great Things," by Jodi Picoult was my book of choice for this trip. It's about an African American labor and delivery nurse that was accused of murdering a white baby placed in her care. Throughout the book, written by a white, female author, she uncovers race truths that I haven't had to deal with. Reading the book has brought more awareness to my perceptions. One quote from the book, given by the antagonist, really hit home with me: 'How many exceptions do there have to be before you start to realize that maybe the truths you've been told aren't actually true?'  I wonder this about many things,  such as with politics, educational policy, culture, and race relations. Needless to say, I spent quite a bit of time today finishing this novel-breaks throughout the museum, at a coffee shop and then walked home briskly to finish it. 'Small Great Things' gave me a lot to think about, and again made me think how lucky I am not to have to worry that mall security might follow me for fear that I may steal or that others may walk to other side of the road for fear that I may harm them. I'm a white female; that's not my reality and I hate that it is the reality for many. The title of the book is a reference from a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way." I aim to make this my goal moving forward.

 

 

 

 

n 2000, this statue in the park suffered a bombing that killed many people. The city almost removed the damaged statue but the citizens and artist begged that it stay in remembrance.