Goodbye Bogota! What I Will Miss Most...

During my time in Colombia, I became a different person. I learned about new cultures and customs, traveled to many new places, and acquired many new friends. I also a lot about myself, being thrown into a different culture alone, while working in a new and exciting industry that was very different from my position in the US. 

Final day in the O.I. office

During my last week in Bogota, I was able to wrap up my project that documented the various controls associated with their four products and corresponding risks. On Friday, I sat with Lina, the head of risk, to review this deliverable that I completed over the five weeks with the Opportunity International office. I also gave her a list of suggestions/observations to improve their current processes. This list included items as simple as: including a description on the top of forms, and/or including the sub-process or the person that was to use each form; creating a new check list organized by those that were mandatory and non-mandatory; and implementing a new layout of the intranet site that would breakdown each form, sub-process, and manual by their corresponding product. I also suggested that once they made some minor changes to the sub-processes, including adding the forms used and sourcing the control spreadsheet, they could use the sub-process documentation as a training resource for the 'asesor comerciales', or sales representatives. During my time in the Cartagena office, I noticed how often the asesors would come into Jefferson's office to ask questions. With the upgrades and edits to the existing sub-processes, the documentation would be all inclusive with a step-by-step of each process, the people responsible for each step (mostly the supervisors and asesors), the corresponding forms for each process, and rationale/objective behind each sub-process. As such, these could given to each field office as a guide that the asesor comerciales and supervisors could reference when they had questions.

Following my meeting with Lina, I spoke with both Claudia, the head of HR, and Lina about my experience in the office. They asked me about my most memorable experiences, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. I told them that the most memorable experience was without a doubt visiting the clients in Cartagena. I explained that I studied finance with the ultimate goal of using it in the micro-finance industry. I also told them how much I loved the clients and their joyful spirits, how moved I was by their attentiveness during the meetings, and how great I thought it was that they were able to offer credit to these very small pueblos, among other things. I also thanked them for making me feel very included in the office and for their friendships. Before ending our meeting, they gave me a gift that was accompanied by a card that was signed by the office. The gift was a book of famous photography taken throughout Colombia. I was very moved by the gesture and even more excited that the book will be a conversation piece for years to come. I also hope to bookmark the landmarks that I have visited, and ones I hope to visit in the future.

Celebrating my pretend birthday with the entire office!

Post-meeting, Claudia and Lina invited me to lunch, and allowed me to extend the invitation to all those who I would like to join, which ended up being about half of the office! Around noon a group of five of us headed to Sopas del Carajo to grab a table. I wasn't sure who would make it and after waiting for about twenty minutes, I began to think it would just be a small group of us. However, right before ordering, a huge group of twenty of my closest coworkers came strolling into the restaurant to surprise me! We laughed, dined, told stories, and ended the lunch by celebrating my pretend birthday with songs, cake, and large laughs! It was one of the best meals I have ever had and prepared me for joyous goodbyes which are far superior to sad ones.

I am certain that I am a better person than I was before my trip and I have many people to thank for that. I spent a lot of time reflecting on my time in Colombia and I made a list of the things I will miss most. They are, in no particular order, as follows:

Musica a todas horas. In Colombia, music is playing at every, single hour of the day. It doesn't matter if it is four in the morning, or if it is lunchtime...music is playing. I learned of this while in Carmen de Apicala, my first weekend in Colombia. As I tried to sleep, around 4 am, music blasted from the villa. At the time, I thought surely it was a one-off coincidence, or that the cervesas were to blame, especially because there was a seven year old that came as a part of our group. How naive I was. The music blasted the following night until the sun came up and continued the next month of my trip. Carlos Vives was one of the most popular Colombia singers, but it wasn't always native music coming from the speakers. For example, early one morning, I woke up at Ana and Seba's and entered the bathroom to shower. I began cracking up as I heard, with a very thick Spanish accent, "I hate myself for lovin' chuuuu", as 80's garage band music blared from the house below them. It wasn't just Carmen de Apicala or Seba's house where these incidents occured; the loud music even followed to the hotel I was staying at. At times, when I found it difficult to sleep, I complained to the front desk at my hotel. I found it peculiar that the graveyard front-desk clerk just laughed, responding that there was nothing he could do. I now know that it is just a part of the Colombia culture. People love their music and it is not stopping anytime soon.

Traditional Colombian plate

La comida. If you asked me pre-Colombia what makes a good meal, I would surely respond: meat, cheese, good bread, ice cream, and perhaps a latte. This leads me to believe that Colombia was always a part of my destiny. Nearly every meal contains meat. The meat is fresh, sans chemicals, tender, and juicy. It is also never ending. The cheese is so very fresh that it tastes very different from any cheese I have had in the U.S., or even France. It is pure and light. The fruits are hard to come by in the city but were overabundant in Cartagena. The bread was excellent, toasted to perfection, and very fresh like the rest of the food in Colombia. Lastly, the ice cream and coffee were extremely flavorful and delicious. I also became addicted to a caramel-like substance called 'arequipe', a Colombian delicacy, as well as a coconut flavored wafer called 'Cocoselle'. I will miss many things about Colombia but the food is up there. Cheese and meat empanadas, ajiaco soup, arepas, chorizo, arequipe, round bread with cheese insides, fried plantains, baby beef, Cocoselle wafers, and coffee candies will dance in my dreams for years to come. 

Myself and Esperanza

Myself and Juan Carlos

Mi transporte (Esperanza y Juan Carlos). Everyday at 7:30 am on the dot, either Esperanza or Juan Carlos would be waiting patiently outside as I frantically ran out with my coffee burning my hand, and my notebooks falling out of my purse. Needless to say, I am not a morning person. Juan Carlos, who was contracted by Travelers, would pick me up on even numbered dates. He was always well-dressed, professional, and kind. At first, he was very serious and I didn't know if he liked me. However, as time progressed, he opened up and I realized that he had a huge sense of humor. When Dayron  visited me, he drove us around Centro and even sat with us. He taught me about Colombian culture, told me funny stories, and also shared the same devotion to soccer as I do for football. Not to mention, he was a complete stud! Esperanza Martinez, who came on the odd dates, worked for Travelers, the company I was staying with, and was responsible for organizing all of the transportation, hotels, and accommodations during my six weeks in Bogota. If I was cold, she made sure a heater was brought to my room. If I had to stay late, she was there when I needed a ride. When I had questions, she was there to answer them. Esperanza and I shared long conversations over my trip and we shared a lot of advice with each other. I also went to her house on my last night in Bogota. She had three girlfriends over whom she'd known her entire life. We ate dinner and hugged for a long time before I left. I got a tad bit weepy when I said goodbye to her as she was another mother to me during my time in Bogota. I will miss her very, very much. I sent her a dozen roses the morning of my departure to thank her for all she had done to ensure I had a great time. I also promised her that she would receive a boyfriend by Christmas, which god-willing will occur! She of all people deserves to find true love.

Patricia's family at her home

La manera de vida. During my time in South America, I fell in love with the way of life. Back in the U.S., I was very accustom to eating lunch at my desk, rushing from place to place, penciling in time with friends, and getting as much done in a day as humanly possible. I believe I am greatly responsible for this lifestyle, but I also think that it is very much a part of the American culture. We are wired to be productive and efficient. I believe it is what makes our country so successful from an economic standpoint. However, it is also the reason we do not enjoy the simple things in life. Far too often, I see passengers on the MUNI (bus) in San Francisco on their phones, missing views of the Golden Gate Bridge as they pass by. I watch fathers on their blackberry's completely unaware that their kids are pulling on their suit cuffs. I see waitresses rushing from table to table as their customers eat so quickly that the food is hardly digested  That is surely not the case in Colombia. People take two hour lunches. They stop by each others' desks and discuss the highlights of the weekend. They trade pictures of their kids. Outside of the office, people cook with family members, listen to music, and make handmade, cold juices. They blast music from their homes, grill food, play with their kids, and help one another. As I have mentioned in many of my blog posts, I am deeply moved by the kind nature of Colombian people. Although the roads are extremely congested, the lines can take twice as long, and the businesses take an extra quarter to perform, overall, Colombians are generally happy and appreciative of the little things in life. I envy their lifestyle and made a commitment to myself to take time out of my days to appreciate the small things and always remember to stop and smell the roses.

Sebas's Grandparents

Seba's mom and grandma sewing

Unidos en casa. One night with sitting with Sebas at his house, he asked me why Americans move out of their homes at such a young age. That question really struck me and I didn't have an answer. I told him that I moved out when I was barely 18 for college and that I tried to get home to visit my family as often as possible. I often miss my family and wish I lived closer to them. I guess it is just a part of our culture, to move away for college in order to start our own lives outside of our homes. I wish this very American custom began later in life. Sebas, who is 24, told me that he was going to go to LA the following year to study English, but that hesitant and sad to leave his family. In Colombia, I found it very endearing to see how close mothers were with their sons, fathers were with their daughters, aunts/uncles were with their nieces and nephews, grandparents were with their grand kids, etc. I was welcomed into many of my coworkers' homes and the amount of love and unity displayed between family members is something that I will never forget. It goes without saying that if you were a friend of one family member, you were a friend of all. If I needed a ride somewhere, not only would my coworker offer, but their entire family would be backup. Within Colombian families, the expression is uno por todo o todo por uno, or one for all and all for one. For example, before going out one of my last nights in Bogota, Seba's mom and grandma sewed Ana's pants before we left so they would fit well. I will surely take this back to the U.S. with me as the family unity is something I love most about Colombia culture.

Enrique, CEO of O.I.

Diego (operations) and I

La gente de la oficina de Opportunity International. I formed my own little family in the Opportunity International offices. The office was organized, and often segregated, by technology, operations, HR, credit, risk, accounting, treasury, marketing, and specialized senior positions such as the lawyer, regional manager, CFO, and CEO. Each group had its own little clique but I found myself blending the lines between each division. I went shopping with Lorena, the assistant to Claudia, the HR manager; had coffee and discussed Cartagena with Mara, one of the sweetest girls in the office who is from Cartagena and  is a credit analyst; made small talk with Hermina, the office lawyer; shared weekend stories with Claudia, the HR manager; created new projects with Diego, the processes manager; gave tips to Cesar and Andres, the SARS risk team; and talked often with Enrique, the CEO of the office. I built relationships with nearly everyone, and will never forget these fifty or so members of the OI office.

Brian, Myself, Carlos

However, my closest companions during my time in the OI offices were Bryan, Carlos, Patricia(s), and Ana. The six of us were like a miniature family. We became extremely close despite being an unusual pairing. Bryan, the head of marketing, was very Colombian but lived in the US for 20 years. Therefore, he and I cracked jokes as he taught me about the cultural differences between Colombia and the US. On my first day in the office, I asked him what he real name is (what I meant to ask him was if he went by Bryan from his days living in the US and had a Colombian name). He fired back that it was his stripper name. I knew we would get along just fine. Carlos worked for Bryan and sat behind me in the office. Carlos is extremely mannered and very respectful. He is also a bit shy. Being outgoing and a bit forward, I spend much of my time getting him to come out of his shell by cracking jokes and making him feel comfortable. He kept his courteous ways but also opened up over the five weeks we sat together, showing me videos of his cat and telling me stories of his weekend. He is such a pure and kind soul. On my last day in the office, he pulled me aside and gave me a small farewell gift, remembering my favorite colors. The gift was so very thoughtful of him. The first of the two Patricias, or as I liked to call her "Patty", sat in front of me. She introduced me to plantano chips and she shared my sense of humor. We often laughed and made funny faces when one of the men in the office came by and gave us kisses on our forehead. Every morning Patty was the first to ask me how my weekend was, how I was feeling, and always made a point to make me feel at home. Behind me sat Patricia Bueno, who became like my mother in the office. She brought me soup when I was sick, the same soup she would cook for her sons when they were not feeling well. On my last day in Bogota, she invited me to her home where her sons played the guitar and sang for me. Before taking off, she called me and wished me safe travels. She was so very kind and loving, and it was very hard to say goodbye to my Patty's. The last person that I did not mention was Ana, but I will get to her later...

Myself, Bryan, Ana, Patty, Carlos, Patricia

Los clientes de Opportunity International. It would be completely remiss if I did not mention the overwhelming impact that the Opportunity International clients had on my experience in Colombia. I spent a little over five weeks in the OI offices and just two days with the OI clients. That said, the clients taught me more in those two short days than the five weeks I spent in the office. Not only did they teach me how to be extremely positive in very adverse conditions, they taught me how to keep a smile on my face when things were far from perfect. They taught me what it meant to be a part of a community. They taught me how to be a better student. They taught me that people just need access to funds to improve their lives. They taught me that you can trust others to make diligent payments on your behalf. They taught me how to be welcoming to someone that was foreign. They taught me how be proud of where I was from. They taught me the power of a family bond. They taught me about hospitality, bringing me a warm coke during the cold day. They taught me that it does not matter how many material things you own, it is all about the company you keep. They taught me the true definition of organic growth; they were using the small microloans to grow their businesses to improve the lives of their family, and therefore their community. They were living examples of where charity should be directed. When leaving their homes, they sang to me a famous Colombian song which had a chorus that went, "Saraaaaaaa, mi Sara!". They taught me how to be a better person and I will forever be in debt to these amazing clients of Opportunity International.    

Myself and Ana

Mi Anita. In previous blog entries, I mentioned Ana Cristina Montavani. I met Ana my first day in the Opportunity International offices and from that day forward, she became like a sister to me. On my very first day in the office, she helped me get a cell phone, took me to lunch, and got my computer set up. She was even there when I Skyped my sister, Kelly, while she was in the hospital delivering her first baby. She invited me to Carmen de Apicala which enabled me to make my first group of Colombian friends. She had my bed changed at my hotel when I told her I had trouble sleeping and ordered my medicine from the pharmacy when I was sick. She made sure my rides were arranged, organized my stay in Cartagena, and even made sure my translations were correct in my project for work. Despite all these helpful things, none of them compared to her friendship. At times, I found the cultural and language barriers to be difficult. She was there to give me a hug. Other times, she gave me relationship advice and compared my difficulties to her own to make me feel normal. She made me feel as though I was not alone despite being very sick in the hospital and far away from my family. She called me repeatedly after I got rear-ended by another car until she made sure I was okay. She taught me how to be more patient with others and to always smile even when having a bad day. Ana was like a big sister to me and I will miss her most of everyone I met in Colombia. She is a genuinely good person and I love her not only as a friend, but as a sister. I look forward to going back to Bogota and visiting her next year. I am very certain we will always be close and it is her friendship that made my time in Bogota the best months of my life.

The next stop on my journey is Peru. Here is an entry from my journal that I wrote when taking off from Bogota, Colombia to Lima, Peru:

Awaiting my departure from Bogota to Lima, Peru with 3 more bags than I came with, 50 new friends, and hundreds of memories that will last me a lifetime. Colombia is home to the most welcoming and kind people in the entire world. The only thing preventing me from jumping out of this plane is the fact Machu Picchu is next! I love you Colombia. ♥ Sarita

I will be sure to update with details on Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, and my final journey to Los Angeles to visit my family! For now, goodbye Colombia. Until we meet again....