No Afros in Bogotá???

Every time I meet someone and I tell them I'm doing Afro-Colombian studies, they're like "Well I think you should go to _____________ (insert Cali, Chocó, or Buenaventura), they're isn't really a strong presence here in Bogotá"

I always felt so annoyed when people said this. Something about it just didn't seem intelligent-lol. So I asked my Advisor, and she went IN. She clearly noted a large population of young Afro-Colombians, and that most Afro-Colombians live in the cities. She noted that each time someone sees a Black person in Bogotá they say, "Y usted de donde es?" and when they say Bogotá, they're like, "pero su familia es del Pacificó si?" 

She then gave me a couple of articles to read, based on the DANE census. Ok. theres something wrong with this perception. There is a difference between a percentage and actual numbers. Bogotá is spread out, and its population is larger than cities in the Pacific. Yes there are Black people here, and there has been for several years, and they weren't all recent migrants. 

This reminds me of how I felt in DC, when every time I said I was from DC, Yuppies would be like "Ohhh, but, like, I mean, no one's actually from DC". Uhh, shut your mouth and eat your brunch. You don't anything about DC, just focusing on your limited perception of who comprises your happy hour meet ups and yoga classes. You wouldn't know that a large population of people were pushed out of DC to Maryland to make room for a gentrified city. 

While these are two examples are quite disparate, I think its a good discussion about perception, and delving deeper than a superficial idea of what DC or Bogotá is. There is a whole group of people that you could miss because you're stuck in Zona T (Bogotá) or in Georgetown, DC (btw did you know that Georgetown was an all Black neighborhood years ago?). Its so important to read the history, walk around in new neighborhoods, or you could loose an enriching experience.  Feel free to leave comments! I love a good debate!

Names Names Names

I have decided to take on a Colombian name. No, its not because I don't like my name. Simply because I wanted one! Also, I found it easier in several busy transactions in the bank, supermarket, or deliveries to just give a fake Colombian name. But after a while, I just thought-why not take up a name altogether? 

Out of no fault of their own, several of my friends pronounce my name like Nakooochie. Which makes me cringe. Although I understand. The sound "sh" doesn't exist in spanish. I searched for a name, took many suggestions, but I like Pilar. All my Colombian friends say "its not beautiful, why not Mañuela? Tania? Beatriz?" Uhmm its not about being pretty or sounding cool. Its just something that I felt fit me. 

Yes its alright to continue calling me Naakoshie, but I'll have you know I have been called several names by different people. Exchange students in my high school used to call me "Vale", the italians mainly. Also, I actually didn't even know my name was Naakoshie until the age of 8, when my Grandmother told me that my parents had been lying to me! Yes who does that? And...my older sister is named Naakoshie, in addition to several cousins. So half of my family even calls me Awurama (my middle name!)

So many people hate the Name change and even refuse to use it. Ok I won't fight with you. But its something I like, a sort of souvenir of my time in Colombia. 

And the Existential Melt-Down continues

Ok I've been trying my hardest to be "calm, cool, and sexy" about things. But I gotta keep it real. This past month has been a lot. Like I took a second to evaluate all the things that transpired in my life this summer:

• I quit my job in June
• Cut off all my locks- best decision of the summer!
• I broke up with my boyfriend- not my favorite moment. 
• MOVED to another country, where I didn't know ANYONE and barely spoke their language (in the words of another Fulbrighter "its all a lie! I don't actually speak spanish!")
• Meanwhile trying to figure out new graduate school plans, scholarships, GRE

Like...maybe I should give myself credit. At first I was like "why am I not assimilating to this culture fast enough?" "whats wrong with my gringa accent?" "Why don't I understand how to get from x to z?"

But in reality, I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself. Take it easy. Things are not going to happen the way I expect. Such as my research. Which I had to completely change a week ago. Yes thats right, start from scratch-everything. 

Sometimes I'm sitting on a little collectivo, my legs barely fitting in the seats (because no one in Bogotá is taller than 5 feet!), and I look at the people and I'm like "How the heck did I end up in Colombia, South America?" "Like what the hell am I doing?"

I'm here to do research, and even that is another puzzle. 

This is one of the biggest lessons I will face in patience. Instead of pressuring myself with all these ridiculous questions that waste time an energy, I just need to chill. What's an experience without a healthy challenge?