Finding a bit of life direction in Colombia

The first stop I made in Colombia was in Cali. I was planning to stay in Cali for only two to three days, but I had a very unexpected trip.

As I arrived from the bus station, the person that was going to host me was not available anymore. So in the bus station I search for a near by hostel and took a cab there. From the start, I noticed that Colombians are very loving! Through out my time I was either called mami , mi amor or amiga and not in any flirtatious way 🙂

I Stayed at the Pelican Larry Hostel, a quite hostel about 10 dollars a day. In the hostel I shared a room with a great Irish guy, Olan; he had been staying at the hostel for several months already. In the hostel there was also a Scottish guy, Ben; he also had been there for months. Overall, the people in the hostel were there for some time already, which gave a really great energy to the hostel. I quickly got to know them and spend some time with them. During that time we had great conversations, went to the river with a group of other travelers, went DANCING (Cali people are amazing salsa dancers), went to the theatre, had good food and had great laughs. I loved my time with them 🙂 

Olan on the left and Ben on the Right

Walking to catch a bus 🙂

Giselle the Colombiana in love!

Singing songs at the rio

One other person that was also staying in the hostel, in which I feel was God sent to meet him, was Daniel from Argentina.

Daniel de Argentina

 

Daniel is from Argentina and a Social Psychologist that is living in Colombia teaching and starting Colombia’s first Social Psychology school. The Online University is called Centro de Estudios de Psicología Social (CEPS). Daniel has been practicing his profession for more than 30 years. His objective for starting the social psychology school is to be able to teach it to those communities that are in a low social economic status; people who have more of a need for psychological services. His methodology works as an intervention to the communities that are more at risk to poor education, poverty, violence etc. His vision is to make a university that is tangible for those who do not have a higher education all ready. The University does not meet the standard educational system that we are use to. It does not require one to have a highschool degree, or GED, or any other paper certificates that says they are qualified for higher education. Daniel believes to appreciate and build upon the education that life  experiences has taught the people. Daniel has written his own course materials, in such a manner, that any student with a basic education will be able to comprehend and implement into their own way of life.

So why was it God Sent?  Well a few months ago while I was in Ecuador, I started to feel a bit pressure of having to go back to reality and WORK! I started to ask myself.. “Ok so what will I do when I get home? Where am I going to work? Where am I going to live?” During that time I started to also feel that God was planting a seed in my heart to work with my childhood community in Houston. I started to create ideas of starting some type of NGO with my church community and tend to the needs of immigrants of that community. SOOO when I arrived in Cali Colombia and I met Daniel, I felt that God was giving some type of affirmation about my plans for the NGO. When I talked to Daniel about my ideas, he encouraged me so much and gave me soo much direction! Now I have tangible ideas and plans that I have come to a point in my trip where I am finally saying “OK, I am ready to go home” and I AM 🙂 I am excited to go back to my community in Houston and to invest what I learned in my profession to where I am from.

So that is how I found direction in Cali. After all this traveling and trying to figure out my professional and future aspirations, my passion is still to aid the immigrants that live in the US. I love how traveling helps me organize my thoughts and goals. It has been a good way to grow spiritually and professionally. 

Next stop PANAMA!!!