Colombian expressions of affection

One area where Colombians differ from Europeans, and I dare say this is true about most Latin Americans, is the way they express affection verbally.

The most common form of addressing another family member in Colombia is probably mi amor, my love, which is how spouses usually call each other, but it is just as often used for the kids. An even stronger expression is mi vida, "my life". Other common spouse ones: cariño (affection), mi cielo (my heaven), mi corazon (my heart).

Toward kids princesa (princess), tesoro (treasure), precioso/preciosa (precious) are totally normal, and also papito and mamacita which are diminutive forms of "mum/dad" but used for kids.

One that still surprises me is gordo/gorda which literally means "fat" but which is a way of showing love and acception toward a spouse or kid.

In male friendships, hermano is very common ("brother") and among girls you will often hear linda, hermosa etc where they remind themselves of their beauty. Toward a friend of the opposite sex querido or querida are totally normal, which mean "liked".

Also in street life you will hear words of affection, for example in Medellin are common hermano even for people not known, as well as mi hijo or mi hija, my son / my daughter, but not toward the kids in this case, but among friends or toward a younger person.

In all informal relationships diminutives can be used to express affection; this is done by adding -ito or -ita to the name or the word, like Anita for Ana, or corazoncito for "my little heart".

Toward an older person reverence is shown through using don and doña before the name (i.e Don Alfonso, Doña Lucía), and of course always usted (formal "you") for an older person and for people not known.

Colombians alternate between three forms of "you", which are usted, tu and vos, in order of acquaintance. These have regional differences within the country. Even in the closest marital relationship, the formal usted is not uncommon, to show respect.

For a Northern European, living among these expressions of affection is humbling, we have a lot to learn from our Latin friends of how to show kindness, care and honor simply by words.

Announcing news

In Colombia, midday news is a big thing. Families gather around the telly at 12.30 to keep up what is going on in the world. As in all countries, news are full of sad and discouraging stories. In Sweden, mostly when announcing sad news, like violence, murder, catastrophes etc, the announcer does her best to use a compassionate voice to indicate empathy and reality. In Colombia, the announcer always sounds like a circus announcer, cheerful and dynamic: "Farmers died in Cauca!" "Murderer cried in front of victims!"
I am not saying this is uncompassionate, it is just different to what I am used to. Maybe I interpret the tone incorrectly. Or maybe it is there to help us keep a positive attitude. In any case, it kind of balances the tragedies a little...

How to respond a Colombian street vendor

One thing you will encounter in Colombia are the many street vendors. Many of them really are disguised beggars. This is revealed by the word "colabórame", which means "cooperate with me".
Now, if you don't want to buy the product, there is an easy way to get them to understand this, and that is by saying "Gracias". Don't say "No, gracias", because in Colombia negative messages are considered rude.
If the salesman is a polite person, which many of them are [it doesn't hurt sales], he will respond "Dios le bendiga" (God bless you) and go on to the next customer.
If you accompany your phrase with a short smile, then look away like you are busy, the message gets even clearer. Sometimes this will need to be repeated a few times, but eventually the seller will accept the fact without feeling offended.

"Cultura Metro"

Medellin has one thing it is very proud of, and that's the metro. Not even the capital of Colombia, Bogota, has one. The metro in Medellin consists of one straight line from North to South, and one that goes eastward, connecting the other in a T-shape.

Additionally, there are two cable cabin routes ("metrocable"). These connect the metro with poorer areas up on the hills, transporting people in cabins that run on wires in the air. Quite cool.

Well there is something special about the metro, and that is "Cultura Metro". This is the name of the values of how the metro system wants people to behave. Thus, in the metro you will hear regular messages from the speakers like "Let's not lean onto the poles". On the next level there are those who remind you to be courteous: "Let's give away the seats to the people who has most difficulties traveling standing." 

Finally there are those who teach you how to be a better person. "A smile makes everybody happier". Mostly these message sequences end with "Let's live 'Cultura Metro'". Of couse we are talking about pre-recorded voices played back by a machine. One is male and one is female and both did their best to to sound sugar-sweet. But it works, it almost feels like there are two good-hearted "parents" on the train watching out for us.

Of course, it is a little contradictory when one of the messages is "Speaking on the phone or listening to music is and individual activity. Let's not disturb other passengers". How about disturbing us with all these messages from the loudspeakers?

But, I must say, I enjoy the metro of Medellin a lot. Not least because the metro in Medellin doesn't go underground. It goes on a railway up in the air. You can enjoy the view of the city all the time. Best thing ever.

Colombian Street Life

Since the last time that I wrote regularly here, I have moved to my own place in Medellin. I now live in an apartment. I have a little balcony. Fantastic! My view from the balcony is over a little street. Well one thing that I have noticed about Colombia is that street life is so much noisier than in Sweden. I guess Sweden is a very silent country. Silent people, order everywhere. Colombia is kind of the opposite. When I sit and work in my apartment, there is hardly five minutes without sounds. What are these sounds?  

Ambulent sellers. These come dragging a little wodden carriage with two weels, kind of a a wheelbarrow, and they sell fruits or vegetables. All sellers have something in common: they shout out their offers so that everybody can hear them. "Aguacaaaateeee a millll!" "Maaazaaaamorrrra!" Many of them use a little portable sound system with a microphone so that their words reach every little corner of the block.  

Dogs. It seems every Colombian family has a dog. And they bark A LOT (maybe educating your dog  is seen as rude here?). I have two neighbours that have dogs that bark at least every five minutes from 7 am to 10.30 pm. Luckily they don't bark at night. But I can tell you, there is a lot of patience needed not to get mad daytime when I try to work from home. Mostly my solution is not to stay too long in my apartment.

People shouting for other people. Somehow there always seems to be somebody shouting to get somebody out of their apartment. "Maariiaaa-Luuuuzz!" "Nicolasss!" "Enriqueeee!" It always seems they have to wait quite a bit until the person shows up on their balcony or window.

The local guardian. These are security guards hired by the community. They circulate the neighborhood dressed in security outfit, with a baton (not gun). For some reason, I guess to scare people into not commiting bad stuff, they announce their rounds audibly. Mostly they use a whistle. For a while, our local guard used a bicycle horn. You know, those little rubber ones. Quite funny.

Neighbours. There is always some neighbour you can hear. Not like in Sweden, where some  apartment houses are totally silent. In Colombia there is always someone singing,  laughing, talking or just playing music.

Cars honking. This is a common one. If you love car honking, come to Colombia. The one I resent most: people who stop outside the place of their work pal at 5 am and honk to announce their arrival. Quite disturbing to a foreigner like me. For a Colombian? Nah, they don't even hear it.

The local construction site. For some reason, at both places I have lived here, there has been a construciton site close by. I guess because Medellin is progressing. Thing is, in Sweden, the only thing you would hear, is the sounds of the actual construction and a radio playing loud the national radio station called P3. In Colombia, there are no radios playing at construction sites. But there is a constant shouting, workers shouting from the 15th floor to the ground staff and vice verse, to send that up or down. Why does that never occur in Sweden? Do they all have walkie-talkies there? I am not sure.

Parties. This is more at weekends, but especially the night before bigger holidays, there are always several parties going on on the street. Yes, not in the apartmentes, on the very street. People cook "Sancocho" soup in a big bowl right over a woodfire. And they sit around, always with some kind of music equipment that allows the whole block to enjoy the music.

Sorry...

Dear readers, Again I beg you pardon... I have been terribly bad at updating this blog. I guess living in another country makes you busy... The intention with this blog was to tell the story of me as a filmmaker around the world. And since my las post, I have been filming both in Colombia and Australia... Also, I have been in the US (not filming though). Another purpose is to comment on interesting cultural differences that I experience. Something that can be quite relieving to do also as a writer, he he. Anyway, I will do a new effort to keep this blog up. Although I don't promise anything!