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El Chocó Needs Your Attention | 2026 Earthquake in Colombia

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On August 10 at 7:34 AM, Colombia was struck with a massive 7.4 earthquake. The epicenter was in a small village in the department of El Chocó called San José del Palmar. The massive earthquake devastated cities as far as 300 kilometers away from the epicenter, like Cali, Manizales, and Pereira. And although these cities experienced catastrophic loses, they are also large cities that count on social infrastructure that allows for them to recieve rescue much quicker.

San José del Palmar and the surrounding areas that were affected didn’t recieve any rescue until four days after the earthquake. El Chocó is one of the country’s poorest and most neglected regions. And amidst all the adversities, this region has given Colombia a lot to be proud of.

El Chocó needs your attenion.

What Language Do Bilingual People Actually Think In?

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I am a native Spanish and Englisih speaker and I am often asked what language I think in.

Spanish is my first language. It was the language where my first safe-spaces were constructed in. It is not a coincidence that all my romantic relationships have been in Spanish.

English came later. As I grew older and more indepedent, it was how I consumed media and music. It was also the common language between friends. I also think about economic transactions in English.

After moving to Colombia in 2018, my bilingualism has helped me understand parts of myself that perhaps I wasn’t able to see while living in New York.

Sports Make Us Love Where We Come From

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The Knicks won and I was far away from all the excitement going on in my city. I felt homesick during the entire NBA post season and it made me feel things I had never felt for New York. After moving to Colombia in 2018, I had to come to terms with my Americanness. It hasn’t always been easy. Typically, the demonym American is associated with skin color and privilege. I’ve learned that is not the case.

As much pushback as we may face from those in power, and as much as some may try to strip us of our identities and our rights, American culture, at its core, has always been inclusive. It has always made space for people who, for one reason or another, have felt like outsiders within their own.

First Generation Americans, Are We A Problem?

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As more First Generation Americans move to Latin America searching for affordability, cultural belonging, and a better quality of life, many of us don’t realize that we may also be bringing the same American values and behaviors we claim to dislike.

More often than I’d like to see, there is a new socila media influencer sharing their new discoveries about their new and wonderful life in Latin America. A lot of it is concentrated on how much cheaper and affordable life can be in Latin America if you make your wages in United States Dollars or Euros. But doesn’t the ability to earn in a stronger currency and consume in a developing country’s economy create a structural power advantage? And don’t those power advantages reinforce colonial patterns?

On American Hustle Culture

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Hustle culture mentality had me by the neck a few weeks ago. There weren’t enough hours in the day to get to everything I needed (wanted) to get done. This wasn’t the first time I felt this. Once I realized I was bugging I began thinking about how I got into this vicious cycle of feeling like it is never enough.

The steps towards hustle culture start early in the United States. A lot of Americans start off with an allowance at the age of 8 or 9. Kids use the money their parents give them for completing their chores to buy snacks after school or save it to buy something bigger at a later time. Programs like Bring Your Kid to Work Day and Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEP) are there to teach us the importance of making money at an early age.

I certainly learned a lot from this culture, however, after living in Colombia for so long, I see the contrast in lifestyle. The hustle is reserved for adults in Colombia. Jobs that are typically done by teenagers and young adults like supermarket cashier and retail are executed by grown adults. Family usually takes the economic responsibility for children and young adults with the hopes that they concentrate on their studies in order to secure better job employment opportunities. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way in Colombia.

Amigo, el ratón del queso

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Medellín continues to make headlines. On March 27, 2026, the body of Erick Molina, an American Airlines flight attendant was found 100 kilometers south of Medellín. Erick had been a victim of a very popular drugging scam in Medellín: Scopolamine. It is a natural drug that is found in the Brugmansia plant family. The plant is most commonly known as floripondio, or more appropriately, borrachero. On occasion, doctors use it to treat motion sickness, but if ingested in large quantities, a person loses their ability to make decisions and can voluntarily give up their personal information. There have been countless news articles, documentaries, and interviews made about the dangers of this drug.

Danger is relative. Gun violence is something to be worried about in the United States; not so much in Colombia. Colombia has it’s own unique set of dangers that can affect you if you aren’t careful. Your best bet is not to look for sex and drugs. Locals would consider you are “giving papaya” and pursuing the quickest way down the Medellín crapshoot if you choose any of the later activites.

But “giving papaya” isn’t the only way to get yourself in trouble. Often times, people romanticize Latin American hospitality. People like to think that people are more hospitable, kind, and warm. While that might be true, it is a proven method local criminal organizations use to earn your trust and commit their crime. Please be cautions because amigo, el ratón del queso!

What Do New Yorkers Think is Normal That Other People Find Weird?

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I always knew New York was different. I really never came to understand what that meant until I moved out of the city. The first time was in college. I went to a university in a rural town in Upstate New York with a population of about 12,000 people. The difference I noticed then was the diversity. In college, everything seemed so flat. Everyone was tuned into a frequency I couldn’t seem to pick up. The second time was in 2018 when I decided to move to Colombia. And now, when I return the differences are stark and some of them just straight up weird.

I wanted to see if I was the only one who thought so too so I asked Reddit. The answers didn’t disappoint!

4 Books That Changed How I See Identity

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Reading has served two purposes in my life: reduce screentime and help me put my feelings in place. I’ve become a voyeur. It has helped me feel less alone.

I don’t think I’ve ever read as many books as I did when I moved to Colombia in 2018. I think I got close to 30. Life has since gotten in the way and 15 now is an achievement. Recently, I revisited my handwritten list of read books and four titles stood out. These books all dealt head on with themes of identity and have helped me express things I’ve always felt but never knew how.

Where The Past Begins by Amy Tan

We’ve taken the family stories we’ve heard as factual. We don’t even think to challenge them. Probably because we’ve grown used to our heros and villains. In her memoir, Amy Tan goes through seven bins of family memorabiliia challenging every idea and story she had about herself and her family. In most instances she reaffirmed what she’s always known but she learned that lies are often weaved into stories with many versions.

Mi País Inventado by Isabel Allende

The most publish Latin American author wrote her famous novel La casa de los espíritus based on the stories she heard from her grandfather. Her grandfather spoke about his big house on the corner so much, she thought she had lived in it and felt compelled to write about it.

Sometimes we inherit our memories. We own them and treat them like they are ours. But they aren’t. Its good to appropriate memories to help us understand where we come from but they can be tricky because they’ll have us believing something that doesn’t exsist.

Stay True by Hua Hsu

We like to complain about how people are represented in media. Most of the time we’re caricaturized, white people included. But what happens when there is no representation at all? These are some of the things Hua talked about with his late friend, Ken who had tragically passed away in a car jacking.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche

It so much more than a love story. This novel is about the intricacies of how race and class work in both the United States and the UK. It forces the reader to confront how identity, especially within the Black communities, belonging, and perception change across borders.

I Quit Drinking When I Moved to Medellín

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Medellín has the reputation for being a big party city. And it is if you are on vacation or on a sabatical. I have been living in Medellín since 2018 and I have found that drinking culture is much more prevalent in the United States. Drinking culture in the US officially begins in college. It is everywhere.

I went to college in a town that had 13,000 people and more bars per square mile than any other city I had been to. Coming from New York City, it was quite the big culture shock. I had a really hard time assimilating. Most people around me had suburban or rural backgrounds. I eventually met my tribe, but it still wasn’t easy. There wasn’t much to do in this small town. Sorority and fraterinity parties were the standar weekend (and sometimes weekday) activity. At the time, alcohol helped me control my social anxiety and it made everything seem so fun! This is how my drinking habit began.

When I moved back to New York City I discovered how great the party scene was. I had a really great time and made plenty of memories with my friends. But drinking in New York City doesn’t just stay at the club or the bar, it spills over into the work culture. Team building usually happens over happy hour. You build your network at fancy corporate events that often offer three or four hours of open bar. And how can we forget those lavish and extensive client meals?

After living in Colombia for as long as I have, and after having the experience of working at three large Colombian corporations, I can say that alcohol is not as big as people like ot think it is.

Latest Posts

El Chocó Needs Your Attention | 2026 Earthquake in Colombia

On August 10 at 7:34 AM, Colombia was struck with a massive 7.4 earthquake. The epicenter was in a small village in the department of El Chocó called San José del Palmar. The massive earthquake devastated cities as far as 300 kilometers away from the epicenter, like...

What Language Do Bilingual People Actually Think In?

I am a native Spanish and Englisih speaker and I am often asked what language I think in. Spanish is my first language. It was the language where my first safe-spaces were constructed in. It is not a coincidence that all my romantic relationships have been in Spanish....

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