Text: Robin Finley. Photos: Santiago Riascos

The streets of Colombia offer a colorful taxonomy of entrepreneurial push carts; here, decontextualized, these convenience stores on wheels serve as a glimpse into Colombia’s informal employment sector. In a country where over 60% of the population lives in poverty, they speak of financial hardship and hope, independence, desperation, and [...]

Text Robin Finley. Illustration Joni Benjumenea

Any primary English teacher will tell you their Colombian students often lack a robust arsenal of adjectives. There are so many ways to describe people beyond “nice” and “funny”; here is a small selection of terms applied to those unique characters we come across in daily life.
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By Tatiana Gomez. Photos by Juan Jose Cordero and Sergio Echavarría
We are not the tales of our recent violent past, nor are we the shallow plastic characters of telenovelas. We are just like you, and it is the common day-to-day things we do that define who we are as a people.

Public transportation – I walk [...]

By Robin Finley. Photos Courtesy of ACI

One of the most symbolic elements of modern day Paisa life is the journey to the finca. Work stops and relaxation begins along this voyage to escape city life; it is a special time for family and friends in the comfort of a mountainous getaway home. Fincas come in all [...]

By Jeff Guerra. Photos by Giovanna Molina
Much of the charm in any community’s language lies in the colorful non-verbal gestures carried out by its members. As savvy travelers have come to learn, a well-timed gesture is not just good fun, but can indeed unlock the door to cultural acceptance. Here we’ve documented some of the better [...]

By Jeff Guerra.  Illustrations by Freddy Leal

If you find yourself lost in some small Colombian town, ask a local for directions and there’s a good chance you’ll be personally accompanied to your destination with a lively and charmingly intimate conversation along the way. Oh and by the way, there’s a big family barbecue tonight, and [...]

By Tatiana Gomez. Illustrations by Freddy Leal
Myths and legends are an indispensable part of Colombian heritage and culture. Our ancestors were raised with stories of traditional folklore characters, which had great influence over their actions in everyday life. You’ve probably heard of some popular myths and legends, but do you know the stories behind them?

Myth#1: [...]

By Jay Munro  Photos by Mateo Garcia

Here we present Jack’s guide to Colombian street slang – Medellin style.
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By César Augusto Zapata. Photos by Tomas Uribe

Years ago my father gave me a farewell gift, a “carriel”, one of the most beloved symbols of masculinity in Antioquia. This male accoutrement is a shoulder bag made with pattern leather, straps, and fur, decorated with loud primary colors. Medellin being a fashion capital and all, I [...]

By Scott McGee. Photo by Israel Martinez

If you are trying to learn the formal brand of Spanish appropriate for business and polite dinner conversations, “chimba” certainly won’t help. In fact, many Business English courses here in Medellin won’t even bother to translate it. However, down a few beers with a young executive from that same [...]