2019 Lake Oswego High School Colombia Program

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Perspective on the Trip

Written by Profe Ian

We are a big group. 32 strong, including adults. It is exceedingly rare for a trip so large to be as cohesive, empathetic, and supportive as this one has proven to be. Our tour leaders have been incredible. Jesse is such a compassionate, thoughtful and humorous leader and he never failed to imbue a situation with a sense of stability and playfulness. And our country director/co-leader, Natalia, is an absolute diamond of a human being. She ran the logistics of the trip, brought laughter, kindness and a keen sense of social justice to our group dynamic, and ultimately was the mastermind of what turned out to be an incredible trip for, and I believe I’m safe in saying this, every one of us, teachers included.

I’ve been to Colombia before, and I saw then what an amazing country it is. One of my goals for this trip was for the students to come to the same realization. After working our tails off to build a playground in a tiny indigenous community, after exploring the complicated hopefulness to be found in some of Medellin’s poorest neighborhoods, and after visiting, hiking around and splashing about in some of the most beautiful landscapes imaginable, I think it’s “Mission Accomplished”.

I’m certain that our group of amazing young men and women have paved the way and clearly shown that not only is Colombia a safe place to visit, it is undoubtedly deserving of the deeper exploration they undertook and has repaid each of them with unforgettable memories, experiences, and friendships.

La Cruz

Written by Profe Ian

Our last Saturday in Jardín was jam-packed. About 23 of us met up outside the teacher’s hotel at 8:30 in the morning to tackle “la Cruz”, a climb up a nearby peak that culminates in a giant metal cross which lights up at night, attracting the foolish and intrepid like moths to a flame. Slathered in sunscreen and bug juice we began our ascent. From the nosebleed section of middle age, let me just say that keeping up with a bunch of skinny, fit teenagers was no easy task.

A fifteen minute gasping climb right at the start got us to Cristo Rey, a big, white statue of Jesus smiling beneficently upon the town below. Isobel and Jaime stocked up on agua, Isabella, feeling a bit light-headed, chowed down on some Oreos with her water, a true performance enhancer if there ever was one. Brogan had his game face on and indeed went on to lead the group on both the climb and the descent. He’s a beast. Once a year, locals make the arduous trek up to the cross high up on a forested mount in a pilgrimage involving stations of the cross. A small cross with a Roman numeral sits at each station along the climb. Exposing my utter lack of knowledge in all things Catholic, I told the group there would be 12 stations. I have no idea how that number came to mind. Needless to say, when we got to the 12th cross and still had substantial climbing to do, the kiddos were not overly happy with me. Oops.

Our group broke into three parties early on the climb. Up front, Brogie, Ben, Nate, Laura, and Ethan Fullman along with a wheezing yours truly, set the pace. The middle group saw Kyla with a strong rhythm, Leyna and Shea wondering why they’d agreed to join. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done!” Was a quote I heard more than once from the two of them despite them hardly breaking a sweat. Michael and Jon braced themselves by discussing the fractious legislative session in Oregon, Ethan R shepherded his pack of stray dogs, and Praveer pushed on relentlessly along with other hardy hiking souls. Bringing up the rear was the self named “Slow Gang”. Blake had the speaker and the playlist and Rachel, Isabella, Jeff and Will made sure to keep their steps mellow and relaxed. Rumor has it that Will was briefly exiled from the group for having walked too quickly at one point, a serious infringement of Slow Gang rules. None of us were sure how long the ascent was actually supposed to take, as every local queried gave a different time frame. “Ay! At least 3 hours just to get to the top!” “¿¡La Cruz?! 5 hours there and back, amigo”, etc. We ended up submitting in 90 minutes and descending in 40. We passed through native forest, stands of giant bamboo, Alp-esque cow pastures and tumbling waterfalls along the way.

Speaking of waterfalls, after our descent we marched along a country road and met up with those who were smart enough not to climb to the cross. From there we ambled up and down to a gorgeous double waterfall and then a bit further to a secluded swimming hole with a sketchy wooden diving board (which we didn’t allow them to use). We had a delicious lunch there and the kids all swam and lounged in the brisk waters. From there we made our way back home and I, at least, collapsed in my bed utterly exhausted. That’s the kind of day you want when traveling, right?

Last Day in Jardiín

Written by Breck

Today was our last day at the Resguardo Cristiania, the reservation. We knew when we arrived that we would have a solid 4-5 hours to make the playground the best we could with our time that remained. Kids got busy moving rocks, picking up trash, pouring gravel, sweeping the walkways, scooping debris, painting walls, planting and watering. We were joined by a local woman who painted ancestral designs on some of the rocks and tires surrounding the playground. Kids have found a small shop around the corner from playground where one can buy a soda or snack and take a break from the heat. The family who owns the store seemed to enjoy our business and camaraderie and asked all the kids to sign a poster paper and took a photo as well to remember us.

Over the course of our time at the reservation we have observed and reflected on the experience of being North Americans on a South American indigenous reservation, and all the layers of culture and history that shape this collective experience. Natalia and Jesse gave us lots of ways to reflect on this work on indigenous land. Natalia had previously vocalized her thought that as we were learning about their culture, they were losing it as well. First colonization, then globalization. We were seeing a community that was, as Natalia said, already divided and broken in many ways. And Jesse asked us to reflect on what it meant to be on indigenous land. It left us all pondering a response. (Later Owen would question the idea of indigenous land being restricted to reservations–weren’t all the Americas once indigenous land? Jesse reminded us that he did not define what is indigenous land, leaving it open to our own insight and asking us to keep asking these hard questions.)

Twice we paused from our work to enjoy special performances from some community members. First two men, dressed in a mix of their traditional garb and face paint, and western jeans. They played flutes and guitars which had that sound found in much of the Andes, but in their own language of Embera. Later we gathered inside the church adjacent to the playground to hear words of gratitude from one of the community women who has been on site, observing and connecting, since we arrived. She sang two songs and strummed the guitar, again in Embera and Spanish. It was powerful to hear her. (It was also interesting that later she donned her soccer uniform and scored the winning goal in the USA vs. Cristiania match. No boxing this woman into one role.)

Looking at before and after photos of the playground, we felt gratified and happy. Children were leaping and jumping and climbing on the cleverly designed equipment. Recycled and painted tires were embedded in the ground and made for hopscotching; others stacked high so kids could hide inside.

Lunch was again lovingly prepared and served by host families. We ate this time in the school courtyard since our normal covered sport court was occupied with some sort of community meeting. A young man named Diego who acted as guard of our bags and oversaw the water faucet and the bathroom during our time here said on more than one occasion, “I will miss you all so much.” He made sure to announce over the radio the soccer matches that had been planned for that afternoon. Our presence has been felt and I feel we represented our own community well.

The guys (and Rachel) played in the first soccer match. Other young women wanted to play as well, but we rationalized that the women of the town really wanted to play as well, and that they would not play together (co-ed being a cultural no-no), so this was really the only way to have a fair game for the women as well. It didn’t mesh well with the young women but Rachel agreed to play both games and the other ladies assented as well to allow for this cultural difference.

Soccer games were a blast. USA lost both times, although we think the guys’ game should have been a tie as the Cristiani men seemed inclined to use the lack of clear sidelines to negate one of our goals. Ms. Foster acted as referee in the first game, and Profe in the second. The men and women played hard on both sides and the competitiveness was just the right amount. Dogs at times wandered onto the field, and evidence of the horses that graze on the field left places to avoid as we ran down the field. The lack of nets and the potholes generally made us again aware of that contrast of resources from what we are used to, and even from what exists in the town down the road. The game was a big event, though, and many from the town gathered to watch.

We took a picture at the playground and there were teary eyes all around as we boarded the chiva. We went home and quickly showered and changed clothes to watch Colombia (unfortunately) lose in penalties against Chile. But how fun to watch in the plaza, all gathered around stores and restaurants that had televisions broadcasting the game. Soccer has been a fun way to connect to our families and to the communities here.

Life in Jardín

Written by Isabella

After the long grueling bus ride we finally arrived in Jardín. We stopped at a restaurant and had delicious soup and pork. Then we discussed what we should do when we first meet our host family, and Eoin and Blake had some interesting ideas. Our host family was supposed to meet us at 2, so we had some time to kill. We all hung out with each other down by the pool waiting nervously for Profe to come tell us it was our time. I remember being very nervous and worried I would mess up or not know what to say. One by one people left to go meet their host family, each time I wondered if I would be next. Finally, Profe came down and called Kyla, Lainey, and I to go up. We introduced ourselves and they seemed very sweet. We proceeded to take a photo together, and it was a bit awkward but it was nice. We grabbed our bags and we were on our way. They asked us about ourselves and America, and the ice seemed to melt away. Eventually, we got there and went through the brown door to their quaint abode. Also, we got to meet their cute but timid cat Gregoria, which continued to run away from us. We picked our rooms and settled down, unpacking our things. Our grandmother made us feel right at home and brought us a pasty and some juice. After relaxing for a bit, we went out and watched the Colombia soccer game and got to know each other a lot more. Everything started to feel more natural and we began to develop a really close relationship like we’ve know each other for a while.

We met up again with the group and got to explore the city for the first time. It was really beautiful and we found a cafe that is our favorite place: Cafe de Los Andes. We eventually returned home and had a delicious dinner of arepas with pollo and some juice. We connected with our family more and eventually went to bed. The next day, we got to go explore the town where we were going to work. The town was really pretty and different. The kids are indigenous so their first language is Embera and they are learning Spanish right now. We taught them some games and we played a lot of soccer as well. We were killing it and destroying them. It was very fun and the kids were loving it. We went back to the town and with our free time, we all went to the cafe. I ordered a delicious waffle with Nutella and ice cream and many did as well. We all talked and reflected on how our times have been with the host families. We went back home for dinner and we were able to connect more with our host family and get to know them. It’s been such a great experience so far, they are such loving people. They always make sure we feel at home and that everything is perfect for us. They constantly check up on us, ask if we need something, or help us. Despite the language barrier most of the time I can understand and speak with them, but if not we work through it together. I feel really happy to have the family that I do.

The next day we started to work. At first I thought we were going to have to build the play ground but it was already built, we just needed to improve it and the area around it. There were many tasks and things needed to be done. We all split up to work on different parts. I helped paint the tires which were going to be used as tables, planters, and hopscotch. We had to use a paint thinner which smelt awful. Also I shoveled a lot of gravel and dirt into wheelbarrows which destroyed my back. We then took a break and played with the kids again. After, we had plantains, chicken, rice, and beans for lunch. Sadly, we got back to work shortly after, but it started to rain which helped against the immense heat. At the end of the day I was in charge of cleaning up the paint brushes and by the end of it my arms were completely blue. When we got home I had to go to the store and buy something to get it off. It smelt horrific but it did the job and finally I was paint free (mostly). I went to the cafe and I got the waffles again which isn’t a surprise. We hung out and eventually I came home for dinner. I don’t remember which day but the shower flooded because the drain wasn’t working and my host family and I laughed like crazy people as we compared her to a fish and made many jokes. Later at night, we all went down to the plaza and we played cards and hung out with dogs. This trip so far has been one of the best times of my life, and I’m so sad how fast the trip has gone by already. I can’t wait to make many more memories and see the playground in all its glory when it’s finished.

With Our Families

Written by Lainey

Que pasa mis amigos. After a brutal 4 hour bus ride to Jardín, we finally made it to the most beautiful city in Antioquia. Filled with cafes and small shops, the buildings are decorated with brightly painted exteriors. We ate a lunch of soup, ham, and rice while listening to strangely dramatic music that we all agreed belonged at the end of an action movie. Group by group they called us up to meet our host families and finally be adopted! We instantly connected with our family (Adela, Isabela, and Andrés) when Isabella’s suitcase wouldn’t fit in the trunk of the car so we had to rest it on our laps. Despite our previous dislike towards the common Colombian food, our dinner with chicken on top of an arepa was actually very tasty. The family is very kind and is always asking if we need anything, whether it’s food, blankets, or laundry. For our first day of work, we rode the Chiva (a painted bus) to the native community near Jardín. We worked on painting tires that would be used for hopscotch, chairs, and planters, digging holes for plants, weeding, and picking up trash. We used paint thinner paint thinner, however it gave off fumes that made us un poco lightheaded. We ate a lunch of rice, chicken, beans, and platanos and played fútbol with the local children. Solid day. Love the dogs! Not so much the arepas.

Wonderful Opportunities

Written by Profesora Lisa

For our service project, we are fixing up the existing playground in an indigenous village about 10 miles from Jardín. The playground is by the church in the center of the community. The existing playground is unusable and overgrown.

When we arrived, we selected jobs and everyone went to work. There was a group leveling the ground with shovels. Others moved large rocks to define a path. Some students moved small rocks to make a giant gravel area, while others painted the play structure. A few painted old tires which are being repurposed for flower planters and for tables and a hopscotch-like jumping game. An old teeter totter was moved and put into the ground with cement. Flowers were planted… and that was all day 1! Of course all of those projects are still in progress and there’s a lot more to do.

The most rewarding part is that even while we are working, the kids from the community are playing all around us, climbing on the structures we are painting and giggling and running around having fun. For our lunch break, the host mom’s brought us lunch and our group played with the local kids- soccer, circle games, down by the banks, etc. There are around 30 kids between the ages of 5-12 who we have met an interacted with so far.

Back in Jardín, our students are spending time together and also with their host families. When I run into the students or the host families in town, I hear stories about shared experiences. It is wonderful to see our kids’ maturity and independence along with their curiosity. I heard about a 2 hour game of Spoons played with a host family. Another student told me he taught his family to play Mafia. Some kids went with their host family to see the countryside and the coffee plants. Some danced with their host siblings. Others played video games. Others told me about the conversations they had in Spanish with their host parents about Colombia, about politics, about the environment.

Some students are meeting up in their down time at the cafés in town, playing cards and eating waffles and ice cream. And many are choosing to spend their down time with their host families. All kids look ridiculously happy. As one of their profesores, it is so rewarding to see their eyes light up when they make connections between things they have learned in the classroom and the world around them. They ask me new words and use them right away. What a wonderful opportunity for all of us!

Saturday Night

Written by Ella

Saturday night we spent the day in a new part of Medellín and got to walk around. A lot of us followed Profe around and we went to a cafe. Then we ate dinner at this cool restaurant called Crepes y Waffles. After that we went back to the hotel and had a quick meeting. We then all gathered to look at all of profe’s photos taken to far, and then played some cards before we all headed to bed and fell asleep.

Rafting!

Written by Karuna

White water rafting was amazing!! For me it was totally worth waking up at 4 in the morning to get on a two hour bus ride. Some might have different opinions due to some sunburn… RIP Dylan’s skin. The scenery was something out of the jungle book, with a river rolling right through an amazing jungle with natural rapids that made for a very fun adventure.

Guatapé

Written by Jamie

After visiting la piedra del peñol, we went to a town called Guatapé. Guatapé is a small, colorful town full of kind and interesting people. There is a rule there that everyone has to paint their houses with vibrant colors, which is why it is so beautiful! When we first got there, the teachers took us on a small walking tour. Then, for the next hour and a half, we were given free time and allowed to walk around and explore. Many people talked to the locals and learned about the town through their personal stories. For example, a few of us were given a tour of the traditional bakery in town by the owner, Joana. She did not know much english, so we were talking in Spanish almost the whole time! Other things that people saw were the church, the town square and beautiful fountain, art galleries, lots of dogs, cafes, and cute stores with fun little trinkets. Before we left, we went to a cafe to get coffees. Then we got on our bus and headed back to Medellín.

Piedra del Peñol

Written by Isobel

To start our second day in Medellin, we took a 2 hour bus ride to Peñol to go on a scenic hike. Driving in, we were amazed by the beautiful lake there that was ginormous compared to Lake Oswego. There were many boats on the water similar to the ones we are used to seeing at home, along with rafts, kayaks, and other water vehicles. The hike that was planned was upon a very tall rock in the city called “Piedra del Peñol” which means the rock of Peñol in English. The rock is made of quartz and granite and has been there for over 65 million years! We climbed about 700 very steep and skinny stairs to reach the gorgeous lookout point perched on the very top of the grand rock. After taking occasional stops to rest along the way, we finally reached the top of the rock out of breath but in awe of the deep blue water of the lake and the greenery of Peñol. At the top, a few restaurants and small stands stood selling food and trinkets for tourists and locals alike. We all gathered at the viewpoint for a group photo and a rest after the strenuous climb. After taking some photos and admiring the marvelous view of the lake and the surrounding town, we descended back down to our bus. Before heading into town for lunch, we shopped a little bit at the small gift and craft stores surrounding the bottom of the rock’s hiking path. A few kids bought bracelets, hats, or small knick knacks or treats like popsicles, and we all chatted enjoyably as we waited to return to our beloved blue bus and our kind bus driver Jon to take us to lunch.

Day 1 Part 3 - Clase de Salsa

Written by Ethan

To cap off the day after comuna 13, we ate dinner and then went to “un clase de baile salsa” (a salsa dance class) to learn how to move our already stiff legs in a way that was enjoyable for everyone. We met our professional salsa coach, Diego, who happened to also be one of our guides around Colombia (crazy how that works). First he described salsa as a movement of the body, not the mind (profound, right?) and then said that it was also an exchange of energia masculino (more or less self explanatory) and energia feminina. To which silly Blake responded by showing off his ‘masculine energy’. Diego then started playing his salsa music and organized us into lines and then we were on our grand adventure of cultural body shaking. Diego and Natalia (our Walking Tree guide) went after, showing off their prowess in the Salsa as native Colombians, followed by a close second in Jesse (our second Walking Tree guide) with his suave body shaking. Us awkward adolescents followed along in a far more rigid manner.

After what seemed like an embarrassing eternity, the song came to a close after 4 minutes or so. Somewhat relieved, we all gave an applausa fuerte, but then came the much dreaded word, “parejas” (pairs) and we all looked around with a frenzied look of panic as we briskly walked to our friends to avoid the inevitable awkwardness of dancing with someone you didn’t know. After the first dance, Sra. Foster and Evonuk told us to switch it up. After several dances and pareja switches, people were getting into the swing of things and starting to let loose and relax a bit. It was a good time, then Diego gave us another friendly lesson about letting the body separate from the mind as we dance, and proceeded to teach us bachata with a quick intermission to listen to an installment of the Nut Cracker. Shortly afterwards we started a dance circle where Praveer absolutely went wonky bonkers on the dance floor, showing off his groundbreaking moves, shortly followed by a just as enthusiastic and entertaining performance by Dylan Langford. A few highlights of the night were Diego showing off his skills as he asked everyone to individually dance with him, Profe karaokeing, Ben moaning a little too loud, and of course Blake Catlin and yours truly, shooting back and forth. By this point we were all sleepy and sweaty and slightly sore, so we all decided to finish our lesson to get a good nights rest for the long days of fun coming up. And this concluded our first full day of Colombian adventure.

Day 1 Part 2 - Comuna 13

Written by Kyla

We took the bus to the base of a colorful neighborhood called Comuna 13, where we met our tour guide. We hiked through the steeply sloped streets, and he talked to us about the murals on the walls. Throughout the neighborhood, there were brightly spray-painted designs: lots of animals, flowers, phrases in Spanish, and people. We saw a man on a ladder touching up on a hip-hop inspired mural using various cans of paint, and our guide told us about the strong influence of rap music and culture in the area. Another piece of art read “Todos somos migrantes (we are all immigrants) and spoke to how many of the locals had in fact migrated and shared a similar history. Yet another depicted a woman in three segments—her outer skin, her muscles, and her bones—conveying the message that beneath our skin, we are all the same.

As we climbed higher through Comuna 13 and the road steepened, we hit our first set of escalators. They carried us all the way up to the top of the hill, where we ran into a breakdance group that had just begun performing in the middle of a small plaza. They were incredible, alternating pre-planned group numbers with improvised solo acts. At the end, a few of us tipped them, and then we continued to summit the hill. The view down over the neighborhood was amazing, and very colorful. After some time spent at the top, we headed back down, taking a break at the place where the escalators ended to order coffees at a local coffee shop. As we drank, we watched cars struggle to get to the top of the steep incline—some of them couldn’t do it and had to go back down. Finally, we finished our coffee and our descent and got back on the bus.

Day 1 Part 1 - Exploring Medellin

Written by Nate

The day started out with a wake-up call for 7:15am. A few lucky people had gotten 2-3 hours of sleep on the plane and the rest of us none so we were wiped. However, we went to sleep early and slept for 10-11 hours and felt rejuvenated. Jumping right into the Spanish, the camarero describes our breakfast: a cup of café tinto (black coffee), tropical fruit juice, guajado, a cheese that has been served several times already, fresh fruit (papaya, cantaloupe), arepa, a flat bread made of corn, and eggs with ham or eggs with onions for vegetarians: filling and delicious! We the left on a bus for the center of Medellín, which is the result of what our tour guide, Nicolás, described as “a major restoration and improvement.” The town square was bustling with vendors shouting “a la orden—“ at your service. They sold sombreros, cigarillos, papaya, green mango, mamoncillo (a fruit with a green shell and soft inside), and knockoff luxury sunglasses and shoes. Although we viewed a lot of prosperity and wealth, there was definitely poverty and hardship, which made us realize how thankful we are to have food, homes, and the opportunity to travel the world.

The first stop in the plaza was at the Fernando Botero sculptures in front of a checkered government building. Botero’s specialty is of a natural and non idealized portrayal of heavier people. We walked around the town for about an hour admiring the architecture and people watching and eventually found ourselves in a famous coffee shop. The coffee was excelente and in the evenings the shop turns into a tango dance floor. Returning to the main square, we visited an art museum with art from artists such as Fernando Botero, Pablo Picasso, and Wifredo Lam. A large portion of the art showcased conflicts from the past, but reminded us that the future is bright for Colombia.

Worn out from touring the town square, we dined at a restaurant serving the traditional dish of the region: bandeja paisa. The meal consisted off plantains, pork intestines filled with rice (surprisingly good), rice, chicharrones (kind of like bacon), bean soup, and a falafel-like mash. The vegetarians also enjoyed their food of potatoes, seared veggies, and rice. For dessert we had the option of either flan or sweet fig, cheese, and caramel. The food is spectacular! We are having a great time and can’t wait to see more of this beautiful country.

Bienvenidos a Colombia

Written by Praveer

We arrived at San Pedro de Fuerte hotel on June 19th. The long drive to the hotel was beautiful and interesting. At the beginning, the roads were red, and there were many trees and green areas. The variation in elevation was amazing, with green mountains and valleys. Very quickly, it was realized that the traffic in Medellín was very different from the US. There were more motorcycles and drivers. In about an hour, we arrived at our hotel. The hotel was nice, but a large number of people wanted to leave to go to the park, so they could see the soccer game. There were many people there, a large screen, and it was filled with dogs and sellers watching the game. The game was Colombia vs Qatar. A few times we got excited because we thought that Colombia was going to score, but they didn’t for a while. Then, 30 minutes into the game, they scored when a player did an amazing header and outsmarted the goalie. Everyone was screaming and waving their Colombian flags. On the way there and back, we saw some cool birds. That was fun.