Calle 5, South end- Bogota

John Phillipe- so willing to teach and so eager to learn. I felt something new today when I realized how much fun a young child could have just listening to me speak-- perdone, "try" to speak his language. He threw his head back as he belted out with laughter asking me to say it again. 


"BAY-ent-ay..." I repeated myself. 


" No no no- Ve-ENT-ay!" he shouted with laughter and warm eyes. Then he asked me in Spanish to continue to count, nodding his head in approval after each number. 


I travelled to the south of Bogota for the first time today not knowing what to expect. Dangerous, ugly, poor... I will admit as curious as I was, I hadn't heard anything nice about the south and was a bit nervous. The trip there was a long ride on the "TransMilenio"- the "sexy" public transportation created by Enrique Penalosa, a recent mayer known for creating vehicle-free zones and founding the Sunday Ciclovia (very cool) in aims at increasing physical activity and outdoor activities. 


I can't explain what it is like to witness the contrast of the city. The wealthy north end (and I mean wealthy- luxurious, city lights, fancy restaurants, waterfalls and the like) and the South.


Calle 5, South: crumbles, shacks, garbage, dogs everywhere... and children. 


Beautiful. Bright-minded, intelligent, polite, creative, loving, unexplainably grateful, and... poor. 


"Buenas dias," a little girl pecked each and every cheek as she arrived in the park. Garbage floating everywhere, I broke two branches off a tree and used them as "chopsticks" to pick up the rubbish that polluted their playground. Young John Phillipe offered his tiny hand and held one stick while I held the other and together we carried a dirty diaper (repulsive, I know) towards the garbage bag. 


Later, we played. We spoke. We learned.

                             Jose, John Phillipe, Me.

                              Beauty at its finest.

                               Getting dizzy.

                                Las ninas colouring.

        I was asked by the photographer to flash a pose

                          The Photographer- David. 

I learned something today. I learned a lot actually. Most graciously, I got a glimpse of inequality. You hear about it, you see it on TV, you think about it. But to let it shoot you in the heart as you grab it by the hand and spin it in circles to hear laughter is a whole different story. Her laughter only lasts until you get dizzy and tired, and then you say good-bye.