...and so it begins

The morning came as fast as I knew it would. We departed DCA to Orlando (not Miami, my bad) where we were able to catch Sinbad during our layover. He is aging and apparently sweats a lot because he carries his own personal hand towel, but he's as energetic as ever and I'm pretty confident he just as hilarious. 

After one of those bumpy rides where all you can do is hold on, we finally arrived to Bogota.

And so it began...

Seth's dad's network reaches all the way out here to Colombia so we were able to connect with deaf people; which led us to Sandra (a deaf, rebellious, beautiful, outgoing, fun, 26-year-old), who picked us up and showed us the way

During our time in Bogota, we visited the:

Instituto Nacional Para Sordos (National Institution for the Deaf) - an institute funded by the Government that focuses on Colombian Sign Language (LSC) development, linguistic analysis, publications, and training. In the early years, the institute also taught deaf children but is now a center for research and resources. 

Federacion Nacional de Sordos de Colombia (FENASCOL) (Colombia National Federation of the Deaf) - an association similar to NAD that focuses on deaf education, equal rights/access, advocacy, and working with parents of deaf children. 

Centro de Relevo (Relay Center) - a video relay service center with an average of 5 interpreters that make an average of 300 calls per day. It's the only VRS center in Colombia but I was surprised and relieved to know that they have one. 

Instituto Sordos de Sabiduria (Sabiduria Deaf Institute) - the first school for the deaf in Colombia founded in 1924. It was originally established to promote oralism but with the strong-minded deaf people here, it has evolved to an all inclusive deaf school where LSC is the primary language. I was thrilled to visit and meet the students. I wanted more time to interact, teach, and learn from them but it wasn't time. I know soon enough in another country I will settle and contribute to the deaf youth.

Thanks to Sandra we have been very much involved in the Deaf community all week, meeting a lot her own friends as well. I can say we are almost fluent in LSC, well, Bogota's LCS because apparently each city has it's own signs. I didn't think we would have to learn a new language until we got to Ecuador, but sure, learning different languages is one of the best things about traveling. Speaking of languages, I am also remembering my Spanish and picking up a lot more of it too. 

Friday night we joined everyone at the Sociedad de Sordos de Bogota (Bogota Deaf Society) which is a deaf club for all ages, something we once valued. At the deaf club I was able to see how similar deaf people are here with deaf people in the States (and most of the world). It was full of deaf people and hearing LSC students striving to learn the language. They had door prizes, lots of laughter and positive energy, plenty of dirty jokes and a serious case of DST too. The way they use their "deaf card," converse, share ideas, tease one another, perceive/present themselves as deaf people, and experience oppression from hearing family members or the mainstream society is almost exactly the same as we do. 

Saturday we returned to the Sociedad for a long night of Bingo, and I won! I won a Sony DVD player, but I don't want it nor do I need it so I gave it to Sandra to thank her for all her help. 

There hasn't been much of a culture shift yet because we have been in the community all day every day since we've arrived and all it feels like is home. Like the blunt deaf man at the club said, "they're from North America, I'm from South America, we're all the same." And in a lot more ways than I once thought, we actually are -- after all, we're all Americans (this is a bit different than my experience in Europe, Scandinavia, Kenya, and Southeast Asia). Not only that, we are in Bogota, the biggest city in Colombia, and when you're in a big city, you experience the similar big city life.  

Two things I've consumed here that I don't back home is coffee and meat. Colombian coffee is worth drinking but I'd rather not. I feel better about declining it after breakfast this morning with another host, Geovani, he said coffee is like cigarettes, an addiction that isn't necessary -- something I'd say. As for the meat, it was a culture dish and one was a home cooked meal that I couldn't decline; I admit it was quite tasty. All the food here is delicious -- beans, rice, sweet potatoes, pastries, all of it, especially the soup. 

Tonight we are going up North to Medellin, a beautiful place that everyone here has been telling us about. There is a festival there and more deaf people we will connect with. After that we'll head up even further to Cartagena and around.  We're supposed to experience the Colombian culture even more as we leave the city and that is what I am looking forward to. 

I would like to thank Sandra for having an open heart and guiding us this far. Also Geovani and his mother for allowing us into their home and providing care. And to all the deaf people we have met who have made our experience real. 

It's going to be hard leaving Bogota. We have made so many friends and the energy has been amazing, it's almost as if we're family now. We'll be sure to get in touch with them all again before we head down to Ecuador. Sometimes I feel like I could just stay here in Bogota and forget the rest of the continent because it's not about how many places you visit, but how much you experience in each place. However, I want to see and feel it all, so in this case, the road will always win.

Candaleria, Bogota

The older part of Bogota where some culture still exist in Bogota

(thank you to those who commented, much appreciated. will get back to you when there is more time.)