About a year ago I was looking for an obscure book on Colombian railroads in a Bogota, Colombia, bookstore. When the clerk indicated that they did not have the title, a woman at the counter said, "I may have that at home." After she gave me the book the next day I asked her if I could make a donation to her favorite charity, as no mention of compensation was made. She said, "Give it to some people on the street." I was leaving for home the next day so I had to wait until this year to comply with her wish.
I found myself looking for the neediest street people rather than looking away from them in a city of about 7 million population. I had several 20,000 Colombian Peso bills, about $6.60 US, to give to those that were in need. My method was simple, just walk up with a smile and hand them a 20K peso bill. Sandra, my Colombian wife, was my translator when needed.
#1 was a man on a bicycle collecting cardboard. I speak only a few words in Spanish but it turned out he had lived in London for a while and we had a brief chat in English.
#2 was a very thin black woman eating plain cold rice from a metal lid as she sat on the sidewalk.
#3 was a woman selling very short pencils sitting in a pedestrian underpass. When she smiled at me in thanks I could not help but notice her four missing upper front teeth.
#4 was an old man at a market area. I'm pretty sure it went for his food.
#5 was a man sitting on the floor of a city bus talking to himself. When I gave him the bill a few passengers applauded my gesture.
#6 was a young couple with a baby in a carriage that needed some money to buy Pampers. The wife hugged me and the husband shook my hand.
#7 was a Colombian "indian" (Mayan, Aztec?) woman sitting on a overpass for pedestrians selling small hand made gifts with her three children under six years old.
That was all I had time for on this trip but I will do the same in future years. They all showed appreciation for my small contribution that helped them a little on that day. Most encounters lasted but a minute or so but those faces will be with me for the rest of my life. I think those people were a gift to me. I am sure they all wanted a better life and I realized that a little kindness goes both ways.
To Carolina, the woman in the bookstore, thank you for opening my eyes.About a year ago I was looking for an obscure book on Colombian railroads in a Bogota, Colombia, bookstore. When the clerk indicated that they did not have the title, a woman at the counter said, "I may have that at home." After she gave me the book the next day I asked her if I could make a donation to her favorite charity, as no mention of compensation was made. She said, "Give it to some people on the street." I was leaving for home the next day so I had to wait until this year to comply with her wish.
I found myself looking for the neediest street people rather than looking away from them in a city of about 7 million population. I had several 20,000 Colombian Peso bills, about $6.60 US, to give to those that were in need. My method was simple, just walk up with a smile and hand them a 20K peso bill. Sandra, my Colombian wife, was my translator when needed.
#1 was a man on a bicycle collecting cardboard. I speak only a few words in Spanish but it turned out he had lived in London for a while and we had a brief chat in English.
#2 was a very thin black woman eating plain cold rice from a metal lid as she sat on the sidewalk.
#3 was a woman selling very short pencils sitting in a pedestrian underpass. When she smiled at me in thanks I could not help but notice her four missing upper front teeth.
#4 was an old man at a market area. I'm pretty sure it went for his food.
#5 was a man sitting on the floor of a city bus talking to himself. When I gave him the bill a few passengers applauded my gesture.
#6 was a young couple with a baby in a carriage that needed some money to buy Pampers. The wife hugged me and the husband shook my hand.
#7 was a Colombian "indian" (Mayan, Aztec?) woman sitting on a overpass for pedestrians selling small hand made gifts with her three children under six years old.
That was all I had time for on this trip but I will do the same in future years. They all showed appreciation for my small contribution that helped them a little on that day. Most encounters lasted but a minute or so but those faces will be with me for the rest of my life. I think those people were a gift to me. I am sure they all wanted a better life and I realized that a little kindness goes both ways.
To Carolina, the woman in the bookstore, thank you for opening my eyes.About a year ago I was looking for an obscure book on Colombian railroads in a Bogota, Colombia, bookstore. When the clerk indicated that they did not have the title, a woman at the counter said, "I may have that at home." After she gave me the book the next day I asked her if I could make a donation to her favorite charity, as no mention of compensation was made. She said, "Give it to some people on the street." I was leaving for home the next day so I had to wait until this year to comply with her wish.
I found myself looking for the neediest street people rather than looking away from them in a city of about 7 million population. I had several 20,000 Colombian Peso bills, about $6.60 US, to give to those that were in need. My method was simple, just walk up with a smile and hand them a 20K peso bill. Sandra, my Colombian wife, was my translator when needed.
#1 was a man on a bicycle collecting cardboard. I speak only a few words in Spanish but it turned out he had lived in London for a while and we had a brief chat in English.
#2 was a very thin black woman eating plain cold rice from a metal lid as she sat on the sidewalk.
#3 was a woman selling very short pencils sitting in a pedestrian underpass. When she smiled at me in thanks I could not help but notice her four missing upper front teeth.
#4 was an old man at a market area. I'm pretty sure it went for his food.
#5 was a man sitting on the floor of a city bus talking to himself. When I gave him the bill a few passengers applauded my gesture.
#6 was a young couple with a baby in a carriage that needed some money to buy Pampers. The wife hugged me and the husband shook my hand.
#7 was a Colombian "indian" (Mayan, Aztec?) woman sitting on a overpass for pedestrians selling small hand made gifts with her three children under six years old.
That was all I had time for on this trip but I will do the same in future years. They all showed appreciation for my small contribution that helped them a little on that day. Most encounters lasted but a minute or so but those faces will be with me for the rest of my life. I think those people were a gift to me. I am sure they all wanted a better life and I realized that a little kindness goes both ways.
To Carolina, the woman in the bookstore, thank you for opening my eyes.About a year ago I was looking for an obscure book on Colombian railroads in a Bogota, Colombia, bookstore. When the clerk indicated that they did not have the title, a woman at the counter said, "I may have that at home." After she gave me the book the next day I asked her if I could make a donation to her favorite charity, as no mention of compensation was made. She said, "Give it to some people on the street." I was leaving for home the next day so I had to wait until this year to comply with her wish.
I found myself looking for the neediest street people rather than looking away from them in a city of about 7 million population. I had several 20,000 Colombian Peso bills, about $6.60 US, to give to those that were in need. My method was simple, just walk up with a smile and hand them a 20K peso bill. Sandra, my Colombian wife, was my translator when needed.
#1 was a man on a bicycle collecting cardboard. I speak only a few words in Spanish but it turned out he had lived in London for a while and we had a brief chat in English.
#2 was a very thin black woman eating plain cold rice from a metal lid as she sat on the sidewalk.
#3 was a woman selling very short pencils sitting in a pedestrian underpass. When she smiled at me in thanks I could not help but notice her four missing upper front teeth.
#4 was an old man at a market area. I'm pretty sure it went for his food.
#5 was a man sitting on the floor of a city bus talking to himself. When I gave him the bill a few passengers applauded my gesture.
#6 was a young couple with a baby in a carriage that needed some money to buy Pampers. The wife hugged me and the husband shook my hand.
#7 was a Colombian "indian" (Mayan, Aztec?) woman sitting on a overpass for pedestrians selling small hand made gifts with her three children under six years old.
That was all I had time for on this trip but I will do the same in future years. They all showed appreciation for my small contribution that helped them a little on that day. Most encounters lasted but a minute or so but those faces will be with me for the rest of my life. I think those people were a gift to me. I am sure they all wanted a better life and I realized that a little kindness goes both ways.
To Carolina, the woman in the bookstore, thank you for opening my eyes.
Colombia
Living in Colombia Guide
Colombia Forum
Contribute
Best Places to Live in Colombia
Healthcare in Colombia
Moving to Colombia Guide
Pros & Cons of Living in Colombia
10 Tips for Living in Colombia