The author reflects on their journey to Colombia during the pandemic, purchasing an apartment and pursuing residency in a country that oddly feels like home. They embark on a motorcycle ride to La Guajira despite warnings about safety as a woman. Along the way, they encounter local kite-surfers and enjoy the beauty of the landscape while grappling with their ties to American politics, particularly the implications of the Trump administration's actions towards Colombians. The experience highlights themes of safety, cultural immersion, and the impact of geopolitics on personal choices.
I decided to ride a small motorcycle east along the Caribbean coast to La Guajira, a desert on the border of Venezuela. I was scared to do it - people kept telling me I shouldn't ride alone as a woman there: Robberies were frequent on the road past Riohacha.
In Mayapo, I met a group of kite-surfers, a mix of Wayuu Indigenous people, Venezuelans, and French. They could really put on a show, launching themselves three or four stories above the waves.
...it feels like visiting America's distant future, a beautiful country torn apart by a century of failed politics. In Colombia now is the peace after our coming civil war.
The afternoon I got a text from one of the French women asking why I hadn't said good-bye...only half-joking, if I was CIA.
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