I have the gift of vacations. Unlike many people I know, I am very good at doing nothing for long extended periods of time. Ever since I graduated from high school and realized that real life involved working forever, early retirement has become my goal. And what a fabulous vacation I had! Here are some
Tag: hope
Throughout the Americas, Christmas is celebrated with lights. In Bogota, we light candles in the street and decorate the parks with florescent strings in semi-unrecognizable shapes. In northern Mexico, elaborate life size nativities and candy canes shine in the night. In Canada, we hang our trees with lights and drape garlands over our windows, shining
Español Ever since I decided to stay in Colombia for three more years, my life here has felt different and has taken on a permeance that I was not expecting, even as my visa remains in question. I made the choice to live here with eyes wide open to the reality of this place, in
“Hope is the thing with feathers,” wrote Emily Dickenson. I would like to take that one step further: hope is the thing with feathers and that thing is a chicken. Chickens are omnipresent on the Caribbean coast. People who don’t have a lot of anything at least have a chicken or two; to have chickens
On December 8, we light candles to welcome and guide Maria on her journey to Bethlehem, and with the welcoming of Maria, we light the way for all that her journey means, at least for me. It means the start of the Christmas season here in Colombia. It means that no matter where you live
We walked the 73 kilometres to from Mampuján to Cartagena in December of 2011 together to demand the rights of compensation for forced displacement. Then, on August 27 and 28 of 2012, I watched my friends and community members walk forward to receive their cheques of individual reparations. It was a wonderful, indescribable moment to
“The most difficult and the most encouraging part of working with MCC and our partners here in Colombia is that we are always trying to do the impossible.” This statement made by one of MCC’s workers here in Bogota, is one of many that reflects the complexities, challenges and opportunities that underlie everything that happens
I love the juxtaposition of these two videos. From 7 billion to 1.
So often, I am told to believe in something, whether it is the power of a certain brand or the image of reality portrayed by my favourite movie, politician, religious leader or news station. Life seems to become a struggle of belief, of trying to force myself to have faith in something, and feeling guilty
Anna L. Vogt 