Perhaps the most defining aspect of growing up as a girl in Colombia is the influence of the women. Colombian society is deeply rooted in the strength of its matriarchs.
Every childhood memory is framed by this intense geography. You grow up knowing that a short drive can take you from chilly paramo highlands to tropical heat, fostering a deep, subconscious appreciation for variety and natural beauty. Traditions, Superstitions, and Magical Realism as a little girl growing up in colombia
In Colombia, life centers around the home, and the home is ruled by women. Growing up, my world was governed by the loving, strict, and omnipresent guidance of my mother, grandmothers, and aunts. The Colombian household is a masterclass in community. Kitchens are not just places to prepare food; they are sacred spaces where intergenerational wisdom is passed down. Perhaps the most defining aspect of growing up
Childhood in Colombia is rarely a solitary experience. Homes are vibrant, multi-generational sanctuaries filled with the constant chatter of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. From a young age, a little girl learns that family is the ultimate anchor. You grow up knowing that a short drive
Colombia is a country where reality regularly mimics the literature of Gabriel García Márquez. For a young girl, the geography itself felt enchanted. One weekend might be spent running through the emerald-green hills of the Eje Cafetero (the Coffee Triangle), chasing butterflies that looked exactly like the yellow ones in One Hundred Years of Solitude . The next might find us navigating the cobblestone streets of Cartagena, imagining the pirates and princesses that once walked the same fortresses.
The most powerful force in the Colombian household, however, is the matriarch. your abuela (grandmother) was a healer, a judge, and a historian. She knew which herb ( matica ) cured a stomach ache and which remedio chased away the evil eye ( mal de ojo ).
I did not know that not everyone ate like this. I did not know that the rest of the world did not put cheese in their hot chocolate or eat mango with salt and lime. Food was our flag. No matter how poor we were, the table was always abundant.