As A Little Girl Growing Up In Colombia 🆕
The day often starts early, with the smell of arepas (corn cakes) or calentado (leftover rice and beans with eggs) for breakfast. Lunch ( el almuerzo ) is the main meal, typically eaten at home with family around midday. A common plate includes beans, rice, plantains, meat or chicken, and soup. Afternoon onces (a light snack, similar to tea time) is a social ritual, often with hot chocolate and bread or cheese.
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: A fundamental pillar, particularly towards elders. Children are taught formal manners ( buenos modales ) early on, including using polite forms of address.
I was never just a girl. I was a keeper of stories. I was a dancer in a war zone. I was a thread in a tapestry woven from gold, blood, and coffee. as a little girl growing up in colombia
Music is not something saved for special occasions; it is the oxygen of daily life. Long before you learn to read or write, your feet learn the syncopated steps of cumbia, the joyful bounce of vallenato, and the infectious energy of salsa. You watch your mother, aunts, and grandmothers move effortlessly around the kitchen, hips swaying to the radio while mashing plantains or stirring a massive pot of sancocho. Through these rhythms, you inherit a physical language of joy, resilience, and expression. A Matrix of Matriarchs
To grow up as a girl in Colombia is to be raised with a fierce sense of belonging. It is a childhood of "puebliando" (traveling through small towns), eating exotic fruits like guanábana
: Observers note that 11- and 12-year-old girls today often display a high level of confidence and exuberance regarding their future opportunities. The day often starts early, with the smell
Family was also at the center of my childhood. Sundays were always reserved for family gatherings, where we would feast on food, play games, and catch up on each other's lives. These gatherings were always filled with laughter and love, and I cherish the memories of those special times.
And to those who are growing up in Colombia today, I say: cherish your childhood and the experiences that shape you. You are part of a vibrant and resilient culture that has so much to offer the world. ¡Viva Colombia!
Sundays were for the mountains—long drives through winding roads where the air turned crisp and the green of the hills felt deep enough to drown in. We’d stop for hot chocolate with melted cheese, a salty-sweet ritual that felt like home in a cup. There was a magic in the chaos: the neighbors shouting greetings across balconies, the sudden tropical downpours that turned the streets into rivers, and the fierce, unwavering pride of a people who find a reason to celebrate in every single day. Afternoon onces (a light snack, similar to tea
Living in the birthplace of Gabriel García Márquez, you quickly realize that "magical realism" is not a literary genre—it is a daily reality. As a little girl, you are raised on a diet of Catholic traditions heavily intertwined with folklore, ghost stories, and neighborhood superstitions.
Education is highly valued, but expectations can vary:
As a little girl, your wardrobe is guaranteed to include at least one yellow national soccer jersey. When the Selección Colombia plays, the entire country grinds to a halt. Schools let out early, offices close, and the streets explode into a sea of yellow, blue, and red.
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While childhood in Colombia is filled with warmth and beauty, it also comes with an inherited understanding of resilience. Colombia’s history has been complex and, at times, turbulent. Growing up here means witnessing the incredible strength of the people around you.
