Colombia v Stereotypes

Chimamanda Adichie expresses the story of millions.  She shares how throughout her adult life, she has been bombarded by stereotypes, racism, and close minded assumptions; she even admits to have preempted a culture based on a rash generalization herself.  She tries to send the message that no matter if you are the subject of those stereotypes or the creator, you aren’t providing the world the foundation for a better future.  This is a very interesting sentiment, and one that as a Colombian, I have experienced many times before.

When at Phillips Andover this summer, I was the subject of many comments regarding the stereotypes that have been made of Colombian culture.  At the end of the five weeks I was still meeting new people, and every time I told them where I was from, they would say, “Where did you leave the cocaine?” Or, “nice man! ESCOBAR!”  At first it bothered me, but after a while I realized that they weren’t making fun of my beloved country, they were simply expressing whatever they knew about Colombia.  After having heard Ms. Adichie, I feel that as a citizen of a country that is constantly judged too quickly, I must urge all Colombians to be the best they can be and uphold the true values of our culture.