“Don’t Buy anything before you come!”-my mother

Word of the day:

Carrefour- A French conglomerate that has successfully set up shop in Colombia.

Once upon a time you had to bring everything when you came on a trip to Colombia. Shampoo, check, bug spray, check, sunscreen, check! You came knowing that if you forgot certain “necessities” you would have to buy a twice as expensive less refined version if you could find them. Add to that the spices, perfumes, toys and watches that you would bring as gifts. Suitcases would be filled to the brim, with every sales item that you had collected all year round. I packed my bags in this same fashion in January. Instead of being praised my father upon my arrival was upset. “Why did you bring all these things?” he said half mockingly. “Um..excuse me?” I replied confused.

A little trip to Carrefour explained why my Costco buys of tea, sunscreen, and vitamins were unnecessary. In this free-trade world you can now buy all those products, and nationally made products that are just as good if not better than imported ones.

The biggest shocker was the selection of tea. Teas from China, Japan, India, fruit tea from Germany, English style, Asian style, all laid out one next to another. Not in a specialty store in the ritzy part of town. In an ordinary Carrefour in a middle class part of town. This much tea in a coffee nation. Tea in a nation that treats it as if it were medicine, and non-coffee drinkers as freaks. Tea in the same aisle as coffee, and sugar, an everyday item.

Colombian consumption habits have changed. Right along with the quality of its´ home made products. On Colombian jeans alone I could write an ode, the fit, the comfort, the look. Did I mention that my hips and ass actually fit in Colombian jeans without problem? Americanino I love you! With your sexy Italian design and your made in Colombia label. You make Gap “Curvy” jeans look like they are made for fourteen year old girl who just started menstruating. Not for this real woman with curves. Add to it great shoes, shirts, underwear, and I could have had a wardrobe at half the price of Ross or Marshall without the defects. I rarely say this but I should have listened to my mother.