End of the Exams.

The exams have finished, I have passed all my kids, the two who were close to failing (Or would have without my intervention) came to me today and thanked me profusely for allowing them continue. One in particular if he had failed it seems would have had to move schools. Colombian education can be quite cut throat at times.

Aside from 7 solid hours marking !!! my day was pretty non eventful.

Julio is one of the Science teachers and a really nice guy it was his birthday today and Carlos his boss had invited myself and a few others to the local tienda (read street pub)to celebrate over a beer, this is Bogota as the locals see it, open pubs with the owner delivering beers (and anything else you ask him for) on demand.

Loud South American music blasts out of the speakers and people chill, chat and dance Salsa in between the tables. The world passes as you sit, shoe cleaners ply their service, A sombrero salesman wanders amongst the tables one hand holding 20 or so hats stacked tall, mostly cowboy style, A watch seller tries his best to illicit some interest as the Rose Seller makes a sale at a near by table and amongst all this hustle and bustle is the pretty young woman in the not so new clothes with a baby in her arms and another holding onto her coat tail trying to make a few pesos by selling sweets. Colombia is a writhing mass of humanity in even the smallest area and even though in the time I was there with my friends and colleagues I still felt like an outsider. They live with this day in day out and in some ways don't even see it anymore, yet I seem to see every moment slowed down, showing the tired eyes and grimy hands of the shoe cleaner, the torn jacket of the rose seller and the shoes of the little girl holding onto her mothers coat, scuffed and worn but probably one of her prized possessions
We take so much for granted in UK because the "poor" hide themselves away, here they don't hide yet they remain for the most part unseen except by those who are not innoculated against them. even the poorest person in UK would be well off here by comparison, as I walked home I saw a family begging on the streets people passed them like they didn't exist, the father carrying one child the mother carrying the familys belongings in a sheet while a younger one ran to keep up with a bedraggled poncho style covering on... I was going home to a warm flat where they would be tonight is anyones guess.

Bogota has provided me with a lot of joy and happiness while I have been here but at the same time it also has a way of reminding you about the void between those who have and those who haven't.

I had written a bit about the Hotel I was booking when I realized it didn't really fit in with the theme through tonights post and seemed a little crass. I will keep it for tomorrow.

Manyana mi amigos