bogota: observations

(I will be continually adding to this list)

• Soooo many people here have adult braces. I'm talking 20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40 year olds. Angie (my volunteer coordinator) says it's because people here really care about their teeth. It was hard to get used to, but after awhile it just looks normal.
• Beauuutiful dogs everywhere. Little dogs, shaggy dogs, galloping dogs, slobbering ones, Australian Shephards, Yorkies in pink sweaters, sad dogs, happy dogs, lazy dogs. I see men on bicycles with six leashes, simultaneously riding their bikes and walking their six dogs. Although a lot of the time, dogs don't need leashes here; they all just stay near their owners. 
• People greet each other and say goodbye with a kiss on the cheek. They also say Ciao (although they spell it like Chau). I love both of these things; they seem quite graceful and sophisticated to me.
• I don't think I've ever seen a Colombian girl out and about looking like crap. No T-shirts, ever. Hair and makeup always done, always wearing stylish outfits. Even on a college campus. 
• On that note, nails always always always done. One time Miguel, the guy who I briefly dated, picked up my hand and looked at my nails (which looked like crap) and then dropped it without saying anything. Am I really living in a world where guys pay attention to your nails?!?
• It's extremely normal to walk with your backpack on the front of your body, at least on and around the Transmilenio. It's to prevent theft, which is a huge problem here, but still..I have never seen anyone in the US doing that. 
• It is also acceptable to RUN if you are late. I'm not talking about the speed walking, occasionally breaking into a jog and then embarrassedly falling back into a walk type of run I see in the States. I'm saying dudes in business suits and women in heels flat out RUNNING.
• Time here is not punctual. This applies to both micro and macro things. Micro meaning, if someone says to meet at 1, they most likely mean 1:15. Macro meaning, we're getting new wifi in the volunteer apartment that was supposed to be finalized a week ago.
• There are noooo PDA taboos here. You see couples making out on park benches or in the middle of the mall or in the coffee shop or whatever, and no one even bats an eye.
• You don't tip. It's almost always included in the price. I like this because it psychologically feels better when paying at the end of a meal or in a cab.
• People are shorter here.

OCT. 17