Because of many reasons there has been a very large number of Colombian people in the central and southern parts of the country who have lost their homes and forced to move from the places that have been familiar to them for their entire lives. They may have moved because of guerilla activity or government problems or drug trafficking or many other reasons. For these reasons people many have left their country of origin with very few possessions and have tried to find a new home in Ecuador, to the south of Colombia. However, a few of them have also made their way north. Some have even come all the way to Barranquilla.
There are people everywhere in Barranquilla. It is a city of nearly 2 million people. It also really isn't that large of a city. Don't get me wrong, it is huge to this country kid who grew up in a small town of less than 2,000. Barranquilla, Colombia, is about 64 square miles (166 km) in area. To put that in in perspective Winnipeg is 179 square miles (464 km) and Peoria, IL is 46 square miles (120 km). However, Winnipeg has approximately 633,000 and Peoria has about 115,000 people. Anyway, many of these people in Barranquilla have taken up (from an American standpoint) weird jobs to survive.
One job that I have noticed that is very popular in the Barranquilla area is the parking area attendant. Part of what they do it watch your car while you do your shopping or dining. I should be more specific when I say parking area. Most of the city roads in Barranquilla that I have been on are two lane roads, some are more, some are less. When you are in a commercial area the parking for the stores and restaurants is angle parking on the side of the street. It is much different from the States (saying that, different is by no means bad! Just... different). If your car fits, the you can park there. Back to the attendants. They help you park by waving you into your spot, watch your car, and also help you back out onto the street. I never would have realized just important this job really is! Traffic is pretty heavy here in the city, and many of the attendants have little hand held stop signs and they will stop a lane so that you can get back on it and help you out! It is great! They will graciously accept a tip (I think this is the only way they are paid but don't quote me on that), usually of just a couple hundred pesos. The smallest bill is 1,000 pesos so I can't even imagine how heavy their pockets are at the end of the day.
No to the window washers. This is another interesting job. While you are stopped at a stop light, why not get your windows washed? This saves time and energy and really, why not? PS. About half of the traffic lights here have timers on them! Incredible! Have you ever though to yourself, "this is the LONGEST light ever!" Well... here you know exactly how long you are going to be there because it counts down for you right there by the light. But yes, window washers. I would guess that at about every major intersection, and some minor ones as well, there are between one and seven people standing there with a squeegee and a bottle of water with soap. They cut a hole in the lid of the bottle and when they squeeze it it shoots out. It actually goes surprisingly far. Then, while you wait they will wash your windows for you. They actually do a pretty good job. Also, gives a great use to old plastic soda bottles which I greatly appreciate. They will also accept a tip of a couple hundred pesos, or whatever you have.
Now my favorite! I just saw one person doing this tonight for the first time. There was a guy at a stop light with a fire baton! He was throwing it SO high up in the air! Crazy sauce. He could also spin it ridiculously fast. It was so cool! Then, thanks to the timers on the stop light (again, ingenious) when there was about ten seconds left on the clock he went in between cars down the line and accepted some tips. Bien, cool.
I have also seen a tight rope walker and various other little odd and end jobs.
The point of this rant is that I spent a bit of time thinking just now, what would I do if I lost my job and my home? Would I have anything of value or worth to offer society to be able to get by? Would I be able to humble myself enough to wash windows in the street for money to by myself and my family food? Or even to beg?
It also got me thinking about the people that I have encountered every day since I have been here. Everyone that we come into contact with has a story. Maybe they have been displaced because their farm was taken over by a drug trafficker. Maybe the government decided that their house would be the new headquarters for the time. Perhaps because everyone else had to move they had to close down their business because there was no business. Maybe the moved to the city thinking things would be better. Maybe they are. But I was thinking about how important it really is to treat those that we come into contact with with love and respect because lets face it, we don't know their story. We don't know why they are living in the street, or how they got that corporate corner office (I tend to judge these people a little more harshly and it is something that God has brought to my attention lately). The most important thing is to remember that they are people who need to be loved and respected as well. Maybe I don't need my windshield washed. But they certainly need that 500 pesos that I have sitting in my cup holder more than I do.
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