Blogs from Norte de Santander, Colombia, South America

Hey, you...I'm inviting you to embark on an enchanting journey through the pages of "Elina, Dreams of Romance: A Journey of Love through the North," a captivating tale that unfolds in a spiral mode, spanning three generations in the picturesque settings of Pamplona, Cúcuta, and Salazar de las Palmas. Let the magic of this literary adventure transcend time, weaving a tapestry of dreams, hope, and triumph against the backdrop of Colombia. In the heart of Colombia, where the echoes of the 60s and 80s resonate, the story of Elina unfolds—a girl with a spirit as boundless as the Colombian landscapes. Written with the finesse of a passionate storyteller, this novel is a testament to the resilient human spirit and the indomitable power of dreams. Picture a time when technology was on the cusp of transformation, where ... read more

A visit to a school –thanks to a partnership agreement between the Ministry of Education and the British Council– allowed me to delve into the extraordinary story of Gramalote, a town that defied the odds and continues to captivate hearts. Picture this: It was the year 2010, and Gramalote faced a devastating natural disaster that left me speechless. Torrential rains unleashed a powerful mudslide, reducing this once tranquil and serene community to a chilling scene of ruins. But amidst the debris, something magical emerged: a story of resilience and rebirth that touched my soul. Una pasada visita a un colegio –gracias a un contrato de un convenio entre el Ministerio de Educación y el Consejo Británico– me permitió adentrarme en el extraordinario relato de Gramalote, un pueblo que desafió las probabilidades y sigue cautivando corazones. Imagina ... read more

Long time, not writing, my dear friends, well…sorry, but here I am with great passion and zeal, for the first time taking part in the fair and fiestas in Cucuta, a social event with a topical symbolic identity featuring ancient traditions and the like. Indeed, the big event kicked off on July 18th with a setlist of concerts that revitalised the city by adding fun to the holiday and having lots of people dance on the streets. The onset of the festival was followed by four days of festivities, which was a proven way to make sure that Cucuteños know how to have fun, something they did beautifully on this eclectic festival. Llevo tiempo sin escribir, bien…lo siento, pero heme aquí con gran pasión, celebrando por primera vez las ferias y fiestas en Cúcuta, un evento ... read more

Towards a more autochthonous Independence Day I used to see the celebrations for the Day of the Independence mainly as a march of primary and secondary students and their teachers attending an improvised stage show in front of the main church of the village; this will be customarily followed by some readings, some recitation of pledges for how proud we feel of being Colombian and... that was it, to be honest. This year, by contrast, I was able to see a more interesting show which reunited more communities coming together to celebrate our country in the name of folk. Indeed, now, and for the seventh year, the celebration has become something more of a display of talent, which I enjoyed very much; portraying some of our multicultural values while allowing us to still feel very proud ... read more

Como escribir una novela: Los sueños de Elina. How to Write a novel: Elina´s Dreams. En las siguientes líneas, les cuento como surgió la idea de la novela que estoy finalizando, In the following lines, I will tell you how the idea of writing a book, which I am finishing, came up. It had never occurred to me to write a novel; in the past, I had only submitted works concerning the pedagogy of language teaching -on which I won a national writing competition- and the adventures of my travels in this travelblog; but I owe the idea of sitting down and write to a national short story contest, some years ago; this was a proposal I received, as an excellent opportunity to jot down some ideas, in order to write a three-page story. After some ... read more