On Not Comparing

The day after we arrived in Colombia, we stayed in a town called Villa de Leyva. During breakfast at our hotel we met a couple, he from Berlin, she Colombian. I explained that we had flown here from Mexico, where we live part of the year. “The landscape of Colombia and Mexico are not so different,” the German guy said in Spanish, “but the people in Colombia are so much nicer.”

I chose not to argue with him. My reaction was too complicated to try to explain to a stranger, but his comment annoyed me and I took an instant dislike to him.

I am trying very hard not to compare Colombia and Mexico. It would be easy to, and some would say it’s the natural human twendency. (Buddhists say it’s the “mind” that compares; others would say it’s the “left brain.”) Wherever it emanates, I’m trying not to. I feel sad about Mexico's difficult state, and I feel sadder when I see how progressive Colombia appears, at a superficial glance, and I don't want to find Mexico lacking.

I do ask Colombians how they got from where they were not that long ago to where they are now, wondering what Mexico can learn from Colombia. Mainly, they say, a strong government/military took control. It is not much to go on.

“Is there corruption?” I asked Hanne. ”Everywhere,” she said. “It’s one of the hardest things to overcome.”

From what little we’ve gleaned, Colombia has one of the strongest economies in South America, lots of work opportunities, the guerrillas mostly if not completely under control, increased tourism, and much less danger. An Irish guy we met told us that up to four years ago, the Irish couldn’t travel to Colombia becaused the IRA had trained the FARC.