Just as I was beginning to feel a twinge of anxiety regarding the data gathering process which after all is the principle reason for my presence here, a number of significant and very positive events occur in quick succession. First thing Monday morning, Joni attempted to contact Jairo Anzola one of the local education managers or Jefes de Nucleo in Comuna (area) 13 and someone he had had close contact with during his own research period. However, despite numerous attempts Jairo wasnt answering his mobile phone. Fortunately Joni has established many contacts in his time here, including the aunt of his girlfriend Letycia, who just happens to be a Jefe de Nucleo herself. Whilst I went to the local shopping centre to buy yet another mobile phone, auntie used her influence to contact Jairo and make an appointment for us at 9.00 the following morning. I returned to the apartment to be met by the good news and Rodrigo who had offered to take me to the local council offices in order to acquire the most recent set of social/contextual data available. Having worked there for 2 years himself, Rodrigo has numerous contacts and it wasnt long before we were talking to Daniel regarding my specific needs. On this occasion, my investigation into school climate requires that I identify institutions of similar size for relative comparison. Colombian law requires that schools register with the authorities hence, the council database represents a very authentic profile of private and public schooling and student numbers. Daniel dutifully downloaded the information to a memory stick but we werent finished there. Rodrigo ushered me from floor to floor as we acquired more literature regarding the social and economic portrait of Cali. There is a lot of valuable information here but its going to take a little time to trawl through it all and cherrypick the aspects most relevant to my studies.
After a morning of positive progress, I was on a high and offered to take Rodrigo to lunch. We were close to the most cosmopolitan area of city, Granada and for a short time we simply wandered around talking about the significance of the information we had acquired. Realising our precise location, Rodrigo had a further brainwave and took me to the nearby offices of FES, a national foundation investing in a range of social projects that focus specifically on the needs of the poor and excluded. We spoke with a director Hector and briefly with the senior manager Marco Antonio, both of whom were extremely welcoming and positive. My specific area of interest is educational philanthropy; how foundations are able to assist the poor and the scope and processes associated with their work. Once again the impromptu meeting was highly beneficial as it realigned a few of my misconceptions, most notably the fact that foundations undertake specific investigations and investments on a general level rather than donate directly to specific schools or families. This change in perception effects the direction and scope of the investigation as it leans more towards the work of the foundations and away from the specific efforts of the schools. The research instrument will require amendment to match this change in understanding. In conclusion, Hector and I agreed to discuss the subject further once we could arrange a suitable time.
Rodrigo and I caught the bus back home in rush hour. It was one of those typically ancient, rusting affairs you see throughout the developing world. The experience is further intensified by a road weary driver who invariably believes that the pedals have just a couple of settings, fully on or fully off. Consequently, the bus fills rapidly with exhaust fumes as he puts his foot to or even through the floor. You may reach cruising speed and youll certainly be naucious, at which point the passengers are dumped in an unedifying heap as our man brakes hard to avoid the latest hazard. For all that, its still one of those -must do- experiences.
I had planned on moving into my new apartment this evening but Im tired, I havent eaten or packed and Im due to be there in 10 minutes. I decide against it and give Lucia a call, I suggest we put the move back 24 hours and she has no problem with that. Given the extra time, I buy myself and Rodigo a couple of beers at a local bar as reward for a job well done.
Before I sign off for the night I just want to mention one further Cali phenomenon that has recently come to my attention; cosmetic surgery. Im told and the evidence on the street is comprehensive, that operations are extremely cheap here and that many women have a plastic accessory or two. However you cant always guess whats been done and dear reader, youre gonna have a problem getting your head around this one. A couple days ago, I happen to comment, politely of course about the somewhat disproportionate size and yet erect form of a certain womans bum and to my endless amusement, Joni indicated that it was probably fake. Imagine that, a petit Colombian woman telling her friends that her bum is far too small and deciding to have a couple of plastic inserts a la Jeni Lopez. Not a phenomena thats gonna reach the UK anytime soon Ill wager.