As seems to be the way in Colombia, myself and Joni were up early once again on Thursday for a meeting of local community leaders discussing the theme of violence in Aguablanca. In view of the significance of violence in relation to community life and education, we thought it would be a good idea to go along, however 7.00am does seem an unholy time to start a meeting. We were picked up by Leonora, the founder and inspiration of a local foundation attempting to keep children engaged when not at school. She has been doing voluntary work in Aguablanca for most of her life and is one of those people that appear to have the energy and enthusiasm of someone half her age. Shes a tiny, gentle person yet strong and engaging, the children clearly love and admire her and I hope that I will be able to help her group myself in the future.
Whilst it was very useful to meet some of the significant personalities is the area, including the chairman Dr Roberto Navarro, teachers, padres, a former gang member and other community leaders, the meeting itself was largely a political discussion of the group constitution and objectives. Unfortunately, little of any real substance was discussed regarding the nature and potential solutions to the problem, though one director of studies did speak very emotionally about the reality and pain of violence as opposed to the dry definitions written in policy documents.
It was the directors eloquent words that were on my mind as we left the school. We shared a ride with Dr Navarro who was heading for America to raise money for a park project that he described to us. We discussed it in the context of the hole in the wall project and he said that he had heard of the work of Sugata and would like to know more. As we said our goodbyes, the reality of Aguablanca and my place in it was beginning to sink in. The generosity of the people thus far has had a profound effect on me afterall to them I may be little more than a relatively spoilt, uninformed, naive, western student who like many others has come here to perform his research, get his qualification and then leave the people behind. Its really important to me that this doesnt happen, that my efforts here are perceived as practical and beneficial and not simply another research paper gathering dust. Change wont happen overnight but you have to show commitment to the cause if the people are to trust you and then who knows, maybe one day you can deliver something of real worth. Today, I leave Aguablanca with an overwhleming sense of humility, mixed with optimism and responsibility. Its a really good feeling too.
We returned to Rodrigos house and spent a good while discussing the content of the meeting and the causes of neighbourhood division. Rodrigo tells me that violent attacks have been on the increase of recent, probably as a consequence of higher unemployment and the global financial crisis. With little hope or opportunity, the gang symbology of solidarity, brotherhood, status and drug money make for a compelling alternative. Aguablanca is largely divided by mistrust along the boundary lines of the neighbourhoods, meaning that children will not go to a school on the other side of the street if it means crossing the boundary. Naturally, its this kind of fear and division that the gang leaders forment and feed on and the significance of education and communication in this context can not be underestimated. However even for those that do well at school, hopes for a better future can remain distant and precarious.
Having obtained the school data from the local council earlier in the week, I found sometime to have a closer look at it and attempt to understand its significance in the context of my studies. On the advise of Jairo, I have limited the scope of the research to Communa 13 and have identified 52 small to medium size private schools and 6 large public schools in the area. Whilst I would have preferred to compare like with like, its not going to be possible and I am going to have to change my sampling strategy a little to fit reality. The picture is further complicated by the number of different levels within the school system, so far I have identified 6: pre-school, primary, secondary, medium, special and adult. Its gonna require some more carful thought.

Tuesday morning and Joni and myself are up early to meet Jairo. Although Monday was good, today promises to be particularly special as this will be my first introduction to Aguablanca itself. Having been shaken by slums in the past, most notably in Bombay, Rawpindi and particularly Medan in Sumatra, I feel a degree of nervous trepidation, exaggerated by the violent reputation that proceeds this area of the city.
What first strikes you about Aguablanca is how clean and organised it appears on the surface, real slums arent supposed to look like this, are they? Whilst the government have designated this area a marginal zone beyond local authority control, the official boundary between this side of Aguablanca and the adjacent suburb of Cali is asthetically almost indistinguishable, little more than a layer of decorative plaster.
Having arrived early, Joni and myself pop into a local shop for a bite to eat and we talk about first impressions. It seems Joni also struggled with the idea that Aguablanca could fit neatly into the common perception of a slum, he even added a UNESCO definition into his thesis as clarification. Unlike the common perception, the houses are not the standard tarpaulin covered wooden shacks but permanent brick structures, there is electricity and drainage and the roads whilst potholed are no worse than the rest of the city. What makes Aguablanca slumlike is inevitably the total absence of security, even the taxi driver had warned us not to venture any deeper into the neighbourhood(Comuna)than our present location.
We met Snr Jairo Anzulo (Jefe del Nucleo for communa 13) at his office in the local public school. He welcomed us warmly, remembering Joni from his own period of research and listened attentively as I described my plans and how they were designed to complement Jonis work. Jairo casts an eye over the questionnaires and asks a couple of questions of his own. He then informs us that there is a meeting this Friday of all the school representatives in his communa and that it would be a good idea to present the research plan to them directly. This is an excellent idea, however it means Im gonna have to stand up in front of 40+ people and describe school climate, in Spanish. We thank Jairo for his time and cooperation, I take a couple of pictures of the school and were back on the street.
The rest of the day is spent reading about Philanthropy, preparing the mini-research questionnaire and the document framework. On Tuesday night I moved house. Whilst Joni and Letycia have been perfect hosts Im not one to outstay my welcome.
Im strangely proud of the fact that I can fit almost all of my worldly possessions into a couple of large suitcases, consequently putting an even smaller proportion into my rucksack takes no time at all. Soon, Im across town at the Torres Plazuelas at junction of Roosevelt and 39th Street. Sounds very NY glam but in actual fact, the space is dominated by a huge Mickey D.
Lucia looked at me aghast as I entered the flat, where on earth are all your clothes she asked. I presumed she was referring to the size of my rucksack, as opposed to some x-ray vision thing. I explained that I preferred to travel light and recounted one long trip into the mountains of Pakistan where I was obliged to wear the same pair of underpants for an unholy period of time. As soon as I’d said it I knew that as ice breakers go, that probably wasnt the best, particularly for a lady as house proud as Lucia (see photo). So rather than dig a deeper hole, I make my excuses and turned in.

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.

Now that Semana Santa is over, schools reopen and the real work can begin. Ive completed my questionnaires having integrated further content regarding parental choices and philanthropy. All that remains is for Rodrigo to cast a critical eye over my Spanish version at which point we will be ready to commence the pilot study. Before we can actually enter Aguablanca though we have to contact the authorities in order to obtain the necessary paperwork and inform the schools of our plans. The next few days will be about phone calls and meeting local officials and explaining, on numerous occasions no doubt, what it is Im trying to achieve.
In the meantime, Rodrigo, his work colleague Juan and myself take a taxi to the south of the city in order to meet my new landlady and cast an eye over my new digs. I say digs in the loosest sense of the word as no grubby student is worthy of this space. Lucia lives on the corner of Roosevelt and 39th street on the 15th and highest floor of the block. Her apartment is modern, spacious and absolutely spotless with eye popping views of downtown Cali and the mountains to the west. Lucia herself is an energetic middle age widow, she works in the national bank and lives alone bar the occasional visits from her daughter, a student in Bogota and her nephew, a traveling engineer. There is a very good rapport between us all and but for the odd, lo siento no entiendo, lost in translation moment, I feel pretty comfortable in my new surroundings. Lucia shows me round her flat and we negotiated a price. I say negotiate, she gave me a price and I agreed. To be honest it is relatively expensive, however for 125 quid a month I get the run of the place for almost the entire working day, I get total peace and quiet for my studies and I can give Joni and Letycia the personal space they clearly need. Everyones a winner, even the insecure cocker spaniel that growls at strangers when they leave the apartment. Having become acquainted over fresh mango chunks and several glasses of cool Argentinian White, I agree to move in the next evening. We say goodbye to Lucia and her nephew before taking a quick stroll around the local neighbourhood. Being Holy Sunday its fairly quiet but we find a panaderia/bakery and order three of the largest hamburgers youll ever see. I wont be eating again for a couple of days.

As previously mentioned, the whole catholic world enters penitence mode this week and Cali is no different. In Seville, Semana Santa or Holy Week is played out on a grand scale and attracts hordes of tourists. Each church has a slot in the weekly timetable at which point they carry their religious icons through the streets, day and night. The processions themselves are also on a collosal scale as 40 costaleros (strong men) are required to carry the icon on a curcuit of the city which passes through the principle cathedral. Each icon is followed by 1000s of penitents in hooded outfits that bear a sinister resemblance to that of the KKK. The catholic symbolism of purity and family is illustrated in the form of the Virgin Mary whilst the pain and sacrifice of life takes the form of the passion of Christ. This is no trivial occasion, it goes to the heart of catholic life and people get very emotional, particular if its raining and the church misses its slot in the schedule. Inclement weather can mean that some churches have to wait years to play an active part in the tradition. I’m not sure that I understand or even care much for the symbolic significance of the event but as a cultural and artistic phenomena its not to be missed. The Cali version is not on the same scale as that of Seville but is no less interesting, particularly as the broad city avenues allow uninterrupted access to the entire event. Somewhat predictably, the local dignitories take pride of place at the front of the procession, the archbishop is followed by his clergy who in turn are followed by the local mayor and his principal administrators. The next group in line Im sorry to say, are the top brass in the Army who in view of Jesus lack of military service, provide an incongruent juxtaposition to the entire event. Representatives of local church communities then pass accompanied by adolescent bands playing upbeat tunes of Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles, very much opposed to the more sombre tones common at these eveents. The entire procession passed off in less than a couple of hours and Im pleased to say that my soul felt sufficiently cleansed to kickstart my sinning almost immediately. For some reason Joni and Letycia had agreed to meet Maria Jose and her friends in a pseudo British Pub, presumably so that I would feel at home. It was a nice gesture but why anyone would travel thousands of miles for a slice of home remains a mystery to me. The principle attraction was a local band doing a typical set of cover versions of British pop bands. Meanwhile, Maria Jose was working her way though the list of cocktails including the oversized Margaret Thatcher, so called presumably because it leaves you with a bitter aftertaste and has dire longterm consequences. Needlesstosay thanks to Thatcher, I wasnt in much of a fit state to do a great deal of work the following day.
Everything closes during Samana Santa so this week has been predominantly about further reading and developing an understanding of Latin American and Colombian education system. In this context, I have made a good start on the assignment: Why poor parents choose private education for their children when a public alternative is available. Anecdotally, my new friends have indicated that the reason is clear, administrators dont send their children to public schools, consequently they dont invest in them. An analysis of the government tax and spending profiles and school test results in the public sector suggest that they have a strong case however, the argument is not quite as clear cut as first appears. As a consequence of consecutive neo-liberal governments, Colombia is in the process of privatisating and decentralising a large portion of the education system. In principal at least, the poorest will have greater access to private sector through a sophisticated system of grants, concessions and vouchers. How this system works, what percentage of the poor acquire access and what are the results, all this remains under investigation.

As you get older, one notices that your resistance to alcohol diminishes at a rather alarming rate. This is particularly significant when you have made a previous arrangement to meet new friends and explore the local countryside. And so it was that after a night of salsa dancing, Im up again after little more than 3 hours sleep to meet Rodrigo, his sister, Mona and her husband Fernando for a ride to Pance (pronounced pansay), a village in the hills surrounding Cali. After a short but very claustrophobic journey on one of the local micro-buses, we arrive in Pance to be surrounded by towering green hills separated by a fast running fresh water river. The jungle starts here but we could have been thousands of miles from civilisation, in fact Fernando pointed out that it was only a matter of a few hills before you reach the villages of some of the tribes that retain their ancient and so called primitive existence. We had a paddle in the river before trying some of the local delicacies including a milk based drink known as Kumis. It had the texture of yogurt and tabs of sugar and cinnamon are added to remove some of its natural bitterness. As hangover cures go it was certainly better than paracetamol. Other than the natural splendor the most prominent feature of Pance was unfortunately, the number of the military personnel. Fernando told me that control of the village by the government has only been secured in the last few years and whilst I didnt feel threatened by their presence, it was yet another indication of the how violence or at least its associated symbols have a ubiquitous presence. On the other hand, the local people forever rise above such negativity, even my polite refusal of dinner with the family was met with consternation. However, by the time we returned to the apartments I was desparate for some shut-eye.

It seems that I have made a slight miscalulation in my research planning. Whilst I was very much hoping that this week I would have my first opportunity to enter Aguablanca and contact some of the schools, I had overlooked the fact that this week is also Semana Santa or Holy Week across the entire Catholic world. The significance of this event is that all of the schools in the area are closed until Monday week while the adults do their penitence by carrying or following church icons around the city. As a secular liberal, this is more of an inconvenience than a planning disaster as there is plenty to be getting on with in the meantime not least the preparation of the mini research and assignment papers. Whilst it will be interesting to compare the processions with those of Seville, this week will in all likelihood be dominanted by more reading with the intention of starting the documents in terms of a framework and the introductory statements.

Im reading an excellent book that Joni has recommended detailing the specifics surrounding poverty and inequality in Colombia; Las Piezas del Rompecabezas (The Pieces of the Jigsaw). Its written by a pair of Spanish economists and relates specifically to the principle issues surrounding the Colombian education system. I have read a number of chapters and theres no doubt that it will provide a valuable source of contextual and statistical information.
On Friday afternoon, myself, Joni and Rodrigo went to a local private university (La Autonoma de Occidente) in order that Joni could present the results of his dissertation to a group of local academics. Once again, it is worth noting the high quality and modernity of these private institutions, though how much resource is set aside for the poor remains to be seen. Whilst it was largely a repetition of his Newcastle presentation, it is to his enormous credit that Joni did the whole thing in Spanish, which given the context was very intimidating. I say this having had to respond in Spanish to a few questions regarding my own presence in Cali and the extent of my own research. Ultimately, the whole event passed off extremely well, the group was friendly, positive and very interested in the scope of the research and the results. Locals contacts such as these will be invaluable for promoting our work in Colombia in the future.
One such contact is Teresita, a PhD student researching educational exclusion who spent 3 years studying in Belfast. After the presentations, we spoke about our backgrounds, particular areas of interest and the possibility of working together in the future. I left the university with a very real sense of purpose and optimism as I think todays events represented a whole new world of opportunity.
Having taken a siesta to recharge the batteries after a very demanding few hours myself, Joni and Letitia met up with Maria Jose and a few friends for an evening at a Salsa bar. Whilst I have forgotten almost all the moves I learned in Spain, it seems the Colombians dont take themselves too seriously and simply enjoy a good dance, as such the few basic steps that I remember were no impediment to a good time. We finally got home at 5 oclock in the morning.

After 3 days of travel, I have arrived in Cali, Colombia, my first experience of South America. The journey itself passed without a hitch, in fact the longest leg between London and New York was the easiest, having found myself sat next to a couple from my hometown of Plymouth. I spent a short and uneventful night in a hotel in Queens, NY, getting up at the ungodly hour of 4.30am to catch the hotel shuttle back to JFK airport. Although my flight wasnt until 9.00am, I was very conscious of the potential security delays now apparent at US international airports and in view of the long queue of Colombians at the check-in desk, I was relieved to have arrived nice and early. Once again the onward flight to Cali was straightforward and uneventful, to the obvious relief of many of the passengers who gave a round of applause to the pilot upon safe landing, an act that seems very quaint to the sophisticated air-mile collecting, Ryanair customer.
Despite my concerns regarding Colombian immigration, I passed through the first phase of passport stamping without so much as a word in Spanish and pleased with my progress, collected my rucksack. However a further queue had now formed for a second phase of immigration checks based on a chat with an official and the seemingly random preferences of a security doorway equipped with green and red lights. My anxiety was raised as having completed a conversation, the official and the passenger alike waited for illumination, a green indicating safe passage whilst an interviewee greeted by a red light was led away to who knows where. On confronting the official myself, he took my paperwork and immediately zeroed in on a problem, I didnt have a specified destination having forgotten to ask Joni for his address. Fortunately, the airport is very small and I was able to point to the masses and explain that I was staying with a friend who was waiting amongst the crowd. Without so much as an acknowledgment from the sinister traffic light I was ushered through to the exit and there was my host Joni and his friends to greet me. Had they not been there, life could have become a little more complicated.
Joni, Leticia and Maria Jose were the perfect hosts keeping me occupied and filling me with coffee, as the effects of jet lag and humid conditions began to enter my system. We initially stopped at one of the seemingly numerous modern shopping malls for which the Colombians appear particularly proud, presumably because of its modernity and the locals love of shopping. Certainly they are busy, modern, well maintained and have many of the popular brands so common on the western high street, however like all Malls everywhere these too suffer from a high degree of superficiality. Whilst my hosts indicated that Cali does lack a meaningful cultural life, the central neighbourhood of Granada is blessed with trendy bars, cafes and upmarket restaurants, all set to a backdrop of salsa music for which Cali is most renown. Late evening and we arrive back at Jonis apartment, a gated community in the south of the city. I never liked the idea of barriers around your home however Joni explained that these security arrangements are common in Cali, a symbolic and powerful indication of the role of violence in Colombian communities. I am strongly advised to take a taxi for any all journeys beyond this compound after nightfall and avoid carrying any valuables. Naturally, violence in the developing world is a persistent and endemic problem and its no different here in Cali, where its implicit if not actual presence is suggested most prominantly by armed security guards and few pedestrians. All this despite the friendly reputation of its people.
Having spent a day recovering and relaxing, myself and Joni went to a local university in order to discuss the scope of my dissertation and a subsequent plan of action. The location itself was a modern and very attractive private university, one of several in the city and will provide at least one location for quiet, private study during my placement period. With reference to an action plan, it is my intention to integrate the mini-research project (philanthropy) and assignment questions (private education for the poor) into the main data gathering process however I have yet to complete the necessary instruments. Consequently, it was agreed that the first week would be a useful period of orientation and meeting some of Joni connections whilst in parallel, I continue to develop my questionnaires.
That evening I had the pleasure of meeting the first and probably most important local contact, Rodrigo Ramos Sanchez a professor at the Cali University and somewhat conveniently, a close neighbour of Joni. Rodrigo has contacts within the local authorities and the Aguablanca area itself and is also extremely enthusiastic to promote the cause of education for the poor and Jonis research into private schools specifically. It soon becomes apparent that we are both very fortunate to know him as within hours he has reviewed and corrected the errors in my questionnaires and invited me to a university meeting on Friday, one in which Joni will present his dissertation paper and Ill have the chance to make some more local contacts. This clearly represents a good opportunity to promote the cause amongst a broader range of local educators.
In the meantime I have to read a couple of papers on the subject of philanthropy and further develop my questionnaires in order to fulfil all the placement and dissertation requirements in a single piece of work. Myself, Joni and Rodrigo agree to arrange my first visit to Aguablanca for the following week.

This is my first entry not only for this blog but a blog of any kind. An Engineer with an inherent mistrust of technology, hence I’m not an Engineer any longer. Since the realization back in 2005, give or take a few days, that my time in Seville had a expiry date, I have been looking for the next destination of interest, the only clear criteria being that the country be part of the Hispanic world. Having passed through the existential angst associated with language acquisition, I’ll be damned if I’m gonna watch what Spanish I have fade away in an altogether different foreign clime.

My interest in Colombia was initially peaked in conversations some years ago with Juan and Rebecca, both teachers at the same language institute as myself in Seville. They had lived in Bogota for a while and were both very effusive in its praise, a country of vast environmental contrasts, combined with an open and generous people enthusiastic to present their country in a more favorable light. Of course, Colombia has a dark side symbolised most vividly by Cocaine wars, Pablo Escobar, FARC and the occasional kidnapping. However, to define a country by a few isolated incidents and personalities would be as misplaced as to assume London was off limits during the IRA years. Without wishing to sound flippant, in the reality that I can recall most people simply got on with their lives, the conflict representing little more than the minor frustration of delay as disposal experts vaporised the latest abandoned rucksack. The reticence of people to visit a country because of its poor public image seems, with a few notable exceptions, more than a good enough reason to go there and find out for yourself. Just don’t go trekking in the jungle..

So anyway, there I was in my first week of Uni and who should turn up but Joni and Patrick from Sweden. No, I’d never heard of them either but they’d come specially to describe their research on education in developing countries, their particular location of interest being, you guessed it……. Colombia. Now I’m not one to get all esoteric and make cliched references to the twisted finger of fate, however it did seem remarkably provident given my aforementioned dilemma. Needless to say as Pauline proffered the opportunity to do my research in Cali (the 3rd City), I cut her off in mid sentence. The tickets have been purchased and I’m gonna have to sharpen up on my Salsa moves and naturally my Spanish for what promises to be a most excellent adventure.