This upcoming Sunday, May 27th, will be my first time to vote in the presidential elections of my home country, Colombia. With shame, I must admit that I have been part of the 50% of the population that has failed to be part of the democracy. However, in my defense, it wasn’t only because of lack of interest, but also logistics.

I turned 18 in the 1998 elections, but I didn’t receive my official ID to vote on time. In 2002, I forgot to register to vote in my neighborhood, so I was supposed to go to the main hub of the capital. But the night before, I had a party that extended well into the wee hours. Needless to say, the hangover incapacitated me. Continue reading “Colombia’s Nerve-wrecking Elections” →

Twelve years ago I found my dog Rusty at the Petsmart in Altamonte Springs, Florida. It was a Saturday afternoon in May, and the humane organization Pet Rescue By Judy was holding an adoption event.

When I walked into the building, there were a row of crates with dogs barking and jumping nervously. However, there was one little guy who kept his cool and remained comfortable laying down. That was Rusty. Continue reading “My Friend Rusty” →

NOTE: I want to share this story with the more than 1,000 new followers I gained in the past 12 months. I published it last year for Mother’s Day and as it is pure soul food. For your information, the main character of this story is in great health, and I see him every week.

______________________________________

Last Monday, I was in a cashier line at the supermarket, distracted. As I placed my items on the transporting band, a familiar voice startled me from behind. His name is Juan. He is the kindest kid who bags groceries, he is from my home town in Colombia, and he had told me he was on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.

The last time I saw him was before Christmas Eve. My husband and I were leaving the store, and we saw him in the parking lot pushing a bunch or carts. He was pale and seemed tired, and yet he waved and smiled at everybody.

A couple of weeks later, my mom showed me a post on the Publix Facebook page about Juan’s successful surgery. She likes to follow the page for the recipes. The manager mentioned in the post that his positive attitude had marveled the medical team in charge of his care. Continue reading “A Gift for a Mother” →

Last week I was a little sick, so I had the opportunity to stay home and do one of my favorite things: reading the news. During my search, I found an interview with one of the most important minds in the neuroscience field worldwide, Dr. Rodolfo Llinas.

This Colombian is Chairman Emeritus, Physiology and Neuroscience of the NYU School of Medicine. He has dedicated his entire life to the study of the most complex organ in the human body, the brain. Yet, his retirement plans are rooted in the simplicity of the country life, the foundation of the education revolution he wants to spear in our home country, Colombia.

Continue reading “Country Love” →

Last weekend was the VIII Summit of the Americas held in Lima, Peru. What promised to be an interesting encounter thanks to the controversial American President, Donald Trump, the summit lost its momentum and the interest of the international community when he decided to cancel the trip to coordinate the retaliation attacks in Syria with England and France.

Although the main focus was addressing the Odebrecht scandal, the deep-state corruption case that began in Brazil and metastasized to several countries in South America–including the host of the summit, Peru, whose president resigned last month–the subject that gained media attention was the ongoing paralysis in Venezuela. Continue reading “Persona Non Grata” →

Last Saturday, my son turned seven years old and I remembered that, when I was a little girl, my Grandmother used to tell me, “When you turn seven, my dear, you reach the age of reason.” I never cared to learn about the subject until now.

Throughout history, seven years of age marks a milestone in childhood. Around the world, this is the average age when formal education starts, social expectations change, and privileges and responsibility increase.
Continue reading “The Age of Reason” →

Last Monday, something extraordinary happened to me. I was in the line of a fast food drive-thru, waiting for my turn behind a white Mazda. When the driver in front of me had to pick up the food, she took longer than expected, so my impatience started boiling.

“Come on! Are you buying for the entire city?” I said to myself, trying hard not to honk the horn. Then, I mocked her political affiliation as I noticed her bumper sticker. When I finally made it to the cashier and handed her my credit card to pay she said, “The lady in front of you already paid for your order.” Continue reading “Generosity is a Synonym for Tolerance” →