Colombia: Riohacha and Tayrona National Park (Week 1-2)

Riohacha

Here I am, about to finish two weeks of working at a hostel in Riohacha, La Guajira, Colombia and there’s so much to reflect on. Riohacha is the capital of La Guajira, which is a department of Colombia (department being similar to what we know a state to be) HOWEVER, this capital is not what many would deem a capital in the general sense. La Guajira is one of the lesser touristy regions of the country and travelers who come to Riohacha usually come for a few days just to visit the desert. This city has a very small-town feel, almost like a large pueblo, and after being here for a few days there really doesn’t feel like there is much more to visit or do. I got a chance to visit the beach which was pretty basic compared to beaches I saw on the 3-hr. drive from Santa Marta to Riohacha along the Caribbean coast. The population here is about 188,000 so that gives an idea of how “big” this capital really is. I got a chance to explore the one main museum they have here within the first few days and learned about the history of Riohacha, the extraction of natural gas that is a huge focus in this region, and the indigenous Wayuu that live here. Riohacha is one of the closest big cities to the Venezuelan border so more recently, this region has been impacted greatly by Venezuelans seeking asylum. I’ve been learning that due to desperate times right now, and many people seeking safety and jobs, crime rates have also increased in Riohacha.

Here are some pictures of the hostel.

My experience in the workaway has been very unique. I am one of 5 different workawayers that have been working here this month. Two of them already left (who I miss a whole lot) and I have one more week to go before I leave and continue on exploring the rest of Colombia. All the workawayers have been French, except for me obvi. In fact, the majority of travelers I’ve encountered since being here have been European, particularly French. We had a blackout for about an hour the first week I was here, with no guests at the hostel luckily. Without really talking about it, four workawayers including myself came down to the common room, took a corner of the room, and laid down in the dark as we listened to the rain outside. It was so simple yet so peaceful. The chat that we began in this darkness soon turned to silence as we all drifted away into our own (I personally began to fall asleep). This was such a simple experience but very memorable to me. The two hosts are immensely kind, and I’ve been learning how much meticulous work goes into running a hostel. From the computer program used to organize traveler reservations, to the exact time certain lights should be manually turned on in the evening, how to best conserve water for optimal use, the simple greetings and music that affect the ambiance and so much more. My job is pretty easy and straightforward. I do reception work, help with providing info and booking desert tours (which I myself will be taking tomorrow), laundry, and really helping with creating a welcoming atmosphere for the travelers staying with us. The people I have met both through workaway and as guests here at the hostel have opened up my eyes to how much people from other parts of the world love to travel. They really know how to travel on a budget and travel for loooong periods of time. Most of them travel for a minimum of one month. To me traveling to another country has always consisted of 1 week average. Not them!  I’ve also learned how important it is for them to learn multiple languages. Most of the travelers I have met speak a minimum of three languages, and they are not timid at all in speaking these languages, even if they butcher some words or make grammatical mistakes. I believe there’s so much courage in trying to communicate with someone in a language that is not one’s native tongue. It has been so inspiring to witness actually. It takes me back to when I was in Vietnam and was so embarrassed to attempt to say simple phrases. Moving forward, I definitely want to start putting in more effort to speak the local language when I visit other countries.

Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park has been the first place I’ve got a chance to visit since arriving in Colombia (besides Riohacha0. It’s a beautiful jungle that borders a long stretch of the Caribbean, basically where the jungle meets the sea. One of my favorite Frenchy workawayers Capucine and I used our days off to go visit the park, and it was quite an adventure. We stayed at Cabo San Juan, a beach where you have to hike two hours in from the main entrance and where you can actually camp out for the night. The next day, we planned to camp out at a different beach called Castilletes. We chose to do this because it was closer to the entrance of the park, which made it easier for us to exit and take our two-hour bus ride back to Riohacha and arrive on time for my 2pm shift. However, we didn’t actually realize how far of a hike it was from one campsite to the other. Our second day at the park, while in Cabo San Juan, we decided to take a two-hour hike into the jungle to arrive at a place called Pueblito, an indigenous settlement that is used more commonly for big events such as community meetings or weddings by the indigenous people who live there. The hike was intense but oh so beautiful. The hike out took us one hour and after enjoying the beach at Cabo San Juan one last time, we knew we had to begin our trek to Castilletes. We didn’t realize it was going to be an almost three-hour hike! We arrived in the evening that day extremely exhausted. Capucine gave me her last apple during the last stretch because I was literally slowing us down. Being around her, I was always guaranteed to be fed.  When the night finally came, I got a moment to sit by the beach to watch the stars. That is where it hit me, I AM IN COLOMBIA!  It took a good week for me to finally realize this.

Before my departure from the U.S., I was flooded with encouragement and love from all those in my circle. As ridiculous as it may sound, I didn’t realize the amount of love I had surrounding me. And because of this, I have come to realize more and more how blessed I am to have such supportive and loving people in my life. From family, friendships that I’ve had for many years, and those newer friendships that have introduced new ways of thinking and living into my life…. I am oh so grateful! It actually feels like I have a whole cheerleading team standing behind me saying “Go Anel… Gooo!” …… “Run Forrest…Ruuun!”  That just popped in my head and I had to say it. Anyway, I’ve literally have had to stop myself to embrace the now and cherish all the love and care people have for me.  There are times when life is coming at me so fast that I don’t see all the blessings surrounding me. The reality is I actually don’t make time or space in my mind to see those blessings around me. Stresses and anxieties blur my everyday ability to be more mindful and present. Right now, being in a place where I am making such a huge leap of faith in deciding to step out of my comfort zone and travel without too much direction besides my workaway, has been scary and exhilarating all at the same time. Friends encouraged me with gifting me items they feel are must have’s, wanting to spend quality time with me, sending encouraging messages or receiving unexpected phone calls. Overall, the most impactful gift to me has been the genuine excitement and support people have shown for this decision I have made for myself.  For all of that, I want to say thank you.

Just last week, I was at the beach in Riohacha getting ready to read a book that was gifted to me by my sister Karla titled, “What I Know for Sure,” written by our oh so beloved Opie aka Oprah Winfrey. I found myself cracking up to myself like a loonie because I was reading a card Karla wrote to me where she mentions this “journey” I am embarking on is much more important than any skin or hair journey I’ve ever taken on. This made me crack up because it just made so much sense given the way I like to live my life. For those that know me very well, it is a known fact that I love entering new explorative/learning experiences that I feel will bring immense benefits to me on a personal level. I like to call them journeys.  From entering hair journeys, skin journeys, food journeys, every journey I enter comes with great focus on learning deeper aspects that I had never known before to better my well-being. As ridiculous as they may sound, they are so rewarding to me! Karla is right in a way. I don’t know how to compare my past journeys to this particular one I am currently on, but this journey through Colombia will be one of exploration and hopefully learning a deeper sense of who I am and the people I share this world with. I have already learned so much from the Frenchies, locals, and travelers I’ve spent time with, and it has been a very rewarding kickstart to this journey through Colombia.

If you’ve made it this far. I want to share a joke said to me recently.

What happened when the guy ate his girlfriend?

He dumped her.

Joke Cred: