As A Little Girl Growing Up In Colombia [2021]

: For girls growing up in cities like Bogotá or Medellín, life involves cool mountain air, brick architecture, and weekend trips to nearby pueblos (small towns) where plazas are filled with flowers and cobblestone streets.

What a shame.

But at school, the nuns divided us by our estrato —the invisible ladder of class that every Colombian child learns to climb before she learns to read. The girls from the north of the city had lunchboxes from Miami. Their hair was blown straight. They spoke English with a gringo accent they practiced on Saturdays. The girls from the south—like me—brought mecato wrapped in newspaper. Our hair curled in the humidity no matter how hard we brushed it.

Beyond the kitchen, the mornings are a lively auditory experience. Before the sun even fully rises, the streets come alive with the calls of vendedores ambulantes (street vendors) pushing their carts, selling everything from fresh tropical fruits like lulo and maracuyá to savory empanadas and buñuelos . A Tapestry of Landscapes and Climates

my social currency was fín —a slang word for a favor or an errand. I was constantly being sent to la tienda de la esquina to buy a single egg, or a packet of refresco powder, or a cigarrillo suelto for my uncle. “ Hija, hágame el favor y lleva esta carta a la casa de la señora Rosa. ” as a little girl growing up in colombia

But at night, I still dream in altitudes.

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Growing up as a girl means being surrounded by a league of extraordinary women: mothers, grandmothers ( abuelas ), aunts ( tías ), and cousins. The abuela is often the matriarchal anchor—the keeper of family recipes, the enforcer of manners, and the ultimate source of unconditional love and spiritual guidance.

Colombian childhood is infused with a sense of magic, largely due to the country’s rich cultural traditions and folklore. : For girls growing up in cities like

that explores the trauma and gender dynamics faced by peasant girls coerced into joining the FARC. Colombian Women: The Struggle Out of Silence

: Author Elena Garcés analyzes the patriarchal structures of Colombian society through the life stories of 18 women from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

Growing up as a girl in involves navigating a complex landscape of vibrant culture, deep family ties, and, for many, the challenges of social and political unrest.

Juliana looked at me the way you look at a cockroach that has learned to wear a uniform. She turned to her friend and whispered, “ Qué pena .” The girls from the north of the city

by Julián Delgado Lopera: A vibrant coming-of-age story about Francisca, a teenage girl who moves from Bogotá to Miami, exploring themes of immigration, religion, and self-discovery. The Girl from Colombia

Growing up as a little girl in Colombia is a formative experience that instills a deep love for culture, family, and community—a foundation that shapes a vibrant, resilient, and loving perspective on the world. If you’d like to explore this topic further, I can share: Specific played in Colombian neighborhoods.

Early mornings do not begin with the harsh buzz of an alarm clock. Instead, they begin with the call of street vendors shouting "¡Mazamorra!" or "¡Aguacate maduro!" down the cobblestone streets or high-rise avenues. From a young age, a girl learns to distinguish the rhythm of salsa, vallenato, and cumbia drifting from a neighbor’s open window. Music is not background noise; it is the heartbeat of the home.

Outside, the street vendors provide a daily soundtrack. You quickly learn to recognize the specific calls of the man selling aguacates (avocados) from a wooden cart, or the cheer of the mazamorra vendor. Tropical fruits like lulo , maracuyá (passionfruit), and guanábana are staples of your diet, eaten fresh or blended into juices so thick they feel like a treat. The Sanctuary of Family and Community