A Guide to Colombian ‘Street Smarts’

You know the time when …

That photo opp mysteriously appears, so delicious not even AI could imagine it? But then some fucked-up morality intervenes, “Don’t do it. Might upset the locals. Make a fool outta yourself.”

Ya don’t press click, weeks later go back to AI and it does a half-ass job of ‘capturing the perfection of that moment. Forever regret.

Here’s a story of when we pushed click knowing there’s a possibility we’d hear ‘click.’

“Expand Your ‘Radius’ 10% Every Day”

I had a local, a muse that taught me this. It applies to more than just tourism.

We starting to learn, live 'the local rules.’ Making progress and now the it was next step up in our immersion. It was a big one. A nervy trek to Comuna 13. Escobar’s pet project. Think about how many once bad areas ‘carry the fingerprints’ of their sordid past forever.

Comuna 13 carries the fingerprints of the most infamous narco-terroist ever, Pablo Escobar.

He’s been dead for 40-years. A lotta time for things to change.

When in Comuna 13, do what the Comuna 13-ers do.

Respect, dress the part. Dropped the flip flops for shoes. Shorts for long pants. Tank top for a collared shirt. Made an effort to fit into social norms.

Venturing into a back alley, we discover a store-front food stand. The kind of place that smelled like danger and deliciousness. A swirl of grilled meat, salsa music, and Medellín's pulse — the beat of Shakira, J. Balvin echoed bringing such energy, joy.

In Colombia, Is Twinkles on the Menu?

My ‘hummingbird eyes’ were on full alert that day. Then in an instant, all that caution thrown to the wayside. I spotted a ‘couldn’t be helped’ photo opportunity, and pulled a risky maneuver.

Twinkles seemed to perk up as if to say, “Dad, I smell hot dogs. Can’t read the signs so good — translation, por favor?”

And out of a surreal comedic dream an opportunity presents itself.

The countertop sign said, “Chihuahuas, Man’s Best Friend.”

Reactionary, unconscious effort, I lifted her up and perched TheTiny One on the counter for a quick pic. I should have ‘read the room,’ but in doing so, might have missed ‘the moment.’

CLICK!

Then I burst into laughter doubling over. It was a perfect one-take, thought of ramifications never crossed my mind.

“Twinkle,” I said, catching my breath, “in Colombia, a Chihuahua is a man’s best friend ... because you’re figuratively a bargain mini hot dog!”

“Figurative the key word puppy.”

A Click Met With a Click?

In this rough neighborhood, would the click of an interloper’s camera be met with a retaliatory click of a gun?

Jajaja!

The locals in food line laughing harder than me!

One of them wiped away a tear. They got it — the cultural joke, the context, the comic timing. Twinkle wasn’t lunch, rather the punchline. We all were relieved, relaxed… just a little.

What We Learned

• Expand Your Radius.

• Stay Alert, Not Anxious. Growth environments feel unfamiliar — that’s a feature, not a flaw. Stay sharp, but don’t freak out.

• Learn to Read the Room (or the Line at the Food Stand). Sometimes the world’s laughing with you. Lean into the joke — even if it’s at your expense. Connection lives in shared context.

• Find Humor in the Heat. Stressful moments are often survivable — even hilarious — if you take a breath and look around.

• Let your discomfort guide your attention — not your panic. There’s power in being calmly ready.