Oriana’s Inductive New Media PR Weblog

I realized that my last post was very targeted. And I want to make this blog one that can be relatable for anyone. My last post addressed one side of my view about Colombians in foreign countries. But in this post I want to address the other side of the issue. This side involves foreigners view of Colombia. I know this might sound confusing but let me illustrate with a few personal stories.    

(scenario # 1)   One day I decide to go to the pharmacy and get some Tylenol and some groceries. While I am in line the cashier guy hears me speaking in Spanish and asks me where I’m from… as always, I get excited and tell him that I am from Colombia…. After 10 seconds of silence he thinks is interesting to tell me about the drug problems in my country. I try to breath and fake a smile while swiping my credit card and taking my stuff. 

    Everyone that knows me knows I am very patient and friendly; after all I’m a PR MAJOR so I try to make the best of each situation. But if there is something that irritates me is having strangers comment on the bad aspects of Colombia; maybe is just me but I feel very passionate about where I come from.

(scenario # 2)   Some other time I met the parents of one of my best friends here at BU, they were so nice to me that when they asked were I was from,  I said to myself I would not get mad if they had “one of those” comments, but of course they did. His father asked me about Pablo Escobar. Once again I breath and unlike in the pharmacy situation, I can’t ignore the comment, so I try to give my best answer and explain how things have change ever since Pablo Escobar died -I mean the guy has been dead for 15 years now, I would think people had something else to comment about- anyways, he obviously noticed how uncomfortable I was and changed the subject.

 (scenario # 3) The are still other people that use these type of comments as icebreakers or jokes…. Hmmm please allow yourselves to process what I just said….. and take my advice,  IT IS NOT FUNNY!  Why in the world would someone think a good way to meet someone is to highlight the problems of that person’s country. I don’t know, maybe is just me but I wouldn’t approach a German person by commenting on Hitler, and worse act as if it was funny. Or a Turk by commenting on Armenians.  I always try to imagine how people meet at parties or even how I do PR, and I am sure conversations are supposed to be friendly and enjoyable for both parties involved, specially if you are dealing with a client.  Please imagine if I were to comment on Hitler to a German person? and try to act as if its funny? (Remember I am trying to meet this person) Even if the person likes Hitler or hates him, either way I’m sure the outcome would not be a smile, it would probably be something like “Zusätzlich ist eine Bildersuche.” 

    So this is how the conversations I just mentioned normally go:

     “X” person and me:

“X”: I notice you have an accent (or are speaking Spanish) where are you from?

Me: (big smile) oh I am from Colombia.“

X”: ohh yes I know Colombia…. (at this point I still have a big smile…) is it really dangerous there? do you live in the forest? How is it with the guerrilla there? Or Pablo Escobar? Or drug dealing/cartels….etc etc. (any of the options above are very likely to happen)

Me: (fake smile and frustration face) hhhmmm. hmmm aha that is my country . Anyways, nice to meet you (it wasn’t nice but I’m trying to be polite) I have to go to… some place fast. BYEEEE

       (I realized that until this point I have had a bit of a sarcastic tone, but the tone does not mean I’m bitter about these situations… believe me, of all the things people think about Colombia I would not want to add that of Colombians being mean or rude. I am just trying to illustrate a point of view.  So before I continue I would like to make clear that not everyone I have met was like I just mentioned. There are a few exceptions that I will address later.)

     Anyways, in my attempt to understand these reactions,  one of my interviewees pointed out that it wasn’t that she thought bad about Colombia, but rather that she knew nothing else about it since that’s all she hears in the news (as I mentioned in my last post). I like this answer because I want to believe this is in fact the truth.  Maybe it is the lack of available information and not the lack of knowledge. That was my conclusion.

So remember the stories I told you before?? Well they didn’t end there, I am a good PR person, i would never let a bad situation end bad.  To the guy in the pharmacy although I could have left the place, I did not. Instead, I told him that Colombia was not all about that, I told him that next time he met someone from Colombia he should try commenting on the good coffee or the great artists like Shakira or Noble prizewinner Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  He tried it with me for a second chance, he laughed, I laughed and we both learned something.  As for the parents of my best friend I was more subtle. I sent them a book called “Unseen Colombia” with a message saying “I hope you enjoy all of the wonderful things you are about to discover about my Colombia”.  From both experiences I learned that if you say things in a nice even funny way people are more open to perceive Colombia in a different light. 

For all Colombian reading this: try this next time.

For all non-Colombians: try to comment on good things and you’ll see how things are different.