Pros and Cons - Where there is light, there is also shadow

'Man always wants everything to change, and at the same time he wants everything to stay the same.' - Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

I have to say, when I was in Colombia two years ago, I liked it but it didn't blow me away. This year, Colombia and I have become good friends, you know, we know each other, and finally we came to an agreement. Not least because Camilo's parents made it so easy for me to feel at home.
The past few days we celebrated Cami's mom's birthday and spent 2 days at the absolute super luxury resort on the beach. I'm more of a hostel type, but it was amazing. We spent a whole day in the sea, like two little kids, feeding fish, catching crabs, kayaking, having swimming races, and simply letting the waves wash over us until Cami's parents called us for dinner. Maybe Camilo and I get along so well because we still have so much of the child in us. How much joy can you get from the fact that fish peck bread from your fingers or that Legoane also nibble a piece of bread from your hand. Resort life is surreal. On the one hand, you want it to never end, on the other hand, I would get bored after a few days. After all, the hotel is the largest employer in the area with around 470 employees. And definitely the biggest polluter.

So what is the conclusion from the time in this country? We complained a lot about the way Colombians are and we were equally happy about them. We were annoyed by the traffic and the bad public transportation, but we were happy to take a taxi home from the club for little money. If we couldn't sleep one night because of the music at a street festival, we participated in one the next evening. The pros and cons don't really make a difference, but in the end, the result is that things are more regulated, standardized, transparent, and honest in Germany. In Colombia, the sea breeze remains, wonderful landscapes, the humor, and the informal nature of the people.
A great waft of nostalgia and sadness swirls around me as I have to say goodbye to 2016 first, then Camilo, and ultimately myself. At the moment, this cannot compensate for the thirst for adventure.
When I traveled alone to New York, it felt like swimming from one end of the pool to the other. With my German family waving goodbye and my Colombian family welcoming me from afar. And now, as I have to leave alone for the next few months, it feels like swimming out into the vast sea, with waves and all, where you can't see the bottom. I hope there is a lonely island somewhere.
Next stop Hawaii.

Small addition: Of course, Camilo is absolutely right with his comment, Chechi must not be missing. In Latin America, it is common to have a household helper. In the case of the Montero family, that's Chechi, who is like a second mother to Cami and his brother and has been with the family for 32 years and cooked us the most delicious food. We also visited Chechi's mother, she is 98 years old and I was in awe of getting to know such an old person. She was really sweet, didn't let go of me and said 'I am already 90', and Chechi said '98, Mama, 98'