You need to know this about Colombians

A little secret of how we act, but we probably don't notice...

You always heard about how endemic and problematic is racism in the US, specially now that is has become a main topic of discussion around elections. Depending on who you speak, they always come back around the topic of racism and how spread it is in some parts of the US.

But can it be said that Colombia and its people is racist?

Here’s is my take: Not really. Compared to what you get to see in the US that doesn’t happen in Colombia. It is true that majority of population in Colombia is mestizo, we are a mix of everything so there is no real distinction about race.

But depending on where you are everything changes. South of the country you get to see more indigenous people, in the pacific coast more blacks, in regions like Boyaca also a mix of indigenous and farmers.

Race here, in my opinion, don’t play a bigger role in defining how good or bad you will be treated. I mean, of course you will find people affirming its not like that. But what I can tell you is not a systematic discrimination.

Something that happens for sure is you get a nickname based of your race, look or background. So is not hard to find a group of friends that have a nickname ‘negro’ for their black friend (something impossible in the US), maybe they have a friend they call ‘el indio’, maybe a different one ‘el turco’, ‘el chino’, and of course don’t be surprised if you are a white blond to be referred as ‘gringo’ or ‘mono’.

Thats the point I want to make, up to date race here plays a major role in the way people and friends interact with you. Obviously it will come times that in a fight or argument they will used it as a way to hurt your feelings, but I will say it is not beyond that.

On the other hand, what I notice about Colombia is that status and class plays a much bigger role in how good or bad people will treat you. That is a fact and could be good to understand in order for you to take advantage.

Imagine going to a private university and you get to see people from the upper/high classes, you go to a particular class and the first thing the professor wants to know is your last name and what your parents do for living. You don’t need to imagine too much because it happened to me.

They want to know your last name to know if you come from a prominent family and maybe the way they treat you could be different, with more or less respect.

Just think about this, cities in Colombia are organized by ‘strata’ from 1 to 6, meaning people living in a strata 1 are the poorest and the strata 6 is the most high class neighbourhoods you can get.

Again, here people care too much about status and ego, you can notice this attitude when somebody talks with you and he believes he is in a lower social rank than yours. He will try to wash you up with compliments, try to call you “doctor” as a sign of upmost respect, and even try to make himself worthy of being around you.

I think the word that can more closely define this attitude is servility. I wish you can see how regular people talk to politicians and people that here are regarded as high status. Is a sad scene, people will do everything to try to look good in front of them.

But everything I tell you here you can use it on your advantage, remember status and class plays a big role on how they will treat you. A nice suit, good car and an aura of mystery can help you: in business, political alliances and even with women.

From me, I can say it is hard to abandon this attitudes, we were raised to be like that. But now I don’t act like that, I don’t really care about somebody being a politician, lawyer or the President. Is a hard lesson to learn to only show respect to the people that shows respect to you, is about confidence and self worth.

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