I feel like I have some sort of magnet towards drug-ridden developing countries in Latin America. Ok, well maybe only two, but two that have been severely affected by the drug wars and the ensuing violence, corruption and bad image in the media.
Before I left for Mexico I listened to hundreds of warnings about how dangerous the country was, how many people take/sell/abuse drugs and how crazy I was for wanting to go to such a dangerous country. Of course these reliable sources had never been to Mexico, most likely never ever set foot in Latin America.
Those few that had been to Mexico raved about the vibrant culture, amazing food and amazing parties. These were the people I listened to.
Then, while I was still in Mexico, I told my family and friends back home I was going to live in Colombia, no less Medellin, no less work as a journalist, for two months. Again, the warnings came thick and fast, only now they were slightly easier to ignore by dumping them straight in my virtual trash can.
Now I'm not blaming my informants for what they were saying, they were simply regurgitating the most violent and shocking AP stories that filter into Australian news broadcasts. I'm not even blaming those Australian news broadcasts, they know that blood sells.
But something needs to be done. I'm writing for an English-language news site www.colombiareports.com about Colombia. The editor said that every evening he looks over the days stories and asks himself, "Is this the Colombia I know? Is this the real Colombia?
If the answer is yes, we've done our job. Of course there are almost daily murders, corruption cases against everyone from the High Court Judge to the President but there are also concerts, sporting events, great travel destinations, government initiatives, natural disasters, development and growth.
I grew to love Mexico, to understand it's darker side but to to desensitize myself from it and to semi-understand it. Now I have half the time to do the same in Colombia.
On a side note, I found two great articles recently. The first talks about the idea that Colombia's battle against drug cartels should not be copied in Mexico.
http://www.alternet.org/news/150274/colombia_is_no_model_for_mexico's_drug_war
The second is a great piece by an Australian guy in Colombia that sums up my feelings on desensitisation perfectly.
http://newmatilda.com/2011/03/10/everyday-violence
I can't wait to return to Australia and set the record straight about two of the most misrepresented, dangerous countries in the world.
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