This blog post is a bit of a social sciences lesson (I am a teacher, after all) along with my own take on moving countries, and an end/beginning of the year reflection piece. Phew, a lot of fragmented topics coming your way! Keep in mind none of these pieces attempt to have concise conclusions. Please indulge and leave feedback, I´d love to hear if you’ve had a similar experience as me and/or wish to leave a piece of mind.
Feliz lectura!
Disclosure: I did come back to my country of birth as a Fulbright cultural ambassador teaching English, this in itself is cushy and privileged, at least in the academic sphere. A quick bio about Fulbright: it is a federally-funded American academic program that aims to spread American values and its ‘isms’ around the world via soft power tactics. I have to admit, choosing this way to come back to my country holds many nuances that will be discussed in future blog posts.
Reverse migration:
In the context of birds in the science field, reverse migration refers to them going the opposite direction of the usual route. In the context of humans in the social sciences field, reverse migration is when humans do the same–migrate back to their places of origin after emigrating. Reverse migration is often from urban to rural places, or from the Global North to the Global South, i.e. from Western countries like the United States to Colombia. Well, that is me, a bird-human that chose to leave the cushy Global North to go back to her country of origin: Colombia. I can say that I don't quite understand this shift, all I can say is that it feels right to be in Colombia at this moment. Everything is so familiar yet so unfamiliar that everyday is an adventure of discovering a place I left decades ago. Returning to this country sometimes feels surreal, as if I had my return ticket to New York tomorrow and it's all going to be over. That is reverse migration to me, a feeling of "it will end soon, this is temporary," but perhaps it will not end soon nor it is temporary. Being here is also challenging my notion of time and what thoughts I choose to attach to time. In New York, time ought to be productive. That is the pace I am used to. Colombia has a different rhythm, perhaps less "productive" even Bogotá which is supposed to be the big city, runs at a different pace. In a weird way, getting adjusted to time usage and how the professional spheres are ran, has been the biggest challenge from my return. I do have to confess, there is something "homey" and comfortable about Bogotá that I have not encountered in any part of the world, yet. My body feels like it belongs in this landscape and it has adjusted very well to the altitude, the food, fruits/vegetables, etc. I will keep expanding on my return with a "reverse migration" lens in future posts!
Cultural Identity:
Growing up as an expatriate most of my life is the biggest gift to my cultural, social, and even political upbringing. My family and I left Colombia when I was very young. Growing up, the constant movement felt like a burden to me. It felt unclear on how to define my identity and present myself to society. No one gave this baby expatriate a manual on ‘how to be Colombian-American’ or how to be a Colombian living abroad,’ and I am glad that was not the case! It was pretty challenging defining myself growing up, and now I realize this has given me the freedom to be a version of myself I could have not been if I was monocultural or monolingual. I realize this after coming back to Colombia and experiencing the everyday dynamics from a monolingual and monocultural perspective. I am grateful for encountering people who constantly refuse to adapt to stringent cookie cutters, whether in New York or Colombia.
Fulbright:
As a US American Fulbright scholar in my country of birth, Colombia, I am beginning to explore various layers of myself, and of both the US and Colombia. Experiencing reverse migration is a clash of ideas, experiences, how the world sees you, how you see the world–it is rediscovering yourself in a more intimate and even perhaps, truthful way. Little things like navigating public transportation, ordering at a restaurant, ways of greeting, ways of dating, how meetings at work are run, lunch hours, have changed drastically from a NY experience to a Colombian one. In addition, I am understanding even more the outdated stereotypes that still lurk as a result of colonialism in my country, and learn to recognize its impact on me, even though I grew up elsewhere. This hybrid identity that is now attached to being a Fulbright scholar from the US is an interesting spin to my life. My Colombianness and Americanness are both in constant conversation, I feel I have been able to reconcile them.
Moving in your 30s:
Moving abroad can sound like the coolest thing you could do in your early 30s. You have probably finished your studies, have vast work experience, have adult money, started your career, have some wisdom on friendships, relationships, and family matters. Many of us don’t have children or are married. We are way less scared to say no and tend to be more assertive and practical in both simple and complex situations. Perhaps this sounds like the perfect cocktail to take the leap and move to another country where everything is new-ish. I am about 5 months in Colombia and it feels like I have been here for way longer! It feels refreshing and at times scary, to be in a new country at this moment in my life. Pivoting to a new career, a new home, a new set of friends, a new set of hobbies, are all part of building a new life and it isn't as romantic as it sounds. Building a new life in a new place is tough, lonely at times, scary, but it holds a spark that keeps me motivated to keep digging. The ongoing lessons learned and unlearned are unbelievable, but the craziest is how life keeps getting more complex but also simpler (I know, confusing). I guess that comes with time, experience, and moving around a lot!
Moving from NYC:
New York City has my heart. I grew up in Jersey very close to the city and had always in mind moving there. I held my first full time job in FiDi. I loved it because I dressed in business attire, wore heels (I can say I have retired from the heels-to-the-office life), took the subway to and from work, went to happy hours, had grown up money for the first time after graduating Rutgers, and made new friends. How much cooler could a 24-year-old’s life get?! After this job, I got into my MA program at CUNY and officially moved to Manhattan to study and teach! That was one of the best moments in my life. After so many years living there, I can say the city taught me huge lessons and practical ways of living that no other city could ever teach me. After moving out of nyc, I have to say I miss the practicality of the subway system, the unsurpassable options of food from all corners of the world, my great friends and colleagues, the nonchalant but kind attitude of new yorkers, my runs around Central Park, being around people from all parts of the world, the beautiful skyline, and the list goes on! I find it very interesting that all of these relflections come up later on in life, in my case, after moving out of the city. NYC will always be a part of me, no matter where I end up!
