Colombia
Come visit the beautiful country of Colombia today!
The Basics:
Location: Colombia is located on the top left corner of South America, borders the Carribean Sea, and is surronded by Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama.
Weather: The weather in Colombia is very warm and tropical near the coast and in the northern part of the country. Colombia has a rainy season from May to November. Since Colombia is near the equator the temperatures varies little year round, but varies according to altitude. The best time to visit Colombia is in the drier times of the year during December through March or July and August.
Climate Type: Colombia is known to be tropical and isothermal because of the different elevations, humidity, rainfall, and winds.
Physical Characteristics:
- The Andes mountain range runs through Colombia going north to south
- The Magdalena River is a main river that runs through Colombia
How To Fit In:
Folkways:
- In Colombia it is considered basic manners to shake hands with others when you first greet or say goodbye. When you do shake hands with someone you always use the correct greeting with the time of day(good morning, good afternoon, good evening, etc.). As you get closer to a person and know them personally, women typically kiss each other on the right cheek and men will hug and pat each other on the back.
- Colombians are not as strict on arriving on time. It is common that Colombians will arrive half and hour to an hour late.
- When you visit someone's house you should always bring a gift like chocolate, fruit, or a flower pot.
- It is considered polite to try all foods offered to you. Denying would be considered very rude.
Taboos:
- If you ever decide to bring someone flowers make sure not to bring lillies or marigolds because these flowers are used for funerals.
- Homosexuality is not widely accepted in Colombia.
- Since bullfighting is popular in Colombia, do not make any negative comments about bullfighting.
Digging Deeper Into Colombian Culture:
Culture Landscape: Colombia is known for their coffee and bananas. Cultivating coffee and bananas are two of the country's largest exports.
Cultural Diffusion/Change: Cultural diffusion has been happening throughout Colombian history ever since Columbus came and inhabited the land. The indigenous people of Colombia had never seen silver armor and weapons that Colombus' men wore and used. They were introduced to new diseases, foods, language, and livestock. Today there are other cultures that include the culture brought with the Spainiards, the culture of the indigenous people, and the culture that results from both.
Sources:
"Colombia - Cultural Etiquette - E Diplomat." Colombia - Cultural Etiquette - E Diplomat. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
"Know Before You Go: Cultural Norms in Colombia." Know Before You Go: Cultural Norms in Colombia. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
http://www.admu.edu.ph/ls/soh/modernlanguages/news/colombia-y-su-cultura
https://suite.io/jennifer-groepl/4ga22h3
"Colombia Weather, Climate and Geography." Colombia Weather, Climate and Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
"Geography of Colombia." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
"Colombia's Drug Trafficking Subculture: Its Literary Representation in La Virgen De Los Sicarios and Rosario Tijeras." "" by Villoria, Maite. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.