Colombian Culture, Colombia Adoption and Raising Colombian Kids

This week a well-know Colombian author, David Sánchez Juliao, died in Bogotá. He was the author of numerous short stories, children's books, and novels. His most famous novels include 'Mi sangre aunque plebeya' (My blood even though it is plebeian) and 'Pero sigo siendo el rey' (But I am still the king). The second was the winner of the Premio Nacional de Novela Plaza (National Award for Short Novels), and was later adapted into a television program in the late 1980's. Here is a link to his children's books. You can read some and portions of others. http://www.davidsanchezjuliao.com/ni%C3%B1os.asp He also was a pioneer in using audio books with his most famous being 'El Pachanga' and 'El Flecha'. In addition to his writing, he served as the Colombian embassador to India and Egypt.

Okay, so this is a little late, but back in November 2009, the Latin Grammys were handed out. Busy with moving and recovering from surgery, I had written about 2 months worth of posts that kind of went up automatically, and I totally overlooked my favorite album of the year. It won in the best Children's CD category. It's title: POMBO MUSICAL Before I talk about the album, here is a refresher on Rafael Pombo - (translated and summarized from the album insert): Rafael Pombo was born in Bogotá, on November 7, 1833. He studied civil engineering and was a math professor. Later, he enlisted in Colombia's diplomatic corps and eventually became a member of parliament. He is also considered one of Latin America's main poets during the "Romanticismo" period. His poems teach virtues and values that are universal and true in all ages, and every Colombian knows them. On August 20, 1905, in a solemn ceremony, he was crowned as Colombia's Poet Laureate. He died on May 5...

About a year ago, I introduced you to Colombia's Dr. Seuss. His name is Rafael Pombo. Pombo wrote a number of poems that he hoped would teach children to be wise. This poem is my favorite. It is called Modelo Alfabetico (Model Alphabet). In this poem, Pombo tells his son the attributes he feels will make an honorable man. It happens to be my favorite Pombo poem. I love the message he was trying to convey. I have included an English translation, so many of you can fall in love with it too! :) ¿Quieres ser hombre completo, Do you want to be a complete man hombre a prueba de alfabeto? a alphabet proof man? Sé Amable, Activo, Aseado, Be friendly, active, well-groomed Bondadoso y Bienhablado, kind and well-spoken Claro, más cauto en Confianzas, Clear, but cautious in extending trust, sordo a Chismes, parco en Chanzas, deaf to gossip, a frugal jokester, libre en Digna Dependencia free in worthy dependence del Deber y la Conciencia; of responsiblity and conscience Experto en algo Especia...

In Wales, there is an annual event which Bill Clinton called the, "Woodstock of the mind." The event is called the Hay Festival of Arts and Letters, established in 1988. Five years ago, Colombia decided to copy the idea and now sponsor the Mapfre Hay Festival in Cartagena. This year the event will be held from January 28-31. Authors from Spain, Colombia and other Spanish speaking countries will present workshop and lectures on all sorts of topics. There are even many workshops for children 8-15 years of age. If you will be in Bogota, you can catch the British author Ian McEwan, in Bogota on Wednesday, January 27th. For tickets, go here: http://www.reservasgematours.com/eventos.php?id=5&categoria=4 http://www.hayfestival.com/cartagena/en-index.aspx?skinid=5

Soledad Acosta de Samper is considered Colombia's most important female writer of the 19th Century. She was born in Bogotá in 1833 -- the only child of colonel Joaquín Acosta y Pérez de Guzmán, a patriot in during the Colombian War for Independence, and Caorlina Kemble Rou -- a Scottish woman. From her youth, she was exposed to different countries, languages and ideals. At 12, she left Bogotá to spend a year with her maternal grandmother in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. A year later, she moved with her parents to Paris, where the family lived for four years. While in Paris, she accompanied her father to many literary and scientific meetings -- an opportunity which helped her form many progressive opinions. She returned to Colombia at the age of 17, and at the age of 22, she married José María Samper Agudelo in 1855. Three years later, she returned with her husband to Paris, where she began to publish under various pseudonyms. Then, she became a foreign correspondent for the "t...

One of the most famous children's poets of Colombia is Rafael Pombo (Bogotá, 1883 - Bogotá, 1912). He is like the Dr. Seuss of Colombia. Just as we must memorize poerty here, most Colombians will be required to memorize at least one of Pombo's poems prior to graduating from elementary school. My husband remembers memorizing Simón el Bobito in 4th grade. As long as we have spent so much of this week talking about frogs, here is one of Pombo's most famous poems. It talks about a little frog (named Rinrín Renacuajo) that leaves home inspite of his mother's warnings. Once outside, he is invited by his neighbor, mouse, to visit Doña Ratona (Mrs. Mouse). As the two friends visit with Doña Ratona, they drink (beer), eat, listen to Doña ratona sing, dance, get comfortable, and become distracted. Then, enter the cats, they eat the mice and just when we think Rinrin Rencuajo is going to get away, he is eaten by a duck. This, unfortunately, leaves Mrs. Frog alone. The moral? Obe...