The Pan American Disaster

#6 - Salsa saves lives

Génesis - 6.245089406215624, -75.58691407298689 I met Génesis at a salsa class in Medellín. At first, I thought we were just going to talk about dancing. But the conversation moved all over the place: salsa, body confidence, cheek-kiss culture shock, Venezuela, Colombia, migration, food shortages, paperwork, and what it actually means to feel at home somewhere. That is what I like about these conversations. They never stay exactly where I think they are going to stay. Génesis talked about dance as more than steps. For her, salsa can change how people feel in their bodies. It can make people less self-conscious, more present, and more connected. Then the conversation opened up into her own background: being born in Venezuela, growing up with Colombian family, seeing both countries from different sides, and explaining details I would have completely missed from the outside. This episode is not trying to explain all of Colombia or all of Venezuela. It is one conversation after a salsa class in Medellín. https://www.instagram.com/epadancestudio?igsh=MXN1aTBqNThiYnZwdw==

#5 - Burning down Police stations

Tato - 3.377339401830368, -76.58366327292 We talked about Colombia’s national strike — how protests that started over economic reforms turned into something much bigger. In 2021, nationwide demonstrations lasted for weeks. Roads were blocked. Cities shut down. More than 80 people were reported killed during clashes between protesters and security forces. Police stations were attacked and burned in several areas. We also talked about the punk scene — how counterculture movements often become a voice during moments of social unrest. It wasn’t just chaos. It was frustration boiling over. 🎧 Full conversation is live — link in bio

#4 - Robbed at 12 at 12

Diego - 6°13'55.4"N 75°09'57.2"W I sat down in Colombia with a guy who grew up in Venezuela. We talked about what the country was like when he was younger… and what it feels like now. Not headlines. Not politics from the outside. Just lived experience. Today, over 7 million Venezuelans have left the country, making it one of the largest migration crises in the world — but statistics don’t capture what that actually feels like. It’s different hearing about Venezuela from someone who lived it. What do you think people misunderstand most about Venezuela? 👇

#3 - Amazon lawyer's

#3 - Susana & isabela  2.4400154924753026, -76.60595552874707 we met at an English exchange. I was one of the only non-Spanish speakers there, so we ended up talking. At some point she mentioned she was a lawyer. Then she casually added that part of her work involved going into jungle regions where armed guerrilla groups had taken control of towns — and using the legal system to challenge them. In places like Colombia, groups like the FARC have historically controlled entire regions, collecting taxes, enforcing rules, and acting like a parallel government. What sounded extreme to me was just normal to her. Another reminder that you don’t need to chase wild stories — sometimes you just sit next to someone and listen

#2 - Sneaking into the US

Tatiana - 3.3471875, -76.5853460