Lost In Translation Colombian Style - My New Best Friend Claudia

Ever seen that movie Lost In Translation? It won a Golden Globe in 2003 for best movie and Sofia Copella won an Academy Award for best Written Script for the film. If you do not know what the movie is then let me give a quick brief about it. It is about an actor, played by Bill Murray, who is doing work in Tokyo. He meets a newly married young woman, played by Scarlett Johanson, who is in Tokyo with her husband while he is working. The two are in a country where they do not speak the language and do not understand the culture. The two gain a strong bonding connection in a time and place where they both need it.

Relating to People

Why am I mentioning this movie? Well that is a good question. When people travel, we are put into an environment that we are not familiar with. We are around new people who think different, with different cultures than what we are used to and sometimes different languages than what you speak. That is why also when we travel we try to find someone who has something in common with ourselves; even only if it there is only something small in common. A perfect example would be if someone was on BART in San Francisco and notices a New Jersey accent, we would not care at all, the two are both Americans in America. But lets say you are on the Metro in Paris and that same person notices a New Jersey accent, we would recognized OHHH AMERICAN, a bond is made right away. But what happens when there is a very strong bond?

Meet Scarlett… err Claudia

For the past 3 months I had been staying in Colombia, a country familiar to me, but it seemed like I was out of place at times, with cultures I was not used to. Enter Scarlet Johanson… well not really. Her name was Claudia, a young Colombian born who has not lived in the country for many years. She is a bit of a stranger at times in Colombia as well.

In the movie the two main characters in the film saw each other in a elevator of a hotel where she smiled at him. Unfortunately for me there was no hotel or elevator. I saw Claudia for the first time in her cousin’s apartment where my host Felipe took me to pick up the luggage of his cousins. I couldn’t stop from smiling when I first saw her young face, amazing smile and dark hair. Oh… and her glasses, yeah I said glasses. The first thing I thought was, that would be awesome if she was joining us for our trip to my hosts family. Ironically that is what was going to happen.

A Trip

The next day my host Felipe and I speed our our way like nascar drivers to pick up his two cousins for a road trip to Tunja. Claudia and I got comfortable in the rear seats where the two of us could converse. A 4 hour long haul car was lost in time as the two of us discussed the beauty of art creation, the form and function of design, our amazing observations through photography, and the simplicity of zen. Time seemed to have warped in something that did not exist anymore. In my time in Bogotá, or actually through out the world, it was hard to find people who I could discuss such conversations with. Two people with a strong connection, it is rarity to find someone with so much in common. Or perhaps we were two strangers who needed each other in a time and place, like Bill and Scarlett.

Now the difference between Scarlett Johanson and Bill Murray is that they were unlikely people to become friends. One young, one older. One an actor, one who just graduated and had no clue what to do in their life. I can not say the same for Claudia and I. But the need for some connection was needed. We were in a country we knew, but did not really know. We were both in need for someone who can speak english, talk art, talk design and talk zen, something we were used to, something that was not so foreign to either of us.

An observation

In Tunja I got observe Claudia from a distance as she spent time with her family (the aunt of my host, Felipe, who was staying one house over). I observed the constant smile on her face. The way she got excited when someone had something to share with her. The persistent hugging that was happening with everyone around her. She was a genuine happy person.

Get to Know Bogota and Claudia

After Tunja Felipe and I made our way back to Bogotá. Less than a week later Claudia and her brother made their way back to Bogotá. This time I got to spend more time with Claudia, including an eventful paintball that caused a bruised and scarring incident (probably for life). An amazing time taking photos through out Bogotá’s sites. Shopping for nicknacks and finding wonderfully handmade items as gifts in Pasaje Rivas. Enjoying time eating some amazing vegan food and restaurants in Chapinero. As well as moving to the music of salsa all night long in the clubs in Galerias.

It was nice to have someone to explore Bogotá with. Someone who could explore it with me, with no knowledge and just having a fun time seeing where the day took us. I got to experience Claudia’s constant large smile that showed her grinning teeth and made me show my yellowish-white teeth to the world. And I got the enjoy the hugs that I got previously observe from afar. The hugs that filled me with warmth and made feel more alive. It made me realize how important hugs are in life.

It All Ends

The last day of Claudia and her brother came. It was time to see them off. I thank them both for the time spent with them. I wish I had whispered some sagely advice into Claudia’s ear the same way Bill Murray did to Scarlett Johanson. Instead a kiss on the top of the head (she liked that) and a thank you.

It was a great connection. A strong one, or was it just because we both needed someone to feel comfortable in a strange land to the both of us? Maybe that is all great bonds and connections are?

Have you ever had that strong of a connection? Have any questions? Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know so I can help. Happy travels