Traveling like a local: discovering the world from within

It is not uncommon to hear travelers cite an experience they had that influenced their perception of the world around them; a personal growth that was the result of seeing the world through another person’s eyes. During three trips to Colombia in a four-year span, where my goals consisted of living like a local, concreting my Spanish, and meeting new people, I have discovered that some of the most basic, day-to-day occurrences are the ones that create a bond between traveler and natural citizen. Being mobile is a huge component of travel life and truly grasping Bogotá’s public transportation unveiled the connection that I have with all the people around me. We’re on the same bus, bumping and thrusting through traffic, evading what holes we can. The streets of Bogotá- and Colombia for that matter- take some getting used to, an unannounced faith in the infrastructure and the system.
Those who cannot afford the Collective bus fare end up walking. Those who can choose and afford a more direct (and often speedier) route, take the Transmilenio. The privately-owned transport serves more than 900,000 people every day and in a city of about 7.5 million, that’s a huge portion of the population. Sitting, standing, or being physically squished amongst the masses is nothing uncommon. Though our perceptions and thoughts are different, we are all exposed to and experiencing the same travel. We see the same businesses pass by, the same stations and streets and vendors. Although they may have different meanings, they are still the stationary aspects to which we are collectively exposed. Perception only goes so far whilst traveling; being a living, breathing part of a mass movement of people is like flowing through life as one. Seeing the environment and subsequently experiencing it through another's eyes is why I travel.