Our little apartment in Medellín is on the 7th floor. But that doesn’t prevent nature from doing its thing. The food chain starts with a banana. We cut it up and put it on a wooden feeder. So far, we have been visited by Guacharacas (see video), Mieleros, Bichofues, Candelarias, Azulejos, Verdulejos, Mayos and today even a Carpintero. No matter how hard these birds try to scrape the last piece of banana from the feeder, there is always something left.

The shamelessness with which gringos in Medellín relish in their financial advantage puzzles me. “I worked hard for the money I’m spending.” I’m sure you did, but not even close to as hard as you make your Colombian counterpart work for it. “But I’m helping people by spending my money here.” If you are serious, stop trying to 1. find the cheapest way to 2. satisfy your preferences and desires, and find ways to make your undeserved comfort alleviate other people’s undeserved discomfort.