I have dark hair and dark features, my Spanish is convincing enough β so what makes me so obviously foreign? When I look to Colombian women, of course, I start to understand why. Clothing itself is also a confusing one. The few wearing shorts receive the standard staring and catcalling, so the rules are clear: if you want less attention, cover up. A foreigner is never going to get their salsa moves as perfect as a Colombian, however much effort they put in. The look in his eyes is way too intense!
What I find very interesting though is that the respect levels in salsa are completely different to those on the street. The same men who might whistle and ogle from afar are nothing but gentlemen on the dance floor; guiding their partners through the whirlwind of complex moves with nothing more than a strong hand on the small of the back.
As a woman traveling solo in South America, I have to be hyper aware of what kind of situations I put myself in. Right outside my hostel in Santa Marta β a coastal city so humid that not wearing short shorts is akin to madness β were two lines of men, presumably waiting for foreigners because they had nothing else to do, who started whistling, staring and whispering as soon as I stepped out of the door.
Not to give them the satisfaction. I wondered, after that incident, how often this type of thing happens to Colombian women; how they feel and how they cope.
It leads me to think that Colombian women have a different attitude to this kind of behavior than I do, and I wish I could learn what it was. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
