I Am Alive
When the man jumped on my back, I was only half surprised. My senses were peaked as I walked through the crowd of soccer hooligans. Everyone says it’s dangerous after matches, but I had to get home somehow.
My night had started out at a concert just a couple of miles away. It was free, but evidently we were supposed to have somehow acquired tickets. Ticketless, we stood outside the theater hoping for the best. I said I knew the singer, but that didn’t prove effective. Thankfully, we were eventually allowed to enter.
Much to my surprise, the first act was a symphony! Not bad for a free concert. They played several songs and then departed.
After the symphony there was a five-hour period where a woman thanked various sponsors. Alright, fine. It was probably 45 minutes, but it felt longer. It was the only unexciting part of the night.
After the final award was given, the night truly began. Tambor Hembra took the stage, which was my reason for going to the concert in the first place. One of my spanish teachers from March, Diana, is the leader.
It turns out Diana and Tambor Hembra are amazing. A crowd that was previously sitting down for a symphony got out of their seats to dance.
They played various styles of music, including Gaita, Champeta, and Merengue. The Gaita, which features a long wind instrument, was my favorite. It was a party.
After hours of successfully moving my hips without any help from adult beverages (wasn’t previously sure that was possible), I was covered in sweat and the night was over. Or so I thought.
After taking the bus back to the area where I live, I started the walk to my apartment. I live very close to a soccer stadium. Manizales is generally a safe place, but things can get a little out of hand after soccer games. Many people choose not to go out on nights when there’s a match.
But at this point I didn’t have much of a choice. I thought it would be more dangerous to take side streets, so I opted to take the main road. At first, it didn’t look too bad. However, as I got closer to the stadium, the density of humans increased substantially.
I employed my usual method of trying not to get robbed:
- Headphones out
- Head up
- Chest out
- Brisk pace
Unfortunately, my thief repellant proved ineffective. I was only about a quarter mile from my apartment when I felt someone grab me from behind. Luckily, I was already on high alert, so I immediately shoved him off. At the same time, his friend came from the left and started putting his hand down my pocket. I declined his invitation and forcefully shoved him away. He asked “Gringo, estas perdido?” (“Are you lost?”). What a nice guy. It’s always nice having people caring about your well-being. I told him “No” (“No,” for those who don’t speak Spanish), and walked away.
For the rest of the walk home, I generally gravitated towards police and kept my head on a swivel. I arrived home 100% safe and with a 0% loss of possessions. Don’t worry Mom, I’m fine. ❤️
In fact, I am better than fine. The combination of all of the music, dancing, and almost being robbed combined to create an immense feeling of gratitude. I felt so alive! Of course, being the target of crime isn’t ideal, but I got away! There’s nothing more exciting than a narrow victory.
While I don’t plan on ever braving the soccer mob again, I can’t help but be happy. I had an experience. Last night added to the complexity of my life. I certainly will never forget it…just like when my friend Brett got robbed as we walked through Prague (and he actually lost his phone). That’s a story for another time..
When unfortunate things happen to us, we can either choose to react negatively or positively. We can choose to live in a state of fear or a state of abundance. Fear doesn’t sound like much fun, so I choose happiness. So thank you to the soccer fans who tried to steal from me. You gave me a memorable night!
