An Impromptu Interview with Kris
Alternate Titles: The German I Met In Colombia, The-27-Year-Old-Geographer-Salsa-Enthusiast
M: Kris, where are you from?
K: My city is called – actually I'm going to spell it, I T Z E H O E… It is pronounced ‘it’s a hoe’
M: That is so funny, does that get a lot of laughs?
K: In the States, yes. In Germany, no
M: Where are you living now?
K: I do live in Barranquilla, which is a big change. I went from 30K people to 4 million. Though I fucking love it here.
M: Ya!? Tell me why?
K: So, on first appearance it may just look like an industrial city without much to do, but once you get to know the people and the culture you just have the best time. I haven’t partied or celebrated so much in my whole life.
M: Why do you think people party so much in Colombia?
K: It's the culture. I don’t want to sound all stereotypical, but Colombians do just have better rhythm than other people, at least compared to Germans. As a German, learning how to dance makes me value music and parties more than I ever did in Germany… I don’t mean to make it sound like I’m a superficial party guy… if you actually post this… But I had never experienced so much joy at parties until I moved to Colombia.
M: I don’t think you’re a superficial partier, don’t worry
K: Now ask me some good questions
M: I want to know about your salsa classes; why’d you decide to take salsa classes when you moved to Barranquilla?
K: I've been taking them since before, in Germany too –
M: You took salsa classes in Germany!?
K: And I decided to continue. Again, not to sound stereotypical, the way people dance and teach salsa here is better than they do in Germany. I found a lot of good friends in the classes too.
M: Are you good at it? Have you always been a good dancer?
K: This depends on who you ask. Compared to Germans, I am good at it. As a person in Colombia… I’m getting better at it
M: Do you find anything about it, dancing salsa, uncomfortable or weird as a German? Is it ever too intimate?
K: NO (in spanish)
M: no?
K: I think more intimate dance styles are champeta or vallenato
M: I don’t know… I’ve always loved watching old couples dance salsa. I always joke that you can tell they still have great sex, even though they’re old. Do you agree?
K: I agree, you just know how to move your body.
M: I think it's also the knowing how to lead and follow someone else's body.
K: *nods thoughtfully*
M: Do you think you'll ever move back to Germany?
K: I guess I have to?
M: Have to?
K: Because I'm probably going to do a phd, in geography.
M: In geography?
K: Ya. I have a geography masters.
M: What!? I did not know that.
K: Ya. I care about improving mobility in cities to lessen the amount of C02 in the air.
M: How does geography relate to salsa? And living in Quilla? Why the pit-stop before the phd
K: What’s a pit stop?
M: During a Nascar race, for example, they stop and quickly change the wheels and such. That’s a pit stop. Figuratively it’s a bit of a break along a journey I suppose. So does Colombia, Barranquilla, and salsa feel like a pit stop on the geography journey?
K: Well geography is also about how people receive and create room, abstract room. And salsa is also kind of like that; you have to make room and space for your dance partner