University friends, along with the host's family and neighbors, all found their dancing shoes pretty quickly, and before I knew it I was being swept into the midst of a salsa number! It was quite a sight, with vampires, ghosts and goblins all dancing to traditional Latin rhythms in a small living room.
I discovered a local newspaper focused around arts and culture in Medellín called Universocentro this week. I picked up a copy during my volunteer shift at Museo Casa de la Memoria, and I've been enjoying perusing the various articles. This issue includes an interesting feature on an Amazonian indigenous tribe facing challenges to maintaining its traditional way of life, as well as a cool article about the Latin music scene in Medellín.
On a walking tour of local graffiti art, I had the chance to watch a breakdancing performance by a group called Black and White. They danced to both American and Latin beats, and I was in awe as I watched them twist and turn their bodies in all directions!
Some of my Fulbright friends who work at the big National University in Medellín have hardly had any classes for the past few weeks because of an ongoing university strike to demand more government funding for public universities. Colombia's new national government has imposed significant cutbacks to public university budgets in recent months, and students and professors alike aren't happy about it. They've taken to the street multiple times so far to peacefully protest the cutbacks and demand the government's attention.
