Until we get a perspective about a place from those who live there, will we truly understand it? By interviewing Colombians, my kids learned food recommendations, what locals enjoy doing there, and how Colombians describe themselves.

We set up interviews with friends, co-workers, my Spanish tutor, missionaries, and a spontaneous one with a Colombian Restaurant server. Some were virtual and others in person and ranged 15-30 minutes. Using both words and pictures, the kids took notes during the interview.

Seeing the kids gain confidence in asking the questions was exciting as a parent. Not only did they get more excited about what they’d encounter on the trip, they made references to the information during and afterwards, too. I appreciated one co-worker’s advice to the kids to stay closer to their parents than they might at a playground or museum at home.

Being a part of this process made me feel a closer connection to the interviewees as well. They appreciated that we wanted to learn and allowed for deeper conversation about the trip when we returned. Many shared that Colombians value family and hospitality- we noticed that too! Knowing this characteristic ahead of time gave us a lens to look for it.

For more details and tips on how to begin, check out the Cultural Interview Directions.