Places of Peace 

When I was 15 my brother said a phrase that I didn't understand. 

 

"Uno nunca está feliz donde está." You're never truly happy where you are. 

​

He explained by saying that we’re conditioned to always aspire for more and never cease to crave being a part of too many things at once. This makes it hard to be completely content where we are.

 

When I first moved to college in 2016, I began to understand what my brother meant. Even though I was content, I felt alienated from home due to a revolutionary event that was occurring: the signing of a peace deal ending a war with LAS FARC- a left-wing armed group that had been at war with the government for over half a century, taking more than 8 million lives. 

 

Due to its fortunate location in the equator, Colombia has all sorts of landscapes. Before the signing of the peace deal, many areas in Colombia remained virtually untouched: they were controlled by the radical groups for activities like farming and illegal activities like cocaine production. Many areas were inhabited and remained almost virgin territories. 

 

Among them, El Tayrona which is a natural park located in the city of Santa Marta. It's landscapes are breath-taking: stretching across the cost of the Caribbean ocean and alongside the tallest mountain range in Colombia- the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.  This makes it the world’s highest costal range, reaching an altitude of over 18,000 ft.

 

When I visited the location in 2018 I was inspired to do this project which’s main theme is “Places of Peace.” It felt ironic since this location had been a war zone. But, I felt at peace- at least if it's just for an instant to capture. 

 

This project was developed in November 2018 was when I was able to change what seemed to be an unchangeable perspective of unobtainable happiness that I had followed for over 7 years.