A Colombian in Dublin: ‘There’s no such thing as small talk for us − we do big talk’

In Colombia the parliament is ‘really noisy and crazy’; Leinster House was ‘so different’, says Susana de la HozSusana de la Hoz: 'You can be best friends with a Colombian within 10 minutes of meeting them.' Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Whenever Susana de la Hoz tells people in Ireland where she is from, she braces herself for their response. “I think, for Colombians, that moment when someone asks where you are from, and we reply, it’s always like, ugh, what am I going to get?” says the 30-year-old, who moved to Dublin from Medellín, Colombia’s second-largest city, in 2023. People respond in one of two ways to finding out that she is Colombian. Mostly it’s positive: “Usually people say, oh you are the first Colombian I know. That’s so interesting,” she says. However, she also encounters negative stereotypes about Colombia fairly frequently, particularly in connection with the violence that affected it in the past. “Colombia had a rough time in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, but the country has completely changed. It’s very touristy and trendy.”READ MOREGrowing up in a middle-class family, de la Hoz says she was privileged in that she never felt the effects of armed conflict that many Colombians did.She moved to Dublin after being awarded a scholarship to study for a master’s in public affairs and political communication at Technological University Dublin. Before coming, her perception of Ireland was typically American: “The colour green, St Patrick’s Day and the leprechaun; I knew very little.”On arrival, the small selection of fruit available in supermarkets was her first culture shock. “We have every type of fruit available [in Colombia]. You could eat a different fruit every single day of the year.” Settling in a city 8,000km from home, de la Hoz found community in Ireland through playing ultimate frisbee and a group called Art Bubbles, which involves artists giving intimate performances in people’s homes or small venues. “You get to talk to the artists, and the artists get to tell their stories, rather than just performing.”Susana de la Hoz: 'For our peace agreement in Colombia we drew from the Good Friday Agreement.' Photograph : Enda O'Dowd Attending such events and doing activities by herself is something she has learned to be comfortable with, as this is something she would never have done in Colombia. “In Latin America people don’t do things on their own.”[ ‘I knew nothing about this island’: From Venezuela to IrelandOpens in new window ]If she were to go to a concert alone in Latin America, she says, people would ask why and if she was okay. De la Hoz feels it takes time to get to know Europeans, whereas Colombians are much more upfront and open when they meet new people. “You can be best friends with a Colombian within 10 minutes of meeting them.”She finds Irish people more open and spontaneous than other Europeans. She is extremely fond of the Irish ability to laugh at things in life. Interacting with Irish people meant she had to learn how to do small talk, something she says does not exist in Latin America. “There’s no such thing as small talk for us Latin Americans − we do big talk.”Finding somewhere to live in a city where she did not know many people was stressful, in the experience of de la Hoz.Until June, she lived in a house in Harold’s Cross that was run by two Dominican Sisters. “They rent out rooms to young women who are working or studying.” The rent was fairly affordable and the only condition on residents was that they would cook a shared meal and all eat together once a week, she says. De la Hoz returned to Colombia after leaving university. However, almost as soon as she left, she was offered a job back in Dublin. It suited her perfectly – doing public engagement for Médecins Sans Frontières. So after only a few months in her home country, she was back in Ireland. She says she really enjoys working in Ireland and has learned a lot about the process of peace building that took place in Northern Ireland before the Belfast Agreement was signed. [ From the archive: I keep hearing about the Irish peace process in ColombiaOpens in new window ]“I feel that it connects us, as we have been struggling with peace building for a long time. [In Colombia] we had a peace agreement in 2016 with a rebellion group. Some of the closest advisers to the president at the time were Irish. For our peace agreement we drew from the Good Friday Agreement.”Her studies and work have taken her to many places in Ireland, including Leinster House, which she found impressive, but very quiet and polite. She had spent time in the Colombian congress as she had previously worked for a senator. “I had a different idea of politics and of a parliament in Colombia because our congress is huge. It’s really noisy and crazy, with lots happening. It was so different because in Colombia everyone is in a rush.”She plans to stay in Ireland for the foreseeable future but says that, because she is an only child, she does not see herself remaining here forever. However, for now, she is enjoying her work and the ability to travel elsewhere in Europe so easily.We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland in the past 10 years. To get involved, email newtotheparish@irishtimes.com or send us two lines about yourself using the form below. IN THIS SECTION