From under the yellow/green striped Guadua trees, I could see the sun peeking playfully through the redolent greenery that surrounded me at Reserva Cauquitá. I breathed in the deep rich smells of the…
Author: openmindedtraveler
Erin Donaldson is an American writer, cultural correspondent and longtime expat who has lived in Colombia since 2013. Her work explores travel, culture, relationships, identity and the realities of building a life abroad.
After nearly 14 years in Colombia, she is now spending time traveling through Mexico and writing from the perspective of someone who has lived long enough outside the United States to question many of the assumptions she once took for granted.
Through Open Minded Traveler, Erin writes candidly about dating, alternative relationship structures, sexuality, cultural differences and the ways travel can challenge conventional ideas about how people are supposed to live and connect.
Blog posts
Coffee: The Most Loved Liquid in the World From Seed to Cup
Anyone who drinks coffee, on some level, realizes that it was grown on a plant, processed and delivered in either grinds or beans to grind. And now for some really important news: This is…
Let’s Talk Pereira, An Engaging Culture Exchange and Language Swap!
Let’s Talk Pereira totally lacks the social elegance of Bogota, even so your chances aren’t completely sunk! If you aren’t into the Club Comercio money parade, the strange but elusive Rotaracts, or the aged…
The Pereira City Guide
Exciting News! Pereira is going to have a City Guide! NOT one of those grammatically funky, state-sponsored info sheets! Something Beautiful… Informative… And, Interesting… Featuring current information and points of interest. Where to…
Expert Roundup: What is the Best Secret to Know When Living, Working or Traveling in Colombia?
Coming to Colombia for me has been such an adventure. I came with an open mind, and an open heart. Things worked out. That isn’t always the case, but when it is, it’s extra…
The 4 Things Life Taught Me About Failure
Failure. There it is. The word which haunts us. The two syllables which make us cringe just by hearing them used in our direction. That enormous sinking feeling after you realize that your best…
Savage Paradise Part III: The Peaceful Spirit of El Choco and Her People.
This is the story of a man who is originally from the capital of Choco, and the serendipitous story about how he made it out of Quibdo, got an education, was a professional athlete and now…
El Lugar Hotel Boutique: Where to Stay and Eat, in Pereira Colombia
In the modern city of Pereira we have some of the best amenities which can be found in the Coffee Axis region. They are situated close to some of the best luxury destinations in…
Authentic Sombrero Aguadeño Hats, a Must for Visitors | Travel
Here in the Coffee Axis of Colombia we have a pretty temperate climate most of the year with plenty of year round sunshine. What most visitors to this area don’t know, is the local…
Inside Colombia’s Cocaine Economy: San José del Palmar, Chocó
Update — August 2026: I originally published this article in January 2016 after interviewing two men involved in small-scale coca cultivation and cocaine production during a trip into the mountains surrounding San José del…
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