[A digression here is in order: of course I can only perceive on the kind of friendship that can exist between an Italian and a foreigner; there's the issue of the language, the different cultural background, and that undefinable attitude ---not necessarily negative--- that Italians have with respect to things which are different from what they're used to. Most likely, Italians will have a different take on this perception.]
So we Colombians are friendly people. One of the consequences of this shows up when we want to travel around. We have to go to embassies to explain why we want to travel and all that. I guess that foreign countries do so because they know we are friendly people, so they want to know more about us. And that's just fine. They put a sticker on our passports as a symbol of friendship. It is friendship indeed: not everyone has a sticker (you're not friends with everyone), the sticker is not simple to obtain (same as with sincere friendship), and the sticker usually costs you time, money, and effort (just as any good friendship, which goes beyond any obstacles). It is of course a different kind of friendship, because it's friendship between people representing a country and an individual of a country, Colombia in my case. But it is still friendship, and one must appreciate it, no matter what.
Yesterday I obtained yet another of these symbols of friendship, this time with the cool people of the Republic of Ireland. It was a good opportunity to reflect on all the previous symbols of friendship I have obtained in my unproductive life. So far I have eight of them: two from the people of UK (my first friends abroad), also two from the people of France, one from the Italians, one from the people from the US (who really wanted to know me as a friend, as I wrote here), one from the people of Malaysia, and now the Irish. I am most proud no country has ever refused my friendship and I sincerely hope this doesn't change. However, I observe that it is becoming harder and harder to be friends with a country these days. The last two experiences have been truly challenging for me. I mean, they want to know a lot about you, or they make things really difficult; it is clear that they want to test your friendship intentions ---something reasonable in these times of crisis. It's becoming a bit annoying to be friends in such an intrusive and demanding way. Nevertheless, I no longer wonder if I want more friends in those conditions, as I realize that I have no choice.
