How Sail250 connects a diaspora
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The ARC Gloria at Pier 11 in Charlestown. Photo: Steph Solis/Axios
Sail Boston and the Colombian tall ship's visit brought something I've never experienced with my family in Medellín: a chance to learn about our nation's maritime history.
- So I put on my Colombia jersey and headed to Pier 11 in Charlestown on Sunday.
Why it matters: Massachusetts has the sixth-largest Colombian population with more than 42,000 residents here.
- Thousands have gone to Menino Park with their families to see the naval ship, some for the first time.
What they're saying: "Boston is one of the cities where we've seen the most Colombians," says Marine Guard Laura Valentina Suarez Sanchez in Spanish.
Flashback: The Gloria dates back to 1968 when the Colombian Navy approved the construction of a training ship.
- The three-masted, 212-foot ship has since trained generations of naval officers and traveled the world as Colombia's "ambassador of the seas."
State of play: The crew played music by Colombian artists Joe Arroyo and Carlos Vives on Sunday, which made the 45-minute wait more bearable.
- Once I boarded, I got a tour of each level, including the Admiral Padilla Salon.
Zoom in: The room displays a replica of the Gloria, handmade lanyards and a bust of José Prudencio Padilla, who fought for Colombia's independence and founded the nation's Armada in 1823.
- I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know who he was before Sunday.
Yes, but: I'm also grateful.
- It's been two years since I've visited Medellín.
- I feel a twinge of sadness whenever my aunt asks when I'll return (in this economy?).
The bottom line: That's another function of the Gloria — bringing a piece of Colombia to people like my mom and me living thousands of miles away, Suarez says.
- Boarding the Gloria doesn't get me back there any faster, but it does give me a memento of home.