“The Vibrant Heart of Santa Cruz” | María José Céspedes Melgar | “El corazón vibrante de Santa Cruz”

By El Escribidor, Facebook:

THE UBOLDI PELADINGA…

She arrived with a beautiful treasure in her hands. Something that will mark her for life.

She’s still too young to fully grasp the greatness of what she’s experienced, considering she’s still a child.

The Uboldi peladinga…

She brought back from her journey a little gold fish, a replica of those made by Colonel Aureliano Buendía.

Beside her, her mother.

Both were in Colombia, they delved into the origins of Macondo, saw up close the chair where Amaranta Buendía used to sit, in the patio of Las Begonias.

They visited Aracataca, the town where the great Gabriel García Márquez was born; they saw the train that inspired the mournful yellow train that carried thousands of dead.

There she was, the peladinga with her mother, the Uboldi peladinga.

But before that…

She wrote a very personal story, and through one of those things that only happen to the chosen ones, those words reached the Gabriel García Márquez Foundation.

Title:

“The Vibrant Heart of Santa Cruz.”

With that piece, the Uboldi peladinga introduced her hometown to the world.

And it happened…

She was selected, she qualified, and they sent her and her mother plane tickets.

She was received with honors, along with more than two thousand other selected contestants.

That’s how it was…

The Uboldi peladinga was now part of the contest “Macondo Does Have Someone to Write to It.”

This golden cruceña competed with nearly two thousand boys and girls her age, young writers representing every Spanish-speaking country.

And…

The Uboldi peladinga won.

Yes.

She came back victorious!

But…

Unlike beauty queens or “influencers” who don’t influence anything good, the young and triumphant writer wasn’t met by a band at the airport, there were no journalists, those vultures hungry for a sordid scoop or a corrupt politician chasing a headline…

There wasn’t even a single education minister, let alone the ever-showy city culture secretary.

The education officials of the department didn’t even know about the peladinga’s great achievement.

Only her family and a few friends were there, crying with pride and joy.

Meanwhile…

Young participants from other countries, kids who also took part in the contest, were welcomed with honors in their own countries.

But anyway…

The Uboldi peladinga’s name is

María José Céspedes Melgar, she’s in 2nd grade of secondary school, and she’s the only winner of the “Macondo Does Have Someone to Write to It” contest.

And I…

Can only say:

Thank you, María José.

Thank you, cruceña peladinga!

Thank you for making your city, your department, and your country look good and proud — even though they don’t deserve you.

Welcome to the world of writers.

It will be an honor to shake your hand.

THE SCRIBE.

P.S.

The best recognition you can give this girl is to share this beautiful story yourself.

Bolivian Thoughts welcome María José Céspedes Melgar to The Hall of Bolivian Fame

Leave a comment