- Pronouns
- He/Him, They/Them
The Republic of Tolima is a nation set over two large islands in the north east of Eras. It is not the richest of nations or the poorest of nations, the most or least powerful, but it certainly is popular, as many as 15 million people visit the island annually and that number is rising year on year. Tolima's history is fraught with political upheaval and in one year, 7 different governments were in power. Today the island is a safe, stable democracy that doesn't seek to play a part in international affairs, and the current government has recently started a program to invite back members of the Toliman diaspora to the islands, with the prevailing message being that the problems and issues of the past are well and truly buried. Juan Luis was born in Nierr to Toliman parents, and the travel writer and documentary maker recently visited his homeland for the first time...
In 11th Form, which makes up the 12th and 13th years of Nierran education, my tutor was the son of an immigrant mother from McMasterdonia. She had died before he ever knew about his homeland and he told me that learning about it after the fact made him feel like he'd missed out on a massive part of his heritage - and he was right. He encouraged me to find out as much as I can about my parent's - and mine - homeland. So I went back to my parents, and asked them to teach me about home. Since then, although I have troubled to many countries of Eras, I had hoped I would be able to return to Tolima. When the government announced it was trialling a right of return program, I applied for a visa for a 10 day visit, enough to see both the tourist sites and how the regular people live...
My journey starts in Medraza, the capital of Tolima and the largest centre of tourism for the nation. Almost 60% of those that come to the islands come here - and it shows. Medraza is a city that has been planned around its centres of attraction. Everything is directed to the beaches and resorts during the day, and to the clubs and bars at night. Police officers dress in light uniform and have a friendly face, specially trained to deal with tourists from around Eras, although I wouldn't advise anyone test them. During my first foray out into the night I saw a group of policemen confronting a rowdy bunch of tourists. Flush with alcohol and heat, one of the tourists threw a punch, and in the seconds the police had all of them on the floor and under arrest. Not the best way to end a holiday, I'm sure.
Medraza is home to the nations legislature and government, located on a smaller island between the two that make up Medraza proper and the mainland. A heavy suspension bridge carries traffic to the mainland and on either side of that sit the most powerful men and women in the country, the decision makers responsible for the well-being of the 13 million inhabitants and even more tourists who visit the country each year. The government is quick to insist it gives more attention to citizens than to tourists but to look at Medraza you'd be forgiven for thinking the opposite. Of those who live in the city, 90% work in the service industry or to support it. The number of permanent residents in the city has dropped 70,000 in 10 years, whilst temporary residents - people living in the city for 6-12 months - have trebled. Maria Gonzalez, a councillor for the city's north east, says she frequently gets complaints that the city is now too expensive for local people to live in.
"My constituency is 7,000 residents and about half a million tourists." She told me. "Ten years ago I represented 15,000 people. Entire neighbourhoods have emptied, and then been replaced with resorts and hotels. I like the revenue these things bring the city, but I despair at the damage this transformation has done to my city."
The city's Mayor, however, denies the charge that the city has priced out locals, citing extensive rent assistance programs and expansive building projects. "People talk about permanent resident being down, temporary being up, locals priced out, etc etc. They don't tell you that the number of locals renting apartments and homes is higher than ever. They don't tell you that rent assistance helps tens of thousands of my constituents move to better accommodation. How do we pay for this?" He asks me. "With the money from tourism. With the money from resort owners and cruise lines who stop here. With the money tourists spend in this city. There is no-one homeless in this city. Poverty in Madraza does not exist." He goes onto assert.
The number of people renting is a contentious point in the politics of the city, and represents the policies taken by the two opposing parties. Mayor Negredo is a member of Gente de Progreso, People for Progress, whilst Maria Gonzalez is part of Unión, Progreso y Democracia - Party for Union, Progess and Democracy, a fast rising party on the national stage. UPD recently signed a pledge saying that people have a fundamental right to own a home. UPD seeks take a million renters out of the market in 5 years. GdP oppose this, saying it would reduce social mobility and cost taxpayers too much. Neither party is expected to win a majority in the next elections, although GdP are part of the ruling coalition.
I visited Medraza during the final day of Fiesta de Madraza, a three day event each year commemorating Madraza's role domestically and internationally. On the third day, locals - and tourists who choose to partake in the event - travel to any body of water on the islands and fall backwards into it, to celebrate the wealth the waters around the islands have given the city. My companion in the city, a local named Nuno, encouraged me to join in, and I finished my first day in Tolima by wading up to my knees into the surf and falling backwards into the waters of Madraza, my journey only just begun.
Ten Days in Tolima
My parents left Tolima 6 years before I was born. Growing up, I was taught to speak and think in English, the language of the nation of my birth. Tolima was a far off place, one my parents barely ever mentioned. I didn't even know they were - and I suppose to an extension myself - Toliman until my 12th birthday, where it is traditional in both Toliman and Nierran culture to start including a child into adult matters. My parents gave me a choice, I could learn about my Toliman heritage as well as continuing my studies in Nierr, or I could choose to jettison that part of me, ignore it, make it irrelevant. At the time, I chose to not learn about Tolima, something that may surprise people as I would, after all, go onto become a travel writer.In 11th Form, which makes up the 12th and 13th years of Nierran education, my tutor was the son of an immigrant mother from McMasterdonia. She had died before he ever knew about his homeland and he told me that learning about it after the fact made him feel like he'd missed out on a massive part of his heritage - and he was right. He encouraged me to find out as much as I can about my parent's - and mine - homeland. So I went back to my parents, and asked them to teach me about home. Since then, although I have troubled to many countries of Eras, I had hoped I would be able to return to Tolima. When the government announced it was trialling a right of return program, I applied for a visa for a 10 day visit, enough to see both the tourist sites and how the regular people live...
My journey starts in Medraza, the capital of Tolima and the largest centre of tourism for the nation. Almost 60% of those that come to the islands come here - and it shows. Medraza is a city that has been planned around its centres of attraction. Everything is directed to the beaches and resorts during the day, and to the clubs and bars at night. Police officers dress in light uniform and have a friendly face, specially trained to deal with tourists from around Eras, although I wouldn't advise anyone test them. During my first foray out into the night I saw a group of policemen confronting a rowdy bunch of tourists. Flush with alcohol and heat, one of the tourists threw a punch, and in the seconds the police had all of them on the floor and under arrest. Not the best way to end a holiday, I'm sure.
Medraza is home to the nations legislature and government, located on a smaller island between the two that make up Medraza proper and the mainland. A heavy suspension bridge carries traffic to the mainland and on either side of that sit the most powerful men and women in the country, the decision makers responsible for the well-being of the 13 million inhabitants and even more tourists who visit the country each year. The government is quick to insist it gives more attention to citizens than to tourists but to look at Medraza you'd be forgiven for thinking the opposite. Of those who live in the city, 90% work in the service industry or to support it. The number of permanent residents in the city has dropped 70,000 in 10 years, whilst temporary residents - people living in the city for 6-12 months - have trebled. Maria Gonzalez, a councillor for the city's north east, says she frequently gets complaints that the city is now too expensive for local people to live in.
"My constituency is 7,000 residents and about half a million tourists." She told me. "Ten years ago I represented 15,000 people. Entire neighbourhoods have emptied, and then been replaced with resorts and hotels. I like the revenue these things bring the city, but I despair at the damage this transformation has done to my city."
The city's Mayor, however, denies the charge that the city has priced out locals, citing extensive rent assistance programs and expansive building projects. "People talk about permanent resident being down, temporary being up, locals priced out, etc etc. They don't tell you that the number of locals renting apartments and homes is higher than ever. They don't tell you that rent assistance helps tens of thousands of my constituents move to better accommodation. How do we pay for this?" He asks me. "With the money from tourism. With the money from resort owners and cruise lines who stop here. With the money tourists spend in this city. There is no-one homeless in this city. Poverty in Madraza does not exist." He goes onto assert.
The number of people renting is a contentious point in the politics of the city, and represents the policies taken by the two opposing parties. Mayor Negredo is a member of Gente de Progreso, People for Progress, whilst Maria Gonzalez is part of Unión, Progreso y Democracia - Party for Union, Progess and Democracy, a fast rising party on the national stage. UPD recently signed a pledge saying that people have a fundamental right to own a home. UPD seeks take a million renters out of the market in 5 years. GdP oppose this, saying it would reduce social mobility and cost taxpayers too much. Neither party is expected to win a majority in the next elections, although GdP are part of the ruling coalition.
I visited Medraza during the final day of Fiesta de Madraza, a three day event each year commemorating Madraza's role domestically and internationally. On the third day, locals - and tourists who choose to partake in the event - travel to any body of water on the islands and fall backwards into it, to celebrate the wealth the waters around the islands have given the city. My companion in the city, a local named Nuno, encouraged me to join in, and I finished my first day in Tolima by wading up to my knees into the surf and falling backwards into the waters of Madraza, my journey only just begun.