In the heart of the Colombian Massif, where fog wraps the streets of Almaguer like a veil of mystery, we encounter a reality that makes us question the true nature of our society and our role as teachers. As professors from the University of Cauca, from the Department of Education and Pedagogy of the Faculty of Natural, Exact, and Education Sciences, we travel to the most remote regions of Cauca, bringing with us, through training workshops, presentations on the curricular approach and the academic curriculum of the teaching degree programs under the agreement signed between the Normal Superior Schools of Cauca and Unicauca.

The inter-municipal bus journey is a challenge in itself. Sharp curves and steep cliffs make us scream internally, while attempting to sleep during the long six-hour trip becomes a chimera. But it is upon arriving in Almaguer that reality strikes us forcefully. People wandering the streets of the town, in that cold, appear like characters from The Others, gradually emerging from the fog.

However, it is in the training workshops where the true reality presents itself with stark clarity. The innocent faces of the students speak to us of lives marked by violence and fear. Narco-guerrilla activity continues to be a problem in these territories, using children and adolescents as “mules” to transport drugs, forcing them to carry sacks of coca at night after leaving school.