Mayra’s House
“I lived with a violent man who abused me, so I want the inside of the house to be brown, claustrophobic, and depressing, like it felt. The door that kept me locked in was heavy wood, brown. Inside, it’s messy, chaotic. The outside should represent freedom, with cheerful colors—purple and pink, like the sky sometimes looks—the lower part purple and the upper pink. A small terrace with flowerpots filled with beautiful flowers.”

Fortunata’s House
“A tiny mud house on the mountains that my father built. Dirt floors, with sticks on the façade to hang things on, shelves to place dishes on. No windows. A patched tin roof, old and rusty. Inside, hooks where my father hung his tools: a machete, an axe. Around the house grew avocados, coffee, tangerines, oranges, and bananas.”

Corina’s House
“The house was covered with light lilac-gray tiles. The floor felt cold underfoot, with white porcelain tiles patterned with flowers. An iron door with a crisscross pattern— make a careful drawing of it. The sidewalk outside was brown, packed earth. By the house, there was a fish stall, always shouting ‘Pescado! Pescado!’ A small patio in front where children played. A gate made from old pallet wheels. Inside, there was a full-length mirror, a hammock, a TV to the left, and the cold light from a single bulb.”

Erika’s House
“No roof. Cement floor. A rug. A bed with a blue bedspread with tiny yellow stars on it. Above the bed, a framed Real Madrid Ronaldo T-shirt, in memory of my father, who loved football. The walls were light green—split vertically so half the room was green and half blue. Beige curtains. Outside the window, I want to honor my son with framed pictures surrounding it, and the words ‘Gareth Ronaldo’ painted below. My son is named after Ronaldo.”

Karla’s House
“My grandfather’s house is at the very top of the hills. A long concrete staircase with many steps, a blue railing tied with ropes. It takes about 25 minutes to reach the house. The house has a blue metal door with a tiny window, around 15×15 cm. Inside, it’s like a corridor with doors to many small rooms, all in light brown cement. There’s no roof in the corridor, but the bedrooms have roofs.”

Kathy’s Boat and Jungle
“A ‘peke-peke,’ a wooden boat made of dark wood with tar between the planks. A long, narrow boat, about 3 meters long. I brought food and a big bag of rice in a white sack. The boat’s engine sounded like it was calling out ‘Llevo-llevo’ (come with me). There was always a plate in the boat for scooping water to move faster; otherwise, it went at a sloth’s pace. The smell of the water was bad, with algae and rotting fish. At night, the birds sang.”

The Prison
Mayra; “The cell is a concrete bunker with an iron door, two bunk beds. A window with iron bars. A small sink where you had to wash at 6 AM, then make the bed perfectly, or else… Inside the cell, there was a cross, a radio, and a Bible. There was also a chapel in the prison with an altar. When you enter the prison, you cling to your faith; you go mad without it. Surveillance cameras everywhere, constant radio noise, gates with locks, and slamming iron doors. Birds sometimes sang wildly when someone was about to be released.” […]

The Bar
Erika: “There are lots of lights and sounds. A disco lamp that moves, flashing signs. A stereo. A fridge with a fan that always hums loudly but can suddenly go quiet. A laptop behind the bar playing music, where the customer chooses the songs. Beer glasses and bottles on wooden tables. Blue plastic chairs. A tiny private booth with a small table for customers who need to be discreet. The girls sit in a row on plastic chairs outside, waiting and smoking.”