Informal vendors, urban relations and field work: a reflection

In this article, the author reflects on her field work experiences with informal vendors in Cali, Colombia. Based on this, she reveals, first, her mistakes and fears, but also the challenges and opportunities that can arise during the process. Second, she highlights the ability of these vendors to transform the street, "dangerous" and "hostile", into a safer, more interesting and, above all, an ideal space for socializing. In this way, the author suggest nuancing the approaches and concerns that predominate in urban literature on the distinctive feature of social relations in cities, as cold, indifferent and formal.