I can confidently say that I had (and still have) a great first impression of Colombia.
Everyone was warning me about how hot Colombia is during the summer, but as a native of Mobile, Alabama, heat is nothing new to me. The humidity was a little stronger than I’m used to, but that was mainly because we’re all a little spoiled by central AC in the States. The second thing I noticed about Colombia was how laid-back and nice the people are. Everywhere I went, people were willing to help me out, and I even felt safe exploring the city at night with my friends. In almost every Uber I took, which was a lot, the drivers would be excited to find out that I was studying Spanish. They love practicing English and helping improve our Spanish, so even though it was nerve-wracking for an introvert like me, it was the perfect opportunity to get accustomed to interacting with locals. We also got the chance to spend time with the Colombian students each day at school, and they love trading numbers and socials to hang out after classes and on the weekends.
On top of that, the US dollar is powerful compared to the Colombian peso, so everything from food to Uber to movies and more was incredibly accessible. My group was very excited about this, and we spent all our free time exploring and trying out new things. As far as language barriers go, I had an interesting time adjusting to the accent in Barranquilla. People who live on the coast have an accent that makes them speak faster and cut off the ends of their words. I’m not going to act like it was frustrating at first, but I’m so glad I kept trying because it eventually got easier and my ear picks up on faster speech much easier than before. Fortunately, when I got the chance to visit other cities like Medellín and Bogotá, I realized that they speak at a much more relaxed pace, so I used those conversations to learn more about the culture and customs of the country.
Taking classes abroad through this program was challenging but so rewarding. The actual curriculum isn’t difficult at all and the professors are all very helpful, but six weeks is much faster than a normal semester. At first, it could feel too fast, but eventually, I learned to pick up what was most important and my experience improved. Most of the classes offered have little to no homework, allowing us to focus on the material only during class. I’m almost certain that the only class that required more assignments after hours was Grammar & Composition, but that’s expected for a class with that kind of curriculum. Overall, you have nothing to worry about concerning your grades as long as you pay attention.
The food in Colombia was one of my biggest culture shocks upon entering the country. Before coming to Colombia, I had the impression that Latin cultures were all known for their spicy cuisine and rich flavor. I was super excited because, growing up in the South, we are very serious about flavor and spice in everything we eat. Colombia is the exact opposite. Their food is much healthier and it’s even a little difficult to find dishes with enough salt. There are many regulations on what is allowed into their food, so I had to get used to that. Fortunately, there were many options of authentic native foods that I got to experience and their fruit is some of the freshest and sweetest I have ever tasted.
Towards the end of the trip, it gets really easy to miss home more and more, but it’s also so hard preparing to leave such a beautiful country. I’ve learned a lot about being present and being flexible. It sounds so cheesy, but enjoy every moment, and don’t drown yourself in schoolwork. I’ve met some people there and made connections that I will never forget.