Jack Anderson Colombia Exchange

When I arrived in Bogota at about 8 p.m, I was all welcomed by, as I would soon find out, the nicest people I have ever met. I was greeted by my host brother, Santiago, and his parents, Sandra and Alejandro, with a firm hug or hardy handshake. Because Santiago’s parents are divorced, I had two different families while in Colombia,opening up a variety of incredible opportunities to see Colombia through both of his parents’ views. The next day was a Monday during the school year, however, we did not have school since it was one of the many holidays we had during the trip. So, that next day, Santi and I had the time to go bowling with Mack and his host, Alejo. While bowling is the same as it is in the United States, it was a great opportunity to get to know our hosts better.

The group upon arrival in Colombia.

The next day was my first day of classes at the Colegio Claustro Moderno. I got up first in my household, eager to get to school and meet many new people. However, and what I did not realize, breakfast is an important meal eaten everyday. Typically, I don’t eat breakfast at home, so eating breakfast was a major adjustment. My not eating breakfast eventually became a running gag in our household. At school, we were all welcomed warmly by all of the students, faculty, and staff. In between classes and during breaks, the group would play either basketball, volleyball, or soccer. I knew going in that school would be very different. When I walked into class the first day, I immediately noticed how much more relaxed classes were. Our first week of classes was exam week, so I got to take tests in Spanish. I was most excited for the English exam, but, unfortunately, I was unable to take it. Also, during classes, the group would go on school sponsored trips. These trips helped us see the incredible monuments and tourist attractions that we would not have been able to see other wise. For our first adventure, we went to the Salt Cathedral with our hosts and an English teacher. We traveled about 200 m below ground level into a salt mine in order to visit an incredible church carved completely out of the salt the miners were mining for. This trip provided for a very fun way to see the culture of Colombia. 

The cross in the Salt Cathedral.

While I was in Colombia, the Copa America, a soccer tournament for all American national soccer teams. was taking place. Fortunately for us, the first friday we were in Bogota, the Colombian national soccer team and the United States national soccer played each other. The whole group of hosts and exchange students was able to come over to our apartment and watch the soccer game together. We had a lot of fun, however the United States lost 2-0. Also through the school, we went to places such as Monseratte, a cathedral on top of a mountain 3000 km high overlooking all of Bogota, and El Museo de Oro, a museum showcasing gold from thousands of years ago left by the indigenous people. At the Monseratte, we saw an incredible panoramic view of all of Bogota, the biggest city I have ever seen. It was breathtaking.

A picture of me, Mack, and Patrick with a llama at the base of Monseratte.

My host mother's boyfriend owned property outside the city in the Andes Mountain Range. One Saturday, my family, including my host's brother who is an ecology major, went up to the Andes to see the incredible sights offered. We didn't see many animals, as it was about noon, but walking through the forest with an ecology major allowed for a very cool, once-in-a-lifetime, experience. He pointed out many little plants, animals, bugs, and insects that I never would have noticed or appreciated without him.

                                                            A panoramic view of the Andes Mountain Range. 

At the end of our trip, the group played a series of pickup basketball games against our hosts and their friends. This series was a ton of fun, and the whole grade got out of class to watch. In the end, unlike the United States in soccer, we won. Our final days were bittersweet. I had grown to really like everyone I met in Bogota, so saying goodbye was no fun. Saying goodbye to my host family was the hardest. I was so thankful for everything they had done for me, and they had done such a great job making me feel at home in a foreign country.

In the end, I would like to thank everybody that made this trip possible, including Mr. Berry, for going on the trip with us, Sr. Paolicchi, for helping us coordinate the trip, and the Wilson family, for allowing us all to go and have an experience of a lifetime while learning a lot of new Spanish.