Mack's Trip to Colombia

On the morning of May 29, 2016 at 4:00 AM, our adventure began. Jack Anderson, Mark Lillard, Patrick Andreen, and I set off on our three week journey that would take me to another continent for the first time in my life. I did not sleep at all the night before our departure, so by the time I arrived at the airport I was more than ready to get on the plane and go to sleep. We flew first to Miami, and then after a long layover, to Bogota.

Upon arrival in the late evening, we were all warmly greeted by our host families and whisked away into Bogota. My family, the Silvas, consisted of four people; My host brother, Alejandro; My host sister, Cristina; and my two host parents, Alvaro and Paula. They took me directly from the airport to a famous Colombian restaurant called Crepes and Waffles. After a delicious dinner, we headed home where I was introduced to my home for the next three weeks. My family lived in a house, which is very unusual in Bogota because most people live in apartments. Unfortunately, Alvaro’s mother passed away on my first night, leaving a sad mark on an otherwise wonderful first night.

Our whole group before departure 

On the first morning I woke up rather late, and when I walked downstairs, I was gleefully greeted by Paula, offering me breakfast and insisting that I get enough to eat. When I had finished the miniature feast she had prepared me for breakfast, Alejandro and I went with Jack and his host brother, Santiago. Santiago’s father drove us on a small tour of Bogota that took us through many of the popular areas of the immense city, and that ended with our driving up a mountain from which you could see a large portion of Bogota.

View from the first day 

At the conclusion of the first day, I had my first of many wonderful family dinners prepared by Paula. We ate dinner as a family almost every night, providing a nice final chapter to each day.

Colegio Claustro Moderno

The next day was my first day attending Colegio Claustro Moderno. I woke up at 5:30 and slowly made my way downstairs where I was met by Paula and an amazing breakfast. These breakfasts were one of the staples of my trip, always consisting of a fresh fruit juice that Paula prepared every day. After breakfast Alejandro and I left the house and went to the bus stop. After my first of many hour and a half bus rides, I arrived at the Colegio. I stepped out of the bus on this brisk Bogota morning and was taken away by the beauty of the campus. The school is situated on a mountain side on the edge of Bogota so it is slightly colder than the rest of the city. The daily schedule at CCM was much more relaxed than a day at MBA. It consisted of many breaks and free time, but also 3-5 academic classes each day. These classes ranged from anything from Physics to Psychology. Throughout the day we would always be involved in a friendly game of soccer, basketball, or volleyball.

Bunny's house

View from Breakfast

On my first weekend in Bogota my family brought me to a small Colonial Spanish town called Villa de Leyva. After escaping the horrendous Bogota traffic, I was immersed in the beautiful Colombian countryside. The terrain in Colombia is so different from anything I had ever seen before. When we arrived late at night to their Aunt Bonni’s house, located 15 minutes from the town, I was surprised to find out that she was American (and that she was actually Bunny and they just were saying it wrong). She had built her entire house using natural materials and most of it was solar powered. The next morning, I saw where we were in daylight and was truly amazed. We ate breakfast with an incredible view and then went down into Villa de Leyva. It was an incredibly interesting town with lots of history that had been transformed into a nice tourist getaway. We went shopping here and I was able to find lots of cool gifts for my family.

Shops in Villa de Leyva

View of Bogota from Monserrate

During my stay, I was fortunate enough to go on a few excursions with the school including; The Museum of Gold, Cathedral of salt, and my personal favorite, Monserrate. Monserrate is a huge cathedral located on one of the highest mountains surrounding Bogota, and is truly one of the greatest views I have ever seen. The Cathedral of Salt is a cathedral that is completely underground in a salt mine, and the Museum of Gold is a gold museum that contains the largest collection of gold artifacts in the world. All of these excursions were great bonding experiences for us with our host brothers.

Overall, visiting Bogota is one of the greatest experiences I have had in my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I was given by Sr. Paolicchi, the Wilson family, and all of the Spanish department. This experience allowed me to meet some of the kindest and most genuine people that I have ever encountered, and to gain an experience that I truly believe will stick with me for the rest of my life. I cannot fully express how much I have appreciated everything I have learned from this experience.