Louis Brown's trip to Claustro Moderno in Bogota, Colombia

Introduction  

I met up with Daniel and his mother, Ms. Rodriguez, in the airport, and then headed back to their apartment. I unpacked all my clothes neatly because the family was very kind and respectful to me. The family was really nice to me, and they allowed me to use Angela's, Daniel's sister, room. The family consists of the three of them and no more. After I gave them chocolates we went to a Colombian lunch where I had empenadas and a traditional soup with three different types of potatoes in it. One thing that I realized the very first day is that they never waste any food. Everything that is served is eaten until the platter is completely clean. We then went to a mall where we got ice cream and walked back to the house to catch a final in the Colombian league between Nacional and Santa Fe. Santa Fe is the team in Bogota, and the people of Bogota were on edge as the game ended a tie 0-0.

my room for two weeks

Interesting Words 

Ague panela con queso
Arepa de Mais
Policias acostados- speed bumps
Promedio- average
Bacano-cool (only in Bogota)
Chèvere-cool
Mazorca- corn on the cob
desierto- desert
Bogotanos- people from Bogota
placer- pleasure

The Normal School Day 

The school was a 10 minute bus ride from Daniel's house, and a bus came to pick us up every day around 7:20. The school was very pretty with a lot of surrounding forest on the property of the school. Many of the days were spent going to classes such as English, Math, Physics, Philosophy, Art, Physical Education, and more. The classes were fairly easy to understand as many of the concepts were similar. The school had 11 grades, and the 60 11th graders will graduate in November.

Full assembly at Claustro Moderno

Excursions and Activities 

 We went to dinner south of bogota on the other side of a the mountains(over 10,000 ft) in a small town called la calera. We ate arepas de mais that is similar to an empanada and ague panela con queso, which is a hot sugar water.

Left to right: Me, Mariana, Ryan, and Daniel at the top of la Calera. 

 Ague panella con queso and arepa in la Calera. 

One day after lunch we hiked on the property of the school up the mountain. The school starts on the base of a mountain and works up the first gradual slopes. What is not always shown to the students is the path that works up the mountain reaching the summit. The view from the top is incredible. 

Left to Right: Chase, me, and Ryan on top of the mountain at the school. 

On the second Friday of the three weeks the school had a patriotic day celebrating Colombia. All of the students participated in cooking arepas and playing traditional Colombian games. In addition, on the next day outside of school was the Colombian independence day. I went with my host family to see a military parade downtown. The parade was impressive as it lasted two hours showing tanks, submarines, special forces, and more.  

Arepa con queso

Pinto in his traditional Colombian outfit

the parade on independence day

One of my favorite restaurants was the chain called Crepes and Waffles. The food there was good but also cheap because of the favorable exchange from dollars to pesos. 

 Mariana and Daniel at Crepes and Waffles 

Thanks 

I am so thankful for the opportunity to visit a new country and learn about their customs and culture. The world is a big place and with this trip I am better able to produce a picture of what it is really like. The improvement of my speaking abilities is incredible and I am closer to my goal of becoming fluent in Spanish. I would also like to thank the Wilson family for the wonderful experience they gave me. It is an honor to be selected for these grants and for that I thank Mr. Gaither and the language department. Also, thank you to Mr. Paolicchi for accompanying the three of us on our exchange. The Wilson grants are one of the opportunities that make MBA special, and I am proud to be a part of the program.   

   Bogota, Colombia from the air