Enthusiasm for Colombian Adventures!

We are all very enthusiastic about the adventures that lie before us in the beautiful coutry of Colombia. One student chose Colombia because he wants to learn spanish. He said, "I chose a place I would usually never go," also noting that he welcomed the opportunity to learn and understand more about Colombia and the third world that is so different from our own in America. He believes that this trip will allow us to appreciate the privileges we take for granted in the U.S. It will also encourage us to return to the sights and sounds of Colombia in the future. While he knows that we will have fun in Colombia and come back with enjoyable memories, we also want to study and learn about the culture from the native people.

An Unusual Destination

Why go to Colombia? But really, why not? As we met as a group for the first time today we were able to come up with many more reasons in favor of our adventurous trip, then reasons to oppose it.
Colombia is certainly not your everyday travel destination.  But that's what makes it even more appealing to our eager group of travelers.  If we wanted to go somewhere easy, and thoughtless we would have headed over to Rome or Italy earlier this month.  However it is the challenge of the unknown, and unanswered questions that draws us to travel to Colombia.
One of my fellow travelers is an International studies major with a concentration in Latin America.  So where better a place to really explore and develop an understanding of the fundamentals, then to experience it in a Latin American country itself.  And why settle for only one country? She previously studied in Mexico and loved every minute of it, but decided that one country was certainly not enough.  So Colombia it is!  She is interested in the difference in food, culture, and customs, and expects nothing less then a truly amazing and educational experience.

Why Colombia?

Hardly able to contain his excitement about the approaching departure to Colombia, one student commented on his reasons for choosing Colombia and his expectations. He expressed his eagerness in traveling to a country that he has learned about from courses at Saint Mary’s and from books. He comments, “I have learned a lot about Latin America/Colombia over the past years at Saint Mary’s and am excited to have the opportunity to travel and learn first hand about Colombia”. Going into this travel course, he expects “to meet new people, see new places and taste new food”. Since he has never stayed at a hostel before, he is unsure what to expect from a hostel. However, he is looking forward to experiencing a lifetime adventure.  

Reflections of Two Student's Expectations

Seven days from today, adventure awaits us in Colombia. One student could hardly contain her excitement, confessing that she couldn't sleep last night. She is thrilled to be going to a country that few have traveled to and to be part of the first group to travel to Colombia, as well as to experience a completely different culture from California. While she has no expectations on what Colombia will be like, she strongly believes that by the end of the trip all the students will be close to one another. Another student, a junior double majoring in International Area Studies and Spanish, is excited to go to Colombia to visit a country in his area focus, Latin America. His goal is to visit as many countries in Latin America as possible, and to take the experience without any expectations, stating; "Don't go in with extreme expectations, cause you don't want to disappoint yourself. Go with an open mind."

A look into why we chose Colombia

With our departure to Colombia only seven days away we had our first class meeting. We were instructed to share are thoughts and feelings surrounding the trip. We discussed the different reasons we have decided to go on the trip as well as any expectations we have. Two of the students going are Spanish majors and love all of Latin America; they love the food, the language, the people,  and the culture overall. One student has dreams of one day joining the Peace Corp and hopes that this trip will help her see if that is something she wants to embark on later in life. Both of these students want to improve on their Spanish speaking skills and know that being immersed in the language is the best way to improve. While both students are not completely sure what to expect they know that this will be a great adventure. They both feel that the group dynamic is a very important part of the trip and they expect all of us to grow very close during our twenty day adventure in Colombia. Whatever the reason or expectations, this trip is sure to offer many great memories and experiences beyond our wildest dreams.

Don Quijote or Dante?

Dear community, friends, and families:
If you follow the news, you are probably concerned about the safety of the crew joining the Colombia trip.  Do not be.  Headlines are first and foremost that: attempts to grab your attention away from other matters to focus on the screen or the paper.  As you read our travel entries over January, you will see that Colombia is not Dante's "Inferno" and the students and their faculty leaders are not as Quixotic as we may seem.  I invite you to discover the complexity and beauty of Colombia through our eyes. 
The Colombian tourism agency has a new slogan that says, "the only risk is that you will want to stay."  I promise that I will bring everyone back--even if I have to drag them kicking and screaming onto the plane!
Your team leader,
Myrna Santiago