Off we go!

Dear friends and family:

Excitment is running high among the two faculty members and the 13 students leaving for Colombia tomorrow.  This is especially the case after a panicky weekend when I realized that the storm dumping ice and snow throughout the southern United States would close down the Atlanta airport, which was our point to departure for Bogota.  Sure enough, by Saturday night all Delta flights had been cancelled through Tuesday, including ours.  Their phones were down so there was no one to talk to.  I alerted the students Sunday night.  I wrote to our hosts in Colombia and we immediately began making alternative plans, not knowing how many days late we might be.  How would we get 15 seats on another flight 24 hours before flying?  As soon as I woke up this morning, I started dialing numbers until one actually said something other than "due to severe weather, all of our offices are closed."  I punched an endless number of digits until I was told to wait for the next available operator.  That took some 35 minutes, but it was worth it.  I talked to a real human being who diverted us to another airline through Los Angeles to Bogota for Tuesday and pretty much the same times.  Whew.  No changes needed to be done to our schedule in Colombia.  Another round of e-mails and quick, happy responses all around.

So, off we go tomorrow morning.

We will do our best to stay in touch through this medium.  But be patient, as we will be moving from town to town nearly every day for the next eight days.  We will be thinking about you and wishing you were here!

Myrna

Anthony Bourdain tastes Colombian food

Taste the Caribbean flavors of Cartagena:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj2TLX1kZ84

Bart Simpson dances Colombian Cumbia

Get in the mood for Colombian music with this clip of Bart dancing cumbia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dh913npZWQ&feature=fvsr

Europe is overrated

Why do I want to go to Colombia? Because Europe is overrated! Colombia has a lot to offer that hasn't been explored and it isn't a tourist destination, not yet, so that's another reason why I should go now. I don't know what I'm expecting. As much as you plan, even though you do so much planning, anything can go wrong. I expect an adventure. I want to have an adventure...a learning adventure.

Destination: colOmbia

First of all, it must be  said that COLoMBIA is spelled with two “O’s” and not as COLuMBIA with a “u”. So if you ever hear or see someone misspelling the name, please make sure to correct them. After hearing that people misspell this country’s name and seeing that our class reader also misspelled its name on the cover, it is sadly evident that Colombia has become a forgotten area and only viewed as a violent society. Most people fear it, some wish it would disappear and some exploit it but as a group of 13, we are anxious and  excited for the day when we will finally be able to set foot on this land and experience its beauty’s that many ignore. One member awaits to see the breath-taking sites it has to offer and the comfort that many Latin American countries share. She also wants to learn its history through an immersion that will allow her to do so first hand. She has not traveled to Latin America and has chosen this country as the first on her list of journey’s to this region. She expects to acquire new knowledge on its people and culture and awants to socialize with the communities to be able to make comparisons with her own culture.

Colombia

Ready to embark on a new adventure to Latino America! Is the sentiment of a fellow traveler who is ready to be surprised. She has no clear expectations of what this trip will be, but is for sure enthusiastic of whatever it may bring. She wants to travel to Colombia to learn the culture, food and traditions, and compare them to those of her own country, and other Latino American countries she has previously visited. “I love Latino America!” was more than enough reason for her to want to visit Colombia and await this trip enthusiastically.

Get Your Walking Shoes Ready!

While speaking with a young, female Accounting student from St. Mary's College, we detect an air of excitement in her speech. She is going to a land she knows little about and is enthusiastic in sharing that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that she is about to embark upon. Never having traveled to South America, she will be greeted with challenges that she will overcome with an open mind. The luxuries of many vacation spots will see a different twist with her trip to Colombia; she has likened the trip to a camping trip. Her shoes are laced and she is ready to go!