My world is getting bigger
Medellin, Colombia
In December 2022, I travelled to Medellin, Colombia to attend a Spanish immersion school. I had planned this trip for months and once it was OK to travel (post-Covid) I arrived.
My first look at this amazing country was in a car driving from the airport, through the mountains to Medellin. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I fell in love, I felt it. This trip changed my view of where and how I could travel. My past trips to Europe felt very comfortable and familiar (to me, not much different than traveling in the US). Colombia felt different.
I signed up classes at Centro Catalina Spanish School in the El Poblado neighborhood of Medellin. I intended to stay for 3 weeks. I was a beginning learner and spent 6 hours a day in class (5 days a week). It was intense, but good for me and I definitely made some progress with my language skills. The school was small and many of my fellow students were Europeans. I was impressed with the fact that most were traveling around Central and South America on extended holidays (3 months or more). The Spanish classes were a way to learn enough Spanish to get by as they continued their travels. My fellow classmates were German, Dutch, Swiss and Italian and many much younger than me. To be honest, I was a little concerned about my age (I was 65 when I went on this trip) and would I fit in? I looked at pictures of the school and honestly, most of the students seemed young. But, my worries where for nothing! The most obvious thing we had in common was learning Spanish together, but everyone was friendly and for the short time we spent together we made some real connections.
Experiences are what bond people. Along with the experience of learning a language together, several days a week, our school had planned excursions for the students within the city of Medellin. We went as a group and together shared the beauty and excitement of this amazing city. We ate lunch together everyday, sang karaoke, watched movies in Spanish, cooked together, laughed and shared stories of our lives and travels.
I was having such a good experience at the school, I decided to stay one more week. I spent Christmas there and we all sat down together to a lovely Spaghetti dinner made by our Italian friend. His mother’s recipe, it was delicious.
I learned to cook plantains and other delicious Colombian foods. I hiked up a mountain, I made good friends, learned some Spanish and learned more about myself as a world traveler. I love the idea of slow travel, staying in one place long enough to get to know people. See the sights, but not as a whirl wind of activity. Enjoying the city and the people in a different, more relaxed way.
What I really loved most about this trip, was the freedom I experienced traveling alone to a completely new place. I was just myself, no baggage, no past, just me. It was very freeing and uplifting. I made friends on that trip. Some of whom I have seen in Europe, as they invited me to stay with them! People I would have never met otherwise. My world is getting bigger.
A few other things I learned from this trip
· I want to see more of South America
· I want to continue learning Spanish!
· I need to keep working out for the rigors of travel!
· I can make new friends regardless of age differences.
Note: In addition to the school excursions, I took a coffee plantation tour on my own, and several of us took a 2-hour bus ride to Guatapé, which included a hike up El Peñon -The Rock of Guatapé, a boat ride on lake Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir, and lunch in the quaint colorful town of Guatapé. It was an amazing day-trip and highly recommended should you find yourself in Medellin.
