Medellin Living

In May 2009 I graduated from university with a degree in Math Education and Spanish.  Two months later, I moved to Colombia.  No, not Colombia, South Carolina.  No, not Columbia University in New York.  (And yes, that Columbia has a “u” in it!) Colombia, as in the country…you know, the one in South America?  Yes, the one known for drug cartels in the 90’s…

After the natural barrage of questions from friends and family, I left Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 28th, 2009 with a final destination of Cali, Colombia in order to teach 8th grade math at an international school. In some ways I knew exactly what I was getting into, because I had previously traveled internationally, I talked with current teachers at my future school, and I researched a lot about Colombia before leaving.  In other ways, I had no idea what this two-year job contract in a foreign (at the time) country was all about.

Here I am seven months into teaching, seven months into living abroad and seven months into discovering the wonders of Colombia, and I realize that at the very essence of this job/this move I had a dream to do something unique, something different, something challenging, and something just for me.  I just could not envision myself living, working, studying in the same place for the rest of my life; I needed adventure; I needed passion; I needed Colombia.

Prior to arriving and ever since, I have been blogging about everything from my school, teaching internationally, expat living, Colombian culture, travel within Colombia and my continuous discoveries about this country.  Through my own blog I have connected with fellow travelers and fellow teachers abroad, so when I read that Medellin Living was in need of contributors, I emailed Dave immediately.  He happily replied “yes” to my email asking if I could pretty please write for Medellin Living even though I don’t technically live in Medellin, so here I am.

In the days, weeks and months to come I hope to provide interesting, informative and useful content to Medellin Living through discussion about working/teaching/living abroad, the city of Cali, Colombian culture, and other travel opportunities within Colombia.  Within seven months I have already built a large base of content to share, and new topics arise every day.

Of course, what is most important to me are your suggestions as readers, so please leave a comment or find me on Twitter  (@k_rads) with any questions or suggestions for future posts.

Until next time, thanks for hosting me here at Medellin Living and a big thanks to Dave for allowing me to give this a shot!

Cheers!

Kristin

This just may officially be the most boring weekend in Colombia.  Like many other countries, Colombia has decided to ban all alcohol sales for the entire weekend, due to the elections today.  The bars and clubs are all closed, and even the grocery stores have some one watching the liquor. On top of that, no football games are held during the weekend either.

So, basically, the two things this country lives on have been taken away for the weekend.  I’m not too concerned about it because a weekend relaxing is really nice.

I wonder if they are opening it it all up tonight after the votes are in?  If they do I’m sure there will be a party tonight!  I think during the 48 hours of prohibition I should have tried to live out my dream of being a flapper in a speakeasy.

If you’re looking to travel to Colombia for the party in the future, just make sure it’s not an election weekend.

Next weekend is officially my last weekend here.  I’m starting to get really sad about leaving and really excited about my future home.  I hope more people decide to not just visit, but live in, Medellin for awhile.  It’s been one of the best times of my life!

One thing that still comes up with my friends and family is the safety of Medellin and of Colombia.  Honestly, I couldn’t comment on anything other than the city and suburbs of Medellin.  I’ve been here  for almost eight months, and I haven’t really traveled.

I can say with 100% certainty that Medellin is a safe city.  I am from a small town in Idaho, and I feel safe here in Medellin.  So, I’m not even comparing it to other big cities.

Here are some of the most insightful or common questions I have gotten since I’ve been here.

Can I walk the streets at night? Absolutely!  As long as someone in your group knows where you’re going.

Alone? Only if you know the neighborhood and are comfortable there.

Are the buses safe? Yes.  You will run into people playing music, selling things, or just begging.  None of them care if you give them money or not.

Is the metro safe? Absolutely!  If there’s any sort of problem there are guards at every station and they respond very quickly to the alarms.

Are the taxis safe? Yes.  I’ve even gotten into the habit of hailing them off the street most of the time.  They all use meters, and the drivers are really fun to talk to.

Will I get robbed? It’s definitely possible.  It’s never happened to me.

Will I get hurt/assaulted/ect.? Again, possible, but only if someone is drunk or high, and you pissed them off.

Will I get kidnapped? No.  Not in the city.

Will I be a target if I’m wearing nice clothes or business attire? If you are in the main parts of the city, no way.  The majority of the people here care about their looks and nice clothing and business attire are extremely normal if not expected.  In the smaller neighborhoods you may stand out.  In fact, in the main parts of the city dressing in shorts and a t shirt may make you more of a target.

Will people try to rip me off because I’m a gringo? Maybe.  I don’t think it’s ever happened to me.  Most things have prices clearly marked, but haggling is common here.

Are drugs (especially cocaine) easy to find? No, it’s not just out on the street, but if you’re really looking for it you can find it.  Just remember, there are new drug laws, and you can no longer posses  any street drugs in any amount…none!

If you have any more questions, please ask!  If I know, I will be happy to answer it!

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

After eight months in Medellin, I will be moving forward (back to the United States).  A few weeks ago, I got a job offer to teach dance technique at a top level gymnastics facility, that is also close to my family.  Considering my love for dance and gymnastics, being near my family again, being near my favorite base jumping places, and actually being able to skydive again; I couldn’t pass it up.

I will never find a place like Medellin.  Its unbelievable beauty and infrastructure just makes it a place that is so easy to call home.  I have thoroughly enjoyed settling down here, and if only I had easier access to my family here, I never would have been pulled away.

With my move in three weeks, there will once again be an opportunity for new contributors to this site.  Some of Dave’s requirements can be found below, but remember that not all of them are mandatory (or may have changed completely).  So, if you are interested, please contact Dave and he can let you know how you can contribute to the site.  He may also have a few things to add about this in the next day or so.

http://medellinliving.com/travel-blog/contributors-wanted/

I’m also looking forward to reflecting on all things Medellin in the weeks I have left.  You can expect posts that may be a little more thoughtful than previous posts.  Enjoy!

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!

As the days come and go, there are a handful of things in Medellin that you can count on every day.  First, of course, is the weather.  I’m pretty sure that Medellin has a permanent forecast of temperatures in the 70’s F with a chance of rain.

A little more interesting, however, are the sounds.  I have come to love the sounds of the typical day in my neighborhood.  There are the cars and buses that drive by, some of which are ridiculously loud.  There’s often a baby crying, and it seems like there is the sound of a child laughing, whining, yelling, or just playing in each moment of the day.

I love listening to my neighbor whistle all day long with his pet bird accompanying him.  You can rely on having vendors wander by, screaming out the names of the different fruits and vegetables they have for sale.  I still can’t believe how load those guys are.  Even the random ringing of the doorbell from vendors selling anything from CDs to cake.

When the nearby school lets out, you can hear the boys whistling at the girls.  The girls giggle in their own groups, and let out the expected, shrill “Nnnnnoooo!” to the boys and to each other.  (Seriously, I don’t think the women here know how to just respond with a normal “No.”  They always turn it into a shriek.)

I admit that a lot of these sounds can get on my nerves as well, but it’s kind of comforting knowing everyday you will be reminded you are never alone in Medellin.

Post by Holly. Currently living in Medellin, Holly is getting to know the Colombian culture through music, language, and base jumping!