It was the best of times … it was the worst of times… it was Colombia. This summer I spent two months in Bogota, Colombia for my International Internship Program (IIP) with Sisma Mujer. Colombia caught me by surprise because I fell in love with the country instantly. The fast-paced motorcycles but the steady working environment, the cold air but the beaming sun. There were numerous reasons for me to fall in love but I can’t seem to settle on one. Every day felt like a new adventure, whether it be navigating the wobbly sidewalks or taking day trips to cities like Guatavita, Villa de Leyva and Fosca. The days seemed to fly by until I noticed I only had a few days left before I would have to say goodbye. For that reason, I’d like to do a bit of a highlight reel, sharing some of my favorite moments in Colombia.
Guatavita
Joining me in Bogota were six other Princeton students with different IIP’s. From Politics majors to Architecture and MAE (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), we were all there for different reasons. During our time in Colombia, we were connected with a provider service called Intern Colombia and we were able to take several trips to surrounding cities. Guatavita was our first trip as a group and it had a six a.m. call time. All of us were sleeping on the ride over but the hike up made everyone’s energy pick up. We ended the day with a quick boat ride, one of us even got to steer the wheel!
Villa de Levya
Jugo de mango is arguably one of the best drinks I’ve had. If a restaurant or coffee shop had it, I would order it instantly. Villa de Levya was memorable for many reasons but it was also my first time going horseback riding. I think I was the most intimidated out of the group, mainly because my horse decided to go rogue but I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Fosca
The waterfalls at Fosca truly humbled me. They were breathtaking but also the path to get to them was filled with countless slips. By the time I got to the first waterfall, my leggings were stained with mud, my shoes completely destroyed and I was tired of slipping on nothing. My clumsiness decided to star front and center that day but I didn’t allow it to affect my hike up. I was notably exhausted but the views made everything worth it and the people I walked with also made it that much better.
Cali
Our first solo trip without Intern Colombia consisted of an hour-long plane ride to the beautiful city of Cali, Colombia. We visited the Cali Zoo alongside a rocky river and tasted some of the most interesting flavors of ice cream like yogurt with oregano and chicharron. Cali was such a unique city, it was a totally different vibe from Bogota and not just because of the heat but also its calm charm.
In the end, the worst of times wasn’t the few mishaps we had along the way but having to say goodbye to a place I called home for two months. I’m so grateful for having this opportunity thanks to the Office of International Programs (OIP) and I'm ready to add more memories like these to my time at Princeton (stay tuned for Denmark 2024!).