Recap of week #1 in Colombia! (Cali, Medellin, & Cartagena!)

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Giovanny Rodriguez

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Giovanny Rodriguez

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> ยกHola! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Florida Gulf Coast University <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2022 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Medellin, Colombia <i>Program provider:</i> The Intern Group <i>Major/minor:</i> Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship <i>Demographics:</i> Hispanic/Latinx <i>Future career aspirations:</i> – Work in international business/project management – Own my own business – Start up a business <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> – Learn fluent Spanish & about my cultural background – Work with other entrepreneurs to complete a project – Connect with many other business professionals to create a vast network

If I had to pick one word to summarize my first week in Colombia… mesmerizing! When we first arrived in Colombia, we actually landed in the city of Cali, which is where my mother’s side of the family is from! It was my first time ever visiting Colombia, so I met family members I have never seen before in my life. If I’m being honest, it was quite exciting and weird at the same time. However, I was welcomed right away with a warm greeting by all the family members and they were all so happy to see me. I learned at that moment how welcoming and loving the Colombian culture is to not only family but to everyone naturally. I stayed in Cali for 2 days with my mother, who was traveling with me for the first week to show me around her country.

After day 2 in Cali, we flew straight to Medellin, which is where my internship is and where I will be living for the rest of my 2 months here. Medellin so far has been such an adventure, with so many activities and new things to do every day! I quickly learned the different “barrios”(communities in english) due to traveling across the city on a daily basis for my internship, which is located in an office on the opposite side of where I’m staying. I met my boss, the CEO of the company I am interning for, the day after I landed in Medellin. We went out for breakfast and he took me to the rooftop of his huge building that he owns that oversees the whole city of Medellin! The attached picture is of me and him on the rooftop, it was another great welcome from another Colombian native.

The rest of my first week was pretty much just settling into my new home with other exchange students as roommates and of course, practicing my Spanish.

My week ended with an amazing trip to Cartagena, Colombia, for the weekend! I went with family friends that I met in Medellin who invited me, and I included a picture of our view on the 39th floor in the apartment we stayed at for the weekend. All I can say is, “fue una chimba parce!” (English translation meaning, “it was amazing my friend!”)