Visiting Comuna 13 was most life-rewarding experience during my internship abroad because of the drastic change this neighborhood had over the last decade.
Their progress of rebuilding their neighborhood was very planned and made me question why we can’t do similar things in the US as they did in this neighborhood. America is often put on a pedestal and believe their way of doing things are better than everyone else.
The most shocking part is that a developing country change the landscape of an entire neighborhood in matters of years, from being the most dangerous place in the world to a place where people are not afraid to raise a family now.
Now, it’s using the hip-hop culture to transform kids as they find creative ways to express themselves:
Despite of the hard times this community went through, they have faith in the future and its shown in their smiles when you wave at them.
As my internship abroad ends, Colombia has a special place in my heart because of the connections I made with the people in Colombia and things we both share in common.
Medellin in particular should be a model for other Latin American countries that are struggling to develop their communities and a MUST destination for history buffs.