CULTURAL CATALOGUE
FIELD TRIPS Colombia Immersion field trips take students into changing neighborhoods of Medellín to learn the culture, history and social context of the area. Students talk with locals and engage with the daily realities of Colombian life in these diverse areas. Field trips take place every Thursday afternoon from 2pm until 6:30pm. The cost is 40.000COP, approximately $13USD, and is included in our Full Immersion program. Moravia Greenbelt EcoGardens Medellin's 50-meter high rubbish dump in Moravia was spontaneously populated during the 1960's. It quickly became Medellin's most densely populated neighborhood and, with it's dire living conditions, was considered a national embarrassment. On this field trip, students see what changes Moravia has seen since then. Students will learn about the greenhouse and gardens, the community center, and ongoing social changes from the perspective of a community leader. Of the hundreds of thousands that fled the Colombian countryside in the 1970's, many ended up living in informal settlements in mountains just outside of Medellin. One of these hillside settlements is now the 13 de Noviembre neighborhood, home to the Greenbelt EcoGardens. On this field trip, students will learn how the EcoGarden project incorporate food production into the city, provides jobs, and allows schools to establish healthy meal programs.
Manrique Invisible Borders Medellín has converted 13 of its water tanks into community centers called UVAs. This field trip will take students to one of these UVAs, called la Armonía, in the Manrique neighborhood. Students see how the rapid development of these neighborhoods and the modification of the water tanks into community centers has affected the perspectives of the locals. There's also the chance to eat typical food and interact with a local social project. During times of violence in Medellin, "Invisible Borders" referred to the no-pass zones between neighborhoods that prevented free travel around the city. On this field trip students visit a former "Invisible Border" to discuss the challenges the neighborhood faces and projects that are working to improve the infrastructure and quality of life of residents.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES Twice a week we offer cultural activities in which students learn about Colombian culture, practice their Spanish, and get the chance to interact with locals. These events blend education with fun, experiential cultural learning and provide a unique opportunity to practice Spanish in a relaxed atmosphere. Empanadas and Salsa Coffee and Culture In the Empanada and Salsa night, students learn how to make Colombian Empanadas Aprenderemos como hacer empanadas colombianas a la leña, vamos a compartir, practice Spanish, and dance Salsa with our expert Colombian Salsa teacher. Our coffee and culture excursion takes students on a journey of taste and smell of this Colombian resource within the city of Medellin and Colombia as a whole. Students explore the different qualities of coffee consumed in Colombia, from the traditional tinto prepared in a cafeteria to the craft coffees made in a Chemex or a French press.
Tejo Night Chocolate Workshop Tejo is Colombia s national sport, and involves throwing a metal ball into a clay pit with the goal of exploding the gunpowder buried inside. Students head to the local Tejo field for an evening learning how to play this Colombian sport. Students discover a universe of chocolate with the history of the origins of cacao, its cultivation, harvest, and then toasting process and how it is ground. The evening is finished with a tasting of varieties of chocolate and an activity in Spanish. Scavenger Hunt Patacones & Trivia With our monthly scavenger hunt, students are challenged to talk to local people, hunt for landmarks, and learn about the neighborhood in which they study. It s a fun activity to get oriented, practice Spanish, and make friends. Patacones, smashed and twice-fried plantains, are a typical dish in Colombia, particularly on the Caribbean coast. At this event students learn to make patacones and enjoy their meal while playing trivia about Colombian history and culture.
LANGUAGE EXCHANGE One of our most popular activities is our weekly language exchange, held every Friday in our Envigado campus. We invite all of our local neighbors to join for an evening of practicing English and Spanish, and facilitate a get to know you activity so that students can make friends with locals and practice the language in a relaxed environment.