12 weeks in Medellin, Colombia

I spent twelve weeks in Medellin living with a Colombian family. I previously studied Spanish at university in the States do I did not take Spanish classes during my stay. However, living with a family that only speaks Spanish was a great way to better my language skills. I also had the opportunity to practice at my internship so I think my speaking ability has greatly improved. I felt very safe during my entire stay. The neighborhood in which all the interns live is very modern, comfortable, and easy to get around. Taxis and the metro are very cheap so it is easy to travel to other neighborhoods in the city. The social programs and day trips provided by the Intern Group give you a chance to meet many other interns in the city, and I spent three or four days a week with them. I have made friends from all over the world and that has been one of the best parts of this experience. I only had minimal complaints. One being the amount of work I was given at my job was minimal and at times I was bored with nothing to do. The work ethic in Colombia is very different than the US so that was partly the reason. Also, although my host family was alright I would have preferred to be more like a family, cooking dinner together, sightseeing, etc. Living in an apartment as opposed to a homestay, however, does lessen your Spanish exposure significantly. Overall I had a good experience!