Colombia is definitely a place worth visiting

When I initially left for Colombia, I had no clue on what to expect especially given the stereotypical views of Colombia that I had been accustomed to. Once I reached there however, it is amazing on how off they were! A small example: with the little bit of Spanish I knew, I introduced myself to one of my roommates and asked him to show me around my first day there. He, thankfully, spoke English. Without any hesitation, he accepted and showed me around. I needed to do some grocery shopping and was not sure if my credit card was going to work or not. He offered to pay for my stuff (even though he barely knew me!) The people there are the most amiable and friendly people you will find. I did not mind being at work by 7.30 am everyday because of the sense of family I had there. I even somehow befriended some local vendors whom I greeted every morning and bought breakfast (pastel de jamon y queso) from. It's definitely a very welcoming environment.

Another thing that definitely hit me was how developed Colombia was for a third world country! The part of Medellin the intern group lodges interns is called Poblado. The malls, the beautiful view, the fact everything you need is pretty much within walking distance of you; all these factors were definitely a big plus for me while I was there.

Colombia has so much to offer! While I was there I went para-sailing, rock climbing, cave exploring, horse-back riding on top of mountains and so much more! I am also a little better at salsa, merengue and bachata now :)

The only downside I will say was that Intern Latin America was not as proactive in the beginning at organizing get togethers and other social events for interns to meet each other. Nonetheless towards the end that changed quite a bit which is something I would like to see continue. My internship was very valuable to me as it helped me better shape my career goal. I also felt very valuable to the team I worked with as one of my designed projects is actually in the process of being implemented! There is nothing that provides a more fulfilling feeling than that!

Oh, I was also lucky enough to experience the FIFA world cup in a football loving country. It is definitely something very unique.