Bright and early this morning our cohort was sent out to several communities in Colombia. We are exploring Cartagena, Armenia, Bucaramanga and Cartago. Annie and I arrived in Cartago after a very short 30 minute flight from Bogotá. The contrast between the two cities was felt immediately. We went from 60 degree weather to upper 90s with humidity that rivals the humidity in Oklahoma. Our sweet host teacher, Angelica, and her husband drove for another half hour from Pereira to Cartago. We checked in at our hotel...HOUSTON ,WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I am not a finicky traveler (or so I thought); however, the hotel was not going to be a place of relaxation for the next eight days. Annie and I decided to find another hotel. I am happy to report that we are comfortable in our new hotel.
Angelica and her husband, Mario, invited us to a quaint restaurant for lunch. The building itself wasn't very old . However, the owner designed it with pieces of antiques, doors, windows and decorations from very old buildings in the city. We enjoyed coconut lemonade (I'll try to find the recipe) and traditional Colombian dishes. The early morning, the headache of airports and the heat were quickly catching up with us. A shower (c0ld) and a nap followed. We rejoined Angelica, Mario and their adorable son for a tour-by-car of the city and later joined the locals at Parque Lineal for evening that turned into one of the most incredible moments of my life. It is so hot in Cartago that everyone pulls chairs out onto the porch or goes to the Parque Linares to enjoy the somewhat cooler weather of the evening. The park was full of families, children, and friends. The park is lined with ancient, wise trees draped in Spanish moss. There are playgrounds, chairs for sitting, little tables and every type of food vendor you can imagine. Tons of coffee. We found a spot to sit and enjoy the company when a man approached our group. He is a dear friend of Angelica and Mario. His name is Luis Carlos Franco. He is a walking history textbook. The richness of his storytelling is something I will never forget. His love for his little community came from deep within his soul. He is proud of Cartago. He is proud of Colombia. We spoke about everything from politics, tourism, landscapes, coffee and modern technology. I hung on every word. My hope is to record an interview with him for this blog. Best.day.ever!
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Wednesday was a day that will remain in my heart forever. To start, you should know that Colombia is divided in to economic stratification system. Each citizen is assigned a number based on their family's income. The system ranges from one to 10. On this particular day we visited two public schools. Aquileo Parra is a stratification level 1 school and I.E. Distrital Usaquen is a stratification level 2. Our first stop was Aquileo Parra Public School. The school is 1st grade through 11th grade. Eleventh grade is considered the "senior" year. As we arrived to the school it began to sprinkle, which is no surprise this time of year in Bogotá (this is considered the summer/less rainy season). We approached the building and when the doors were opened we were met with the warmest, most precious greeting you can imagine! The primary grade students lined the hall and stairway and waved USA flags yelling GOOD MORNING TEACHER! You guessed it, I was in tears by the time we made it to the small auditorium. The children performed a traditional dance and gave presentations on special projects and initiatives unique to their school. WOW. The children were so brave to stand before us and deliver speeches that most adults would be afraid to give. We later visited several classrooms in both primary and secondary sections of the building. The students were attentive and engaged despite having very few resources that many of us consider absolutely necessary. In many ways, it reminded me of the way we used to teach. The way my teachers taught me. I will outline the amazing programs in the Guiding Questions section of my website. We boarded the bus and traveled to Casa Vieja for lunch. I.E. Distrial Usaquen public school was the second stop. This particular school is a stratification level 2 school and is considered to be slightly more economically advantaged that the previous school. Stepping onto the campus was like stepping into a dreamy green space. The campus was relatively large with many mint green buildings, tons of windows and even more happy children. I was lead on a tour and visited classrooms with a lovely member of the senior class. It was refreshing to have some one-on-one time with a student. During our time together we discussed everything from her future plans to the peace agreement. She wants to be a veterinarian. After our tour we were greeted by a student panel. We engaged the students in a question and answer session. They had insightful perspective and wonderful questions for us. When looking back and comparing/contrasting the two schools I noted several similarities and some differences. One, kids are kids...period. Regardless of economic level, they were bright, inquisitive, determined, energetic and hopeful. Two, students are self-motivated in many cases. Students really take action and advocate for their own needs. Three, teachers are teachers. What motivates us to wake up and to do what do everyday is exactly the same. There are amazing things taking place in classrooms in this city! So, part of being in another country in varying levels of technology. Currently, I can't get pictures to post. This is likely operator error. I'll try again later. Tomorrow my travel buddy and I head to our host community of Cartago! Time for bed! Our first day in the field didn't disappoint! We started with breakfast at our beautiful hotel. Many of us were experiencing mild symptoms of altitude sickness. So far it has just been a headache and brain fog. We were treated to a presentation outlining the Colombian educational system. Later we loaded a bus for the next adventure. The first stop on our agenda was UNITEC university. The history of the university spans 40 years and offers undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs. With eight branches and an online learning platform, UNITEC is home to nearly 3,100 students. I emphasize home because the foundation of social and academic life is community. In fact, the mission and goal is for students to gain universal knowledge, find ways for humans to contribute to solutions and to build community. Each presenter highlighted the importance of these values to their learning community. All students are required to take a set of courses that address morals, values and leadership. The Chancellor made the point that technical and academic skills can be learned by all; yet, soft skills (being a good person of good character) are equally as important and must be taught alongside academics. UMMMM YES!!!!
After an introduction, we toured the campus. UNITEC is known for outstanding programs in film/t.v. and culinary arts. We met several students editing short films. They beamed with pride as they explained their work. Four years ago, a short film created by UNITEC students won fourth place at Cannes Film Festival! Our campus tour moved us towards a Colombian fruit demonstration by a gifted young man. The brightness in his eyes when he spoke about each fruit and its characteristics was moving. These fruits were in his blood, a part of his identity as a Colombian. As the head student, he was in charge of organizing other students in preparation for a meal that would become our lunch. We were served several plates crafted by the students. Honestly, it ranked up there with the top five meals of my lifetime. You could taste the passion, love and care that went into the meal with every bite. Our lunch was proceeded by an amazing modern dance performance. UNITEC university has that something special. Our next stop was Amor Perfecto coffee shop. We were really given a multidisciplinary lesson on coffee. I HAD NO IDEA. From chemistry to history, our "professor of all things coffee" schooled us! Again, the passion and enthusiasm shown by our young guide was uplifting and inspiring. I could type all night. I am sleepy. I will close with this. After 24 hours in the city of Bogotá I can say this: I don't know the pain of your past. I will never be able to fully comprehend the damage that was done. I CAN say there is a vibe of optimism around every single corner. There is an energy of hope and positivity in your young people. There is passion in the smallest things. There is just...I don't really know how to put it into words....people are just forward-looking. I can't wait to see what the future holds for this incredible country. Well done, Colombia! So, we made it to Bogotá! The group met in Atlanta and traveled together. The flight was great because JOE BIDEN was traveling with us. We were like teenaged girls at a Justin Bieber concert. Emily sent him a tweet. Michelle passed a note to his secret service agent. We didn't think we'd really get to meet him. THIS HAPPENED!!!!! He commented on our t-shirts and made a point to mention he married a teacher. SO COOL . #joey2020 After our complete freak out we gathered our things and made it through customs and immigration. Our lovely in-country coordinator had a flower for each of us. Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better.....my dear friend Edwin Amaya surprised me at the airport. Edwin and his beautiful bride, Erika, live in Bogotá. We boarded a bus and made our way to our hotel. After a lovely dinner and a few key malfunctions, I am in bed and ready for some rest. Today was a good day! Many of my most meaningful and rewarding travel experiences have been in the company of great educators. I am so lucky to be partnered with this wonderful teacher for my Teachers for Global Classrooms international field experience! Annie is an elementary school teacher in Chicago, Illinois. She also serves culturally and linguistically diverse students. In fact, many of her students are English language learners. She is passionate about global education! I look forward to growing personally and professionally as we explore Colombia together. Cartago, Colombia After much anticipation, we were finally given our community assignments! I am thrilled to spend nine days in the city of Cartago, Colombia. Cartago is located 187 miles west of Bogotá in the Valle del Cauca Department. The city was founded in 1540 and is known as one of the oldest cities in Colombia. Cartago's population is estimated at 133,600 (2017). The climate is warm, sunny and dry. According to our host teacher, Cartago's climate is known throughout Colombia for its healing properties. The city is also famous for beautiful embroidery and delicious cuisine.
More on Cartago at www.cartago.gov.co
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AuthorI am a professional educator, lifelong learner, and global citizen with a passion for travel! Archives
September 2018
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