There are so many reasons to visit Colombia. It’s one of Latin America’s emerging economies and a leading destination for expats, tourists, interns and adventurers. With improving safety, friendly locals, unmatched biodiversity and incredible landscapes, the only thing to fear about Colombia is never wanting to leave.
How you’re treated in a foreign country can really set the tone for an international excursion. That’s why traveling and interning abroad in Colombia is hard to beat. Locals are friendly, welcoming and genuinely enjoy sharing their culture with foreigners, making it easier to feel comfortable and at home while abroad.
Colombian cities like Medellín offer unbelievably beautiful weather – they even call it “the city of eternal spring”. Meanwhile, northern Caribbean cities have hot, sunny weather, making for perfect beach weather.
Colombia is the second-most biodiverse country on the planet (trailing only Brazil). Colombia boasts more bird and orchid species than any other country on earth. Some 56,000 total wildlife species can be found in the country while nearly 10,000 of them are endemic to Colombia.
Arepas are a staple of Colombian cuisine, as there are some 75 different methods of preparing the greasy and delicious snacks. These fried, grilled or steamed dough patties are generally made with corn flour or sometimes yuca and often are served with cheese. Besides arepas, Colombia also offers an impressive array of exotic and tasty fruits, many of them unique to the region.
It’s no wonder Colombia is home to one of the world’s most famous hip-shakers, Shakira. Colombia is known for its fabulous dancing (and dancers), especially at salsa clubs featuring live music and popular reggaeton dance parties.
Unlike many other Latin American countries, in Colombia locals generally speak a very clear, well-enunciated Spanish with little slang, especially in Medellín. Although accents do vary depending on which city you’re in, Colombian Spanish tends to be the preferred Latin American Spanish for foreigners to understand and learn.
Colombia is not the danger zone it once was – and it hasn’t been for decades. Every year the country becomes more stable, drawing in thousands of international tourists and students for short and extended stays. Moreover, the lingering isolated guerilla violence has finally met an end as a ceasefire and peace agreement have been signed.
There are so many stunning places to see in Colombia, it can be overwhelming trying to fit them all in. Colombia’s coffee Region (Eje Cafetero), for example, offers a close-up look at how some of the world’s best coffee beans are grown, not to mention spectacular views of the steeply sloped green valleys of the Andes mountains. Meanwhile, on the northern Caribbean coast, the cities Barranquilla and Cartagena make up this warm and beachy region, which also includes the La Guajira Desert. In southern Colombia, on the other hand, visitors can witness views of the stunning Amazon rain forest.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity_of_Colombia, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arepa, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/01/colombias-government-formally-ratifies-revised-farc-peace-deal, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_coffee_growing_axis
Photos
1. based on Jardin, Colombia, by Pedro Szekely, CC-by-2.0
2. based on Raquira, by Reg Natarajan, CC-by-2.0
3. based on Cartagena 2, by Francisco Osorio, CC-by-2.0