Comments

“Such a beautiful country and the weather was much less stifling than I initially thought. The school is even more beautiful and well run than the video suggests. The support systems here are so comforting, from sports clubs to the social scene to colleague conversation. Knowing Spanish is more important than you might think, but it is possible to apologize your way through an existence with minor Spanish knowledge. The Cali people are so helpful and there are so many enticing little customs and nuances that are easy to fall in love with. There’s a weekend trip for every type of personality. Most types of food is easily found and there are some truly delicious Colombian dishes. They do put corn on pizza sometimes, but that can be forgiven. If you love fruit you have found Heaven here, and the fruit drinks are incredible. The city is vast and varied. The west is for singles looking for a more authentic and entrenched experience, the south is more for those who like to be close to work and enjoy the comforts of contemporary, but affordable luxuries, and the center is for a mix of the two. Most frustrations mainly center around the inefficiency of bureaucracy, oddly enough, or the congestion on the roads, especially the motos. The cost of living is easy to adapt to and incredibly cheap compared to other countries. Getting around is easy once you figure out how the cabs work, just remember to shut your door without slamming, lest you desire the fury of the driver. (Matthew Sucaet – 8^th grade English)

“Cali is beautiful. The first few months while you are learning Spanish will be humbling, but very interesting and formative. The school community is so supportive and friendly. Everyone is professional, warm, and fun. The biggest learning curve for me has been learning the culture of the students and the day to day operations of the school (but I think this is true any time you switch schools). Just have patience and an open mind and this experience will be nothing short of life changing.” (Owen Hoehle Downs – 7^th grade – Math)

“My experience in Cali has been positive overall. Of course challenging moments come with change – moving your life, learning a language, being away from loved ones – but after six months I am feeling content. The city is beautiful, the people are warm, and the school provides an incredible community. The climate is generally much more tolerable than I was anticipating; the middle of the day can be a bit intense, but just about every night is very comfortable.” (Jackson Dean Carter – 7^th grade Humanities)