“I’m sorry, I just can’t let you in. I hope you all can understand where I’m coming from.”
Me and Valeria reorganizing and redistributing the items in my checked bag so its underweight.
Those were definitely NOT the words I imagined (or wanted) to hear on my very first night in Medellín. After a long travel day, nearly an hour’s drive from the airport and a 7ish hour flight from Texas, my travel buddy, Valeria, and I found ourselves standing outside the gate of our Airbnb. We scrambled as we tried to find a place to sleep for our first night in Colombia.
The security guard spoke fast and even with our combined Spanish skills, it was hard to get the full picture of what he was saying. The address had so many numbers (a very common feat here in Medellín) that I had completely skimmed over the fact that we were missing the actual apartment number (very much my bad). “Were we being scammed?” Was the first thought that crossed my mind. Thankfully, the next morning brought clarity: our host had just been asleep and the automated system to give us the information needed didn’t go through for whatever reason. We were finally let in relieved that this situation turned into a funny story to recall later instead of having to live at the office.
Even when first arriving at the airport, the shift was real. My suitcase was a tad overweight (oops), but thanks to a kind airline employee and some creative redistribution between my bag, Valeria’s, and our carry-ons, we made it work. Sitting at the gate, I overheard conversations all around me in Spanish. Me and Google Translate were about to get REAL close.
The Language Barrier
I grew up in bilingual classrooms up until high school, so I knew Spanish was still somewhere in me but I’ve been out of practice for a good while. But full immersion is a whole different game. I came into this knowing I’d probably need to sharpen my R-rolling skills if I wanted to get around with any confidence.
At first, I was quiet. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because by the time I translated what someone said and figured out how to respond, the conversation had already moved on. So I’d laugh, smile, or nod and hope it was the right reaction. I’ve had to get comfortable asking people to repeat themselves— or just admit when I don’t understand. Still, I can feel myself improving, and me and Valeria help each other out by conversing in Spanish when we’re out and about. I’ve come a long way, both from the day I accepted this fellowship back in December and from the moment I arrived in Medellín a few weeks ago.
City First Impressions
This is the view from the San Antonio metro stop! It’s very central to the city and many people pass through here everyday.
Medellín, at first glance, reminded me a lot of New York in the way how storefronts are small, densely packed, and spill right out onto the street. The city runs at its own pace: constant, lively, and always moving no matter what time of day it might be. There’s no A/C in most places (including our apartment), but you don’t really need it— the temperature hovers around a comfortable 70°F, so fans and rolled-down car windows do the trick most of the time. Most people get around by walking or using the metro, and on weekends, parts of the roads are even closed off so people can bike, run, or walk freely which is pretty neat.
Each area we’ve visited has its own vibe. Laureles is casual and tourist-friendly, with recognizable restaurants and coffee shops. El Poblado is louder— full of nightlife, tours, and a more intense energy. And then there’s La Candelaria, where our community partner is based, near the Universidad de Antioquia and el Jardín Botánico (the Botanical Garden). It feels more local, more lived-in with graffiti-covered walls and street vendors on every corner. The university itself is constantly buzzing, with classes running from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to fit students’ work schedules. You need a passport and a purpose to get in. Even then, it’s always packed— people working, talking, resting, just existing.
Motorcycles are everywhere. So are hills. The city is wrapped by barrios (neighborhoods) in the mountains, and the metrocable, a cable car system, makes it easy for those commuting from those barrios to the less elevated parts of the city. Because of these very uneven terrains, travelling to other major cities is most convenient when travelling by plane. One of the most unforgettable moments so far was our Uber ride to Cerro El Picacho, a gorgeous viewpoint overlooking the city. Our driver had to go backwards up and down steep, narrow roads, honking at every blind corner just to make it safely. It was both terrifying and honestly extremely impressive.
Looking out over the city of Medellin from Cerro El Picacho, a beautiful viewpoint, especially at night!
Me and Valeria’s first time shopping at Makro, a giant grocery store! It’s probably most similar to a Sam’s Club or Costco in the U.S.
The Daily Essentials
At first, we Ubered everywhere— even if it was just a few blocks away. We were such scaredy cats, but it felt justifiable at the time as prices range from $1-5 USD. Plus, the sun sets early in Medellín— around 6 pm— and we weren’t exactly eager to be out exploring unfamiliar streets in the dark. Grocery runs were their own adventure. We started off buying huge jugs of water, only to later learn that Medellín’s tap water is actually some of the cleanest in the entire country. You also have to bring your own grocery bags and bag everything yourself— something that caught us off guard the first time. At the stores, there are almost always alternatives for unhealthy foods— plus, there are labels on everything that warn you if it’s high in sodium, sugar, or fat. The city is full of food markets, street vendors, and people selling everything from snacks to fresh fruit from carts or makeshift setups on the corners. If you order delivery, you’re probably using Didi or Rappi (their version of Uber Eats or DoorDash) and your deliverer is 100% on a motorbike!
The typical Colombian dish! Protein, beans, rice, egg, plantain, an arepa, and a slice of avocado (if you’re lucky!)
Comuna 13 & Colombian Cuisine
One of the most memorable days so far was our visit to Comuna 13— a neighborhood once known as one of the most dangerous in the world, now transformed into a hub of street art, music, and resilience. We toured the area with a local guide who had lived through its darkest times and told us he had lost about 30% of his family (similar to others there) to the violence that once ruled the streets due to its prime location for transporting drugs. The stories were heavy, but the energy in the neighborhood today is full of life and color. Because of the landscape, there’s solar-powered outdoor escalators that help carry people up the steep hillside to their homes, and instead of major grocery stores (because the closest one is usually a 40 minute commute down), people often have mini-grocery stores in their homes! All the homes are typically made of the same orange brick material, which is one of the cheapest yet strongest available!
I was super excited to learn we would eat their way through the tour— I tried a buñuelo (a dough with crispy outside filled with cheese), an empanada (crispy corn pastry-like thing with sausage), a patacón con hogao (flat fried plantain with tomato paste), and a very refreshing mango popsicle (yum!). Traditional Colombian meals have their rhythm: red beans, rice, a simple salad, plantain, a protein, and an arepa— always accompanied by a limeade or some type of juice. Water, surprisingly, is rarely included and usually costs extra. Around La Candelaria, near our community partner, most restaurants and food stalls are cash-only, which we’ve learned the hard way. One day we came up $7,000 COP short (about $1.73 USD), and I had to do the “walk of shame” back to our community partner’s office to borrow money while Valeria waited behind at the restaurant (whose limeade cost exactly $7,000 COP by the way).
The escalator inside the Comuna 13 neighborhood powered by solar panels on top
View of the barrios (neighborhoods) in Comuna 13
Famous mural in Comuna 13 made during the time of Operation Orion in 1993. It was a symbol for leaving violence behind in the past and heading towards a better future.
La Piedra in Guatapé
La Piedra, the infamous rock in Guatapé with over 700 steps to get to the top
Our first real interaction with other tourists came during a weekend trip to Guatapé, a colorful town a couple of hours outside of Medellín. We took a boat ride across the reservoir to La Manuela, one of Pablo Escobar’s former estates, now partially destroyed. The stories we heard there were surreal— like how his bathroom was blown up in a police raid, or how money was once hidden in the walls. The highlight came after another boat ride to La Piedra del Peñol— a massive granite rock with over 700 steps carved into its side. On the other side of the rock, you can see the partial letters “GU” (meant to eventually spell “GUATAPE”) from a land dispute between Guatape and El Peñol, a neighboring town, about who is the rightful owner of La Piedra. Turns out none of them were because after their fight over the matter, the rock was deemed property of Colombia. Anywho, the climb to the top was brutal, but the view at the top was insane. If you ever find yourself in Medellín, Guatape is definitely worth the pit stop!
The view from the top of La Piedra in Guatapé!
Preparing for teaching in a class on renewable resources using circuits!
Working at Pygmalion Tech
I was thrown straight into learning about renewable resources— a topic I definitely had to brush up on. But I figured, if the kids could learn it, so could I. At Pygmalion, lessons center around “Conexión, Experimento y Reflexión,” and every session we teach kids kicks off with the same chant:
“Buenos días, amiguitos! ¿Cómo están? ¡Muy bien!
Este es un saludo de amistad. ¡Qué bien!
Haremos lo posible para ser buenos amigos. ¡Buenos días, amiguitos! ¿Cómo están? ¡Muy bien!”
Me and Valeria spent an entire afternoon quizzing each other on the lyrics. One of our sessions took place at Parque Arví, about an hour and a half drive out, where the views were breathtaking and the students were curious and engaged. The younger groups were easier to connect with, while the older ones took a little more effort. I was mostly on the sidelines, assisting and observing, but I’ll admit I was nervous the kids would catch on to the fact that their Spanish was stronger than mine but that luckily hasn’t been the case… yet. Afterward, we took the Metrocable back down, giving us a stunning overhead view of the city. It’s crazy to me that so many take this trip on the daily!
Now, we’re working more on research— looking at different competitors to help Pygmalion grow its impact and stay ahead in the world of ed-tech. The first week left me exhausted, not just from adjusting to a new routine, but from operating entirely in Spanish. But it’s definitely a learning process: now we’ve made various reports, presentations, and spreadsheets all in Spanish (so I’d say that’s progress)!
The view from the metrocable!
Reflecting and My Future in Medellín
Coming into this fellowship, I had a few clear goals: immerse myself in a new culture, contribute meaningfully to a social impact project, improve my Spanish, and generally just push myself outside beyond my comfort zone. This opportunity was a big one for me and brought about a lot of firsts. It’s my first time living on my own, my first real internship, and my first time traveling abroad. When I got the acceptance (which I wasn’t really expecting), my first thought was, “There’s no way I can actually say yes to this, right?” I was admittedly pretty terrified at the thought of going somewhere so emotionally and physically foreign at first. But the pre-departure course along with my travel buddy has helped ease my nerves and has shown me that I’m fully capable— of learning, contributing, and growing in this space. Looking ahead, I’m hoping to keep challenging myself: make new friends, try cooking different foods at our Airbnb, and soak in every experience— starting with a trip to Cartagena next week!!
Me, Valeria, and Owen (a friendly face from Rice) on a boat!
At the end of the day, I’m so grateful for this opportunity and all the people who are a part of it. I can’t wait to continue growing and making memories through the rest of this fellowship!!
I’m happy to talk more about my experience at dfc5@rice.edu or dacolon17@gmail.com
A bare-faced ibis outside our Airbnb (not quite a toucan but I’m sure this fella is friends with one!)
Until then, I will be on the search for a toucan! Ciao! 🇨🇴