2023 Colorado Academy Colombia Service Adventure

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Last Day

Written by Bela and Jessica

Hola Todos! Today was our last day in Jardín. We started off by sleeping in and eating breakfast with our host families. Then we had tearful goodbyes to our families and headed to the bus for a short drive to a coffee farm.
At the coffee farm we learned what it takes to plant coffee beans and we were even able to harvest some beans ourselves. We saw the entire process of growing and cultivating coffee from start to finish, participating as we went. Then with some coffee in hand we made our way back to Jardín for a final lunch before leaving for Medellín.

After a long bus ride we arrived in Medellín ate dinner and did some closing group activities. We are all prepared for a super early morning tomorrow and are looking forward to going home (although we will for sure miss Colombia).

Day 5

Today we woke up early to a delicious desayuno with our familias. Afterwards, we all met in a corner of the town to board two jeeps which took us up into the mountains surrounding Jardín. It was a beautiful albeit bumpy drive. At a casita at the top, we ate empanadas, arepas de choclo, and queso before embarking on a mossy descent to a stunning waterfall concealed in a cavern. We ventured timidly into the freezing water and had a photoshoot before climbing back to the casita for juice and cake.
Upon arrival back in Jardín, we returned to the site of our service project to finish painting the playground. We came back to our casas covered in sweat and paint but feeling satisfied to have finished the job.
In the evening, after scraping off paint with sponges and toothbrushes, we explored the town, bought snacks and souvenirs, and played competitive rounds of cards. Finally, we ended the night with a traditional dinner alongside our familias, where we shared great food, stories, and conversation. At the end, students and familias made toasts to commemorate our time in Jardín, and we exchanged phone numbers to keep in touch.
Best,
Melissa (Program Leader)

Day 4

Written by Naomi and Ashley
Hola familias! We started our day eating a delicious traditional Colombian breakfast with our host families. Then, we met in the plaza for a day of service work! We met the mayor and walked with him to a playground near the plaza. We spent most of the morning rebuilding areas around the playground. Locals kept coming up to our group and telling us how much they appreciate our work, and some even gave us mango and popsicles! We paused our work for a picnic overlooking the lush mountains. By the time we returned to our work, the temperature had increased dramatically, and we were all feeling the heat. But nevertheless, we persevered and took a big step towards completing the playground. We decided to split up for the afternoon. Some of us hiked to a bird sanctuary and explored a waterfall, while others played cards, visited shops, and learned how to make Colombian pico de gallo. After another wonderful dinner, groups walked the streets of Jardín, listed to fiesta music, and watched traditional dances as part of the towns culture week. After such a busy day, our group will be sure to get some great sleep.

Day 3

Written by Joaquin and Fletcher

Holla familias! We had quite the adventure today! From seeing trees apon trees to the wonderful city of Jardín Colombia we took in everything the Pueblo had to offer! Overall this trip has been so awsome and amazing we could live here for the rest of our lives! This morning we woke up and got on the bus after a hearty breakfast. We proceeded to embark on a four hour bus ride from the heart of Medellin to the lovely Pueblo of jardín. After eating lunch, we met our host families and followed them to their beautiful homes. Both of us had amazing conversations with our family throughout the afternoon and into the night. After an amazing delicious dinner of arepas and carne de rez, we visited the local theater and watched a powerful movie called los colores de la montaña. After the movie, we returns to our homes to get important sleep to be ready for our adventures tomorrow!

Blog 2

Today we got the chance to sleep in and woke up to eat breakfast at the hotel before going to get fruit at the store across the street. We then boarded the bus to head to the gondola, which took us up through the neighborhoods. The gondola took us to the top of el parque arví to begin our hiking, but first we stopped for empanadas and souvenirs. We then started our hike we took the road before entering the jungle. We saw massive beetles and tons of butterflies as well as native plants. We learned about the ecosystem in the area while hiking with our amazing guides. The trail took us to lunch with the hopes of swimming after although it began to rain and kept raining on the drive back. The drive was long taking the scenic route back to dinner where we had local food before retuning to the hotel for the night.

Blog 1

After a long days travel we woke up excited and enjoyed a delectable breakfast at our hotel. After that we got on a bus that took us through the city to Parque de Las Pies Descansos, a barefoot park. Here, we felt different textures such as bamboo, grass and gravel which helped us relax and connect to nature. We then dipped our feet into a pool at the park to wash off our feet and feel even more calm and connected to the nature surrounding us. After that we walked through the city center and Botero Plaza where we saw the 23 statues donated to the city by Botero worth an estimated 23 million dollars. 

We then walked through the city and visited two ancient churches and explored a mural detailing the history of Colombia and ate lunch. We ate arepas, patacones, plantaina, empanadas, and chicharrones, all of which were delicious. 
After lunch we took a bus to the base of Comuna 13, a district in Medellín. This district used be one of the most violent areas in the country, but has since turned into a community full of break dancing, improvised rap music, and beautiful art. It was the clear favorite part of the day for the entire group, and we loved trekking the winding paths through the many levels and layers of Comuna 13. 
After we were all thoroughly soaked, from the downpour of rain, we made our way back to the bus and drove back to the hotel where we spent some much needed downtime playing cards and eating a delicious dinner. We cannot wait for tomorrow! 
Con amor desde Colombia,

Zoe y Graham

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