As you may or may not know, Colombia is divided into five geographical regions--the Atlantic lowlands, the Pacific coastal region, the Andean region, the Llanos (plains) and the Amazonian rainforest--as well as 32 legal departments, which are like states. In these first five months, I’ve been to nine different cities across these various regions (including Bogotá), and I’m going to another, Salento, this week! While I adore living in the concrete jungle of Bogotá, populated by over eight million people, getting out of the city and experiencing the natural and cultural diversity of Colombia has been my favorite part. I look forward to sharing with you all some of my experiences in places like the plains of Villavicencio, the beaches of Santa Marta, and the salt mines of Zipaquirá. I hope that some of the things I’ve learned about myself as an American in Colombia--and, of course, about the rich culture of Colombia itself--will inspire you to pursue learning about other cultures, too.
