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Immerse yourself into Colombia's vibrant, colorful culture and extraordinary biodiversity. Practice and improve your Spanish language communication skills with high-quality, certified lessons led by expert professors. Each day, put your skills to the test by joining sustainable community and environmental projects.
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Where: Medellín, Antioquia & Los Nevados National Park. Santa Marta (optional)
Date: June 15 – July 13, 2021 (flexible dates and timescale offered for groups of 8+) Number of Participants: 14-18 Suggested Ages: 17-25 Spanish Learning: 2-4 hours a day Cost: from $1,999 USD per person Language: Spanish (recommended level at least B2) Kagumu Support: Staff 24/7 |
Program overviewWhat better place to improve your Spanish language skills and delve into a world of sustainable development than in South America's hub of social innovation. Once known as the most dangerous place on earth, Medellín now teems with social and environmental projects that are transforming communities and rejuvenating surrounding biodiversity. After daily language classes, you will visit life-changing local projects, giving you a greater understanding of global issues and showing you how you can help contribute to a more sustainable world.
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Program reviews
"I love that this program is in Medellín because not a lot of people realise that it's growing and is becoming a sustainable city...The local Colombians I met were very caring, very fun and very welcoming."
Camila Cecconi Tobio, Student, 17, Italian. |
“I honestly couldn’t have imagined a better trip to Colombia... dream come true. I appreciate everything they did to make it so amazing and I’m not too sad because we’ll be running this trip every year now.”
Chris Burman, Spanish Teacher, Pacific Ridge, United States. |
"The homestay was an incredible way to legitimately connect with Colombians and discover what the culture is like. I was beyond lucky to be spoiled by an incredibly open, loving, and kind family."
Jake Sagar, 18, Student, Pacific Ridge, United States. |
Program highlights
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ItineraryWeek 1: Medellín
Begin your journey in the city declared the most innovative in the world. Immerse yourself into the vibrant local culture with city tours, salsa classes and art workshops. Each day you will travel to EAFIT's university campus in the chic Poblado area, where you will join like-minded students for Spanish language classes. Explore the city on it's award-winning metro and metro cable system and take part in our specially-designed team sustainable cooking challenge. Week 2: Medellín & Rio Claro Natural Reserve After a weekend of rafting and zip lining in the Andean jungle, you will return to the city to continue your Spanish classes. This week you will explore Medellín's ecological playground, discovering how you can lower your carbon footprint and how you can help reforest native land. You will also discover how to make the finest Arabica coffee beans on the planet by taking part in workshops with a local foundation that is helping ex-rebel fighters and former displaced families through coffee farming. Week 3: Medellin & Los Nevados National Park, Quindío Enjoy a free weekend to explore the city with your new friends or take a break with a weekend excursion. Continue your Spanish language classes and taste the wonderful array of exotic fruits with a tour around the city's largest market. You'll witness the unique atmosphere at a live soccer match and pick up your paint brushes to help create a mural with a local foundation that promotes Human Rights. We leave for a weekend of adventures in the stunning UNESCO-protected Coffee Zone for an adventure of a lifetime. Led by professional guides, walk through Los Nevados National Park, discovering mysterious cloud forests, alien-like vegetation, soaring condors, hoards of hummingbirds and the world’s tallest palm trees. Week 4: Medellín During the final week, you will gain your Spanish certification at EAFIT's campus in Poblado. You'll take part in a canopy experience high in the trees and put your salsa skills to the test with a night in a traditional bar. During the week, you will develop a project idea that is designed to make a positive impact in your home community and/or environment. We close the program with a bang with a celebratory weekend on a country farm. Week 5 (optional): Santa Marta, Caribbean Coast, Magdalena You will travel to Colombia’s Caribbean coast to explore the highest coastal mountain range in the world. Engage in reforestation projects, discover world-class cacao and coffee and enjoy a multi-day trek through the jungle, where you find an ancient civilization unchanged from the 7th century. |
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Learning Spanish in Medellin |
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World-class facilities and language courses, certified by Cervantes Instituto, makes EAFIT the ideal institute to learn Spanish. EAFIT's Spanish language course is one of the oldest in the country and is is certified by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) in the U.S. Courses run from level A1 to C2 and from semi-intensive (2hr per day) to intensive (4hr per day).
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