Day 1: AIESEC EAFIT

27 June, Wednesday 


If you have not realized, I have been blogging backwards. Everyday is insane with new sights and experiences, and I just cant get the words down fast enough with my experiences! Alright - Focus, discipline and blog! Really determined this time; to forget any of this would be such a pity!

Wednesday. I woke up, looked outside my window on the right, and gasped -

Hills and greens outside my window? No way!

The first day I went to Universidad EAFIT. Took a taxi there as the roads of Medellín was still pretty much a treacherous maze to me. It was an absolutely modern campus university. Oddly enough, it reminded me of the university back home in Singapore!

Inside EAFIT 

EAFIT's canteen

My first glimpse into the Colombian community, and I was honestly slightly taken aback. I was ignorant about Colombia, but still what I have seen so far was definitely of well to do families and students. I asked around, and it seemed like students who make it to university belonged to the middle and upper-class. (Just to demonstrate this, alot of them have Ray-Bans!) I suppose I have a lot more to see and learn!

The first week of the project was devoted to an Induction Week for the trainees and I am impressed by the level of detail and preparation that went behind the 'lessons' they conducted for us. AIESEC EAFIT is doing really well! A slight cinch: Everything was conducted in -goodness- Spanish. To say I struggled to understand would be a gross overstatement. All that rapid Spanish might as well have fallen on deaf ears. Fortunately there was this Brazilian trainee who helped translate. (Thanks Joáo!) It was hilarious seeing him juggling two dictionaries: one Portugese (Brazil's native tongue) - Spanish and one Portugese - English.

The other interns, one Mexican and two Peruvian girls were really sweet and tried their best to help me with my Spanish. Where ever we went they would point at random things and say it to me in Spanish. Of course I mimic-ed them but ah, it is difficult to remember. Three words stuck - Mamasita (beautiful lady), Papasito (beautiful man lol) and MAMAL (tired).

Between having lessons conducted in Spanish and having all your colleagues speak in Spanish only - Yes, time to really learn some Spanish.

I am a trainee under the project 'Huellas En Accion'. A collaboration between AIESEC and EAFIT Social - the department arm under Universidad EAFIT managing many community projects. There are 10 trainees in all, each assigned to a particular corporation in a village. Trainees spent the first week and last week in the city of Medellín. The four weeks in the middle was spent staying and studying the assigned corporation, and them coming up with an implementation plan to improve the organization! Consultancy - how cool!? 

Due to my inability to speak Spanish, I would be working in the main office of EAFIT Social, under the direction Mario Vargas, whom I am staying with now! Initially I was rather disappointed at not being able to live and study local communities like everybody else, but I realize we can travel to visit one another on the weekends! Also I would be travelling with Mario to a village this Sunday, it would be so amazing! Crazy excited. :D

Mafe and Ana, and a neat little car

Mafe and Ana picked me up at the University, and we went to a cafe at night and I met some of their friends! All the guys had long hair. Do all Colombian guys have long hair!? I alternated between observing interesting Colombian interaction (in Spanish) and being amused/amusing them with conversations in English. Interesting variations in English skills among Colombians! Those that speak well had lessons outside of school from a young age. Yet another display of affluence/education.

We went in a truck!

Cool cafe

One day in Colombia, and I'm ready for loads more!