Tomorrow, I'm traveling to Santa Marta to visit my school and to get to know my counterparts. It'll be my first time outside of Barranquilla and I'm really excited to get to see more of the coast. Classes have already let out for Christmas break, but the teachers are still working, finishing up administrative tasks before they take off for vacation as well. I met my main counterpart, Alfredo, today and he is delightful. His English is perfect, and he seems to have a great outlook on teaching. I've already written a little bit about Santa Marta but in case you missed it, it's beautiful. Santa Marta is known for it's gorgeous beaches surrounded by a mountain range called Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It's the world's highest coastal mountain range. There are a number of national parks surrounding the area that provide excellent opportunities to hike, climb, dive, and bird watch. I can't express how happy I am that I get to call such a paradise home for the next two years. Hopefully I can take some pics of my own soon to add to this bunch.
The experience of a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia is very different to the experiences of most other volunteers around the world. Due to the fact that we are just starting up and security concerns, Peace Corps currently only operates in three cities along the Caribbean coast: Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta. We work and live in urban areas. This means, water, electricity, washing machines, fridges, and most of the "luxuries" you would find in a house in the United States. This differs greatly from the rural experience that many Peace Corps volunteers have. Barranquilla is a city that has Zara, fancy clubs, trendy restaurants and Carrefour, none of which we can afford. And this is exactly what will make our experience challenging. While we are living in a place where we could replicate lives similar to ours at home, our humble living allowance prevents us from doing so. I've heard various staff refer to it as "urban temptation" and boy is it tempting. But I must stay, I don't mind having running water and wifi one bit.
On a slightly different note, I recently discovered the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy and it is officially on top of my list of places to visit in Colombia. Who's coming with me?
Oooh...me! PIck ME! I want to go with you.
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