Volunteering at a Spanish school in San Carlos can be an incredibly enriching experience. Not only do you get to immerse yourself in the language and culture of a beautiful country, but you also get to give back to the community for example by teaching English to local students. In this blog, we'll explore what it's like to volunteer at a Spanish school in San Carlos and why it can be such a rewarding experience.
If you’re a logistics person (read: anxious planner) like me, you may appreciate the following details about arrival/check-in and the overall flow of each week
I had loads of questions about travelling to Colombia before I arrived, so here’s all the information you need if you’re considering a trip in late 2021 or 2022.
Like with most tasks that have been put on hold for a while, I’m having a hard time finding a place to start. So why not start in, uhm, southern Italy, in June 2019. Back then I was on vacation, camping and surfing with some good friends. The weather was incredible, our camping site was located right by the ocean and the wind was strong. Shortly before, I had just started my first job in a rehabilitation hospital after finishing university for a degree in psychology. My original wish was to travel the world before starting my career, but that’s kind of difficult when you don’t have any money saved up for it. So I did what my parents urged me to do: I took the path of flawless CV’s and least resistance, leading straight into the world of full-time-work. I searched for a job to begin my therapy program, found one, and eventually started helping people get their life back together while mine was not really where I wanted it to be.
My husband and I have been together for a little over 4 years. The first night we met, I told him about this epic “World Tour” that I was planning to take one day and he was ALL about it. Fast forward a few years to early (“pre”-pandemic) 2020: we were celebrating our wedding and looking forward to finally making our World Tour dream a reality… and then COVID-19 happened.
Colombia is a country that is known for its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes. However, one of the things that often goes overlooked is its diverse and delicious fruits. If you are planning to travel to Colombia, you cannot miss out on the opportunity to try some of the country's most unique and tasty fruits.
Good memory allows us to learn from the past, because the only meaning that the recovery of the past has is that it serves for the transformation of the present time. “Let your heart remember with as little pain and as much commitment as possible”. “They only cease to exist when we have forgotten them”.
Like many others, I arrived at Spanish Adventure with one main goal - to become as fluent as I can in Spanish in a short time period. My expectations were exceeded with the number of amazing experiences, friends, and lessons that I received here. Without a doubt one of the best decisions in my travels to arrive here - but we’ll get to that later :) What I did not expect was the joy and fulfillment I would receive from teaching English as a volunteer.
When I got to San Carlos I was eager to try out the restaurants. There were lots of great options, but it was a hard to know where to look at first. Thanks to recommendations from friends, I was able to scope out some of the best eats in town. The following is a list, in no particular order, of must-try restaurants in San Carlos.
San Carlos, Colombia is nestled in the jungle-coated hills of the Cordillera Occidental, the westernmost branch of the northern Andes. Known in the Antioquia district for its plentiful water resources, the region boasts 6 clear rivers, 76 streams, and over 50 tumbling waterfalls. The dramatic topography extends into three distinct climatic zones, resulting in unique and incredibly varied flora and fauna.
As a part of the U.S. Marines, we are expected to maintain high physical fitness standards. Maintaining cardio endurance and muscular strength is essential to our ability to conduct various missions worldwide. While spending 8 weeks in San Carlos, Colombia with Spanish Adventure, I tailored a dynamic exercise routine which allowed me to maintain physical readiness and enjoy the local Colombian community.
Every day after class, excited students anxiously wait for the roar of a bell to fill the halls of Spanish Adventure. This sound can only mean one thing: it’s lunch time. In Colombia, lunch is usually the heartiest meal of the day, consisting of a soup, a salad, a protein, and a carb like potatoes or rice. Here at the school, we have a restaurant onsite where we are treated to amazing meals each day. I sat down with Jacke and Joan, who not only cook us this delicious food but also take time out of their days to help us practice our Spanish:
Joan preparing food for a fiesta!
¡Hola Jacke y Joan! Pueden presentarse rápidamente?
Hi Jacke and Joan. Can you just quickly introduce yourselves?
Jacke: Mi nombre es Jackeline. Tengo veinte y seis años. Nací en Medellín y he vivido en San Carlos durante cuatro meses.
Jacke: My name is Jackeline. I am twenty six years old. I grew up in Medellin and I have lived in San Carlos for four months.
Joan: Mi nombre es Joan. Tengo veinte y seis años también. Nací en San Carlos pero he vivido toda mi vida en Medellín.
Joan: My name is Joan. I am also twenty six years old. I grew up in San Carlos but I have lived in Medellin my whole life.
¿A qué universidad fueron?
What university did you go to?
Jacke: Yo fui a la universidad de Antioquia.
Jacke: I went to the University of Antioquia.
Joan: Yo igual.
Joan: Me too.
In a conversation I had with Joan about school, he explained how difficult it can be to go to university in Colombia. The private schools are incredibly expensive, and the public schools are extremely hard to get into. In order to gain entry, one must pass a challenging test; luckily, both Jacke and Joan did.
¿Qué estudiaron?
What did you study?
Before our bread went in the oven.
Jacke y Joan: Ingeniería de alimentos. Jacki también estudió cocina.
Jacke and Joan. Food engineering. Jacki also studied cooking.
While I may have previously grouped these two fields together, they are apparently very different. Food engineering focuses more on the science of food and food manufacturing. Their expertise shone brightly when we were given a class about making bread and the science behind the process (they spent 6 months in school just learning about bread!)
¿Cuáles fueron primeros trabajos cuando salieron de la universidad?
What were your first jobs out of school?
Jacke y Joan: Este! Nuestro primer trabajo fue iniciar una microempresa de alimentos cárnicos como chorizos, morcilla, y tocino ahumado. Llamada Monte Alma. Además trabajó en un restaurante para la escuela.
Jacke and Joan: This! Our first job was starting a micro business for meat like chorizos, blood sausage, and smoked bacon. It is called Monte Alma. We also work in a restaurant for the school.
Not only do Jacki and Joan work for the school every day, but they also run their own business, frequently making trips to Medellin to drop off orders.
¿Cuáles son sus comidas Colombianas favoritas para preparar?
What are your favorite Colombian dishes to prepare?
Jacke: Frijoles y empanadas de papa y carne.
Jacke: Beans and potato and meat empanadas.
Joan: Me gusta preparar mucho los amasijos Colombianos como pan de queso, pan de yuca, y pandebono.
Joan: I really like to prepare Colombian dumplings like cheese bread, yuca bread, and pandebono.
¿Cuánto tiempo han trabajado con Spanish Adventure?
How long have you been working for Spanish Adventure?
Jacke y Joan: Hemos trabajado durante cuatro meses.
Jacke and Joan: We have been working here for four months.
Describir sus experiencias en la escuela hasta aquí.
Describe your experience so far at the school.
Joan: Ha sido una experiencia muy enriquecedora porque he conocido nuevas culturas, nuevas personas, y muy buenas amigas por todo el mundo.
Joan: It has been a very enriching experience because I have gotten to know new cultures, new people, and very good friends from all over the world.
Jacke: Ha sido una experiencia muy diferente porque nunca había vivido en un pueblo. He conocido y aprendido mucho y siendo esto una buena experiencia.
Jacke: It has been a very different experience because I have never lived in a small town. I have learned a lot and it has been a great experience.
¿Disfrutan practicando con los estudiantes aquí?
Do you enjoy practicing Spanish with the students here?
Jacke: Si es divertido porque puedes conocer diferentes personas y aprender diferentes culturas.
Jacke: Yes it is fun because you can get to know different people and learn about different cultures.
Joan: Si, es la mejor parte de estar en la escuela porque interactúas con nuevas personas, haces nuevos amigos, y aprendes mucho.
Joan: Yes, it is the best part of being in the school because you interact with new people, you make new friends, and you learn a lot.
One of the best parts of the Spanish Adventure program is that we are given the opportunity to converse with a Native speaker. Each week, we are paired up with a different person, and we get to spend an hour in the morning talking about whatever we would like. I have had conversations about politics, past travels, beliefs about life, funny stories from childhood… It is easily my favorite part of the day.
¿Cuáles son sus expectativas para el futuro?
What are your hopes for the future?
Jacke: Con la escuela, poder avanzar construyendo una familia y poder viajar por todo el mundo.
Jacke: With the school, to be able to advance in building a family and to be able to travel the whole world.
Joan: Con la empresa la idea es crecer y tenerla posicionada en el mercado siendo referentes a nivel nacional. Con la escuela queremos aprender a conocer nuevos amigos para visitarlos en el futuro.
Joan: For the business the idea is to grow and to have it be in the market at a national level. With the school we want to learn and to know new friends to visit in the future.
Getting to know Jacke and Joan has been one of the many highlights of my time at Spanish Adventure. Not only have they accommodated my vegan food needs for the past month (a very difficult task in Colombia), but they have also become true friends. My days will not be the same without the enthusiastic, “Buenos dias Jordyn!!!” that is sure to come from the kitchen when I pass by each morning. Gracias por todo mis amigos. Disfruten sus vidas y los veré en Europa algún día:)
Our Spanish Adventure family.
Every Saturday, Spanish Adventure organizes a big adventure for the students from the school. This Saturday we hiked to the Piedra el Tabor – also known as “the fucking rock”. Everyone of us was exciting about it. Everytime we passed the square of San Carlos we saw the huge rock and I couldn’t wait to hike up to it and have a 360 degree view of San Carlos and it’s beautiful nature.
Spanish Adventure is more than just a Spanish school in Colombia. It provides authentic immersion in Colombian culture in the town of San Carlos. When I joined Spanish Adventure, I was surprised to discover that I wasn’t only a visitor, but became a member of the community too. Every day, I saw many of the same friendly faces and, over the past month, some of them have become friends. Let me introduce you to some of them!
For a week of true Colombian partying, join Las Fiestas Del Agua in San Carlos. You won't regret this wet, wild and magical stop in your travels. Just three hours by bus from Medellín, San Carlos makes the perfect weekend getaway from big city life. Ready to celebrate the water like a real San Carlitano? Here are Spanish Adventure’s top tips for getting the most out of the Fiestas del Agua.
So, if you are interested in learning Spanish, in experiencing Colombian culture like a local, and exploring the beautiful natural landscapes, Spanish Adventure is the place for you. But what exactly does a week at Spanish Adventure look like? Everything you ever wanted to know about life at Spanish Adventure.
You can’t visit San Carlos without meeting Sandra. She’s one of the first friendly faces you see in the town, and always has the time you to speak with you in Spanish. She also sells some of the best Colombian food in Antioquia – perhaps Colombia. We asked Sandra everything you ever wanted to know about her.
“Nunca nos fuimos. Siempre resistimos” – We never left. We always resisted. Over three decades of violence – encompassing paramilitary groups, guerrilla insurgencies, and state actors – provoked one of the largest exoduses in Colombia. This mural captures the essence of San Carlos during the years of violence: all that remained were the ‘resisters’ and the birds.
Before I came to San Carlos and Spanish Adventure, I didn’t really like the language and felt uncomfortable when I tried to speak Spanish. The people couldn’t always understand me. During my stay at Spanish Adventure, I felt more and more comfortable, even though I always made mistakes. I will explain you why!
