Katrina: Though I’ve known since December that I would be spending the next two months here in Medellín, I didn’t fully believe it until we landed. In a state of exhaustion from the lack of sleep from the night before, I woke up as the pilot was telling the flight attendants to prepare for landing. I’ll never forget Andrei and Molly’s faces as they were looking out the window, and as I followed their eyes, I’m sure I had the same expression of awe and surprise. For the past six months, I’ve been hearing, “Be careful, and be aware of your surroundings!” Everyone fails to mention the natural beauty of Colombia and the picturesque mountains that surround Medellín, unless, of course, you’re Colombian...
In the past two days, it has become obvious that the beauty of the city is not limited to its surroundings but is enhanced by its innovative architecture, its vibrant culture, and most importantly, its people, who are eager to rid their beloved city of its mala fama and willing to show you just why Medellín is one-of-a-kind.
Molly: The first exposure to Colombians was on the plane from Miami to Medellín. As most of us had heard before travelling, everyone was incredibly friendly, warm, and family oriented. From the plane ride where we befriended some toddlers and grandparents to the eruption of applause upon landing to the area in the airport where you meet up with family eagerly awaiting your arrival, I think we all felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and accommodation. Perhaps the thing that stands out the most to me is the loyal pride everyone has to Medellín and to Colombia. I was more overwhelmed than I thought I would be after arriving at my family's house for the first time. I cried that night while Skyping with my family because I all of a sudden realized how far away I am from home. That's when the tremendous wave of realization hit that this long awaited time in Medellín had arrived, por fin. However, as I got to talk with my host family more, and as they told me stories about Medellín, about their families and growing up and how much they simply adore their homeland, and as we flipped through numerous books, I felt more comfortable by the minute. I can see that Medellín and my stay with the Bonilla familia will certainly feel like home. As intimidated as I am about speaking a language I am still in the process of learning, I love waking up to Alcira's knocks on my door and having Spanish be the first language I speak in the morning. I love that while Skyping with my parents, I had to think twice about how to say something grammatically correct in English, because I was so accustomed to speaking in Spanish during the día. The first night was tough: since we had yet to explore the city, aside from being able to locate Medellín on a map, I had no idea where I was. I felt a combination of confusion, intimidation, fear, and loneliness. Upon waking up the next morning, I felt completely different - full of pure excitement and eagerness to fall in love with Medellín and its people. Though this process has just begun, I am confident that I will not want to nor be ready to leave come August 12th.
Andrei: I can’t get over is the way people live their lives here. The pace of life seems much slower here in comparison to the U.S. In my opinion, the Colombians that live in Medellín learn to appreciate the little things that occur every day. For example, I learned that when we eat lunch here we should expect to finish no earlier than an hour and a half. This is because we are supposed to eat, relax, and talk leisurely. In other words, we are supposed to enjoy one another’s company. This now resonates with me since our team has bonded the most during our meals. In the U.S., life is so hectic and stressful sometimes. Maybe people would be happier if they took the time to live by the day, like most do here. The people in Medellín are so proud of their tierra, their land, their home. Their pride for their city is unbelievably passionate. As my host Mom Esperanza says, “Si le preguntas a alguna persona quien vive en Medellín sobre la ciudad, esa persona no te diré algo mal” (If you ask anyone here about Medellín, nobody will say anything bad). I want nothing more than to be able to see the city through these people’s eyes.
Carolina: When I first arrived in Medellin, I was nervous about everything – the language, the food, and especially, the host families. This is because it has been hard for me to picture - in my mind - what my time in Colombia will be like. So arriving in the city - the plane landing and the car ride down the mountains - were important first impressions for me because they gave me a background for this picture. My next three days only reinforced this picture and it is incredible to think that I'll be spending my summer in such a beautiful city.
Stephen: When I stepped off the plane into the Medellin airport, I was not struck by a complete sense of unfamiliarity. Although this was a new country- by far the most unique place I have immersed myself in, many elements were familiar: people were meeting one another, family and friends were talking (albeit in a language over which I have only a small command), and my group was moving about just as we would in any airport. As we left the airport in our taxi, new sights and smells became more apparent. The lush green landscape is populated with brick buildings. As our driver navigated the tortuous road down the Andes Mountains, my eye caught the billboards on the side of the road. Many advertisements attempt to attract customers the same way advertisers do in the US – through sexual imagery, comedy, and fashion. In fact, the more modern things appeared, the more I could identify them with American culture; a clothe advertisement associated their apparel with the city of New York, appealing to the city’s images as fashion leaders.
After I had met my home stay family, later that evening, the grandson living in the apartment, Esteban (age 21), and I discussed our music tastes. A lot of my Itunes music library contains mainstream pop music. Esteban and I listened to much of the same music. After three days of living together, I have yet to hear a song, which is not or was not commonly played on the radio in the US. Esteban also said the majority of music played in the clubs is American. This discussion, along with my experience in European clubs in the UK, where American music is also played, has shown me that an artist who captures the American pop culture stage, also captures the international stage.
Cassidy: We just sat through a brief overview of the city’s history. It is one filled with violence- corruption stemming from political instability and the consequent explosion of narcotrafficking. When we study violence in the United States, it seems detached from our personal histories; it is something that occurred in the past or something that happens in remote places entirely unrelated to our daily lives. Here, Medellin’s bloody past was in full swing when I was in elementary school and has continued up until near my high school graduation. It is tangible and all-encompassing. After our history lesson, after learning the shocking and recent statistics of violence in the city, I couldn’t help but wonder why people are so enthusiastic about Medellin. Why do they return? Why clap as the airplane lands on the outskirts of the city? Yes, it is beautiful: the people, the art, the city structure itself. And yes, the weather is phenomenal. Yet that can hardly make up for the fact that in the last decade the city has experienced atrocities barely comprehensible for citizens of the United States. I have decided that my goal for the next eight weeks is to try to understand the motivation behind this applause. 
