Program Reviews

The Urban Transformation course in Medellín was an unforgettable experience that was not only very influential in my studies but was also an amazing life experience. I will never forget the excursions throughout the city, the positive energy, the tropical climate, the delicious food, and all the amazing people I met along the way.

The weekday mornings consisted of lectures on the university campus, but these were not your normal, boring lectures. Rather, imagine yourself feeling the breeze from outside, gazing out the window view of the city and surrounding mountains, learning from very passionate and engaged local professors, and having an occasional dance party to Colombian music! The weekday afternoons consist of site visits and excursions throughout the city. These included walks through many neighborhoods, discussions with community leaders, visits to various library parks and UVAs, and several trips on the integrated public transportation system. Red Tree Study organized may social activities throughout our stay, which were great ways to experience more of the Medellin culture. These included salsa dancing, playing tejo, fútbol games, walking the city streets, and a fun weekend excursion. There is no shortage of things to do and see in Medellín.

Our two coordinators were with us at all times and were there for us if we ever needed anything at anytime. The Red Tree Study staff and the UPB professors really made us feel welcome and at home. It was also great to be with like-minded students from all over the world who brought worldly perspectives from similar but different backgrounds and studies. We still keep in touch and I feel like some lifelong friendships and connections were made. Our hotel accommodation was very nice and conveniently located in a cool area of the city. I felt completely safe and secure the entire time in Colombia.

I really have nothing negative to say about this course, but one recommendation would be to lengthen the course to 3 weeks rather than such an intensive 2 weeks. I would 100% recommend this program to anyone who is looking for an experience abroad that incorporates innovative projects, urban planning, design, and transportation advancements in the transformation of a city. Medellín, Colombia is a prime example of that!

The Peacebuilding in Colombia Program was easily one of the most enriching and fulfilling experiences of my life, and was an opportunity that I will never forget. The course is perfectly designed to give students an understanding of the history of the Colombian conflict, peace negotiations and the challenges of building a lasting peace, and the program certainly succeeded in delivering this mission.

The course was intellectually stimulating, from lectures by world-class professors ,conversations with government negotiators and site visits to mechanisms such as the UN and JEP. Moreover, the program was also emotionally stimulating , with passionate speeches from former combatants and leaders being both empowering and unbelievably thought-provoking. This was aided by the knowledge and enthusiasm from other course participants, with their curiosity and experiences being incredibly enriching.

The program also has a fantastic social element, which really enables you to engage with the beautiful country of Colombia and its rich culture. From waterfall treks to football, the social calendar enhanced my experience and helped create lasting memories.

The entire program was well supported by a friendly team of coordinators and staff, with their positive nature and enthusiasm transcending to participants.

If you want to be intellectually and emotionally engaged with like-minded peers whilst experiencing the culture of an incredible country, then I really couldn't recommend the Peacebuilding in Colombia course enough.

Studying Urban Transformation in Colombia was a highly valuable experience, both from an academic and personal perspective. The course provided opportunities to explore many avenues of urbanism including housing, transport and community planning through highly granular methods. The course primarily used site visits to explain and engage first-hand with current social, cultural and political events which have occurred as a result of new, careful urban planning. I believe one of the most rewarding projects we were able to engage with was the analysis of the UVA's project. Seeing children and families integrate in such a positive way in areas which have such a recent past of conflict highlighted the undeniable importance of careful urbanism.

I loved the country, the city and the people. A fantastic three weeks which shall not be forgotten. Con gusto Medellín, siempre a la orden!

The Urban Transformation course was such a wonderful experience - I went there not knowing what to expect, and after two weeks didn't want to leave Colombia! Red Tree Study definitely fit a huge amount of academic material into two weeks, including internal and external lectures, site visits, as well as social activities basically every night. I really enjoyed how the classes were structured, linking topics in lectures in the morning to afternoon site visits, and also incorporating culture of the city throughout such as trying fruit at the traditional market and meeting a graffiti artist to hear about how he has helped transform his Barrio through art. The co-ordinators especially made us feel welcome, safe and part of a community - I felt that the group became really close, and evidence of that is in how we are all still meeting up around the world and planning future reunions! This course showed me that Medellín is a beautiful city, and the friendliness of the residents from the locals, to comuna leaders, to the lecturers, to the Red Tree Study staff, was what made it particularly special for me. I'd say that the course is great value for money, I would recommend it especially to architecture students but also those looking to learn about how social change is possible at all scales, and those with an interest in understanding positive rapid urban change achieved through a series of micro, meso and macro level interventions on a city-wide scale.

The course in Medellin was incredible. We were there for only 2 weeks but it felt like months because of all the activities Red Tree Study had organized for us. The academic content and exercises were very interesting and challenging, making us think outside the box and approach our tasks differently. Lectures took place in the beautiful and green eco-friendly campus of UPB and were followed by field trips to various projects around the city every day. The professors gave us a perspective of the city from all sides - social, environmental and political while the community leaders helped us in understanding how the city has improved and how the communities themselves have been the driving force in most cases due to their changed mentality.
The social activities were so much fun and helped us to immerse ourselves in Colombia’s culture - we learned how to dance salsa, we played a fun traditional Colombian game called tejo, we went on a chiva (party) bus and many more.
The hotel we stayed at was nice and conveniently located close to the university, to many shops and places to eat. The Red Tree Study team also lived with us and was always there when we needed support.
On this program I met some amazing people from all over the world as well as some lovely locals who I can’t wait to meet again! I would definitely recommend the program to students wishing to learn about Urban Transformation in Colombia but also to anyone looking for an adventure in a new country.

No matter where in the world you come from, going to Colombia is a necessary experience. Not only because of the beautiful people, delicious Colombian dishes or the amazing dance floors you’ll find, but because Colombia is setting the example for a transitional Peace Process on a world level. Being able to learn about the people, culture and political situation of Colombia through a program like Red Tree Study’s Peacebuilding in Colombia was enriching on so many levels.

The academic aspect of the program was incredible. Our unique curriculum that included lectures, conversations and classes from some of the most renowned professors in Latin America and abroad varied from day to day. One morning we could be listening to a professor from the Universidad de los Andes itself speak on the political economy of the Colombian armed conflict, and in the afternoon have a talk with a professor from Harvard Law School mentioning the importance of Women in the Armed Conflict and Transitional Justice.

Coming to Colombia with little to almost no understanding of the Peace Process Colombia has been in for decades, I was astounded by the incredible work the people of Colombia have been putting in for Peace. Having the opportunity to visit the United Nation Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVM-C), the Colombian Agency for Reincorporation (ARN) and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) allowed me to see the effort the country is placing on a societal transition to peace. As one of our guest speakers put it, Colombia is working for Peace by Piece.

My experience within the 3 weeks of the program was so eye-opening and engaging. Being able to learn about Colombia’s history through museum visits, graffiti tours and bicycle tours I got to see what the country is fighting for in many different art forms. As most of the program participants were international students, the way we saw, discussed and took in most of the information was different. By bringing our own unique perspectives we were able to add and extend the conversation around Peace and Peacebuilding worldwide.

I thoroughly enjoyed this program, particularly the various visits to sites and social urbanism projects in the city of Medellin like the memory museum, the social housing sites, the various parks. The academic content was very rich and I liked the use of different methodologies to deliver it. The staff on the program were very friendly and helpful and very happy to share their knowledge and expertise. Additionally there were many social activities to make the most the time outside study and allowed participants to bond. I also made many lifelong friends in the process. I only thought at times the schedule was too congested. Perhaps in the future it could be spread to 3 instead of two weeks. Nonetheless I would recommend this program to future students.

The Public Health in Colombia program was a really cool experience. Exploring a system with so many complexities, built around an ongoing historical struggle and during a time of both social and politically transition was really insightful. The course was very informative and engaging. Exploring the dialectics of the subjects from the different perspectives and expertise of the professors gave great depth to the academic aspect program and made it incredibly insightful! The activities all provided a feeling of cultural immersion, and the coordinators were all incredibly helpful and welcoming. Bogota is such as incredible city that represents a part of an incredibly country, and I'm glad this program allowed us to explore its complexities among brilliant people, who along the ride, became friends.

After graduating from college I was looking for some way to gain professional experience while also not taking that miserable entry-level position (just yet). My school emailed me about RTS, and it was absolutely perfect. Don't get me wrong, I was anxious to get a job, and was still applying to many, but nothing good stuck, and it looked like RTS was not only the most fun-looking but the wisest decision for me as well. The application process was very personal and geared towards my own interests, and I ended up actually taking two 6 week internships because I wanted to try both post-production and development. They made it easy for me, and after sending them my resume and cover letters, I was all set. Not only did RTS help me find these internships, but they prepared them for me and gave me a clear idea of where I would be working, what I would be doing, and what I should know before I get there. It was perfect. I had interned in LA before, and this was completely different because it felt as if you almost had a little intern assistant helping you out, making sure you had the best, most full, experience as an intern.

Outside of the internship, RTS was the best travel experience I've ever had. I was in a new world, meeting new people, and seeing new things, but I also felt comfortable and safe the entire time. Colombian people are extremely friendly, and the RTS coordinators are even more so. I'm very glad to call them my friends, I'll never forget the experience or the people!

I highly recommend taking this opportunity, you will not regret it!

My experience in Bogota w/RTS was great. Bogota is a unique city in a culturally diverse country. The course was structured in a way that there were lectures in the morning and field visits in the afternoon. It was a jammed pack month, we learned information that it would take semesters to learn. The professors of different background and disciplines also provided unique insight from their field and specialties. I'd definitely recommend this course to people interested in studying abroad.