Unforgettable year in Colombia

WorldTeach Colombia was an amazing experience. From the minute I applied and to this day as a part of the Alumni Community they have been nothing short of incredible. Once I completed my interview and was accepted they provided a ton of literature/guides about what to expect, what to pack and in general program logistics. WorldTeach provides in country support for the entire duration of your placement. We had 2 field staff due to the size of our group (32 volunteers). Our staff were previous volunteers and could relate exactly. They met us at the airport in Bogota' and provided all the transportation to our training site on a little farm outside of the city. They walked us through our Visa process, establishing our Bank Accounts, getting cell phones, our meeting with the Colombian President and with the US Embassy. They also provided 3 weeks of training for Colombia specific schools. Training included everything from developing lesson plans, dealing with co-teachers, classroom behavior issues, and keeping students engaged, to living with a host family, Colombian cultural differences, how to catch a bus and even daily Spanish lessons. For the first 3 weeks, everything was provided by the program. Once we completed trainings they provided transportation to our sites via plane and private busses. The Field Directors were with us while we met our families and when we visited our school sites. I cannot rave enough about our in country support. In our schools we had the freedom and independence to develop lessons and teach our classes. Our field directors were always there if we needed advice, recommendations, to vent or help resolving issues with schools or hosts.

Colombia is a beautiful country with the most hospitable, welcoming and festive people. My students and hosts were great and the culture was so much fun. I loved living with a host family because I really got to see and experience authentic Colombian culture. We lived in safe neighborhoods, but not fancy rich areas. We were able to integrate into the daily lives of our families and schools. We also had many opportunities to travel and see other parts of the country and visit other volunteers in other placements.

I cannot recommend WorldTeach enough. I taught for a few months on my own in Argentina the following year and had to complete all my bank account, Visa paperwork on my own and it was a nightmare. I now understand how hard all the staff at WorldTeach work to provide us with an incredible experience.