Meet and Greet - Team Villavicencio
Only 10 more days to go before I fly off to Colombia!
A few days ago, I received an email with more IFE details as well as my host community, my small group, and my host teacher, Alex. Alex set up a Zoom call to introduce himself to us and to collaborate on the host community itinerary.
I logged into Zoom and was welcomed by Alex’s smiling face and warm greetings. Pretty soon, the rest of my small group arrived: Blade from Hawaii and Vickie from Massachusetts. After introductions, Alex gave us a virtual tour of Villavicencio via a video and photos. He also told us about the city. Some fast facts about Villavicencio care of Alex:
Located in the department of Meta
Population 500,000
Lovingly called Villavo by locals
Tropical climate with temperatures ranging from 28-30 degrees Celsius
Very heavy rain and high humidity
Attire around the city is usually casual and laid back, even at work. Jeans, a rain jacket, and an umbrella is the norm.
Transportation is via taxi, hotel car, or private car
Llanero culture and Joropo music are strong and widespread
Most schools follow a morning and afternoon bell schedule to accommodate different groups of students, with the school day beginning at 6 am
There is a clear social gap between the lower class, middle class, and upper class
As Alex was describing Villavicencio, I was reminded of my home country, the Philippines. It all sounded very familiar except for the Llanero culture and Joropo music.
The topic of souvenirs came up again. Alex informed us that small items were preferred such as stickers representing one’s city. He also let us know that American chocolate and candies were a big hit with the students.
Alex asked us what we would like to see, do, and experience the most. Alex suggested that we visit different schools in private, public, and rural settings, co-teach a lesson with all three of us together, and then teach one lesson that is specific to our subject areas. When not at school, Alex suggested that we attend cultural events and visit famous landmarks. This all sounded amazing except there was one thing missing on the itinerary…dancing! I suggested this, and Alex said “Oh, I already have a discoteca planned for the first night!” That’s when I knew Alex and I were going to be fast friends!
LA Merch care of Santee Alley and the California Science Center