Hola, Colombia!

Day 0

The journey to Colombia was long. I began my journey at 4 am at the Los Angeles International Airport to take a flight to Miami. Since we were all coming from different states, Miami was where we were going to congregate before hopping on the flight to Bogota.

Thankfully, all of my flights were on time and smooth. Once in Miami, we all proceeded to look for each other.

Some of the Fulbright Colombia folks

We arrived in Bogota close to midnight. Waiting for us with big smiles on their faces were Carlos, our tour guide, and Yanilis, a Fulbright alumna, Colombian public school teacher, and our in-country consultant. Carlos and Yanilis took us to our hotel, The Four Seasons, in Zona Rosa. After a long journey, everyone bid each other a good night and retreated into our rooms to retire for the night.

The real MVPs Carlos and Yanilis welcomed us to Colombia!

Day 1

Day 1 in Colombia officially began at 8:00 AM with a scrumptious breakfast. One of the hotel staff suggested I try Chocolate con Queso. I asked if it was really chocolate with cheese, and he told me that the only way to find out was to try…so I did! Delicious!

Chocolate con Queso with a mix of continental and Colombian food

After breakfast, we received an overview of the Colombian education system from Yanilis. It was interesting to learn about the similarities and differences between the Colombian and US education systems. I also had the Philippine education system to add to the comparison because I received my PreK-Undergraduate education in the Philippines.

What stood out the most about the Colombian education system was the Escuela Normales and the SENA program. The Escuela Normales is a specialized school for high school seniors interested in a career in education. They enter the Escuela Normales instead of the University or College to begin their preservice training.

Yanilis explaining the types of educational institutions found in Colombia

The SENA program is a program open to anyone and offers free vocational training.

“SENA (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje), or the National Training Service, is a Colombian public institution that provides free vocational and technical training to around 9 million Colombians annually. It is the country’s largest public institution, with full national coverage through 117 industry-specific training centers and an extensive online platform. SENA aims to develop and expand a technically skilled workforce to respond to the needs of Colombian national development and an increasingly international economy. SENA’s training centers, the heart of SENA instruction, each act as a specialized technology hub to train students in a particular industry. The centers strive to provide hands-on professional experience and frequently reflect the realities of the industry, from functioning hotels and call centers to working farms and active forensic analysis laboratories. SENA students, referred to as apprentices, graduate with the practical, transferable knowledge and skills ready for application in the Colombian economy and across the globe – as SENA builds its international industry partnerships.”

100 Strong In the Americas

Yanilis also shared about the Colombian government’s efforts in encouraging students to choose majors in STEM and Computer Science because the majority of students are graduating with law and psychology degrees.

After Yanilis’ presentation, there was a panel discussion to give us more perspective from educators in the field. After the panel discussion, there was a “speed dating” activity wherein the panelists rotated tables to answer more questions.

My fellow Fulbrighters taking a break in between sessions

After lunch with the panelists, we were whisked off to visit Computers for Education (CPE) and the National Center for the Use of Electronic Waste (CENARE). We learned about the efforts of the Ministry of Technology to responsibly manage e-waste created by schools. Public schools send in their old laptops, and these are taken apart at the facility. The parts are then reused and recycled to create parts for robotic kits, which are then sent to the public schools. This program was started 23 years ago and is considered one of the most important programs of the national government. It has won multiple awards both domestically and internationally. The goal of the program is to ensure 1:1 access for all students, especially because there are many students in remote areas. In addition to providing laptops, the program also trains teachers, students, and parents on technology use, digital literacy, and internet safety.

Robotics curriculum

Inquiring about the robotics program

Touring CENARE

Look at all those computer parts!

Fulbright TGC Colombia 2023 with the CPE and CENARE teams

After our field trip, we made our way back to the hotel with a brief detour to see the many murals in Bogota up close. That’s definitely one thing I noticed about Bogota; the beautiful and powerful murals all over the city!

We had some time to wash up, and then head out to our welcome dinner at Criterion, close to The Four Seasons. Day 1 - success!

I wish I had taken down the names of this soup, bread, and sweet butter to try and recreate back home. They were delicious!