Cartegena/Bogota

gorgonabob says on Nov 28, 2004, 12:52:

medellin why dont you think about coming to medellin,, i have been all over colombia and this is one of its best assets. i would not go to Bogotá thats for sure..

I share an apartment with an american guy and we live five minutes walk from the best private uni in medellin where you can get spanish language instruction if you want...

there is plenty to do in and around medellin for day trips etc.

there is a room available in the apartment for $50 or $60 a week incl. cable internet, and cable if you are interested. pool sauna etc.

let me know... kelvin, new zealander
tokelv at yahoo.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

USA2Bogota says on Nov 28, 2004, 13:59:

USA2Bogota

USA2Bogota www.bogotaapartments.com www.olabogota.com

0 funny, 0 helpful.

kernow62 says on Nov 28, 2004, 15:46:

Why not Bogotá gorgonabob it is a great city for learning Spanish. It has a lots of other interesting places to visit within the city and Bogotá has lots of intersting side trip as well. I would rank it very safe & the Universidad Javeriana has excellent Spanish courses.

I would say that Bogotá has far more interesting places than either Cartagena or Medellin and the climate isn't too bad, not as nice as Medellin, but better than I was led to believe.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

santiBOG says on Nov 28, 2004, 16:04:

Here's what I would do Cartagena is definitely worth visiting for 2 or 3 days. Then I would go to Bogota... you'll meet interesting people and won't run out of stuff to do or places to visit.

Not sure why gorgonabob says he would not go there.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lauthra says on Nov 28, 2004, 16:57:

Bogotá I reckon Bogotá has more to offer than any other city in Colombia, I'm not putting the other cities down.
You have at least 3 options to learn spanish. As good as U. Javeriana is, its quite expensive, and you have La Universidad Nacional, which is dead cheap and good.
Nato
www.theburrow.co.uk

Nato (='.'=)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Pete in Bogota says on Nov 28, 2004, 21:05:

I'm a student at Los Andes, Bogota is great How is it going.

I'll just say Bogota is awesome I like it, I'm a UC Berkeley student taking some masters classes and love it. I think there are more option and better schooling in the capital, but you just really need to find a place where you can talk alot. The people are a little more protective and no super open / friendly as the people in tierra caliente..but you cant have it all.

See ya pete

psoren at berkely.edu

0 funny, 0 helpful.

elmodefoque says on Nov 29, 2004, 06:33:

Why go all the way to Colombia to study Spanish. I live here in New York too, and could teach you all the damn Spanglish you need. Spanglish is a modern version of Spanish, soon to be a global language for a global economy. I charged absolutely nothing but only request that we study in bar while having drinks. Please describe yourself.

curramba, la puerta de oro, lo de mas es monda!!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ejl2005 says on Nov 29, 2004, 09:32:

Hey Kelvin, thanks for writing, and I will definitely look into Medellin as well. But I'm curious as to why you think that Bogota would be such a bad idea. Is it that it's unsafe or what?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

suzannyo says on Nov 30, 2004, 18:22:

Bogota is great... Hey there! I've traveled to Colombia twice this year...the first time to Cartagena for a couple weeks and the second time to Bogota for 3 months (which included a 2 week stay in Cartagena again).

I love both cities, but for different reasons. The climate in Cartagena is HOT and HUMID, not my favorite, but the culture is wonderful. Its more like a typical Carribean culture...laid back, friendly, more of a party atmosphere. I can't really tell you a lot about sites to see there, because I've spent my time in the marginalized areas of Cartagena, not the tourist spots. El Castillo de San Felipe is really cool though, and I enjoyed a carriage ride with a friend around the walled/colonial part of the city. Hitting the beach late in the afternoon is also really refreshing after a long, hot day. :) However, if you're heading to Colombia to study Spanish, Cartagena isn't the best place to do that. They speak a "dialect" of Spanish referred to as "Costen~o" or "coastal Spanish" that is different from other cities within Colombia or any other Spanish speaking country I've ever been to...I went in April to interpret for a group that went down and ended up having Colombians from Bogota who'd lived in Cartagena a while help me out with interpreting between "Costen~o" and Spanish so I could translate between Spanish and English. It was interesting. :)

In Bogota, the climate is more to my liking, more like Spring in the midwest where I live. The culture is more closed and proper than in Cartagena...feels to me more like the US. Their Spanish is supposed to be one of the most pure forms of spoken Spanish...its easy for me to understand them.

Hope that helps!
Suzannyo

0 funny, 0 helpful.

suzannyo says on Nov 30, 2004, 18:24:

Bogota is great... Hey there! I've traveled to Colombia twice this year...the first time to Cartagena for a couple weeks and the second time to Bogota for 3 months (which included a 2 week stay in Cartagena again).

I love both cities, but for different reasons. The climate in Cartagena is HOT and HUMID, not my favorite, but the culture is wonderful. Its more like a typical Carribean culture...laid back, friendly, more of a party atmosphere. I can't really tell you a lot about sites to see there, because I've spent my time in the marginalized areas of Cartagena, not the tourist spots. El Castillo de San Felipe is really cool though, and I enjoyed a carriage ride with a friend around the walled/colonial part of the city. Hitting the beach late in the afternoon is also really refreshing after a long, hot day. :) However, if you're heading to Colombia to study Spanish, Cartagena isn't the best place to do that. They speak a "dialect" of Spanish referred to as "Costen~o" or "coastal Spanish" that is different from other cities within Colombia or any other Spanish speaking country I've ever been to...I went in April to interpret for a group that went down and ended up having Colombians from Bogota who'd lived in Cartagena a while help me out with interpreting between "Costen~o" and Spanish so I could translate between Spanish and English. It was interesting. :)

In Bogota, the climate is more to my liking, more like Spring in the midwest where I live. The culture is more closed and proper than in Cartagena...feels to me more like the US. Their Spanish is supposed to be one of the most pure forms of spoken Spanish...its easy for me to understand them.

As far as safety goes, I felt equally safe in both cities. Like you would in any big city here in the US, you just need to use caution and a little common sense. It helps too if you know a Colombian who can show you around a little and give advice on safety issues (places to avoid, safety tips, etc).

Hope that helps!
Suzannyo

0 funny, 0 helpful.

miamimike says on Dec 15, 2004, 14:52:

Spanish in Bogota I have listened to the spanish spoken in Cartagena and Barrinquilla and it is like the spanish the Cubans speak in Miami--they cut a lot of their words. For me the Best and Purest spanish spoken outside of Spain is spoken in Bogota. Those above langauge schools another posted recommended are great places to study. Also Bogota has a lot to see, museums, monserrate(montain). I would go to Bogota for Spanish Study.

What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom? Lipstick.Sarah PalinAcceptance speech at 2008 Republican National Convention, on selection as party's vice-presidential candidate.

0 funny, 0 helpful.