PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

This has been covered but................

........ could anyone who has taken a Spanish course at EAFIT give me impressions? I want something that is relaxed and hopefully a little fun, while I brush up on some of the nitty gritty grammar. My spanish level is intermediate. But I really want to take the course to meet Colombiana people at the Univ., and get involved with the University/city as I hope to stay for a while. Do they have athletic groups that a temp/visiting student can get involved in, esp. soccer and basketball?
I read that some people thought the courses were disorganized and not worth the money. Also interested in impressions of the Univ. in general. I remember someone referring to the student body as "colombianos plasticos", It does seem pretty expensive to be a reg. student. Are there any people from further down the estradas there, or is it only the upper crust?

Also I am interested to hear how you found the speech of people in Medellin? I am used to Mexican spanish speakers and I know it is going to be different. I watched La vendedora de Las Rosas, and had a difficult time understanding, but I assume that was more "street talk" but I could be wrong. Thanks

By johna on Jun 6, 2006, 17:17 in Friendly Talkzone.

caslug says on Jun 6, 2006, 17:34:

Johna.. don't know about spanish course.. but i did stroll around EAFIT campus, yes lots of hotties! and University de National(public) and Jesuit one, forgot the name. All have hotties! but i notice that National, the student were more "normal" folks and sligthly poorer. It's not in a nice part of MED(don't walk around that area a night). So if you want to see what the folks w/o money, i study at National.

BTW, if you have a 4 yr degree, you might be able to get a teaching english post at EAFIT. Just apply 3 or so month before semester start.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

johna says on Jun 6, 2006, 17:53:

thanks caslug I do have a four year degree (BA) but no teaching cred. I will look into it. I think that I made a typo and wrote Colombianas (fruedian slip) accidently. I am coming with my novia. I know, I know what am I thinking....? But I must be in love. I have yet to be spayed though, so hotties are a plus. I can look but no touch. So I guess if there are "normal" students at national then they are "abnormal" at EAFIT. That is kind of what I thought.

What is the school year like in Colombia? Summer break, school year begins in August/sept. then 1st semester in Dec. and 2nd starts after the new year? Thanks again.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

caslug says on Jun 6, 2006, 18:11:

johna.. "What is the school year like in Colombia? Summer break, school year begins in August/sept. then 1st semester in Dec. and 2nd starts after the new year? Thanks again."

yupp, pretty much. Also, here's a thought, after your GF settle's in at her school. see if your GF can ask her school administrator(she's working at COLOMBUS) about helping you get a teaching job at another school(as a english teacher). COLOMBUS is the BEST/most expensive school in MED, with LOTS of high level connection i would imagine.

since you are talking about taking SPANISH course, you won't see any COL hotties in your classes, just some other foreign guys! LOL!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

johna says on Jun 7, 2006, 09:01:

Thanks for the advice My girlfriend has been talking to the HR person at the school, and I think you are right that they will be able to help me. The connnections are already showing themselves. I live in the Bay and when I called the consulate here to explain my situation and discuss getting some type of visa, the guy at the consulate told me his niece is going to be in my girlfriends class. He knew her name, it kind of wierded me out actually. Later

0 funny, 0 helpful.