Interview With An Expat in Colombia, Volume 3

In our ‘Interview With An Expat’ series so far we’ve brought you two Brits that have settled down to find work here in Colombia. Both enthused about the city’s capital, Bogotá. Their experiences leading up to their arrivals here in Colombia have differed greatly, and that’s what our interviews are all about: discovering the stories of those who have come here and decided to stay, the why, the how, the when. We think it’s important for travelers and locals alike to get an international perspective on Colombia, so that’s what we’re aiming to do.

Today’s interview is with Stephen, a carpenter from Ireland. His adventures have taken him from the US all the way down to Colombia, and now he’s here working as an English teacher and plying a trade behind the scenes in the film industry.

What brought you to Colombia?

I’d taken a year out for an extended trip of the Americas starting with North and Central America. By the time I reached Cartegena I was pretty much flat broke and several months shy of my year-long time plan. My cousin, who’d been living in Bogotá for the last year, told me that it was pretty easy to get a job teaching English in the capital and so with the promise of a free couch for a couple of weeks and the prospect of work I made it to Bogotá…. I’ve been stranded here since and the place has continued to grow on me.

What were your first impressions of Colombia?

Generally my first impressions of Colombia were great. I arrived in Cartegena by chartered yacht from Panama taking in the San Blas islands along the way, which was an amazing trip in itself and probably the highlight of my trip so far. I must admit expectations of Colombia were impossibly high for me. All along the backpacker trail from Mexico southwards you’re meeting people raving about Colombia: the food, the women, the parties, the scenery, the people, the dancing… After four months of this and not one bad review of Colombia, surely anything short of being ushered off the boat by Miss Universe, cocktail in hand, and the local townsfolk cheering me on dockside was going to fall slightly short of the mark.

But actually I was pretty blown away by Cartegena. A beautiful city and a place that left me hungry to discover more of whatever Colombia had to offer.

What’s your favourite place you’ve visited?

San Gil is a great little spot. Good climate (hot) with lots of outdoor extreme sports such as white water rafting and paragliding, that are all incredibly cheap to do. It’s a lovely little town with a central park where you can chat and drink with the locals most nights, there’s cheap and interesting eats, and also great places for walking and hiking in the surrounding countryside. Perfect place for a long weekend.

What advice would you give a tourist coming to Colombia for the first time?

Spanish lessons and speaking spanish as much and as often as possible. The place really opens up once you’re communicating. Secondly, start making Colombian friends through meet-up groups, language swaps and couchsurfing etc, or just sort out a local guide. Nothing compares to getting shown around a city by the people who live there and know it best. Hands down it beats any guide book I’ve come across.

You can visit San Gil, Cartagena and Bogotá on a full-customizable tour with See Colombia Travel.