Camila ’27 and Clementine ’26, describe a warm and welcome arrival in Cartagena.
As we exited the airport, I was immediately surrounded by the hot and humid air. My hair became a tad more frizzy, each breath became heavier, and my glasses fogged up. Our first walk on the streets was a bit of a struggle, considering our exhaustion from the travel and the fact that we had to lug our bags inside the walled city, where buses are not allowed. Nevertheless, the scene instantly grabbed our attention, as students gazed around expressing their excitement. One of the first things that caught my eye was the fascinating architecture. Each building has a small balcony, fenced by a beautiful balustrade, many covered in flowers and vine plants. The second most fascinating aspect I noticed were the colors. From the colors of the flowers, to the buildings, and even the street vendors’ little booths, all the colors pop with a welcoming boldness.
One of the most exciting things I encountered on the first day was the food. I am familiar with many Colombian foods and am always excited to eat them when I have the chance. All along the street, people sold traditional Colombian snacks, drinks, and souvenirs, such as hats and tote bags. The amount of street vendors I witnessed with fresh mango covered in lime and salt filled me with joy. On the first evening before dinner, we were provided with a snack, which to my lovely surprise was pan de bono, a cheesy Colombian bread. Overall, my first day in Cartagena felt welcoming and I am excited for the rest of the trip!
-Camila ’27
As we left the airport of Cartagena there were beautiful colors everywhere. It was very humid and wet after it had just rained. On the buildings and cars, the colors were very bright and vibrant. As we head back to our hotel, the number of motorcycles driving around kind of surprised me as well as all the pedestrians walking through the streets. After getting off the bus we had a little five-minute walk to our hotel. During that walk, we walked through very narrow streets and the little shops on every corner had something different. It was intriguing seeing the differences between the old city and the new city when we were on the bus. As we walk into the hotel, the first thing I noticed was the open roof. When I went to Guatemala they had a similar structure, so I was somewhat familiar with it. The hotel was beautiful and I can’t wait to explore more of the city!
-Clementine ’26
