So far, my blog posts have been exclusively about the weekends I’ve spent exploring Colombia. While those outings have certainly been wonderful experiences, perhaps the most impactful moments have been woven into the fabric of my weekday routine.
Every morning begins with breakfast with my host mom — usually two eggs, an arepa, fruit, and tea. My “Spanish brain” warms up as we compare notes from our lives and talk about the day ahead. A 25-minute walk through Chia gets me to Universidad de la Sabana, where I attend classes to learn more about Colombian culture and the Spanish language.
Playing a game to practice vocabulary
After a lunch break, students from Emporia either study Latin American fashion or go on excursions around the region. (For example, we’ve been to the Gold Museum, Salt Cathedral, and National Museum. We’ve also spent an evening playing tejo, the national game of Colombia.) I return home to have dinner with my host family, do my homework, and recharge for the next big day.
Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) 
The winning tejo team
Enjoying the beautiful weather in Bogota
These moments are the ones in which I have profoundly improved my Spanish, learned the most about Colombia, and fallen in love with its people. So if you have the opportunity to study or travel abroad, I hope you will soak in every moment — even and especially the ones that seem most routine.
Un abrazo,
Kathryn Kienholz
