Goodbye

Adios, Colombia.....Adios, Latin America...Germany, see you real soon!

6,5 months of volunteering and travelling are over! It is time to go home, back to Germany...we still cant believe how fast time has passed by.
Looking back, it has been a really great experience! We met lots of amazing people and worked with two great organsiations, each of them very different and special in their own way. And while travelling, we saw lots of outstanding places in Central and South America.

We were a bit unlucky concerning our health (problems with the knee, ear infection, parasites...), but we guess this is part of the journey.

Thanks to everyone we met on our way, especially the volunteers of La Esperanza and Mariposas Amarillas for a life changing, unique experience and for all the unforgetable moments! We hope to see you soon in Germany or Spain!

"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing in sights; it is a change that goes on deep and permanent, in the ideas of living".

MM

Niña Turtles Goodbye Party

Yesterday was the pre-birthday party of our volunteer friend Lisa and at the same time her and others goodbye party. The theme was "niña turtles", so everyone wore green and black clothes and Lisa bought scarfs in red, purple, orange and blue, so everybody could make his or her own mask! We had a great time, with the other volunteers from our organisation, but also from the other NGO, Colombias sin Fronteras, which is working in another barrio in Santa Marta, and some colombian friends who they know from the intercambio-nights.

Final fiesta with English class

Having another 10 days in Santa Marta allowed us to be part of the farewell party of the English teacher Joana, who continued with our English class. While we were gone, more people showed up so that there are now 2 groups of English, one advanced and one beginner group. The farewell was combined with an exam and certificates for the students, and of course, a litte party.

It was a really great feeling to come back after 4 weeks and see that what we started has continued and will continue in the future!

Here is a picture with our former English class and the English teacher Joana of the last 4 weeks:

Back in the barrio

After being for 2h on the beach in the morning we decided to have lunch in our barrio, where we worked. We usually had lunch in one of the cheap restaurants here, where you get for 2euro a menu of soup and then a big plate of chicken, rice, vegetables and salad + a drink. We met there our friend/student Giovanni and we had a little present for him, a trikot of the german national team! He always asked for one...;-) After that we went to the house of another student, Maira. There we had our favorite juice, (Lulo, which we dont have in Germany but the taste is similar to gooseberry), a nice talk with them and Magdalena left Maira some of her clothes, which she would not take back to Germany. Giovanni skipped the classes after we left, but she continues with the rest of the group. 
Tonight we gonna see the new movie of Jonny Depp, Dark Shadows.

Last week in Santa Marta, Colombia

This week is our last week in Colombia before going back to Germany. It is hard to believe that almost 7 months of travelling and volunteering are over...the next couple of days we will spend visting our English class again, catching up with former volunteers of Mariposas Amarillas and our friends here in Santa Marta and, of course, enjoying the sun, the beach and the heat!

Family back in Germany....:(

My dad already left two weeks ago. This morning my sister Katharina left:( We had a great time travelling from Bogota to Salento and Medellin. The last couple of days we spent not only in Santa Marta but also Cabo de Vela (further north) and Costeno (a little place directly on the beach). 

For more information, check out our Travelling page (finally updated!!)


Magdalena

Happily arrived back in Santa Marta

After having travelled now for 3 weeks through Colombia, we happily came back to Santa Marta. Although we had suffered here a lot the heat, we really missed that at the end of our trip. Never imagined this would happen!;-)
We now have 2 weeks left before going back to Germany and our plans are actually only chilling, going to the beach and to the gym, meeting our friends here and think about the last incredible 7 months we had in latin america. We will for sure also visit our english class and see how they continue with the new teacher and have a talk to Meryleen, the person who took over our social program, organising free classes in different areas in the barrio.
Keep you updated regarding our last days in Colombia and we will also update our colombian travel page soon.
http://volunteertravellatinamerica.blogspot.com/p/colombia.html