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Lenka Janů, CTU Prague,
ročník 5About the country
Location of the place
Bucaramanga, near there is univeristy where i worked. really nice place.
City
Bucaramanga is nothing special, like normal city in latin america. but it is one of the safest city in Colombia.
Surroundings (possible trips, ...)
there is a lot of possibilities. you can visit mountains, villages, towns, markets, viewpoints or caribbean sea, but it is kind of far. as everything is more less far, it is common to travel during night.
Employer
Employer
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Faculty of Civil Engineering
Work description
I worked at the laboratory of civil engineering. there is option to arrive and ask which projects are actual and you can work on it.
Salary (sufficient for local conditions?)
1350000 COP. it was sufficient. enought for accommodation, food, traveling and parting and i even saved some money. (yeah, but than i spent it for trip to caribbean islands, what i have to recommend. it is like paradise! :))
Language requirements
Exellent english or good spanish. More useful is spanish, in colombia there is not a lot of english speaking people. even some profesors (for example my tutor) and other guys from IAESTE or students dont speak english.
Accommodation (price, who provided it)
350000 COP. at the university they recomend you to stay first days in hostel and find accommodation after your arrival. (what i also think is much better). you can ask some people from university, find some offers in library (many students offer rooms in shared flat) or we found it in supermarket on a notis board.. dont worry there is a lot of options :)
Social life
Meeting IAESTE members (pick-up at the airport, organized events...)
IAESTE Colombia is located in Ibaque, it means that if you work out of this city, they dont have care about you.
no one picked me at the airport, i met people from the university when i arrived there in my first day.
IAESTE maybe organise some events, but just for guys from Ibaque. and there was one national meeting, i wasnt there, because it was very, very expensive and lasted almost 5 days (it meant 3 days out of work and i couldnt have left for such a long time)
no one picked me at the airport, i met people from the university when i arrived there in my first day.
IAESTE maybe organise some events, but just for guys from Ibaque. and there was one national meeting, i wasnt there, because it was very, very expensive and lasted almost 5 days (it meant 3 days out of work and i couldnt have left for such a long time)
Meeting other foreign students
at the university there is office of international relations, where work really nice people. they introduced me other foreign students and in general they always helped me when i needed something.
and as i worked at the university i met there a lot of colombiens students. its easy to find a friends :)
and as i worked at the university i met there a lot of colombiens students. its easy to find a friends :)
Sport and culture
there is a lot to do. at the university you can take a courses with students or practise sport with them. and for forigners the university organise spanish lessons. everything is for free.
Food, local specialties
i dont like their food a lot. they eat more less just in fastfoods, everything is fried.. but in the city you can find some good restaurants. and at the university you can bring your own lunch or there are cafeterias with lunch with salat and dring for +- 7000 COP. and on the coast you should eat sea food and its fresh so its tasty! :)
Other information
Possibilites to communicate with the Czech Republic
internet.
Recommendations for students who will go to the same place
study some spanish before you come.
be patient with colombians :)
be careful. bucaramanga is probably the safest city in colombia, but it doesnt mean that its safe for europeans. during night always take a taxi. and during day be careful too, for example i was robbed on the street, near one bus station, at 3pm.
be prepared that everybody will stare at you.
buy sim card by moviestar (claro sometimes doesnt work with euporiens phones) - you can pay every month for calling, messages and i would recommend to pay for whatsapp, its maybe more useful than calling and messages, they are addicted on whatsapp..
be patient with colombians :)
be careful. bucaramanga is probably the safest city in colombia, but it doesnt mean that its safe for europeans. during night always take a taxi. and during day be careful too, for example i was robbed on the street, near one bus station, at 3pm.
be prepared that everybody will stare at you.
buy sim card by moviestar (claro sometimes doesnt work with euporiens phones) - you can pay every month for calling, messages and i would recommend to pay for whatsapp, its maybe more useful than calling and messages, they are addicted on whatsapp..
What not to forget with you
some czech crowns and if you have space for bottle of becherovka in your bag, dont forget to take it ;)
take some formal wear.
you can buy there everything and mostly its not expensive.
take some formal wear.
you can buy there everything and mostly its not expensive.
Benefits of the internship
amazing experience.. i got oportunity to work with forigners, get some technical experiences, try to live so far, meet a lot of nice people, discover colombia, study spanish and much more..
Cooperation with IAESTE in the foreign country
i dont think i can answer this question, becouse i havnt met them..
but i have really good experiences with the university. they are so nice and always available to halp with whatever. also organised a lot of activities for us..
but i have really good experiences with the university. they are so nice and always available to halp with whatever. also organised a lot of activities for us..
Overall experience with IAESTE
really good organization. im grateful that i got the change to go to colombia.
Student's website
i dont have website. but if you need whatever you can contact me on facebook (Lenka Janů)
Employer's webiste
http://www.upb.edu.co/portal/page?_pageid=1134,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
Other useful links
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Other comments
just do it ;) it will be awesome experience :)