Voices from Abroad: Riccardo Cremona

Bogotà (Colombia), Exchange Program, Los Andes University

Bogotà from above

Living in Colombia for four months has definitely been a great experience and different from what I had expected. The first words that come to mind when asking any outsider about Colombia relate to drug dealers, shootings and rain forests. It is undoubtedly true that these are still part of this country; but one would be highly mistaken thinking that this is the end of the story. The country has plenty to offer and some places give the feeling of a distant world which masquerades as a Western place while hiding contrasts and lifestyles so far from the West that one would never think of.Different kinds of places and people gather in Colombia. This is a seemingly trivial statement, but it carries a different feel over there. Far away from the life of the main cities, hidden in suburban towns, there are communities who still carry a colonial atmosphere, or even keep living in the forests where a few native populations can still be met. Among these, not one looks like the others and the warmth of these communities is definitely surprising. It's even more surprising if compared with other situations of local distress: despite the current government enhancements, guerrilla and traffic of narcotics is still heavily intertwined in several areas, which leads to a suspicious attitude from and towards foreigners.

Tatacoa Desert, Colombia

Nature is also impressive and spectacular. The Amazon River crosses the lowest part of the country, carrying its outstanding vegetation and on the opposite side you swim into the Caribbean sea of Cartagena, or challenge the altitudes of the Sierra Nevada, while a few deserts shows unbelievable colors and are a gathering place for space observers looking for a clear sky. In this multifaceted environment, populated areas develop in a complicated geography: Bogotá is a chaotic capital with an uncertain population between 7 and 8.4 million people. Urban traffic never stops in a city whose contrasts are far more sophisticated than one would guess. For instance, people are divided into six economic strata, and this is not just for tax purposes. The economic situation heavily reflects on the lifestyle of its citizens. People from strata which are too far apart do not mix and live in worlds which may let you wonder if they actually are in the same city.My experience rooted itself close to the core of Bogotá: the Los Andes University, a private institution which unexpectedly has exceptional facilities and services, far above the level one would expect. Courses from the MBA faculty gave me a different, practical feeling and allowed me to relate with experienced people in different fields looking at courses from a non-academic perspective. It has been challenging to work on real projects; most of what you develop in class is targeting actual business implementation as its second step, with a tendency to stress practical implications over theoretical sides. It is exciting to work with professors acting as direct catalysts to help students refine their ideas and get in touch with funding sources.

Los Andes University campus

The age gap with the other students has probably been the only drawback. Albeit rewarding from the professional point-of-view, dealing with people in their thirties and above can create difficulties when trying to build strong relations. Exchange students however are warmly welcomed by a group of local undergraduates, which provides weekly activities, trips and local life opportunities. Sometimes the vitality of these young people is even too much for the generally calmer European student.To conclude, it is undoubtedly true that there were shocking sides of this experience. Ignoring the security problem for instance could be dangerous on more than one occasion, even if foreigners are generally uninvolved with most local troubles; more generally you have to pay attention to the frequent occurrence of robberies which can evolve into more serious situations. Also, doing business there might pose a huge cultural challenge. As it might be guessed, the environment is certainly a challenging one, partly due to the continuous business opportunities it offers but, as it mixes with the Colombian culture of a slow-paced life, an almost twisted concept of time, the incredibly high level of informality and a generally short-term view, it is sometimes highly discouraging to take up these challenges and keep a good relation with these atypical settings.