It's a Sunday afternoon. Dark grey rainclouds hang gloomily over the mountains surrounding Cali as I stroll over the boulevard bridge leading towards the supermarket. Below me Cali's river burbles and frames the benches and bars stretching out on the sidewalk. As the sun sets at more or less 6 o'clock every evening the light... Continue Reading →
At the age of 23, I have learned that there are different ways to eat cake. How I know that? I have eaten no less than four types of cake in the past three days. One way to eat a cake is the real Colombian way: Take your fingers and dip it into the icing.... Continue Reading →
Life in Colombia is different. Oh wonder, you might think, tell us something we don't know already. What I am getting at is the pace, the way of life, the attitude. And what better way to express this than in a dance? Cali is the (inofficial) capital of salsa, and like a golden thread the... Continue Reading →
Nobody can tell what your first real challenge on your journey abroad may be. And who would have thought that mine is tied to a little black kitten. If you're more into happy travel updates, you might want to skip the next paragraph. Yesterday started out as an ordinary day, watching my flatmate moving sleepily... Continue Reading →
Two weeks into my Colombian adventure I am sitting here speechless at how fast time flies. I'm trying to put all the impressions I collected in the last days into words but I simply can't. The sheer vastness of first times and moments of achievement have piled up - so please forgive me if I... Continue Reading →
[German version below] Here goes the first message from across the oceans! It's been three days since my departure from Germany and on my third day I can say that I feel somewhat more in charge of the situation. A perfect time to update you on what's been happening here! My flight to Cali was... Continue Reading →
If my preparations were a video game, you'd have to picture my Colombian visa as the big bad boss in the last room. However, in contrast to video games, I only have one shot at beating my nemesis. There is no re-run, no backup lives. Needless to say that I was picturing all possible scenarios... Continue Reading →
At the beginning of July the incoming and outgoing World-Horizon volunteers gathered in the German Alps. For the incoming volunteers from all over the world this was the final seminar, giving them time to reflect. Having several real Colombians there to ask questions and share experiences with was a priceless experience - but the time spent... Continue Reading →
It's been a while without a sign of me. Yet my stay in Colombia is certainly inching closer. I was occupied with coursework, my bachelor thesis to be exact! It's not over yet, I am still waiting for two grades before I can get my degree, but I have finally found the time to focus... Continue Reading →
Welcome to my blog, my dear reader! My name is Mathilda and I will be a volunteer in Cali, Colombia, from August 2017 until July 2018. It's a long journey in which I intent to help teenagers in a deprived area of the city by being a teacher. There is so much more to the... Continue Reading →
Mathilda in Colombia 