Canada: understand how Shape Colombia changes lives of trainees and students at the same time

By Bilal Zafar - Canada
International Development Specialist

The days I’ve spent in Colombia will go down in my life as some - if not the very - best days of my life. Colombia shaped me much more and had more of a profound impact on my life than I could have ever imagined. Working with the children of Porfirio Barba Jacob School, seeing their passion and commitment to learning revived my own passion towards my educational endeavors. Living and working with amazing people from all around the world, all very different in their own ways yet all strikingly similar in the sense that they’re all global citizens, changed the way I think about the world - it really isn’t such a scary place anymore.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

When I first came to Colombia I knew what was expected of me, I had to teach English at a school, encourage the children to pursue further English education, and to excite them about all the opportunities they can pursue around the world. To be fairly honest with you, I had no real idea how I was going to accomplish any of this. Not knowing a word of Spanish could make it difficult to be an English teacher (when my students only knew Spanish). Encouraging the students to pursue further English education would be even more difficult, because how do I encourage them when they couldn’t understand me? Exciting them about the opportunities around the world sounded near impossible, because the first two problems were crippling. However, once I got to the actual school and started teaching I realized that none of these were big challenges. They could be easily overcome thanks to one factor I hadn’t considered before: the commitment of the children. The kids so badly want to learn English that they’re willing to come to an extracurricular class and give it their all.

Now stepping outside of the classroom, the Shape Colombia project has as much to do with meeting and interacting with the other 199 interns as it does with being a teacher. I was fortunate enough to meet people from over 50 countries during the five months that I spent in the project, and I was even more fortunate to have had the opportunity to form some friendships which will last a lifetime. One guy in particular that I lived with was from Taiwan, when he first arrived he was a tad bit socially awkward and very reserved, we couldn’t even hug this guy! The five months he spent with my roommates and I changed him completely and he grew a great deal as a person, I will always cherish him hugging, because I know it meant a lot more coming from him.

So let’s talk about Colombia itself for a bit, quite simply: it’s pretty awesome, but here’s why! The people are extremely hospitable and kind, I was fortunate enough to become good friends with a few Colombian university students who invited my friends and I to their houses, showed us their city, and introduced us to some awesome food. The country itself is ridiculously beautiful, in my last week in Bogota I was blown away by how beautiful of a city it was, even got a little mad at myself for not appreciating it as much, and that’s just one city!

While I was there I had the chance to visit the city of Medellin - a city so beautiful and advanced that I’m considering moving their in the future. Also was fortunate enough to drop by the small town of Guatape, I have never been into small towns, but then again I’ve never seen a town as beautiful as Guatape. The last place in Colombia I visited was the beautiful tropical island of San Andres. Spending five days on the beautiful beaches of San Andres made it difficult to adjust to the frigid cold of Toronto.

So why should you come to Colombia, why should you put your life on hold and make a journey to a country most people know very little about? Because it’s worth it. It’s worth it to leave the comfort of everything you know, everything that feels safe and certain, just to venture out into a country you barely know in order to pursue an experience. An experience that will change your life and you as a person. If you want to get more out of your life, if you want more for yourself, then take the chance, and join Shape Colombia. 

➨ Apply for Shape Colombia and have a great experience with us as well.

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More than teaching children in Bogotá, Shape Colombia is about leaving a legacy

What turns an exchange program into a life-changing experience? This is a hard question to answer, mainly because it depends on your own capacity to go beyond the stereotypes and discover the cultures that lay a way farther from the beautiful landscapes and postal cards. It doesn´t mean you’re forbidden to enjoy those places, but it requires courage to challenge yourself into a new world.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

For the Venezuelan trainee Alexandra Varela, the opportunity to work in a school was something rewarding: “it was very important for me to leave a legacy”, says the International Cooperator. “Colombia is a very beautiful country, full of colors. It’s more open. Being in here helped me to see the differences from my country to another one”, concludes.

➨ Apply for Shape Colombia and have a great experience with us as well.

Watch her video and see more of her experience with Shape Colombia:

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Shape Colombia: life can be breathtaking if you have the courage to challenge yourself

Imagine going to a country with a culture that is extremely different from yours and doing something for the very first time as a job. This might sound scaring, but when it comes to reality life can be surprising and fun. It was exactly what happened to Darya Dasha Nalimova, from Russia, who joined Shape Colombia in 2014 and came to Bogotá to work with children in a public school.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

As you could see in the photos above, her experience was breathtaking and she had the opportunity to improve many skills, such as leadership and communication. Moreover, Dasha expanded her understanding of world cultures and shared her own traditions with people from a lot of places on Earth.

For the Russian, one of the biggest motivations for somebody to come to Colombia should be working with kids, because it is a great chance to change their views about the world and help them to shape their future. 

“You should come to Latin America to see how it works. For me it was so strange, crazy and fun at the same time”, says the International Cooperator.

➨ Apply for Shape Colombia and have a great experience with us as well.

Watch the video below and see more of her experience in here: 

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Shaping a generation: Taiwan sees Colombia through the eyes of a young leader in AIESEC

By ChiMing Liu - Taiwan, 

Educational Psychology and Counseling

The Shape Colombia project has not just changed my students’ perspective towards the world, but also their mentality on lives. I encourage them to pursue their lifelong goal. The very first thing I taught them is that “I’m gonna be there.” ‘There’ could be their career, dream, family, boy/girlfriend or anything that matters to them. And they need to be there so on the life would be different. 

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

Same with my English classes: I told them no matter how late they are, just come to my class. Once they are there, their lives would be different - step by step. By using different visual-aid teaching materials, I taught them how to be more organized and efficient on their lives­; and most important is to have more interest in English.

As for me, I have met 200 trainees from almost 50 nationalities. I have learned a lot of different mentalities on every aspect of life. I found myself, became more open-minded to different cultures, more confident of myself, more mature to perceive and process any events that happened in my life in Colombia, and more certain and excited for my future career.

Life in Colombia had been very comfortable for me. My Colombian friends had helped me out for any kinds of ridiculous errands or troubles. I deeply feel grateful and appreciate their passions and kindness. The culture here is very passionate and relaxed, which is very different from eastern Asia culture.

A lot of places would be dangerous if you go alone. But, if you go with local friends, normally there will not be any trouble. The reason that the Colombian people are amazing is that even they have so many issues like corruption or poverty. They are still being positive and try their best to solve these problems. And that impress me the most.

I had joined the biggest project in Bogota with AIESEC which is in partnership with Bogota city government. The project has been organized thoroughly with every aspect. The coordinators of Shape Colombia are efficient, responsible and productive. Every time I have doubts or problem, they would always give immediate and direct assistance and guidance.

Meeting people from all over the world totally broaden my horizons toward the world. We talk about the lifestyles, the education, the policy and even our perspectives on the mayor events of the world. For me, this is the best experience to grow, to develop an international knowledge and our own personalities into a more mature and better way.

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10 reasons why you should join Shape Colombia and do an Exchange Program in Bogotá

Living abroad means learning. All the time. In a big variety of ways. Thus, taking part in Shape Colombia can be a big step toward becoming a better professional and Human Being. You will understand why in a minute.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

If you were still looking for motivation to join the project and to come to one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America, we selected - in partnership with our International Cooperators - some reasons that might help you make your decision.

In case they are not enough or you feel like in doubt yet, here we have other delicious reasons to live in Colombia. After all of that, please don't come saying you don't know where to go for your Internship.

➨ Apply for Shape Colombia and have a great experience with us as well.

1) You will have an outstanding opportunity to improve your Leadership skills

2) To learn Spanish in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth

3) You will be impacting a community throughout  Education  and Culture

4) To work in a very diverse environment, with 200 people from all over the world

5) You will discover a part of Latin America that mixes many cultures

6) To live in a country that has snow peaks, Amazon forest and sunny Caribbean beaches a few hours from each other

7) You will be able to teach and learn at the same time inside a public school

8) To have an international experience that will be both professionally and personally relevant 

9) You will become more open to new ideas, cultures and, thus, be more creative and innovative 

10) To show your own country traditions and break stereotypes about Colombia

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Nigeria and Colombia: an overwhelming experience teaching languages in Bogotá with AIESEC

By Bunmi Amarachi Suru
Nigeria, Historian / Radio presenter

My experience in Colombia has been eventful. Shape Colombia itself is overwhelming in the sense that you get to meet different individuals, all working towards the same goal: to make Education better in Bogotá. This project has also improved me as human; I get to put smiles on faces. Over all, I am a stronger person now.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

Colombia is a rich country with warm and lovely people; I love the culture and landscapes. My challenges in here were basically the culture and the food, because they are very different from my country, in Africa. However, the nightlife is fun and the people I have met so far were warm and nice towards me.

I think you should take the chance to live by giving back to our community and the world. Shape Colombia does that in a 100 ways. Not only you get to meet more than 200 people from all over the planet; you also have the chance to impact and exchange cultural views and knowledge - that for me is mind blowing.

Moreover, you can’t go wrong with AIESEC, so why not come? One more thing: the kids are a heavenly pain, LOL. The experience itself is the best teacher, so come and get a feel of it by yourself.

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When Brazil falls in love with Colombia, we surely have a great cultural exchange experience

There is a saying about Colombia that “the only risk is wanting to stay”. This might apply to the Brazilian student of Languages (English) and AIESEC International Cooperator, Matheus Gomes. He first came to Bogotá at the beginning of the year (2014) and - after working with Shape Colombia in the first semester –decided to come back to the country for one more season.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

We talked to Matheus and discovered why he loved Colombia so much. The answer is simple: “Day by day living here, I’ve been noticing how warm Colombians are and how they proudly love their nation”, says the Brazilian, who received a Special Certificate for his outstanding job with the project and is also staying for his third semester with us.

Check more about his experience in the interview below:

Why did you choose Bogotá for your internship?

I decided to come because of the awesome feedback given by some of my friends who already took an internship here with AIESEC, and some of them who had some experiences in the city and in the country.

How was your experience teaching in a Colombian school?

It was all very interesting. First, it was an incredible experience being abroad and teaching foreign children, and second, I could realize that both children and I were learning in class. I took the opportunity not only to teach English, but also values and a little bit of my native language and culture.

What are you going to miss the most about the Colombia?

I think that when I leave the country, one of the things I will miss the most will be the people. Day by day living here, I’ve been noticing how warm Colombians are and how they proudly love their nation. And of course I will miss the dance, the music and the fun.

Tell us some reasons why somebody should do an exchange program in here?

I totally recommend an internship in Colombia. In this country where we can find cold high mountains and excellent warm beaches, one of the most fantastic attractions is the culture. Colombia has an amazing cultural diversity and once someone comes here, as Colombians always say, the risk is wanting to stay.

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Advice from India: when you have an opportunity like Shape Colombia, you shouldn’t think twice

Shashi Rekha Santhapuri 
India, Computer Engineer

When certain opportunities knock the door you don't think twice. Colombia was one such opportunity for me. Never thought I could in a second leave my career as a computer engineer and become an English teacher in a Spanish speaking country. If I look back now it was the best decision of my life.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

Colombians are the sweetest people I have met till date, the warmth sometimes makes you feel like a celebrity, the hospitality, the graffiti and the landscapes make sure you never leave this amazing country. The kids I thought have become an integral part of my life now. We are friends on Facebook too.

Coming from a land of culture, Colombian culture still amazes me, the festivities, the food, everything about it will keep amazing you. The best part of the project is the motivation you get everyday you see your kids, you try to be a better person each day.

Shape Colombia was one experience I will never ever forget. Colombia is officially my new home. Come to Bogotá to experience it all, because the best things in life have to be experienced, not read! 

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AIESEC: discover yourself and the culture surrounding you with an exchange program in Colombia

An exchange program can impact people in different ways. Maria Estelí, from Costa Rica, says that she joined Shape Colombia Project to change children’s lives, but at the end she was the one who changed the most. “I’m from Latin America and I discovered in Colombia a whole new part of my region and I’m very proud of it”, explains the intern.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

As an International Cooperator, Estelí worked in one of the 100 public schools benefited with the initiative in Bogotá. She says the project has brought her  inner child back and highlights the great experience she had teaching English, while having the chance to meet people from more than 45 nationalities. Do you want to join us as well?

Watch her video and see more about her time in our country:

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Check some mistakes you should avoid when learning a language

Learning can be fun, interesting and fast. This also applies to languages. When you start studying another one, there are a few things you should consider in order to improve it and to make this a more efficient process.

According to the polyglot and programmer Judith Meyer, people usually comes up with several excuses that slows their progression. In an article posted by Time Ideas, she explains what can be done to develop our abilities to learn and to accelerate it.

Meyer, who speaks eight languages, says that many students stick to methodologies and visions that are not always the best way to get fluent. More than that, some people tend to think of learning languages as a traditional education method – with books, a teacher and a classroom. However, it goes beyond a school pattern.

The most common mistakes in the process were listed by Judith Meyer: 1) Thinking that going to a class will teach them the language; 2) Not following their interests; 3) Balking at the language being different; 4) Finding excuses not to use the language, rather than excuses to use it; 5) Thinking that language learning has to be strenuous. Read the full article.

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Food: delicious reasons to live in Colombia

One of the greatest motivators for people to travel abroad is the chance to experience new things - and an exquisite cuisine certainty has its place in a traveler's heart (and stomach). Colombian gastronomy isn't different and it plays an important role in the moment foreigners decide to come to the country.

You've probably already heard that our coffee is among the best ones. But more than this drink, in our restaurants you'll meet the diversity that makes Colombia so unique. Arepas, empanadas, obleas, tamales, bandeja Paisa, ajiaco... there are many dishes you can taste in here - and only in here.

The website HuffPost listed 23 Food Reasons Colombians Know What's Good. Read the article and let us know if you need more (delicious) motivation to visit Colombia.

Image: Cocina Linio

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The world meets in Bogotá for the Global Village with a mix of cultures and traditions

Accents, flags, traditions, and cultures from all over the world will meet this Saturday, December 6^th, in Corferias, Bogotá, during the Shape Colombia Global Village. The event will take part in the second biggest fair in the city, Expoartesanías, in the Hall 5A, starting at 2pm.  

Around 200 International Cooperators from almost 50 different nationalities will be sharing their countries’ culture with Colombians and showing a little bit of each continent. 

This will be an opportunity for the local community to get to know more about their characteristics and learn from a different perspective.

Check the invitation and come see us:

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Video: why is so important to teach English to our kids?

“English is the answer for my future, for your future, for our generation’s future”, says the Venezuelan journalist and International Cooperator for Shape Colombia, Mar Servitá. 

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

She was one of the Interns that worked in the project for its third edition, in the second semester of 2014. As Miss Servitá, around 200 people came to Bogotá to teach English or French in public schools.

The experience of being part of such a big project and impacting children’s lives is something rewarding.  “Shape Colombia has taught me many things. I love being in contact with different races, countries, religions…  not only the kids benefit from learning in this cultural exchange, but also the teachers”, explains the Cooperator.

Watch the video below, created in partnership with Mar Servitá, and see more of how the project works. If you want to join us, click here.

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December: and here comes vacation with a bittersweet feeling

December means vacations. That said, comes to our mind that it also means the end of one more edition of our Shape Colombia Project, bringing a bittersweet feeling to our heart. Many International Cooperators are flying back to their home country and a few folks that fell harder in love with Colombia will stay for another season.

We’re glad to have had so many nice people, with different professional and cultural backgrounds, helping us to achieve our main goals: improve the Education in Bogotá and promoting great experiences for us all to grow as Humans and Leaders. But, of course, we can’t let you all leave without a last time together. That’s  why this Saturday (December 6th) we’ll meet, at 9am, and have a breakfast to celebrate this time we spent in here, while sharing our experiences and saying Goodbye to the friends who are going home. At night, we'll have another party. For more information, talk to your coordinator. 

Take a look at the invitation (you already received it, right?) and come together:

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Video: see how travel can break stereotypes and change the way we see the world

The best way for you to break a stereotype is to know the real thing. That's what brought Buhegwendzimu Tjedza (Gwen), from Zimbabwe, to Shape Colombia. Before visiting Latin America, she used to relate our country to crimes and violence. After arriving in here, she could see the richness and diversity that makes this such a special place.

By taking part in the project, the international cooperator had the opportunity to learn Spanish, travel around the country and share her culture with children from a public school of Bogotá. If you also want to have this experience, send your CV with your AIESEC TN ID to aulasdeinmersion@gmail.com. If you're not part of our network yet, contact your Local Comitee.

Watch the video and discover what Gwen thinks of Colombia now:

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New methodology for teaching language in Bogotá with Shape Colombia

Hello, my name is Sergio Berezin, I'm from the Samara city, in Russia. I want to share with you some of the things that we did during the project Shape Colombia in the school IED Rodrigo Lara Bonilla. First of all, I’d like to tell you about our class: the classroom is equipped with smart board and a lot of material for learning English. We also use a completely unique methodology for teaching children, because many of them had never heard the language before.

Our project is the most extensive in the history of Bogota and Colombia at all,  with 200 different teachers from around the world and we had 4,5 month to teach kids. Shape Colombia is a project created by AIESEC and supported by Secretary of Education of Bogotá, British Consul and many others investors .We have made a huge contribution, since the moment we came, to the education structure of Elementary and High Schools in the city.

Many Colombian children have been to an English language course and we achieved great results. I want to notice that it is very difficult to learn a new subject for children, but we’re making everything to change the way of studying and to bring new techniques to the process. For kids, it was really interesting to get acquainted with a completely different culture.

We used practical exercises in the classroom, puzzle games for children in English and different ways of studying the subject in international level. I never saw the children feeling asleep in the classroom, since we do everything to get their interest. For the quite small students, we have prepared games and video-tutorials for better comprehension. With teenagers, we have achieved a good level and now they can describe what they want to do in the weekends, talk about their favorite movies and share impressions with friends.

With reagards,

Sergio Berezin
International Cooperator

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Culture and language exchange in Colombia with Bosnia and Herzegovina

Traveling is a great way to improve ourselves, learn about other cultures and share our traditions with people around the world. That’s one of the reasons that brought the International Cooperator Dena Đumrukčić, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Bogotá. She is a teacher in the project Shape Colombia, developed by AIESEC in partnership with the Secretary of Education.

➨ Keep connected with Shape Colombia on Facebook

Before coming to Colombia, Dena did another exchange program in China, where she worked teaching English for kids in a village. In our city, she helps with the project in the school IED Aquileo Parra. Do you think she’s enjoying her time in here?

“I like the fact that many of the children have never met any foreigner before. We can show them that the world is not as big as they imagine. This cultural aspect of the exchange is really interesting”, says Dena. Do like her and join us!

Check more in the video:

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