So I’ve come to the end of my four weeks of learning Spanish at Blink and will be leaving Medellin tomorrow. I’d like to say it was easy and I’ll stroll out of here fluent in the basics. How nice it would be to be able to banter with the friendly locals or at least not sound like an idiot for all the time. Sadly, it’s not going to be the case.

The first two weeks were fine enough, I followed along, did the homework and with my notes in front of me could answer the questions in the right way in class. I was never confident that it was sinking in though. Whenever my notes weren’t in front of me I was pretty lost. Then in the third week I felt like the rug was pulled from under me a bit. I was in a smaller class (only three of us) and the pace was much quicker because the other two students came with a good foundation in the language. It’s not a nice position to be in. Sure, I’m all for being out of my comfort zone, that’s part of adventurous travel right?… but it’s not nice to lose confidence and to feel like you’re crap at something. I think it’s partly age. In my early twenties I felt so sure of everything in black and white. Middle age brings a bit of a wider perspective and the ability to consider the greys in the world. However for some reason, in the past few years I’ve become less sure of things and my own abilities and judgements. Perhaps it’s normal.

So I switched from the group classes to individual lessons. This was better, I was able to go at my own pace and the excellent teachers did all they could to help it stick. Nevertheless, with notes closed, I struggled to remember the correct techniques from the day before… or the hour before.. or the same sentences I’d constructed 10 minutes before. My best language learning came on the few occasions I was able to have a beer and chat with locals who had little English. That forced me to try and work things out. Using Google translate on occasion but mostly just bluffing my way through as best as I could. I’m glad I did it and I can say I gave it my best, so I guess that’s good enough. Who knows, maybe one day soon I’ll find the key to unlock the volumes of Spanish locked in my head somewhere and it will start flowing.

The School was a good experience and I’ll value it. I managed the communal living, the hectic environment and the constant stream of mostly young, mostly beautiful faces. I liked the healthy daily feed provided. I enjoyed the occasional blowout and catch up with the other students. They’re good people, almost without exception. I think it takes something to drop your daily life and come to Colombia to try something different: confidence; trust; social skills and curiosity among other things. It doesn’t even really take money. It’s far cheaper to live and travel here than at home.

Memorable people I got to meet included a staunch republican air traffic controller from Dublin, a cop from Perth who got stabbed and thought he’d take a break from copping, an American city planner from Boston who came over for week so he could communicate with the Spanish speaking communities in Boston a bit better; a young lad who bought a plot of land and set up an oyster farm selling it a few years later for a decent profit; a plumb-mouthed but lovely young management consultant from London who ditched his 16 hour working days before the inevitable happened; a social worker for drug dependents from Berlin. It’s a privilege really to get to spend a bit of time with people like this.

And what of Medellin after 4 weeks? Well, there’s no doubt it’s a great city and has tonnes going for it. The public metro system is second to none – a light rail system linked to ski resort style cable cars that extend into the barrios to ensure every citizen has access to the opportunities in town. Fantastic people who are genuinely interested and helpful. Buzzing nightlife with energy and no need for bouncers. Unbeatable value for money. A great location and climate with warm weather all year round and gorgeous mountains on all sides. Two areas with the highest concentration of amazing cafes, restaurants and bars I’ve ever seen (or heard of) anywhere in the world.

There’s a small “but”. Because of the aforementioned amazingness it’s attracting the good and the bad that comes with it. I’m irked by the American sex pests walking around acting proud with their straggly balding hair and a 20 year old Colombian working girl on their arm. The packs of “bros” strutting around in shorts and flip flops “cause it’s cheaper than Vegas man!!”. The beggars and street people that are drawn to where they might cadge a few tourist dollars. The gringo areas, nice as they undoubtably are, with hardly any Colombians in them apart from those working there. Groups of gap year hostellers from England loudly indulging in Colombia’s biggest export. I do wonder if it will lose its undoubted charm as the word gets out wider and wider. There are parts that might become as lary and unsavoury as parts of Amsterdam or the Reeperbahn. But you can’t halt “progress” I suppose.

So farewell Medellin, thanks for having me, it’s been a blast. Let’s see what the rest of your country has to offer!