I spent two months in Cartagena at the beginning of 2016 and I studied Spanish at the School Nueva Lengua. I had several reasons for this. I needed a break from my job, which was taking up an increasing part of my life, I was in the mood for a new adventure, I wanted to escape the German winter, and last but not least, it was time to finally get serious about my Spanish. . All of that worked very well here. To cut right to the chase: I learned more here in 8 weeks than I did in evening courses in the last three years, and now I can carry on longer conversations without much effort. Furthermore, Cartagena is a wonderfully exotic place, which is still quite touristy and therefore a good springboard for any South American adventure. Cartagena is located in the north of Colombia on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Colombia? Can you travel there or risk your life there? Yes and not necessarily. The country is slowly but surely coming to rest and those traveling through the country will now be at the forefront of the big onslaught.

Cartagena was once the capital of the Spanish possessions grouped under the evocative name of Viceroyalty of New Granada. The picturesque colonial old town, the imposing walls and the San Felipe Fortress testify to the rich heritage of the city. A walk through the city offers enough entertainment even after weeks. There is historic and colorful architecture to admire and lots of modern and artistic graffiti. In the middle of the city you can see parrots, vultures, pelicans and iguanas. The streets are filled with beautiful people: Latinos, Blacks, Whites, and every shade in between. Once the language barrier drops, you don't stay alone for long. There is always something to see in the streets. And the night life? …What do you think??

As a student of Nueva Lengua You have the option of staying in a hostel or with a Host family. Do you want to meet other backpackers and bang your heads every night? Then you are in good hands at a hostel. I chose a host family because I wanted to have the opportunity to practice my Spanish and because I know from other trips that it is a luxury to get a glimpse into the private lives of locals. I was not disappointed. My host mother, Sandra, is very communicative and life here is not bad. My neighborhood, the Spanish Urbanization, is a gated and guarded middle-class neighborhood and a peaceful little world of its own.

I walk 30 minutes to school and pass the imposing San Felipe Fortress. The school itself is located in Getsemaní, the oldest neighborhood in the city. There are hostels, bars, restaurants, it is a neighborhood that sleeps during the day and comes alive at night.

classes at school Nueva Lengua they are small and the teaching is efficient. From the beginning my classes were held in Spanish. The teachers are professional, they have a sense of humor and after 8 weeks I will miss one or the other a bit. The students come mainly from Central and Northern Europe, the United States and Canada. The average age is somewhere between the mid to late twenties. A few exceptions, like English engineers and American investment bankers, create an interesting variety.

Leisure activities are offered almost every day of the week, these are usually included in the price and should offer something for everyone, from visiting a museum with a guide to cooking and salsa courses to volunteer work. On Thursdays we mainly tried to teach basic English to the neighborhood children. The idea is to create a contact between the worlds. I didn't think I could work with children and have fun doing it, but after all, traveling is always an opportunity to try things you wouldn't otherwise.

If that is not enough for you, you can pass the time in Cartagena with diving courses, salsa parties or kitesurfing. You don't have to be bored here.

My time here is coming to an end. On the one hand, now I am very excited about the lands further south. On the other hand, I'm also going to miss Cartagena a bit. Do you want to come to South America to learn Spanish or do you just want to brush up on your skills before moving on? If you are still thinking about it: I have not regretted my stay here…

This article was originally written in German