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  • Student
  • 01/04/2025
  • Nederlands

And how are things in Bogotá?

Sicco Lammers, a master's student in Operations Management & Logistics, traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, for an exchange semester. Despite having been robbed, he doesn't let anything stop him and he is enjoying himself to the fullest.

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photo privefoto Sicco Lammers

"I came here pretty unprepared, but despite that, I’ve been having an amazing time so far. What I love most about this place is the people - everyone is helpful, kind, and always does their best to assist you. Every word of Spanish you speak is highly appreciated, especially since locals generally don’t speak a word of English. So, learning some Spanish beforehand is definitely recommended! Another great thing is that I live just a two-minute walk from the university, so I never get tired of the commute.

Universidad de los Andes itself is modern and well-organized, despite the general chaos of Colombia. The courses I’m taking are in English and business-related, as most other subjects are typically taught in Spanish. The university frequently organizes activities and trips for international students, ranging from weekend getaways to party buses, helping you connect with fellow students and explore the country.

“A local near Tatacoa, he exudes the typical Colombian energy.”

Colombia as a country has an incredible energy. People here live much more together as a community rather than individually, as is common in the Netherlands. You can feel this in everything: the streets, the colors, the sounds, and the scents all blending together. I’d describe it as a continuous stream of energy.

One thing that’s sometimes hard to grasp is the sheer size of Bogotá. Eight million people, surrounded by stunning mountains that you can hike up whenever you want. Every time I take an Uber, I discover new parts of the city.

Tatacoa desert

Nature

Colombia itself is an amazing country, not just because of its people but also due to its incredible biodiversity. The country has red deserts, tropical islands, coastal cities, mountains reaching 5,000 meters, and of course, the Amazon. In Bogotá, the weather stays between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius year-round, making it quite comfortable. It’s also very easy to travel to another city or region for a weekend and experience something completely new. In my second weekend here, I went to Tatacoa, a red desert. I also visited Barranquilla, where the second-largest carnival in South America (after Rio) takes place.

The tallest palm trees in the world, found in Salento. All photos | Sicco Lammers

Of course, Colombia has a certain reputation—it’s not always considered the safest place. Unfortunately, this is sometimes true. Walking around at night, you can feel that poverty is present, even in the wealthier neighborhoods. I myself was robbed once in my first few weeks. However, you learn to deal with this by taking the right precautions and avoiding certain streets.

That being said, this “danger” is definitely not something that should hold you back. Every two weeks, I find myself in a new city, surrounded by new landscapes—or even in a new country. I see and learn so many new things, and I would recommend this experience to anyone. I still have so much to explore, but luckily, I’ll be here for a while longer.

As you can probably tell, I’m very enthusiastic about my decision to study in Bogotá for a semester. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

The main photo shows Sicco Lammers at the Carnival in Barranquilla.

University of Los Andes. All photos | Sicco Lammers

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