Today@Dal

Gillian MacDonald from Dal's Admissions and Recruitment team is currently traveling in Latin America, meeting with prospective students. She's sharing her insights and experiences on the Passport to Dal blog.

It’s official: I am smitten with Colombia, and Bogota has been a wonderful introduction to the country. The beautiful Spanish accents, delicious foods and warm personalities make it easy to love. The altitude of Bogota has been challenging, as I’m not used to being at 8,000ft above sea level, but suffering from shortness of breath from time to time is a small price to pay for being able to visit such a wonderfully vibrant city.

A huge test in my ability to adapt to the local altitude occurred during a visit to Colegio Neuva Granada (CNG), a high school we stopped at on the very first day of our tour. Our bus dropped us off in front of the school gates and we were promptly greeted by college counsellor Maria Lucia Puerta, who led us to  the top of the hill, where our university fair would take place. The combination of high altitude, walking at a 90 degree angle in heels, and pulling a fifty pound rolling suitcase made the walk my day’s biggest challenge. It was a solid reminder that I need to explore hotel gyms more often.

The view from the top of the hill was spectacular, and unlike anything we’d find in Nova Scotia. The school is nestled alongside a mountain and overlooks the city of Bogota. 

While we may not have the Andes Mountains or even a similar landscape to offer at home in Halifax, students at the fair were quite excited to see photos of the Atlantic Ocean and to learn of our proximity to the water for activities like sailing, surfing and kayaking. They also enjoyed learning about all the new things they could experience in Nova Scotia like skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating on the oval, snowshoeing, and of course - building snowmen.  One thing I’ve already grown to appreciate about Colombian students is their sense of adventure, and  desire to try new things. In some countries, students scoff at the idea of moving to the Canadian north, but many of the students I’ve met on this trip embrace the idea of trading in their shorts and flip flops for touques and mitts.

One similarity I’ve discovered (other than the fact that Bogota is a rainy city much like Halifax) is that Colombians and Canadians both LOVE  food! Every meeting and visit has been celebrated with ajiaco soup or corn cakes stuffed with cheese. It reminds me of taking friends out for poutine or lobster when they visit Halifax.  It's clear that food provides comfort and joy in Colombia, much like at home. While we may not have Colombian food ready-made on-campus, our chefs love to try new recipes and encourage students sharing menu ideas. This is a fact I truly enjoy sharing with our foreign students who worry about leaving the comforts of home. After experiencing all of the delicious Colombian food, I’m even more excited to have Colombian students come study with us, so  we can add some Colombian flair to our dining hall options. Speaking of which… I think I smell ajiaco cooking in the restaurant downstairs. Until next time!

Read the rest of Gillian's blog and see more photos at https://blogs.dal.ca/passporttodal/