Eduardo
goes to Sheffield
 |
Eduardo's
party (James is third right) |
Another
week on here and time is racing by. Mid-week we had a goodbye for
Eduardo, one of the local AIESECers who is off to Sheffield in the
UK. It is like a literal exchange as this is where Juliet is at
university. More of a coincidence is that Juliet is staying with
him & his family here and he helped her settle in here, while
in a few months it will be Juliet who is partially responsible for
Eduardo when in Sheffield.
Meeting
Avianca Air Miles Youth Foundation
After
emailing the President of Avianca, the National Colombian airline,
I received a response within 24 hours and I had arranged a meeting
with the regional manager on Friday afternoon. Juan K attended the
meeting with me.
The
meeting was to discuss an idea I've had which is to establish an
Air Miles Youth Development Foundation. The concept of the foundation
is to create an interface where individual consumers can donate
Air Miles, or frequent flyer points they have collected while individuals
can apply to utilize these donated miles. People who might benefit
would include people doing aid-work in another country, people running
an international marathon, relief workers needing flights after
a natural disaster etc.
Giving
more people opportunities
Although
the presentation was focused on this area and not directly related
to the foundation I am currently working for, I suggested that they
might be interested in working with the NGO locally as well as AIESEC;
establishing a similar partnership potentially that the UK has with
British Airways.
The
aim of the meeting and the Air Miles foundation is to give people
in general more opportunities. I know I have been so lucky as to
have experienced last summer in the Philippines and this summer
in Colombia, I would really like to see more people have the opportunities
I have been given, as I know I have changed in so many ways through
my experiences and am definitely a better person for it. These experiences
break down barriers and assist understanding between different cultures
in the world.
Off
to Cartegena
 |
Cartegena's
Old Town |
On
Saturday a group of us were off again on another trip, this time
in the opposite direction to Santa Marta: we were going to Cartagena,
until Monday, for a long weekend (another national holiday had arrived).
Dan
was originally supposed to meet us at Cartagena but he turned up
before we left. He was told he was working on Saturday - only wait
outside his office for an hour to find his boss had not turned-up.
He was frustrated, but also pleased, as we could all head to Cartagena
as one group.
 |
Dan
& Sonya buy jewellery |
Cartagena
is around two hours away from Barranquilla and is situated on the
Caribbean coast. The drive by coach was fine, all except for an
area we drove through that we felt like we were being poisoned,
the smell of petrol fumes were horrendous, with many people in the
streets holding petrol cans and containers; We assumed it must be
a filling station for locals.
 |
Exploring
the town |
Arriving
at the terminal we were greeted by Laura, from Strathclyde who is
doing a CEED (Cultural Envoy for Exchange Development) in Cartagena,
as well as a local AIESECer.
We
then travelled into the city through the slums. There is a distinct
difference between Cartagena and Barranquilla: Cartagena generally
appears poorer as a whole, however the rich appear richer. The Old
Town is really beautiful and it was a good change of scenery.
Rhthym
of the night
After
walking around the old city that evening, Laura took us to one of
the clubs she has been to before.
 |
James
eating post-club chips |
Not
long into the night, we were greeted by the sound of drums while
the music in the club came to a halt, the door opened and in marched
a group of Smirnoff Ice branded drummers along with a team of promotional
staff handing out free Smirnoff Ice, making sure that everyone who
wanted one had one.
As
the drumming faded into the background when they left, the salsa
and Latin American music came back on
Another great night.
Written
by James Eder
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