School is not in session. But just take a look at this view! Honestly, I'm almost glad that Americans are scared to travel here because it adds to Colombia's authenticity. This city is for the people. No tourist traps, no rollercoasters. During my first conversation with the other "foreign" exchange students in my class, it was mentioned that the people here [Colombia] were particularly more friendly than other places in South America. I asked my dad about this and he said that it may be because of the support for President Álvaro Uribe. Having been described as one of the best Presidents in Colombia over the past 100 years, Uribe was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom bestowed by President George Bush on January 13, 2009. His ratings were estimated around 70% after his second year in office (and that's after winning the 2002 election with 53%).
Based on a 2004 Boston Globe article and referenced in Wikipedia, "According to official government statistical information from August 2004, in two years, homicides, kidnappings, and terrorist attacks in Colombia decreased by as much as 50% - their lowest levels in almost 20 years. In 2003, there were 7,000 fewer homicides than in 2002 - a decrease of 27%. By April 2004, the government had established a permanent police or military presence in every Colombian municipality for the first time in decades."
This blog post doesn't do justice to what Uribe has done for Colombia, or the progress that Colombia has taken over the past decade. For now, I'll say that my trip, 5 days now, has been worth every penny.
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