Welcome to colombia

WELCOME TO COLOMBIA Orientation Handbook for U.S. Fulbright Grantees 2013 Fulbright Colombia Comisión para el Intercambio Educativo entre Estados Unidos de América y Colombia Calle 37 No. 15-73 (57-1) 232-4326 Bogotá, Colombia

www.fulbright.edu.co Orientation Guide 2013

Orientation Guide 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME LETTER 1 PROLOGO-FOREWORD

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I. THE FULBRIGHT EXCHANGE PROGRAM The Fulbright Program The Fulbright Program in Colombia

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II. THE FULBRIGHT GRANT Terms and Conditions Grant Reports Insurance Income Tax Reporting

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III. FULBRIGHT COLOMBIA Grant Requirements Orientation Seminar Regional Orientarion Seminar Enhancement Activities Fulbright Academic Events Communicating with Fulbright Comunidad Fulbright Colombia

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IV. PRE-DEPARTURE PREPARATIONS Passport Visas Tickets Books and Materials Computer Regulations What to Bring with You

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V. ARRIVING IN COLOMBIA Arrival Registering with the U.S. Embassy Colombian Identification Card Grant Funds Banking Housing

18 18 18 18 19 19

VI. LIVING IN COLOMBIA Communications and Phone and Internet Services

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Security Issues Climate and Clothing Medical Emergencies Food Transportation and Travel Cost of Living Electricity Mailing Address and Postal Service Tipping Religious Services Holidays Additional Information

27 29 29 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 32 33

VII. ACADEMIC LIFE IN COLOMBIA Colombian Education System Colombian Universities The University Environment Academic Assignment

34 34 37 38

VIII. COURTESIES AND CUSTOMS General Social Customs Living with a Family Phrases of Courtesy

39 39 41 42

IX. CONTACTS Emergency Contact

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WELCOME LETTER May 15, 2012 Dear Fulbright Scholars, Specialists, Students and ETA’s, I would like to extend you all a very warm welcome to Colombia as 2011 Fulbright grantees in the U.S. Scholar, Specialist, U.S. Student, and English Teaching Assistant Programs. On behalf of the staff and Board of Directors of Fulbright Colombia, I again congratulate you all on your achievement, having been selected from one of the largest pools of candidates in the history of Fulbright Colombia. We are busy making preparations for your arrival, and hope to be able to help in any way possible so as to make your experience as meaningful, enriching, and productive as possible.

This handbook is designed to acquaint you with the Fulbright program in Colombia, to provide you with some practical information as you prepare for your move to and stay in Colombia, and to give you a general overview of the country itself. Although we understand that some of our Fulbright grantees have previous experience in Colombia, we encourage all of you to read through the handbook carefully as it will help you plan for your grant and living experience in country.

The Orientation Seminar for our 2012-2013 Fulbright cohort is currently scheduled for July 24-29, 2012 in Bogotá.

Attendance at the seminar is mandatory for all U.S. Student and ETA grantees. Scholar and Specialist grantees are cordially invited to participate if you are in Colombia during those dates.

The information provided in this handbook concerns all U.S. citizens coming to Colombia under Fulbright auspices.

The financial, legal, and academic terms of an individual’s grant may differ according to program categories however.

Likewise, we are aware that grantees may have particular concerns and questions that are not addressed in this handbook.

In addition to the organizations and individuals associated with the Fulbright Program in the United States with whom you have already been in touch, please feel free to contact Fulbright Colombia during your preparation period with any questions you may have. At the same time, all communications with our U.S. based grantees will be handled through FulConnect, about which more information can be found in the handbook. Your primary contact person at the Fulbright Commission is U.S. Program Coordinator Paola Morales who can be reached at pmorales@fulbright.edu.co, or by phone at (571) 232 4326. You may also feel free to contact Program Director Maria del Rosario Torres at mtorres@fulbright.edu.co or at the same phone number.

Congratulations again and welcome!

Warmest regards,

Ann C. Mason Executive Director

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PROLOGO El mapa de Colombia como el de todas las naciones cuadradas, Francia, España.... está cargado de historias mágicas por cada uno de sus cuatro costados. Se trata de un país que por el norte forma parte del Caribe. Un balcón abierto a historias de piratas, bucaneros, huracanes, que todavía son capítulos de una novela infinita. De Panamá, hasta una península, la Guajira, que avanza como apuntando a Curazao, no hay lugar en la costa sin algún cuento que parece sacado de contrabando al cofre de los siglos. En el Darién, de donde partió Balboa a descubrir el Pacífico, se fundó la antigua ciudad colombiana --Santa María del Darién-- se la tragó la selva. Luego viene Cartagena donde los piratas armaban la bandera de sangre y oro de España, para izar la suya, negra, con una calavera sobre dos tibias. A Cartagena llegó, medio naúfrago, Alejandro von Humboldt, y un gran señor le ofreció por los lados de Turbaco su casa como más segura.

Cuando se construyeron las murallas y castillos y defensas de Cartagena, Felipe II se pasaba horas y horas acodado al vano de una ventana del Escorial para ver si alcanzaba a divisar los fuertes que tanto le costaban.

De Cartagena se pasa a Barranquilla, luego a Santa Marta, la bahía más perfecta del mundo, cuyas haciendas se recuestan en las faldas de la Sierra Nevada, Sierra Tairona, donde se remueven la tierra y piedras de las tumbas y se encuentran joyas de oro que dejan con la boca abierta a quienes visitan el Museo del Oro del Banco de la República en Bogotá.

A esa Santa Marta llegó un día, moribundo, el Libertador de América, a quien alojó en la casa de su hacienda un hidalgo español, le dio extrema-unción el cura de la aldea de Mamatoco y al morir se le quebró en los labios esta última palabra: Colombianos. A Santa Marta llegan peregrinos de todo el mundo para pasar unos minutos de silencio en la alcoba donde murió el gran héroe americano. Después de Santa Marta, la Guajira. Es el depósito más grande de carbón de Suramérica.

El costado oriental es una raya que divide a Colombia de Venezuela. Por esta línea saltaron con frecuencia los libertadores, para ir de la Nueva Granada a Venezuela llevando las banderas de la revolución libertadora y, en una circunstancia, de Venezuela a Nueva Granada para dar en Boyacá la batalla que acabó con el poder español en esta tierra. Por esta parte oriental, cuando no dividen las sierras abruptas, se extienden los Llanos de horizontes perdidos. En los Llanos el hombre es un sujeto que se mueve entre el lomo del caballo en que va montado y el sombrero que lo defiende de lo único que le preocupa: el sol.

Por el costado del sur, Colombia tiende puentes naturales sobre las profundas gargantas de arriscados montes -así en Rumichaca-- y linda con el Ecuador y el Perú llevando hasta la selva por donde sólo pueden moverse los baquianos.

La costa occidental está cuajada en el Chocó de minas de oro y platino. Frente a ella pasaron en grandes naves hechas por ellos mismos, en Panamá, los Pizarros, cuando fueron a la conquista del Perú. Hicieron las naves sin ingenieros, sin fibras para hacer cuerdas, sin tropas para hacer velas, sin brea para defender la madera de los cascos.

De norte a sur cruzan el mapa colombiano tres cordilleras coronadas de nieve y bordeadas de abismos. Al fondo corren en los valles las dos arterias del país, el Cauca y el Magdalena. Donde se aplana la cima de las cordilleras, en los altiplanos, hay paisajes tan lindos y pulidos como los más bellos de la Francia campesina. Y ciudades y aldeas. Sólo en Bogotá a dos mil seiscientos metros de altura, se agrupan cinco millones de almas, y hoy se ven

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minúsculas las que fueron altas torres de las iglesias, cuando un edificio comercial pasa de los cincuenta pisos. El turista llega a Bogotá, le dicen que en las entrañas de una montaña de sal se ha hecho una catedral en los que fueron socavones de mineros, echa camino de Zipaquirá.

El Magdalena corre, entre dos cordilleras que lo estrechan como dos muros. Los buques de vapor, hoy ya muy escasos, bajan bajo la mirada, cada vez más rara, de los caimanes. El Valle del Cauca es anchuroso y paradisíaco en las vecindades de Cali y lo baña el recuerdo de una cierta María, que sale de las páginas de la mejor novela romántica de las Américas.

Colombia, entre sus cuatro costados, es un juego mágico por donde pasan las horas y las tierras modulando historias, leyendas, colores, aires, hombres y mujeres, pájaros y mariposas, esmeraldas y oro en una rara riqueza de experiencias humanas.

Germán Arciniegas1

1 Excerpt from Françoise De Tailly, Colombia (Neuchatel: Delachaux & Niestlé, 1981).

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FOREWORD In common with other quadrilateral nations (such as France and Spain), the map of Colombia is steeped in magic on each of its four sides. In the north, Colombia constitutes part of the Caribbean, jutting out like a balcony, hovering over tales of pirates, buccaneers, and violent storms, chapters of a never-ending romance. From Panama to the Guajira Peninsula, heading towards Curazao, there is not a spot on the coast that does not harbor a tale seemingly smuggled out of the coffer of the centuries. In the Darien, where Balboa set out to discover the Pacific, the old Colombian town of Santa Marta de Darien has been swallowed up by the forest. Further on is Cartagena, where the pirates lowered the Spanish scarlet-and-gold flag in order to hoist their own black colors, the skull-and-crossbones. It was here that Alexander de Humboldt landed, half-shipwrecked, and found a safe haven on the edge of Turbaco, in the house of a great lord.

It was also in Cartagena, during the periods when the ramparts, forts, and defenses of the city were being built, that Phillippe II spent many hours leaning from a window of the Escorial, straining to catch a glimpse of the fortifications that were costing him so much money.

From Cartagena via Barranquilla to Santa Marta, we arrive at the most perfect bay in the world, where haciendas nestle on the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada - the Tairona mountain range, where turning up the soil and displacing the tombstones leads to the uncovering of the same gold jewelry that leaves the visitors at the Gold Museum in Bogotá open-mouthed with admiration. It was in Santa Marta that the dying Simón Bolívar, the "Libertador de América", arrived one day; he was sheltered in a Spanish nobleman's hacienda, where the village priest of Mamatoco administered the last rites. At the moment of death, the final word that broke from Bolívar's lips was "Colombianos". Pilgrims come from all over the world to observe a few moments of silence in the bedchamber where this great American hero died.

Past Santa Marta, there is Guajira, the largest coal depository in South America. Then, on the east, the frontier separates Colombia from Venezuela. This line was often crossed by the Libertadores carrying the revolutionary flag on their way from Nueva Granada to fight the battle in Boyacá which put an end to Spanish power in that region. On the eastern slopes, wherever they are not hemmed in between rugged mountains, the Llanos roll far beyond the horizon. In the Llanos, a man is a subject in motion, moving between the back of the horse that he rides and the hat that protects him from the only thing he worries about: the sun.

On the south, natural bridges straddle the deep gorges of the craggy mountains --as in Rumichaca-- and from the borders of Ecuador and Perú, Colombia reaches out to the forests, where only experienced trackers can move about.

On the western coast, the Chocó is profusely dotted with gold and platinum mines. Pizarro's men sailed along these shores in large vessels that they built in Panamá when they went off to conquer Perú. They built their ships themselves, without engineers, without fiber for the ropes, without a crew to make the sails, and without pitch to protect the ships' wooden hulls.

From north to south, three snow-capped mountain ranges of parallel chains (cordilleras) surrounded by abysses, cut across the map of Colombia. In the valleys below flow the Cauca and Magdalena Rivers, the country's two main arteries. On the high plateaus, where the peaks of the cordilleras level out, there are towns and villages; the beautiful and well-tended landscapes bring to mind the loveliest vistas of the French countryside.

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It is only in Bogotá, at an altitude of 2,600 meters, that some five million souls are gathered; the church towers that once seemed so lofty now seem miniscule as compared to the commercial buildings that surpass fifty stories. As the tourist nears Bogotá, he is told that on the road to Zipaquirá, in the entrails of a salt mountain, a cathedral has been built in what were once mining pits.

The Magdalena flows between two cordilleras, enclosing the river as if within two walls. Nowadays, only an occasional steamboat goes down-river under the gaze of the increasingly rare alligator. The Cauca Valley in the vicinity of Cali is spacious and Eden-like, imbued with the memory of a certain "María," liberated from the pages of the best romantic novel of the Americas.

Enclosed within its four sides, Colombia is a magic game in which time and the land glide by in a melodious murmuring medley of history, legends, colors, airs, men and women, birds and butterflies, emeralds and gold, all parts of a rich abundance of human experience.

Germán Arciniegas 2

2 Excerpt from Françoise De Tailly, Colombia (Neuchatel, Delachaux & Niestlé, 1981).

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I. THE FULBRIGHT EXCHANGE PROGRAM The Fulbright Program Established by the Fulbright Act of 1946, the Fulbright program’s founding purpose is “to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries”. In pursuit of this overarching goal of strengthening cross-cultural knowledge and international cooperation, grants are issued under the Fulbright Program both to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals for academic and cultural exchanges. During their stay in the host country, grantees participate in a variety of activities, including university lecturing, research, graduate study, and English teaching services..

Individuals are selected on the basis of academic and professional qualifications, the ability and willingness to share ideas and experiences with people of diverse cultures, and the potential multiplier effect in their home countries and institutions of the exchange experience.

The Fulbright Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State under policy guidelines established by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB), and in cooperation with several other federal agencies and a number of private educational organizations. Financial support comes from Congressional appropriations and from about 54 foreign governments through annual contributions. Foreign universities and private institutions participate in program cost-sharing as well. Two characteristic features of the Fulbright Program are its binational planning and administration, and its open competition for grants. The program involves the annual exchange of approximately 1,500 U.S. and foreign graduate students and approximately 1,200 lecturers and researchers.

The FSB consists of 12 members appointed by the President of the United States to set policies and procedures for the Fulbright Academic Exchange Program. These members are drawn from academic and public life in the United States. This Board establishes the broad policy guidelines under which the U.S. Department of State and various private educational agencies administer the Program. The FSB also has final responsibility for approving grants.

Within the U.S. Department of State, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the Fulbright Program. Direct responsibility within the Bureau lies with the Academic Exchange Program Division in the Office of Academic Programs. This division has specific branches, responsible for different geographic areas.

The Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), part of the Institute of International Education (IIE), acting under contract to the U.S. Department of State, administers all programs related to the exchange of scholars, faculty members and researchers. IIE and CIES function under policy guidelines established by the FSB. CIES screens the applications, convenes evaluation committees, and recommends award recipients to the FSB and to the Fulbright Commissions abroad. For foreign lecturers and researchers, CIES confirms or arranges the placement of candidates, reviews their academic plans, counsels them on their activities, and makes grant payments to grantees under its supervision in the United States. The CIES board consists of 13 members that serve overlapping three-year terms. Each of the board members serves on one of 11 geographic area advisory committees, organized to include all areas of disciplinary competence. For Fulbright Colombia CIES handles the grant competitions and peer review for the U.S. Scholar, Foreign Visiting Scholar, Scholar-in-Residence, Fulbright Applied Research Program – Nexus, and Specialist Programs.

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IIE, acting under contract to the U.S. Department of State, administers the exchange of students under the Fulbright Program. IIE announces Fulbright student grants available to U.S. citizens wishing to study or do research abroad at the graduate level. IIE convenes committees of scholars to review the applications and make recommendations to the FSB and to the local Fulbright Commissions. IIE also arranges the placement of foreign Fulbright students in the U.S., and makes their grant payments.

The Fulbright Academic Exchange Program is administered by binational Commissions that currently operate in 50 countries around the world. The Commissions employ an executive director and a local staff to handle all academic and operational aspects of the Fulbright Exchange Program. In countries where there is no Commission, the U.S. Public Affairs Section (PAS) administers the academic exchange program. The Commissions engage in program development and dissemination, screen applicants, convene scholarly evaluation committees, interview applicants, and recommend award recipients from the host country to FSB. The Commissions also make final selections of all U.S. grantees wishing to carry out activities in the host country.

The Fulbright Program in Colombia Fulbright Colombia was established in 1957 by a treaty agreement between the United States and Colombia. An intergovernmental agency with a distinctly binational character, Fulbright Colombia develops, administers and supervises a broad range of academic and cultural exchange activities of the Fulbright Program in Colombia. Our mission is to contribute to U.S.-Colombian intercultural knowledge, foment academic, scientific and cultural cooperation and linkages between both countries, and contribute to Colombia’s development goals.

For the 2012-2013 academic year Fulbright Colombia expects a total cohort of approximately 153 grantees. 86 Colombians have received awards for graduate studies and 9 to engage in different research and teaching activities in the US. At the same time 58 U.S. citizens have received Fulbrights for this period – 7 U.S. Scholars, 13 Specialists, 8 U.S. Students and 30 ETA’s. Fulbright Colombia has more than doubled the total number of grants it awards in the past 5 years, and is currently the 5th ranked Fulbright Commission in the world in terms of the number of foreign nationals going to the U.S. for graduate work.

This growth is the result of a strategy of strategic alliances with the Colombian government and private sector.

Currently, Fulbright Colombia’s portfolio is sustained through agreements of cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, COLCIENCIAS, ICETEX, USAID, ECOPETROL, El Cerrejon, Suramericana, and la Fundacion Saldarriaga Concha.

The Fulbright Commission in Bogotá will handle all administrative aspects of your exchange while in Colombia, and will assist in academic issues as needed. Fulbright Colombia has 12 permanent staff and is governed by a 6member Board of Directors composed of three U.S. and three Colombian citizens. The current board members are: U.S. Members Linda Gonzáles, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy James Russo, Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy Janet van Deren, Deputy Director, Consejo de Empresas Americanas CEA Colombian Members Maria Teresa Aya, Director San Carlos Diplomatic Academy, Foreign Affairs Ministry Nora Elizabeth Hoyos, Director of MALOKA Mauricio López Obregón. Director of ADN NOVA The U.S. Ambassador in Colombia, currently J. Michael McKinley, is the Honorary President of the Board.

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II. THE FULBRIGHT GRANT Terms and Conditions The U.S. Government grant authorization which you receive from the Fulbright Commission specifies the grant’s benefits. This document indicates the category of your grant (visiting lecturer, research scholar, assistant or student), specifies the Colombian institution to which you are assigned or affiliated, the duration of the grant, and any special conditions. This grant is not a contract and the amount authorized is provided to assist you during the period indicated.

IMPORTANT: You are required to indicate your acceptance or declination of the grant by signing the copies of the Grant Authorization in the space provided. It must be signed, scanned and sent to Paola Morales at pmorales@fulbright.edu.co, and the program contact in IIE (ETA and US Student grantees) or the program contact in CIES (US Scholar grantees) within 21 days of being posted in FulConnect. If your acceptance is not received within the 21 days mentioned, the grant will be considered cancelled and there will remain no further obligation on the part of Fulbright Colombia, the U.S. Department of State or the agency (CIES or IIE). The terms and conditions also establish that the recipient participates in a private, non-official capacity All scholarships, fellowships, grants or salaries from other sources (in dollars or in foreign currency) received concurrently with a Fulbright grant are to be reported to the Commission. Where a duplication of benefits exists, a deduction may be made in the Fulbright grant. No deduction, however, is made in cases of sabbatical leave of absence or retirement pay.

We would like to especially draw your attention to the following conditions stated under various sections in the Terms and Conditions document: 1) Any modification in your institutional affiliation must be approved and arranged by the Commission; 2) Please check in the Pre-departure preparation section, the instructions to buy the international tickets. 3) All books and equipment purchased from the Book and Incidentals Allowance should be reported to the Commission and donated to your host institutions upon completion of the project; and 4) Acceptance of funds from sources outside of your grant must be approved by and reported to the Commission, and may be deducted from grant benefits. Under no circumstances are Fulbright grantees permitted to receive monetary compensation for any services rendered - including teaching private English classes - during their grant period.

Grant Reports Grantees are required to submit a final report including an account of their academic progress and any revisions of the original schedule. Students and ETAs are also required to submit a mid-term report on their grant activities. Intructions will be sent to the grantees by the Commission in the middle of their grant period and one month before the ending of the grant. Final disbursements of monthly stipends are contingent on receipt of the final report.

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The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) within the U.S. Department of State provides essential health coverage for Agency-sponsored and funded exchange participants in a variety of exchange-ofpersons programs under the State Department Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). The ASPE is a self-funded program designed to pay the covered medical expenses for eligible participants enrolled in the program. ETA grantees will also have a second essential health insurance provided by ICETEX. Participants are encouraged to purchase additional insurance for losses not covered under the basic coverage provided by ASPE. Supplementary coverage may be purchased from any commercial insurance carrier. During the period of you coverage with ASPE, supplementary insurance in the amount of $100,000 may also be purchased from the ASPE Administrator, which has the added benefit of extending loss coverage under ASPE to $150,000 for accident or sickness. For more information, contact: Seven Corners Inc. www.usdos.sevencorners.com 1-800-461-0430 for U.S. grantees 1-317-818-2867 for overseas grantees Please note that the grantee will be the only one responsible for all his/her pre-existing health conditions and must take all the necessary precautions prior, upon and during the grant period. Fulbright Colombia will assume no responsibility for any situations that may arise related to the grantees’ health conditions.

Income Tax Reporting Fulbright grants are sometimes taxable, depending on your status as a degree candidate. The U.S. Internal Revenue Code contains provisions affecting recipients of grants under the Fulbright Program. Please review IRS Publication 520 which relates to scholarship and fellowship grants (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ch01.html)and to payment in foreign currency of tax obligations (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p54/index.html). You may also wish to consult IRS Publication 54, pertaining to tax information for U.S. citizens residing abroad. These publications are updated every November and may be obtained online at www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html. Questions regarding income tax matters should be addressed directly to the local office of the Internal Revenue Service in your area, or to the IRS Foreign Operations Division, 1325 K Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20223, (202) 874-1460, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf.

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III. FULBRIGHT COLOMBIA Fulbright Colombia Grant Requirements The fundamental obligation that each Fulbright grantee in Colombia assumes through acceptance of a Fulbright Colombia-sponsored grant is to comply with the proposed project plan, which will vary among the specific grant programs.

Fulbright Colombia also requires that all U.S. grantees participate in the different academic, cultural and social activities organized by the Commission. Such events represent important opportunities to interact with one another, as well as to get to know the broader Colombian community.

Fulbright Colombia requires that all U.S. Scholars, Specialists and Ph.D. students publicly share their research activities and academic expertise by participating in one Fulbright Forum, a seminar series co-sponsored by the grantee’s host institution and open to the academic community and to the public. All Fulbright grantees are encouraged to attend.

Students and ETA’s are expected to fulfill the terms of their grant proposal. For U.S. Students, this means engaging in the agreed upon research activities and attending responsibly the university courses that one has elected. For the ETA grantees, this means meeting the teaching commitments agreed upon with the host institution and carrying out an additional research, community service activity, or special project. A database with information of NGO’s by city and specific topics will be posted in Fulconnect. U.S. students will be asked to make a brief final presentation of their Fulbright research activities at the end of the grant period.

All grantees are required to share the academic results of their research, teaching or outreach experiences in Colombia with Fulbright Colombia. Articles, working papers, dissertations, monographs, research products and all general interest nonacademic works are to be sent to Fulbright Colombia in digital format for inclusion in our virtual library and dissemination to appropriate audiences.

During their stay in Colombia, grantees should keep in mind that they also represent the United States and the Fulbright Program, this means that one’s behavior is not simply an individual responsibility, but has broader implications with regard to the impression that Colombians and Colombian institutions have of Fulbright, the U.S. government and U.S. society. We request that Fulbright be informed of any academic or administrative conflict with the host institution so that we may intervene appropriately.

Orientation Seminar All U.S. grantees participate in an Orientation Seminar that is currently scheduled to take place on July 22-25 in Bogotá. Attendance is mandatory for all grantees in the U.S. Student and ETA. U.S. Scholars and Specialists who are in Colombia at the time are welcome to attend.

The seminar is designed to offer grantees a general introduction to various aspects of Colombian society and politics, to meet Commission staff, and to learn about how to best carry out the terms of the grant in Colombia, it also offers a tour of Bogotá, and the chance to meet one another and discuss research projects and interests.

Presentations are given by Colombian university professors, experts, former Fulbright grantees, U.S. Embassy

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personnel and Commission staff. ETA grantees will have separate break out sessions with Fulbright and Colombian government representatives to review the specific aspects of their activities.

The Regional Security Officer of the U.S. Embassy will conduct a security briefing for all grantees during the Orientation Seminar.

Regional Orientation Seminar Fulbright, in collaboration with the Centros Binacionales Colombo Americano, will offer a short orientation seminar for grantees placed in some mayor cities in the regions. Further information will be offered during the Orientation Seminar in Bogotá.

Enhancement Activities The Commission will offer an enrichment seminar for ETA grantees, scheduled to take place in September, 2013 in Bogotá. This seminar will be focused on university relations, challenges experienced so far, and specific tools to improve your teaching assistant skills.

Fulbright Academic Events Fulbright Colombia will arrange a variety of academic events during the grant period. We strongly urge all grantees to participate in Commission-organized activities. They not only represent an opportunity for getting to know each other and for exchanging experiences, but they also are a way to deepen your involvement with both Colombian and U.S. academics.

Los Foros Fulbright, held 2-3 times each semester, are conferences in which U.S. Scholars present their research projects in Colombia. Ph.D. candidates, Specialists or returning Colombian grantees may also be invited to offer a lecture or conference. For professors outside of Bogotá, every effort will be made for a Fulbright representative to travel to that city to attend the conference. The conferences are typically co-sponsored with the host university and are open to the university community.

Once a year the Fulbright Lecture Series (Cátedra Fulbright) is held in a regional university, this year the Catédra will take place in Universidad de Ibagué in Ibagué. This is a 2-day program on a topic that will vary from year to year, in which some Fulbright U.S. Visiting Scholars and /or Specialists will be invited to present their work alongside Colombian colleagues.

All grantees in the U.S. student program are expected to present the results of their year in Colombia at the end of their grant period to the community of Fulbrighters present in Colombia. These presentations may take place at the Commission, or in the case of students involved in artistic endeavors, make take the form of a performance or exhibition.

As Fulbright grant recipients, the Commission in Colombia considers itself a co-sponsor of all activities in which grantees participate while in Colombia. We expect that Fulbright Colombia is always recognized as co-sponsor through the adequate use of our logo in the publicity of events in which Fulbright grantees participate, as well in the specific presentation medium. At the same time, the Commission in Colombia is happy to assist in promoting such events through email announcements and its webpage.

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Communicating with Fulbright Colombia and with other US grantees in Colombia Your primary contacts at the Commission will be the Program Director and the U.S. Program Officer, although the entire staff is available to assist you with anything you may need. Fulbright Colombia staff members are: Ann Mason

Executive Director

amason@fulbright.edu.co

Program Area Adriana Castro Paola Morales Soraya Rozo David Mozo Juan David Padilla María Isabel Mendez Joshua Arteta

Program Director Program Officer Program Officer Program Officer Program Officer Program Assistant Intern

acastro@fulbright.edu.co pmorales@fulbright.edu.co srozo@fulbright.edu.co dmozzo@fulbright.edu.co jdpadilla@fulbright.edu.co mimendez@fulbright.edu.co jarteta@fulbright.edu.co

Administrative /Financial Area Bibiana Arevalo Sandra Ariza Vanessa Mejia Catalina Telez Juan C. Rodriguez Marcela Rodriguez Rocío Molina

Admin/Financial Director Accountant Administrative Assistant Administrative Assistant Technical Support Recepcionist General Services

barevalo@fulbright.edu.co sariza@fulbright.edu.co vmejia@fulbright.edu.co dtellez@fulbright.edu.co jrodriguez@fulbright.edu.co mrodriguez@fulbright.edu.co rmolina@fulbright.edu.co

Public Affairs Area Ana María Guevara Karen Rocha Catherina Cuervo Rachel Wilson Kelly Tarra Ana María Gutierrez Felipe Duque

Public Affairs Director Public Affairs Assistant Public Affairs Assistant Educational Adviser Ed Advising Center Assistant Community Officer Intern

amguevara@fulbright.edu.co krocha@fulbright.edu.co ccuervo@fulbright.edu.co rwilson@fulbright.edu.co ktarra@fulbright.edu.co amgutierrez@fulbright.edu.co fduque@fulbright.edu.co

Disseminating the profiles and activities of our grantees is an important aspect of Fulbright Colombia’s communication strategy. In addition to grantee information in the Fulbrighter section of our webpage, we also do feature stories, interviews, and coverage of the various academic and outreach activities of our grantees.

Fulbright’s Communications Officer and her staff may be in touch with you during your grant period to explore different opportunities for disseminating your activities. All our grantees should feel free to pass along any information about your activities that you would like us to help disseminate, including interviews, photos, videos, information in the press, links to publications, etc. We have various virtual spaces where we share our grantees activities: • •

Ning Platform: Register and connect with other Fulbrighters in Colombia and abroad.

Social Networks: ü Facebook: Fulbright Colombia ü Twitter: @ FulbrightCol ü LinkedIn: http://co.linkedin.com/pub/fulbright-colombia/29/a22/225 ü YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/fulbrightcol?feature=mhee (post all the videos you want to share).

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•

Weekly publications and e-mails with information about our activities and projects.

Comunidad Fulbright Colombia The Comunidad Fulbright Colombia is the association of former and current Fulbright grantees in Colombia.

Created in 2009, this Community aims to develop and strength relations among the U.S. and Colombian grantees, as well as with university, research centers, NGO´s and other non-profit organizations in order to promote the work done by Fulbrighters in Colombia and the U.S.. It also provides networking opportunities, gives continuity to the Fulbright experience beyond the life of the grant, and encourages grantees to fulfill the values of the Fulbright Program such as leadership, public service and excellence.

For more information about our services and programs, please email us at: comunidad@fulbright.edu.co or directly to the Community Relations Officer: amgutierrez@fulbright.edu.co.

We offer a wide variety of programs in order to give the opportunity to Fulbrighters to engage at different levels with the Fulbright mission as well as with other organizations. Among these programs we offer: •

Share your Knowledge (Comparta sus Conocimientos): Seeks interaction, colaboration and networking among Fulbrighters. Also, looks to promote the work and research done bythem in Colombia ü ü ü

•

Volunteering programs: ü

ü

ü

•

Fulbright Testimonies: Tells us what your Fulbright experience is about and share it with everyone.

Fulbright talks: Following TED talks format, we seek to share activities and knowledge of our Fulbrighters with the Community.

Fulbright Seminars and Conferences: Promotes the work of the US Scholars, Students and Specialists; include grantees presentations, concerts, academic lectures and other activities that contribute to enhance Fulbright´s image in Colombia.

Fulbright Mentors: Fulbrighters helping other Fulbrighters. We want to encourage a volunteering spirit among all the members of our community opening spaces with the American grantees as well as the new Colombian Fulbrighters.

Fulbright Hosts: A more social approach to networking among Fulbrighters; have lunch, crush the couch of a fellow Fulbrighter or have a coffee in the nearest coffee shop to get to know each other better.

Support the Fulbright mission: This program aims to allow Fulbrighters to helped selecting the best candidates in each step of the application process done by Fulbright to award the scholarships.

Academic Fulbright Events: ü

ü

Cátedra Fulbright-UniNorte: Promotes the binational analysis of some of the most pressing global and hemispheric issues, as well as academic and research cooperation between the United States and Colombia.

Cátedra Fulbright Regiones: Dedicated to addressing political, economic and social issues of concern to the region and the hemisphere through an international dialogue with scholars and policymakers from different disciplines and sectors.

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ü

•

Fulbright Forums: Promotes the work of all grantees in Colombia and the United State; include grantees presentations, concerts, academic lectures and other activities that contribute to enhance Fulbright´s image in Colombia.

Fulbright Excellence Award: This award aims to recognize the extraordinary contribution made by a Fulbright from the EE.UU. or Colombia to the society at large, contributing with the tightening of the bilateral relations among the two nations and to promote the values of the Fulbright program around the globe.

Our webpage www.fulbright.edu.co and grantee platform Ning comunidadfulbright.ning.com/are the best communication tools you will have during your stay, and even after your grant period is over. Our webpage is updated constantly with Fulbright Colombia’s news and information, and so as to be completely informed about the Commission we suggest you include our webpage in your list of favorite sites and consult it frequently.

Ning is the password protected internet platform for our association of grantees and former grantees, and is accessed through the webpage of our community comunidadfulbright.ning.com/. All services, events, programs and special opportunities for our grantees are communicated directly through this platform. Once signed up, you will receive regular information from Fulbright and routine communications from your program officer. You will also find a hole section with all the information US Grantees need toknow to have a successful experience in Colombia. With an increasingly large group of U.S. grantees in Colombia, one-on-one communications are increasingly difficult to maintain for routine matters that concern all our grantees. We ask that you all use this platform as much as possible to help simplify communications.

The Colombia-U.S. Exchange Alumni Association is a community sponsored by the Department of State. It intends to bring former exchange participants from all over the world together into a space where they can network with other alumni, engage in community service projects, support and mentor future generations, and reach out to inspire and recruit new exchange participants. Find the latest research in your field; find grant and job opportunities, access free academic journals, newspapers, and more. To join, go to https://alumni.state.gov/register or http://exchanges.state.gov.

The Fulbright Association is a private, non-profit organization started by U.S. Fulbright alumni in 1977, and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization facilitates relationships among former Fulbright grantees around the world. The membership includes nearly 10,000 alumni and friends of the Fulbright Program. For more information, visit www.fulbrightalumni.org

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IV. PRE-DEPARTURE PREPARATIONS Passport One of your first priorities should be to obtain passports for yourself and your accompanying dependents, or to renew it as necessary. The Department of State web site contains a wealth of travel information, including passport acquisition or renewal (and associated fees), as well as the necessary forms, at http://travel.state.gov.

Make sure that your passport contains your current legal name (because this is the name that appears on all Fulbright documentation) and also that you have at least four sheets available to issue your Colombian visa. The grant does not provide for expenses in connection with passports or visas.

While you are abroad, it is wise to keep your passport number, date of issue, and expiration date in a safe place separate from your passport. If your passport is lost or stolen while in Colombia, contact the U.S. Citizen Services Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá immediately at 315-0811 Ext. 2811, Calle 22 D Bis No. 47-51, or through the website http://bogota.usembassy.gov.

Visas Grantees are not required to obtain a visa in the U.S. prior to coming to Colombia. A valid U.S. passport, and your letter of invitation from the Fulbright Commission in Colombia suffice to enter the country, and a temporary permit will be issued by the immigration officials at the Colombian airport. A courtesy visa will then be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon the request of the Fulbright Commission, free of charge.

For U.S. Students and ETA’s, the courtesy visa will be issued during a special session of the Orientation Seminar, upon the request of the Fulbright Commission. U.S. Scholars will follow the same procedure through the Commission within the first few days after arriving in Colombia. Any dependants will also receive this benefit, so please make sure that you bring translated documents of the marriage certificate in case you come with your spouse and/or birth certificate if you are coming with children.

Specialists, with a maximum six-week stay in Colombia, are not required to have a visa.

Tickets The purchase of the tickets will begin during the first week of June. In order to buy your tickets, each grantee can buy their own international tickets (For ETA’s and US Student grantees from the city of residence to Bogotá, for US Scholar grantees from the city of residence to the placement city in Colombia) then send to the Program Officer the ticket receipt, once in Colombia, he/she will be reimbursed, the price of the ticket will be included in the first stipend payment.

Where necessary, Fulbright will purchase airfare for those ETA’s and US Student grantees that will carry out their grant in a city in Colombia other than Bogota.

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Fulbright and its grantees will follow these policies in the purchase of international airfare •

• •

The most cost effective airfare must be purchased. If grantees purchase their tickets directly, the itinerary MUST be approved by the Commission prior to purchase. Our local travel agency verifies and approves all itineraries. Fulbright will not reimburse airfare for itineraries that did not receive Commission approval.

In many cases it is actually cheaper to purchase round-trip tickets rather than one-way. Grantees must check both one-way or round trip options and buy the cheapest one.

If you wish to make any stops en-route, you are responsible for the cost of that portion of your air travel.

Books and Materials Grantees in the ETA program are entitled to an allowance for the purchase of books and materials they may need during their grant. Grantees that who wish to use this allowance need previous approval of their program officer in order be reimbursed. Instructions about the documents needed for the reimbursement will be shared with each grantees when the allowance is required. Books and materials purchased by ETA’s with grant funds must remain at the host institution.

Computer Regulations The Commission advises all grantees to bring their own laptop, peripheral equipment, and required software, as computer facilities at universities or other host institutions may be limited. Make sure you bring all the licenses and legal documents to guarantee the information stored in the computer is officially authorized. Computer equipment purchased in Colombia will generally be significantly more expensive than in the U.S. Grantees bringing computer equipment for use while in-country must declare such equipment on the required customs forms. It will be necessary to produce this declaration form on departure. For those U.S. grantees bringing computer hardware or software to be left in Colombia, you must bring the commercial invoice with the purchase price of the equipment and pay the corresponding import tax at the airport customs office upon arrival. The tax is usually 12% of the purchase price. If you need to purchase computer-related products in Colombia there are two large shopping centers located in Bogotá, both called “Unilago,” within two blocks of one another (Cra. 15, calles 78-85, http://www.unilago.com ), which sell most items one would need. One sells new items and the other (to the north) sells used items.

What to Bring with You The best advice we can give you about deciding what to bring along is to contact former Fulbrighters for their input. At the same time, although you may not find the exact brand you want, Colombia’s consumer goods’ offering is very good and diverse, and you’ll be able to get anything you need during your time in Colombia.

You may want to bring along any personal effects or special appliances that you don’t want to do without during your stay. The electrical current in Colombia is the same as in the U.S. (110 volts). However, outlets for three prong safety plugs are not that common, in which case you may have to purchase a plug adapter in Colombia.

You may want to purchase rechargeable batteries and a charger to bring with you to Colombia as batteries in Colombia are very expensive.

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Basic toiletries – razors, dental care products, feminine products, lotions, soaps and shampoos – are markedly more expensive in Colombia and it is advisable to bring some of these in bulk from the U.S. to last you a significant portion of your grant period.

It is also advisable to bring a sufficient stock of any necessary medications to last for the first couple of months or so.

You can probably fill any prescription you have in Colombia, but it might make it more convenient to already have your medication during your busy startup month in a new country. Vitamins are also readily available but fairly expensive.

Regarding clothing, you will need to take into account that the altitude where you will be living during your stay in Colombia will define the type of weather you will have during the entire grant period. Nevertheless, you may have the opportunity to travel in the country, in which case a versatile wardrobe for both cool and tropical climates will come in handy. You should note that larger sizes in both clothing and shoes can be difficult to find.

We suggest that you bring along copies of any important documents that you may find useful during your stay, such as driver’s license, marriage certificate, all documents related to your Fulbright grant, university or school ID. It is also recommended that you keep copies of all important documents, such as passport and visa, credit cards, and key contacts in the U.S. You may also want to bring official proof of your blood type (or “RH”), as you will be required to demonstrate your blood type when you apply for your “cedula de extranjeria,” or foreign I.D. card. If you are not able to bring proof of blood type issued by your doctor, you will be required to get a blood test in Colombia.

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V. ARRIVING IN COLOMBIA Arrival Fulbright will arrange to have all grantees met at the airport. You will be taken to the assigned hotel during the Orientation Seminar. If by chance you miss the Fulbright contact at the airport, you should take an airport taxi to the hotel where Fulbright has made arrangements for you to stay according to your indications. For security reasons, only use the authorized airport taxi service. Do not take a taxi from the street. You should also feel free to call Fulbright staff for assistance in case of an emergency: Paola Morales’ cell phone: 3102469460

Registering with the Embassy Within the first week in Colombia, every Fulbright grantee must register his/her personal data and passport number with U.S. Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá. This can be done in person or online at www.travel.state.gov, in the section International Travel, and then on Registration with Embassies and choose Bogotá.

Colombian Identification Card Within the first 15 days after obtaining the visa in Colombia, all Fulbright grantees must visit the Migración Office to register the visa and to obtain an identification card, or Cédula de Extranjería. The cédula is an indispensable document during your stay in Colombia, especially for financial transactions. Please be advised that a certification of your blood type is required for issuance of your cédula. Every grantee must also notify Migración Colombia of his/her address in Colombia within five days of any change of residency. Grantees will be notified about requirements and cost. The cédula must be issued in the city of residence, so grantees with placements outside Bogotá will obtain the ID card from the local Migración Colombia office in their city of destination. http://www.migracioncolombia.gov.co/index.php/entidad/centros-facilitadores-de-serviciosmigatorios.html As a participant in the Fulbright Exchange Program we will also issue you an identification card, acceptable in almost any circumstances except for bank transactions or other official business. You should carry this card with you at all times.

Grant Funds Student and ETA grantees will receive their stipend as a direct deposit every month in advance from the disbursing office of the Commission. The reimbursement of other expenses such as books will be included in the following monthly payment check. Remember, receipts are always required for expense reimbursement.

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The terms and conditions of the Student and ETA grants specify a monthly stipend in dollars. However, due to excessive volatility in recent years in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Colombian peso, starting in 2009 the monthly stipends for Student and ETA Fulbright grantees will be established in Colombian pesos.

Other benefits are included depending on each program, but you will definitely be receiving, a round trip ticket and health insurance.

Professor allowances in U.S. dollars will be deposited directly into the U.S. bank accounts.

For Specialist, the host academic institution will cover their lodging, all meals and in country travel and Fulbright will cover the international tickets and daily honorarium which will be paid once the specialist return to the US.

Banking All our US Student and ETA grantees will need to open a Bank Account upon arrival in Colombia where the monthly stipend will be deposited. During the orientation seminar, grantees will have a special session with a Citibank representative and our Administrative Director to open their accounts. All accounts will be opened with this bank because is the entity the commission works with.

US Scholar grantees are not required to open a bank account in Colombia, their stipend will be deposited directly to their American bank account. The first payment of the stipend will be made when the scholar arrives to Colombia and the second one in the middle of the grant period.

All major U.S. credit cards are accepted in Colombia, including American Express, Visa, and Mastercard. However, you may want to check with the International Division of the credit card companies or your bank to obtain specific information about credit card use in Colombia.

We recommend that you arrive in Colombia with $300 in cash that can be exchanged at the airport for Colombian pesos. However, before attempting to exchange your cash, you may want to try an ATM with your American debit card first as the exchange rate for the ATM will be more favorable than exchanging cash at the airport. Having cash is good for a “just in case� scenario, but most likely your American ATM card will allow you to access Colombian Pesos at the airport. It is not recommended to bring traveler´s checks as very few establishments in Colombia accept them.

Housing Fulbright Colombia provides to the grantees information about housing options but does not make any arrangements. We highly encourage you to contact the Oficina de Relaciones Internacionales (ORI) at your host institution; they usually receive foreign students and therefore have a complete database with housing options in the different cities.

Housing options in Colombia vary enormously. Some of the best sources of information on this topic include the Commission, U.S. Fulbright grantees who are ending their stay in Colombia, classified ads in local newspapers, and the universities. This year, our US Student and ETA grantees have created a blog where they share their own experiences and give advices to new grantees about different isssues, including housing. Some grantees make arrangements directly from the U.S. in order to have temporary housing in Colombia prior to finding a more long-term option. Fulbright Colombia can also share a list of contacts that have hosted grantees in the past and do not require all the paperwork some agencies do.

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Leases of less than one year can be difficult to obtain. Many short-term grantees rent furnished apartments.

Furnished one-bedroom apartment rents begin at about COL$850,000 or more, plus utilities. Rents and utilities depend on the apartment´s location. A complete inventory should be made of the furnishings before moving in.

All furnished apartments usually provide refrigerators and stoves as well as major items of furniture and generally provide dishes, sheets, blankets, pots and pans, and other minor household items.

For those planning to live in a shared apartment, availability and costs, much like in the US, depend on the city, neighborhood, and number of people you will be living with. Finding and signing a lease in Colombia is an extremely onerous task (even for Colombians) when going through the traditional process with a real-estate agent, but many Fulbrighters have been able to find apartments dealing directly with the owner or lease holder of a house/apartment, and do not have to sign a contract. Though this leaves you less protected under the law if something were to happen in the apartment, it offers much more freedom for mobility if you feel like moving.

You may also find it particularly difficult to find young Colombian roommates, especially outside major cities, as most Colombians live with their parents until later in their 20`s. Keep in mind that you should never agree to an apartment without first going there and meeting your roommate(s)/landlord (this is best to do with a friend) and look around the area to make sure it seems safe. There are a few websites you can utilize to get an early start on your apartment hunt while in the States. www.compartoapto.com is the “craigslist” of Colombia for apartment searches. There, you can create your own profile that includes your desired price-range, neighborhood, ideal roommate, etc. and people looking for roommates can contact you and vice-versa. www.couchsurfing.com is another social networking site, which has a classifieds section in its Colombia groups and people often post vacancies on there. Craigslist.com is also slowly becoming a more useful option in major cities in Colombia.

One thing to keep in mind when looking for an apartment is the “estrato” in which it lies. Legally, there are six estratos. The lowest stratum is 1 and the highest is 6. The classification by estrato determines how much one must pay in property taxes, the charges for public services, utilities, access to health care services, and tuition paid at state universities, among other government charges. Estrato 1 and 2 and sometimes 3 are subsidized by the payments made by estrato 4, 5 and 6 and usually get more benefits from the state for certain services. The boundaries are not symmetrical and there can be a mix in each neighborhood (Chapinero in Northeast Bogotá has a mixture of 4/5/6.)

The estrato of a building is decided based on various factors including: conditions of local roads and access to public transportation, quality of electrical service, access to local green spaces, crime (although this is highly suggestive and there can be high crime rates even near estrato 6), access to services such as shopping, average rental price, etc.

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VI. LIVING IN COLOMBIA Communications – Phone and Internet Service Staying in contact with family, friends and colleagues in the U.S. during your stay in Colombia is much easier than it used to be. Email and skype are probably the easiest and cheapest ways to communicate. Traditional phone service is very good, although international rates are still quite expensive. You may want to keep service on your U.S. cell phone in order for individuals stateside to contact you. The roaming charges calling out to the States however, are exorbitant. We recommend getting Colombian cell phone service with one of the top communications companies such as Comcel or Movistar. Each company offers a prepaid plan in which you can purchase a phone and then calling cards as you need them. In some cases, it may be possible to put a Colombian SIM card directly into your U.S. cell phone. For local communication, calls can also be purchased in the street from vendors (selling “minutos”) who have a phone from each of the three major operators and are typically cheaper than using your own Colombian cell phone. The Commission will also be happy to receive any messages from the U.S., so feel free to give the Commission’s phone number to family members in case of emergencies.

Though it often depends on the city, Comcel is likely the most universal service provider and has the best, most consistent signal across Colombia. Since calls between the same providers are much cheaper, it is probably your best bet as a starting service. With that said, SIM cards are extremely cheap (never more than $1 or $2), so switching between providers is easy as long as your phone can be unlocked.

The following Internet providers are the most used in Colombia; service may be less than what you are used to in the U.S. - UNE www.une.com.co - Claro www.claro.com.co - Empresas Públicas de Medellín www.epm.com.co - Telefonica Telecom www.telefonica.co

Security Issues In spite of recent improvements in the security situation in Colombia security remains a real concern for Fulbright grantees coming to Colombia, as well as for their families. Our single most important priority is the safety and well being of all our grantees. Fulbright Colombia security protocols seek to guarantee your safety, allay everyone’s concerns, and avoid unnecessarily jeopardizing the Fulbright program in Colombia. All Fulbright grantees are required to comply with Fulbright Colombia security protocols during the grant period, that have been designed in conjunction with the Regional Security Office of the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá. Although Colombia’s security situation remains highly volatile and organic. Just because things were fine in a certain neighbourhood or region a week ago is no guarantee that things will be fine a week on. Additionally, due to the country’s conflict dynamics, certain areas of Colombia remain restricted for grantees, or may become restricted during the period of the grant. For these reasons, all grantee travel must be previously approved by Fulbright Colombia.

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Proposed travel plans, whether by land or by plane, must be cleared through the U.S. Program Officer, who after consulting with the U.S. Embassy will indicate if the travel is authorized or not. Most travel by land is prohibited in Colombia.

It is imperative that Fulbright and the U.S. Embassy be able to contact you in case of an emergency. The U.S. Program Officer needs to be informed of your contact information and must be notified of any change of residence, telephone number, e-mail account or cell phone.

During the Orientation Seminar grantees will have a special session with the Embassy Security Officer. You will also be required to register with the U.S. Warden Service at http://travel.state.gov to receive automatic security updates by the U.S. Embassy.

Fulbright has developed an Emergency Phone Tree of all its U.S. grantees to be used in case of an emergency or a change in the security situation. This will be distributed as soon as everyone has settled in and reported their contact information to the commission.

Like in any big developing cities, common crime in Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, and Barranquilla is widespread and thus a cause for concern both for Colombians and foreigners alike. Most common crimes are committed by unarmed petty thieves, and the common-sense precautions that are routinely employed in big U.S. cities are also effective against robbery in Colombia. Criminals in Colombia have a reputation for being particularly resourceful and skilled at taking advantage of the unwitting. Nevertheless, statistics suggest that your chances of being a victim of common crime in cities like Bogotá are no worse than in other major cities in Latin America. By taking a few sensible precautions, grantees will be able to enjoy their stay with minimal risks: • •

•

• •

• •

• •

•

Avoid talking to strangers on the street.

Watch out for any young man or woman, no matter how presentable, approaching you, especially after dark or in areas of heavy pedestrian or vehicular traffic. If you perceive someone near you, move away quickly.

Do not accept ANY object or anything to eat or drink that is given to you on the street. For example, do not accept a map from someone who claims to need directions – there have been cases where druglaced objects are given to victims who are drugged through skin contact and then taken to their home or ATMs to be robbed.

Do not carry visible valuables in the street, such as cell phones, laptops, cameras, I-pods, jewelry, watches, cameras, etc.

Try to avoid crowds on the street, as well as crowded buses. A common theft technique is for a group of thieves to jostle a victim as a group, while entering a crowded Transmilenio bus, for example, and then pass the stolen items along to their peers while still in the bus so they can claim innocence if accused.

Keep your wallet in the inside pocket of your jacket or in the front pants pocket.

Keep bags and packpacks securely closed and clasped tightly. A shoulder bag would be best worn across the chest while on the street. Avoid carrying bags that do not have a zipper or some other form of top closure.

Never leave a handbag, computer, backpack, etc unattended.

Do not withdraw large sums of cash from the bank, or carry large sums of cash. Always avoid using ATM’s located on the street. Instead, use ATMs that are in shopping centers, hospitals, supermarkets or universities.

Take with you only what you are planning to spend. Use checks, credit and debit cards as much as possible.

A very common phrase you´ll here is, “No hay que dar papaya, porque papaya puesta es papaya comida”.

Literally: “Don’t give out papaya, because if you put it in the open, it will be eaten.” Figuratively: Be street smart.

If you’re walking down a lonely street late at night, talking on your smart phone on the street in a poor neighborhood or wearing flashy clothing or jewelry, you will probably attract the wrong kind of

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people/attention. Basically, don’t give anyone any reason to take advantage of “free papaya”, and you can avoid undesirable run-ins almost entirely.

It is worth keeping in mind that during the 50 years of the Fulbright Program in Colombia, while there have been incidents of muggings and petty theft, there has not been a single case of a grantee being seriously harmed. In the unfortunate case that you are victim of petty crime, contact the commission and the police immediately. As a final point; don't let a loss ruin your visit to this country. Do all you can to prevent it, or try to recover your property, but then put it out of your mind and go on enjoying your stay in Colombia.

Climate and Clothing The climate that you must prepare for will be determined by the altitude of the city where you carry out your grant. There are no seasonal variations to speak of in Colombia, although there are rainy periods, and the daily temperature range can be extreme.

Bogotá has an average temperature of about 14° C (57° F) year round. On a warm sunny day temperatures can reach 75-80, and yet at night it is not unusual for it to drop as low as 0° C (32° F). Layers are generally the best approach to Bogotá weather. It also rains frequently. Casual wear that you would find on any U.S. campus for students and a conventional professor dress code will generally be fine. However, more formal attire (jacket and tie, or skirt) is expected for some professional appointments as well as for the occasional reception or dinner invitation.

During the first few days after arriving in Bogotá, Tunja, Pasto or any other high altitude city, you may feel somewhat tired or dizzy due to altitude. You should feel completely adjusted after two or three days. Until then, it is recommended that you avoid physical exertion and strenuous exercise.

In many other cities such as Cartagena, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Armenia and Medellín, the climate is warm or hot all year round. Light summer clothing is appropriate. In general, clothing and shoes of good quality are easily available in most cities. It might be difficult, however, to find shoes in very large sizes.

Medical Emergencies In case of a medical emergency, a grantee should be taken immediately to the closest hospital emergency room by a friend or by taxi. Do not wait for an ambulance. A list of bilingual medical doctors and their specialties is provided by Fulbright Colombia upon arrival. As a precaution, you might want to discuss with your doctor his/her choice of a medical facility in an emergency situation during your stay. Grantees should also contact Fulbright in case of a medical emergency, however, please be aware that the grantee is entirely responsible for all pre-existing health conditions and must take all the necessary precautions prior, upon and during the grant period.

Food All of Colombia’s major cities have modern, well-stocked supermarkets where you should be able to find just about everything you need. Some specialty shops also stock imported foods, although the selection will not be as wide as you find in the U.S. The supermarkets have abundant fresh produce, especially tropical fruits, available year round. Neighborhood “tiendas” and typical farmers’ markets are also common. Prepared or processed foods are not that common and generally more expensive in Colombia. Meals are generally prepared at home,

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or else eaten in restaurants. Though in Bogotá and a few other major cities the water is fine to drink, as a simple precaution, it is recommended to drink bottled mineral water, to wash produce well, and to peel vegetables and fruit. We recommend not consuming food sold by street vendors.

Transportation and Travel Since cars are relatively expensive in Colombia and it is not permitted to bring your own, grantees should plan to use taxis and public transportation for getting around. Grantees should avoid hailing cabs on the street at all costs, day or night. Fulbright recommends calling for a cab from one of the many taxi companies listed in the Yellow Pages. Some safe taxi services in Bogotá can be reached at: 2222222, 4-111111, and 2-111111. If you are not calling from a land-line phone, you must first mark 031 and then the seven-digit number. This service is reliable and safe.

When driving in a taxi, the meter will not tell you the exact cost of your trip. The number on the taximetro is a number that corresponds to a monetary amount shown on a yellow chart that ALL taxis will have hanging on the back of the front-passenger´s seat. Noting your accent, a taxi driver may try to tumbar (over-charge) you. You will always know the price of your ride by looking at the yellow planilla, but there are also small additional charges on Sundays and holidays, at night, and for calling a taxi. .

Buses should generally be used with caution. Bus drivers are notorious for being erratic and aggressive on the road and thus it is recommended that grantees stick to the Transmilenio buses and avoid busetas and colectivos.

Theft is common on public buses Given that travel within Colombia must be cleared with Fulbright for security reasons, we will make specific recommendations on inter-municipal travel or travel between departments on a case-by-case basis. Due to both security concerns and road conditions, air travel is generally preferred. U.S. Scholar and U.S. Student grants do provide a rubro for airfare for activities that are part of a grantee’s academic assignment. In the past, grantees have found good fares with two lesser known companies operating in Colombia, “Spirit Air” (www.spiritair.com/), “Aires” (www.aires.aero) and “Easy Fly” (http://www.easyfly.com.co/). Occasionally, the flight search engine www.despegar.com can also unearth good rates.

Cost of Living Bogotá was rated the 63rd most expensive city in the world in 2012, according to the Cost of Living Survey from Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Like in any big city, life in Bogotá can be quite inexpensive or very costly, depending on your lifestyle.

Nevertheless, the Colombian peso has experienced a dramatic revaluation in the last years, so U.S. grantees may be surprised at how expensive Colombia is when translated into dollars. The good news is that our grantees generally are not affected by what expats generally find so costly in Colombia – vehicles, gasoline and private secondary education.

The cost of living in Colombia also varies by region. Cartagena is generally in about the same price range as Bogota, while all other regional cities are less expensive.

The following approximate price ranges will give you a rough idea of what the peso will buy in Bogotá.

Meal at an average restaurant Meal at a nice restaurant Fast food restaurant or cafeteria

20-40,000 40-50,000 10-15,000

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A month’s worth of groceries for 1 Movie ticket Beer or mixed drink in a bar Cup of coffee Concert ticket Theater ticket Admission to a museum Admission to a night club Taxi ride (short) Taxi from airport Bus ticket Magazines Newspapers Mail postage to U.S. (10 grams) Express Mail Service (DHL, Fed Express) Local pay telephone Internet café, 30 minutes on the internet Cell Phone, per minute usage Utilities (electricity, phone, water per month) 3 Star hotel room per person 5 Star hotel room per person Maid service, per day Doctor’s visit Room with a family (with 2 meals and laundry) Unfurnished apartments: One bedroom Two bedroom Furnished apartments: One bedroom Two bedroom

270-300,000 10-20,000 5-20,000 1-4,000 20-200,000 50-100,000 15-25,000 20-30,000 4-6,000 20-30,000 1,400-1,750 7-10,000 1,500-3,000 5,100 70-120,000 500 1,500-2,000 300-500 350,000 120,000 300-400,000 30,000 100-140,000 700,000 700-950,000 900-1´200,000 850-1´100,000 950-1´300,000

Electricity Power outages are frequent in Colombia, especially during rainstorms. We recommend bringing surge protectors for your TV, computer, etc. as well as adapters. It may also be useful to have a battery-operated alarm clock. Electrical voltage in big cities and most areas of Bogotá is 110-120 volts. Flat prongs are used throughout the country. . It is also a good idea to keep candles and matches in an easily accessible place in your apartment in case of loss of power.

Mailing Address and Postal Services Grantees in Colombia are welcome to use Fulbright’s address for advance forwarding of educational material.

Grantees may also receive regular mail at the Commission during your grant period, where a mailbox is available for pick-up at any time. Mail should be addressed to: Grantee c/o Fulbright Colombia Calle 37 No. 15-73 Bogotá, Colombia

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South America Colombia´s national mail service is “4-72”. Using 4-72 will not be as reliable as the U.S. postal service, especially when sending something internationally or packages of value. Deprisa, Servientrega and DHL are reliable and relatively fast in comparison with 4-72, but prohibitively expensive. A single letter or postcard to the U.S. can cost up to US$50 with a courier service.

Packages sent from the U.S. to Colombia should be sent as certified mail to increase its chances of arriving.

Including your Colombian cell phone number on the package is a good way to make sure someone can get in touch with you in case there is a problem. Letters from the States will likely take between 2 and 4 weeks to arrive.

If the packages are more urgent, those sent via FedEx, UPS, and DHL will be more likely to arrive on time than those sent through the USPS.

Tipping In Colombia a 10% tip is expected in restaurants and bars. It is increasingly common for the 10% tip to be already added to the bill, in which case it is not necessary to give an additional tip. Look for a line on the bill that says: “servicio voluntario,” which is included and thus appears to not be voluntary. In most cases, the “voluntary” service included in the bill is much less than would normally be given to waiters in the U.S. Tipping taxi drivers or for personal services is not customary. Porters at the airport or the hotel generally expect about $2,000 pesos for each bag.

Religious Services Although Colombia is predominantly Roman Catholic, most religious denominations are represented in Bogotá.

Several churches hold services in English. A Roman Catholic mass is held in English on Sundays at the Colegio del Rosario de Santo Domingo, Calle 68 #0-51 Este 10:15. A complete mass schedule can be found at http://englishmassbogota.weebly.com/ or by calling 380-1940. Protestant services are held at the United Church of Bogotá on Sundays at 9:30, Carrera 4 No. 69-06 – Tel. 540-4442.

Holidays A number of political and religious holidays are generally observed in Colombia by schools and universities, banks, offices, and most stores. Many holidays (*) that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or weekday other than Monday are observed on the following Monday so as to give everyone a “Puente”, or 3-day weekend. Please note that the U.S. Embassy is closed on all Colombian and U.S. national holidays. Fulbright is closed on all Colombian holidays.

New Year’s Day Epiphany St. Joseph's Day Holy Thursday and Good Friday Labor Day Feast of the Ascension Feast of Corpus Christi Feast of the Sacred Heart St. Peter and St. Paul’s Day

January 1 January 6* March 19* During Easter Week May 1 May 25* June 15* June 23* June 29*

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Independence Day Commemoration of the Battle of Boyacá Assumption’s Day Columbus Day All Saint’s Day Cartagena Independence Day Feast of the Immaculate Conception Christmas Day

July 20 August 7 August 15* October 12* November 1* November 11* December 8 December 25

Additional Information Many topics related to your day-to-day life in Colombia have been left out of this handbook. Tourist guides, local newspapers and specialized websites on all the major cities are one of the best sources of additional information on restaurants and nightclubs, cultural events, theaters, museums, soccer games, bullfights, racetracks, tours, excursions, etc.

Much information about Colombia and about the specific city where the grant will be carried out is now available online. We recommend these websites as particularly good sources of information: www.eltiempo.com www.ciudadviva.gov.co www.colombiatravel.com www.colombiaespasion.com www.goguiadelocio.com.co www.planb.com.co www.reservashoteleras.com.co www.culturarecreacionydeporte.gov.co www.lonelyplanet.com/colombia www.armeniainolvidable.com www.barranquilla.gov.co www.bogota.gov.co www.viajaporcolombia.com/santander/sitio/bucaramanga,-ciudad-bonita www.cartagenadeindias.travel www.cali.gov.co www.cartagenacaribe.com www.alcaldiadeibague.gov.co www.viajaporcolombia.com/tolima/sitio/ibague www.laguajira.gov.co www.medellin.travel www.medellin.gov.co www.santamarta-magdalena.gov.co www.turismosantamarta.com www.tunja.gov.co www.museoscolombianos.gov.co www.colombia.com/colombiainfo/diciionario/males.asp www.guiacademica.com www.universia.net.co

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VII. ACADEMIC LIFE IN COLOMBIA Colombian Education System The Ministry of Education is responsible for the promotion, development and administration of all levels of education in Colombia. A Viceministry for Basic Education handles preschool, elementary and secondary education, while the Viceminsitry for Higher Education oversees all national educational policies at the university level.

Children initiate their mandatory elementary school education with two years of nursery school and continue with five years of elementary schooling. Public schools are free and are regulated by department and municipal governments. The elementary school system provides education for nearly 90% of the country’s children.

Secondary or high school, known as “bachillerato”, consists of six years of study. The first four years of high school are mandatory. Public high schools throughout the country are supported mainly by central government funds. Private education in Colombia is offered by religious and lay institutions. Approximately 50% of the population receives secondary level schooling.

Academic high schools prepare students to enter university or other institutions of higher learning. Normal high schools train teachers for elementary schools, and also students for university programs in pedagogy. Vocational high schools offer technical training. The Colombian government also offers a special high school radio program for students who are unable to attend school. This program is very popular in remote, rural areas.

Colombian Universities Higher education was first offered in Colombia in 1563 with the introduction of Latin and grammar studies by the religious congregations that came to teach the gospel to the indigenous population. Today, there are approximately 281 institutions of higher learning that offer undergraduate programs that lead to professional degrees, as well as technical training in a great variety of fields. There are also a growing number of graduate level programs, with 142 master’s and 53 doctoral programs in Philosophy, Theology, Molecular Biology, Physics, Genetics, Mathematics, and Chemistry.

Colombian universities are either private or public. Every administrative department has an autonomous public university system. Private universities are both religious and secular. Of the approximately one hundred universities accredited as institutions of higher learning, the following are among the most prestigious and those with which our U.S. grantees will probably have the most contact in carrying out their academic activities: Universidad Nacional de Colombia http://www.unal.edu.co/index.html The largest university in Colombia, la Universidad Nacional is a public institution with its main campus in Bogotá and with 8 branches throughout the country, among them in Medellín, Palmira and Leticia. A student population of over 25,000 is distributed among more than 70 different program options, including some graduate programs in almost every field. Laboratories, teaching facilities, and the academic level of faculty meet standards of international quality.

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Universidad de Antioquia http://www.udea.edu.co/portal/page/portal/portal/tv Located in Medellin, la Universidad de Antioquia is a highly prestigious public university, and is one of the most important research universities in Colombia. Founded in 1871, today it occupies a leading position in the higher education system in Colombia, with over 50 different programs in almost all fields. Its programs in Medicine, Public Health, Music, Library Science, and Education, are especially renowned.

Universidad del Valle http://www.univalle.edu.co/english/ With over 40 degree-granting programs, this is the main public university in Cali and the Southwestern section of the country, and is internationally recognized for its schools of Medicine, Biochemistry and Engineering.

Universidad Industrial de Santander http://www.uis.edu.co/webUIS/es/index.jsp Located in Bucaramanga, la UIS is a public university with almost 30 study programs. Although founded only about 50 years ago, is also internationally known for the quality of its engineering programs.

Universidad de los Andes http://www.uniandes.edu.co / Founded in 1948, the Universidad de Los Andes was the first private secular university in Colombia. One of the country’s most prestigious universities, its departments, faculty, and curricula maintain close ties with leading U.S institutions. A new School of Medicine now complements programs in engineering, economics, law, business administration, social sciences, architecture, and humanities. The first U.S. Studies program in Colombia, of which Fulbright is a cooperating partner, is a joint project between los Andes and la Nacional.

Pontificia Universidad Javeriana http://puj-portal.javeriana.edu.co/ The Universidad Javeriana is a Jesuit institution in Bogotá with a sister university in Cali, offering more than 40 different academic programs, including medicine, law, architecture, engineering, biological sciences, and theology.

Universidad del Norte http://www.uninorte.edu.co/ Located in Barranquilla, UniNorte is a private university that was established in 1973 as a private sector initiative.

It currently offers seven fields of study, with programs at both the undergraduate and the master’s level. Since 1999 Fulbright and UniNorte have held the annual Catedra Fulbright-UniNorte.

Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana http://www.upb.edu.co/ Located in Medellín, la UPB, is a Catholic institution but without formal affiliation to the Church or to any specific religious order. Founded in 1935, the university offers 77 undergraduate programs, 24 master programs and 7 doctorate programs nationwide. The university groups its educational programs under the schools of Architecture and Design, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law and Political Sciences, Strategic Sciences (Management), Social Sciences, Education and Teaching, and Theology, Philosophy and Humanities.

Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario http://www.urosario.edu.co/ One of the oldest universities on the South American continent, El Rosario is an autonomous institution located in the center of Bogota with highly successful programs in law, medicine, and economics, among others.

Universidad Externado de Colombia http://www.uexternado.edu.co/ Located in Bogotá, Universidad Externado is a private university which grants 4 and 5 year primary (Licenciados) and professional degrees as well as advanced 2-year Magister degrees. Instruction is primarily in Spanish.

Universidad EAFIT http://www.eafit.edu.co This private university was created by the enterprise groups of Medellín in order to create a professional background for the development of the industrialization process in Colombia. It was approved by the Ministry of Education on May 6, 1971. Universidad EAFIT offers 19 undergraduate programs.

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Universidad Pedagógica Nacional http://www.pedagogica.edu.co Located in Bogotá, capital of Colombia, is a public university under the Ministry of National Education of Colombia. It began academic works as a female education institution; in 1962 it acquired its national and joint character. It offers 20 undergraduate academic programs and 19 graduate, within which is the only doctorate in education offered in the country, offered in agreement with the Universidad del Valle and Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas.

As Fulbright Colombia diversifies its programs to include non-research activities, especially through the ETA grants, as have also expanded the universities with which we partner. The universities that will host Fulbright grantees from the U.S. in 2013-2014 are: Host Institution

WebPage

Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali

http://www.javerianacali.edu.co/

UNICA

http://www.unica.edu.co/

Universidad Agustiniana

http://www.uniagustiniana.edu.co/

Universidad Antonio Nariño

http://www.uan.edu.co/

Universidad Católica de Colombia

http://www.ucatolica.edu.co/

Universidad Católica de Oriente

http://www.uco.edu.co/

Universidad Central

http://www.ucentral.edu.co/

Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca

http://www.unicolmayor.edu.co/

Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

http://www.ucc.edu.co/

Universidad de Antioquia

http://www.udea.edu.co/

Universidad de Boyacá

http://www.uniboyaca.edu.co/

Universidad de Cartagena

http://www.unicartagena.edu.co/

Universidad de I bagué

http://www.unibague.edu.co/

Universidad de l a Guajira

http://www.uniguajira.edu.co/

Universidad de l a Salle

http://unisalle.lasalle.edu.co/

Universidad de l os Andes

http://www.uniandes.edu.co/

Universidad del Atlántico

http://www.uniatlantico.edu.co/uatlantico/

Universidad del Magdalena

http://www.unimagdalena.edu.co/

Universidad del Norte

http://www.uninorte.edu.co/

Universidad del Valle

http://www.univalle.edu.co/

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Host Institution

WebPage

Universidad Libre

http://www.unilibre.edu.co/

Universidad Minuto de Dios

http://www.uniminuto.edu/

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

http://www.unal.edu.co/

Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia http://www.uptc.edu.co/ Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

http://www.upb.edu.co/

Universidad Sergio Arboleda

http://www.usergioarboleda.edu.co/

Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar

http://www.unitecnologica.edu.co/

The University Environment Fulbright grantees in Colombia sometimes find significant contrasts between U.S. and Colombian universities and students. The difference between public and private universities in Colombia can be stark in terms of resources, political activism and the socioeconomic level of students. Generally, these differences are far more marked than in the U.S. Private universities may feel fairly similar to a U.S. university environment, especially at institutions that maintain significant relationships with U.S. universities and academia, and whose faculty have been trained in the U.S., and for this reason may feel more comfortable. Public universities are often the epicenter of political mobilization and activism in Colombia. Although this can lead to some instability and disorganization, and occasionally violent protests, an experience on a Colombian public university campus promises to be far more different and to offer a unique window onto Colombian society.

In general, foreign scholars and professors are not nearly as common on Colombian campuses as they are in the U.S. This is particularly the case in universities outside of Bogotá. Therefore, , U.S. faculty may be in particular demand to participate in a broad range of academic activities. The Commission considers participation in conferences, workshops and seminars an important part of your academic agenda while in Colombia and one of the best ways to increase your knowledge of the country and the Colombian academic community. We hope Scholars and Specialists will be amenable to accepting invitations. You may also find that students will seek your advice on graduate study opportunities in the U.S. Grantees should be aware that many Colombian students at the undergraduate, but particularly at the graduate level, have other commitments such as jobs, and therefore may not be able to make a 100% commitment to their studies. The fact that Colombia students generally live with their families or other relatives, and not in dormitories in an exclusively university-centered life, contributes to this. It is not uncommon for first and even second-semester university students to be 16 or 17 years old. Colombian students may also take far more credits than is customary in U.S. universities, in part so as to complete their studies as rapidly as possible. This may also have important implications in terms of preparing for class and keeping up.

Textbooks are not normally purchased by the students due to the excessive cost. The professor is responsible for preparing reading packets, and students will photocopy the materials. For financial considerations however, students tend to copy each reading as needed, and not the entire packet. This can lead to some disorganization in the copy center, which the professor should review from time to time. Many universities provide teaching assistants who can help with these organizational tasks. T.A’s may be undergraduate students and therefore unable to carry out many of the academic functions typically assigned to T.A.’s in the U.S. They can however

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provide much needed administrative support. Fulbright grantees who will be teaching should inquire in advance as to whether a T.A. will be provided.

Colombian universities have far fewer resources than universities in the U.S. Bear in mind when planning classes that access to audiovisual equipment such as videobeams may be very restricted, depending on the university.

Poor library resources in many Colombian universities can create difficulties with reading assignments, although many universities now have access to some online academic databases. Also, please be aware that the appropriateness of assigning readings in English will vary, depending on the university and the course level.

Both faculty and students should consult with the libraries in your home institutions regarding remote access to library databases from Colombia.

Scholars may also find that many Colombian professors do not spend much time in their departments, which may lead to difficulties in creating a sense of community with colleagues. Many professors have joint university appointments or other professional commitments. We recommend that both scholars and students regularly consult the web pages of your universities so as to be informed about academic and cultural activities.

Academic Assignment Faculty members and most students have already arranged their academic affiliations. For those students who still have not secured an institutional affiliation, the Commission will arrange for you to be placed in an appropriate department. We will be happy to discuss the placement process with you. For all grantees in the U.S. Student Program, the Commission will also attempt to identify an ex-Fulbrighter in your host university who will be willing to serve as an additional advisor. The Commission requests that we be kept informed of all details related to grantees’ academic plans, including research, teaching assignments, and conference participation by scholars, and coursework, research, and outreach activities by students. We would appreciate being copied on all substantive email communication between the grantees and the host universities. Remember that your behavior, commitment and seriousness of purpose is also a reflection on the Fulbright Colombia and the entire Fulbright program.

It is strongly recommended that you inform your host institution of the Fulbright award and of your anticipated arrival date, as well as discuss with your academic contact your specific plans for the period of your Fulbright grant. We think it`s worthwhile to make a telephone call from the U.S. to your principal academic contact prior to arriving. You should not spare any effort in planning your academic activities ahead of time.

Careful preparation can make the difference between a very satisfying experience in Colombia and one that perhaps may be not so rewarding. Do not assume anything and make sure that there is full understanding of all issues among you, your host university and Fulbright Colombia.

Communication should improve significantly upon your arrival in Colombia. Do not hesitate to consult with your coordinator and with the staff of the Commission on the progress of your activities. Given the short duration of the grants, it is not permitted to introduce significant changes into your plan of activities without the previous approval of the Commission. Neither is it permitted to change university assignments.

Most university semesters run from mid-January or early February until mid-May or early June, and from August to November.

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VIII. COURTESIES AND CUSTOMS General Colombians are a very friendly and welcoming people. As a country without a very developed tourist industry, and whose security problems have had a chilling effect on international travel, grantees visiting Colombia for the first time will almost certainly be pleasantly surprised with the warm reception they receive. This is especially the case in regional cities and in university settings, where student exchange programs are practically nonexistent.

In general, the inhabitants of the “tierra fría” regions of Colombia are more formal, reserved and distant than those in “tierra caliente” who are considered more open, relaxed and spontaneous. Foreign visitors will be treated with almost impeccable courtesy until a friendship is developed, which is usually on Colombian terms.

Once you pass the test, you basically become a member of the family.

Colombians are also extremely sociable. Privacy and down-time are not as important as they are to people from the U.S. If you are invited to a lunch on a weekend, expect it to be an all-afternoon affair. Likewise, dinner invitations may be for 8 pm, but the meal may not be served until after 10 or 11:00.

Social Customs Social relationships in Colombia are conducted according to various rituals that are adhered to at all levels of society. Colombian social customs are more formal and traditional than those in the U.S. Greetings and farewells are always expected. Hands are shaken, or cheeks kissed in greeting, on almost every occasion with the exception of very informal situations. This is a Latin custom to which most Americans will have to become accustomed. Women also shake hands in professional situations, unless there is an established relationship, in which the greeting is accompanied by a kiss on the cheek. In social situations, women always greet and take their leave of both men and women by a kiss on the cheek.

In social situations it is expected that every individual in the room will be greeted, even if you have seen the person only a few minutes before. Except in the case of a very large party or reception, upon entering the room or restaurant, you must greet every person present. Even in large groups, it is customary to stop at each small gathering and shake hands or kiss each person present, whether you know him/her personally or not. Likewise, when another guest arrives (or leaves), you can expect to be greeted individually whether the person knows you or not, even by children and adolescents. It is considered extremely bad manners to give a general greeting and to begin a conversation with one or two persons while ignoring the others. In the case of greetings a simple "Buenos días," or "Buenas tardes," or "Buenas noches" is usually sufficient. The greeting depends on the time of day, of course.

When leaving, the same form of individual leave-taking with a handshake, a kiss in the case of women, and a thank you and goodbye is expected. When leaving, 'adiós,' 'hasta luego,' o 'hasta mañana,' are used. Not surprisingly, taking your leave in large groups can be quite time-consuming.

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The average U.S. citizen often rebels at this "foolishness," or simply feels uncomfortable with such formality. But remember, this is expected of you and a simple thing such as shaking hands is a small price to pay for being socially accepted. One consolation to this is that after six months of conscious practice, it begins to become natural. Saying “gracias” is always expected even for the most trivial of courtesies and favors.

Colombian men usually stand when another man or woman enters the room in a social situation. Women may remain seated.

When going out with someone or eating at a restaurant, it is usually expected that each adult man in the party try to pay the whole bill. This typically results in a bit of a scramble at the end of the meal to pick up the tab, which is considered a gracious and sociable thing to do. Women are not expected to enter into this competition.

There is the expectation that, in the long run, things generally come out more or less even with everyone taking turns at treating the other. 'Going Dutch' or 'a la americana' is practiced only among close friends or in very informal situations, and involves splitting the bill evenly among the number of people in the group regardless of who ordered what. It is irrelevant to Colombians if it works out to the penny or not, and taking out a calculator to determine the exact portion of each person’s bill is considered exceptionally bad-mannered, and even tacky.

When a Colombian says he/she is “inviting”, that means that he/she will pay for the outing.

Among younger people, when groups of friends get together to buy one thing (a bottle of aguardiente, a large order of food, etc.), sharing the cost equally and putting in your share is called “haciendo la vaca”. If you are out with a group, it would be considered rude not to pitch in and “hacer la vaca” if it seems like most people are willing to put in for food or drink. If you don´t, they’ll likely share with you anyway to include you in the group and you’ll just feel guilty for not having given them any money.

For professional meetings, it is essential to make an appointment. It is also advisable to arrange interviews through contacts who are familiar with your research and acquainted with the person being interviewed. The "how and through whom" an interview is arranged can be very important to the substance of an interview. This is where personal contacts previously established become essential.

Printed business cards may also be useful for introduction. They can include your name and title, your position at home, your field, your local address and phone number in Colombia. Grantees in the U.S. Student and ETA programs should under no circumstances refer to themselves as Fulbright Scholars, this being a distinction reserved for academics with a Ph.D. dedicated to scholarly pursuits. Fulbright Grantee, Fulbright Fellow or Becarios Fulbright are suggested. Business cards can be ordered at any printing shop in town at a very reasonable price. You may also wish to have on hand a formal letter of introduction from mutual friends, a university authority, the Fulbright Director, or any other appropriate reference. In some instances you may obtain more cooperation by showing such a letter.

Be punctual for meetings. In spite of the reputation that Colombians, and Latinos in general, have for being fairly lax about time commitments, business schedules in Colombia are usually taken very seriously by everyone and time is allocated sparingly, with rare exceptions.

In a place where you will be working frequently, i.e. library, university, research site, or institution try to abide by their regulations and customs. Above all, it is essential to establish good working relations with all the appropriate employees, including those in the lowest ranks; learn and use their names. Offer your help in those areas where you have special expertise, be appreciative of their role and their knowledge, greet them each day, learn to engage in small talk.

Unlike for Americans, religion and politics are not taboo subjects for Colombians. In fact, politics is a favorite topic, so come prepared for intense discussions about Colombian politics, the internal conflict, U.S. foreign policy, Barack Obama and the Tea Party, and Plan Colombia. Personal and family issues can also be approached and discussed, but usually not during the first meeting.

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Is "you," “tú," or "usted" or “vos”? Although usted was traditionally " reserved to show great distance and respect, today both usted and tu, and vos in Cali, are used by all ages and by all social classes. For older Colombians the use of the correct form has always been a delicate issue, with the use of tu by a younger person with an elder being considered rather rude and impertinent. As a foreigner you will probably be cut some slack on this. The safest thing to do is to wait for the person you are with to take the initiative and to follow him or her. Usually both parties must use the same form, either "tú" or "usted."

The coastal regions tend to use tu more than usted. Usted is however, much more frequently used in the interior regions even among young people. It is not uncommon for even brothers and sisters or boyfriends and girlfriends to treat each other with the “usted” (or even "su merced") form in parts of Cundinamarca and Boyacá.

In Bogotá, men will almost always speak to each other using the “usted” form. It can be considered effeminate and even “homosexual” to speak using the “tú” form between men. Among young women, and between males and females, the “tú” form is most common unless there is a significant difference in age or unfamiliarity between them.

One colombianismo that may be particularly difficult to get used to is the use of the term “marica” (fag) between friends. Colombian society is not quite as attuned to American-style political correctness as you may be used to, but there is rarely ever anything negative meant by it. It may sound strange to hear two friends speaking to each other with the formal usted form call each other “marica”, but it is just as common as two Americans calling each other “man” or “dude”. On the coast, in Cartagena for example, even two people who have never met before will call each other “marica”. Please keep in mind that this is not meant to be offensive in any way. Words like “marica” and “juevón” are so frequently used that they`ve become linguistic muletillas for many people – sprinkled throughout sentences when they don`t even seem to fit.

Though there is a significant degree of machismo in Colombia, slowly but surely homosexuality is becoming more accepted throughout the country, especially in the larger metropolitan areas. It is, however, much more likely that the LGBT community maintains less public openness in regards to their orientation or relationships.

American women may find the machismo of Colombian men disconcerting at first. Some men in the street enjoy staring quite frankly at young women, making suggestive comments as they walk by, offering “piropos” (catcalls), or addressing them in an extremely familiar way. Colombian women are not usually bothered by this, and may even be flattered by the attention, depending on who is making the comments. Foreign women, who usually have a rather different take on this, are advised to not be confrontational, and to simply ignore such behavior.

Living with a Family If you are going to live with a Colombian family, you will be able to learn much more about how Colombians feel on many issues. At the same time you will have to exercise your patience and flexibility to adapt to their way of life. Care must be taken to preserve your privacy and that of the family, while at the same time sharing everyday family life from the beginning. Helping with the household chores, punctuality, use of the phone, food consumption, use of the kitchen, laundry, going out, the door key, TV viewing, participation in family events, and receiving visits are some of the matters that should be clarified in order to avoid wrong assumptions which are liable to cause misunderstandings.

The best advice is to try to adjust your behavior to the norms of your host family; in this way, you will be able to enjoy their hospitality without problems.

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Phrases of Courtesy Living in Colombia will surely improve the Spanish language skills of all grantees. This is a gradual process that will come in its own time. Nevertheless, in this section we provide a few Spanish language suggestions to get you started in social situations that you may find useful.

Greeting acquaintances.

If you run into someone with whom you are acquainted in the street, but you don’t want to stop and chat, you can simply say Adios or chao If it is someone you know fairly well, you can add a bit more: Hola Carlos. Cómo estás? or Hola Carlos. Cómo te va?.

Entering a home Upon entering the home of a friend or acquaintance, standard greetings include: Cómo estás?, Cómo te va?, y Qué hay?.

Show me respect!

Colombians tend to be more formal than Americans, and are not always comfortable using, or being addressed by, first names. In all professional situations, and whenever there is any doubt, always address someone with Señor or Señora. In most Latin American countries you will find that almost anyone with a university degree of any kind is referred to as Doctor or Doctora, for example Doctor Rodríguez. Do not be surprised if you are addressed in this manner, especially by lower level employees in offices and universities. Wait for someone to invite you to address them by their first name, or else follow the lead of your Colombian friends.

Meeting Friends There are a number of informal forms to use in greetings with friends, including Cómo estas?, Cómo te va?, Qué has hecho?, Qué hay de nuevo?. Qué màs? and Qué hubo? (sometimes shortened to Qubo?) are likely the most popular among youth to ask “What´s up?”

Introductions It is common practice for someone who is about to make an introduction to first ask: Ustedes no se conocen?

Usually one or both will say No tengo el gusto. The person making the introduction will commonly give both names, to which the introduced individuals respond Mucho gusto, Mucho gusto de conocerlo(a) or Encantado de conocerlo(a).

Saying Goodbye The most common forms include Hasta luego, Hasta mañana, and Chao, all of which are used when you expect to see the person in the near future. Hasta mañana is commonly used, even though you do not necessarily expect to see the person the next day. In the countryside Adios is still the most common form to say good-bye. Among young people Adiós is considered rather cold, unless you add Adiós, mucho gusto de verte or Adiós, que estés muy bien.

If you have an appointment for a later time or another day Hasta la tarde, Hasta mañana or Hasta el jueves, etc.

Colombianismos ü ü

Chévere/Bacano – “Cool” (un bacán is a really cool person) Mentiras – “Just kidding”. Sarcasm, you will find, is so imbedded in American English that you will not realize how often you use it. It is far less common in Colombia, and after making a mistake, exaggerating, or saying something sarcastic, most people will reassure you even in the most obvious cases that “…no, mentiras.”

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Nos Vemos/Estamos Hablando – They may mean "we'll be seeing/talking to each other", but they're just an empty conversational formality in Colombia and should be taken with a grain of salt. Don't feel bad if you never see or talk to that person again. Así es la vida.

Ocho días/Quince días – One week/Two weeks Cuadrar – Cuadrar is a common verb meant to arrange a meeting/outing. This is not to be confused with "cuadrarse", which would mean to "hook-up".

Rumbear – To go out and have a good time. La rumba is the party (dancing, drinking), which should not be confused with "rumbearse" (to kiss/make out).

Pailas – This is harder to define exactly. Pailas can be just “bad luck”, or it can be an expression or exclamation after something bad happens. For example: “Oye, marica, me acaban de despedir!” “Pailas, hermano.”Or, for example, if you do poorly on a test: “Cómo te fue en el examen?” “Pailas.”Or if you are playing a sport and mess up: “Pailas!”

Emergency Contacts ü

Fulbright Colombia Commission phone •

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+57 1 2324326

Paola Morales pmorales@fulbright.edu.co 3102469460 Adriana Castro acastro@fulbright.edu.co 3214856223 Ann Mason amason@fulbright.edu.co

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U.S. Embassy American citizen service http://bogota.usembassy.gov/service.html +57 1 3832811

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Municipal Emergency Services Police: Fire: Ambulance: Red Cross:

123 119 123 132

WELCOME TO COLOMBIA!

Orientation Guide 2013