COLOMBIA - When I first traveled to Colombia twenty five years ago, the experience was unsettling. I first noticed the altitude. Bogota is 8,600 feet above sea level. You feel it. The country was going through a very violent period which was the worst in all of South America. I remember that there were police on every corner with machine guns! How things have changed!

Through political leadership and the involvement of community groups, the cities are cleaner and safer. The economy continues to grow, and tourism is flourishing. Be sure to visit the Botero Museum. Fernando Botero is known for his "fat people" art. Colombia is a culturally rich country and rightfully claims the highest education level in all of South America. There is a famous saying, "Venezuela is a barracks, Ecuador is a monastery, and Colombia is a university."

With the improvement of the political situation has come an enlivened business scene. Numerous multinational companies are headquartered in Bogota. I work with several of these companies helping them communicate with more confidence in English which is their second, third, or even fourth language.

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