# @oberlincollege on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DFyF9ZyorjF
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/26587040-oberlincollege-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/0ef80e595a.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-02-07T19:05:49.000+00:00

## Caption

Hi everyone! My name is Magnolia Ballew, and I am a first-year student. For my Winter Term project, I traveled to Medellín, Colombia, with twenty other Obies. The focus of this trip was cultural immersion, and there was an emphasis on the regenerative processes and peace efforts that have helped Medellín transform into the vibrant, innovative city it is today. This trip was led by the wonderful Ana María Díaz Burgos, Eric and Jane Nord Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies, and Oberlin alums Chris Schmucki ’22 and Dylan Mehri ’18. We had so much help and support from the International Relations team at Pontifical Bolivarian University (UPB). They showed us the city, helped coordinate our travel plans, and introduced us to Colombian dance and culture. 

Our daily schedule was pretty jam-packed! Often, we would begin in the classroom, where we would have lessons that offered context about the city's history taught by the fantastic teachers from UPB. Then we would have a delicious Colombian lunch, with lots of maduros (fried sweet plantains), aguacates (avocados), and cerdo (pork). From there, we would take a field trip to explore different parts of Medellín. We ate local fruits at the market, went on a graffiti tour, toured a coffee farm, planted basil in hydroponic systems, and learned about how hip-hop can help transform a community. We visited multiple museums, like the Medellín Modern Art Museum and the Memory House Museum. The latter honored and remembered the victims of the armed conflict and drug cartels in Medellín. We visited a botanical garden in Medellín and saw lots of wildlife, including macaws! My favorite adventure was traveling to Parque Arví, a nature preserve a little way out of the city, where we could hike and zip line. 

At the end of this two-week odyssey, we reflected on our experiences and gave many, many hugs to the wonderful people who took us in and showed us their city. This Winter Term experience was life-changing to me. Being immersed in this culture, in the language, and learning to connect with new people has been extraordinary!

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- **Likes:** 636
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## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| oberlincollege | @oberlincollege | https://gondola.cc/oberlincollege | University |
| Lucy Curtis | @1ucyyy | https://gondola.cc/1ucyyy | Photo Editor |
| Lucy Curtis | @1ucyyy | https://gondola.cc/1ucyyy | Social Media Coordinator |

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