Welcome to Cali

Understanding identity abroad is important—regardless of whether or not you think it will play a role in your own experience. While we strive to create and maintain programs that support students of all races, religions, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientations, you also play a crucial role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for your peers navigating aspects of their identity in a new country. The information and resources on this page serve as a starting point to help you understand experiences you or your CET classmates may encounter while abroad.

Cultural Climate

Race & Ethnicity

Though Cali has the largest Black population in Colombia, the city is still in the process of improving political representation and inclusion of black and indigenous peoples. Anti-discrimination laws (Law 1482) have been in place since 2011 to grant legal protection to individuals from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, religion, political ideology, or ethnic and cultural origin. There are some local community groups that students can reach out to, and on-site staff can provide more details upon request.

LGBTQ

Cali is considered to be one of the most liberal cities in Colombia. Legally, discrimination against LGBTQ individuals is prohibited by Law 1482, but that does not mean that there are no issues of discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. Universidad del Valle, one of the program’s host universities, is a progressive and inclusive institution with community groups, research teams, and organizations that focus on LGBTQ issues.

Gender

There have been issues of discrimination towards those outside the gender binary. However, discussions around gender and gender nonconformity are slowly increasing, and there are various organizations and support groups that are advocating for the rights of gender diverse individuals throughout Colombia.

Religion

There are no in-country attitudes towards certain religions and discrimination on the basis of religion is prohibited by federal law. Religious students can expect to practice their faiths while abroad in Colombia, and can be given excused absences for religious holidays with advanced notice to on-site staff.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Colombia is considerably more affordable than that of the US, and on par with neighboring countries. A month’s groceries for one person will cost about $30 USD, with fresh fruits and vegetables costing ~$1/lb or less. A one-way bus ride is 0.50 USD and a $20 USD taxi/Uber ride in the US would be approximately $2 to $5 USD in Colombia. Past students have mentioned that establishing and adhering to a budget at the beginning of the term was a strategy that helped manage any financial stress. Check out our budget sheet to get an idea of what life in Colombia might look like financially.

Accommodations Abroad

CET makes every effort to offer accommodations comparable to those of your home institution. Disclosing early helps us to make proper preparations and work with you to determine if a program will be a good fit. We recommend that you use the following details to inform your decisions and conversations with your Student Services Coordinator.

ACCESS in ACADEMICS

Day-to-Day

Students can expect to attend classes for 3 to 6 hours a day, with typical class sizes ranging between 7 to 20.

Services available for students with documented need: Low-distraction test environment; extra time on exams; modified deadlines and seating; audio recordings of lectures; syllabi/readings/assignments in advance; a computer to take exams; mobility orientation to campus.

Classrooms

CET classes are held at our program house, Casa CET. Because Casa CET is a three-floor house with stairs, it is not accessible for those using mobility aids. Direct-enroll classes are held at either of the program’s host universities: Universidad del Valle (UNIVALLE) and Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO). Both universities are wheelchair accessible.

Out-of-Class Activities

CET occasionally plans mandatory academic activities and optional trips to nearby sites and other cities after class and on weekends. Excursions may involve urban walking, rural hiking, use of public transportation, and/or going up and down stairs.

Itinerary modifications and accommodations can be made for students with documented need. Transportation can be arranged as necessary, and excused absences are provided for mandatory excursions that are inaccessible due to a disability.

ACCESS IN HOUSING

Your Home Abroad

Apartments are located in a residential neighborhood within a 15-minute walk of the CET Center, where on-site staff have offices. Depending on whether classes are held at UNIVALLE or UAO that day, students will commute either by foot or by bus. The apartment complex has an accessible elevator and an individual’s housing can be made wheelchair accessible if requested far in advance.

Housing Assignments

Apartment configurations vary but can include mix-gender and same-gender setups. Rooms are typically shared, but a single room in a shared apartment, may be available for students with documented need if requested in advance.

Around Cali

Cali has sidewalks, curb cuts, ramps, and elevators/escalators for public transportation. Traffic lights are also accessibly equipped. Generally speaking, accessibility across the city varies and students can expect some places to be inaccessible.

"Throughout all the courses we have taken and the trips we have gone on, there is an emphasis on understanding the culture and identity of the people and spaces we meet."

— Anonymous Midterm Evaluation
Fall 2022

Explore Colombia on the
Student Voices Blog

Health & Diet

As a part of your program fee, you are enrolled in GeoBlue health insurance for the entire duration of your program. Learn more about GeoBlue and how we operate programs with health and safety in mind.

Health & Medicine

During orientation, on-site staff provide students with basic information and recommendations for seeing a doctor and buying medicine. There are some prescription medications that are not accessible in Colombia—students should do their research beforehand and ensure they bring their prescription and the necessary amount if in-country refills won’t be possible.

Keeping Fit in Cali

Students have free access to university sports and dance clubs, as well as other sports facilities. The apartment complex offers use of a communal swimming pool and soccer/basketball courts for free. Students can also participate in nightly Zumba classes at Parque el Ingenio ($1USD/class).

Managing Mental Health

There are counseling services at both UNIVALLE and UAO, as well as private counseling centers in the city where students can seek mental health services. Students are also encouraged to use TeleMed services with GeoBlue, their insurance provider abroad.

Dietary Restrictions

Vegetarian and vegan students can find suitable options around town. Students who have special dietary needs may have fewer options when eating out, but have access to a large variety of fresh produce and a kitchen equipped for cooking meals at their apartments.

Resources from Alumni

BLOG Posts

This is a curated list of blog posts chosen specifically to provide context for life abroad in Colombia. Posts here may cover culture shock, diversity, daily life and workload, etc. To see all posts from students in Colombia, head to the Student Voices blog.

Impressions of Identity in Colombia
By Amara Payne, George Washington University | CET Colombia, Spring 2022
To Call Cali Home
By Jermoyah Parkinson, Bowdoin College | CET Colombia, Spring 2022
Black Girl Abroad: How I Learned to Relinquish my Hold on Forced Identity
By Regine Miller, Howard University | CET Colombia, Spring 2020
13 Things I Learned from 6 Months in Colombia
By Audrey Friedline, The George Washington University | CET Colombia, Fall 2019

Perspective pieces

These are alumni-written essays that reflect upon how their own identity affected their time abroad (both good and bad) and what it was like to navigate another culture in their position. We encourage you to read these to better understand what studying abroad in Colombia could be like for you or your future peers.

There are no Perspective Pieces for CET Colombia yet. Interested in writing about your experience in Cali? Tell us about your time abroad.

Alumni Insight

In final evaluations, we ask students how their identities affected their experience abroad. The following are a few select quotes from recent program evaluations to help you understand what life in Colombia may be like for you or your future peers.

"My identity as an immigrant, and Black Latinx helped me connect so much of what I have learned to my own country and culture. This and my interests academically helped me connect so much to the program and my roommates."

"The main impact my identity had on my experience was to see the way my whiteness led some people I met to assume I was in Colombia for exploitative reasons (drugs, sex, tourism). A lot of times I was the first student asked to buy things because I was perceived to have more money. I could also see the affect that my whiteness drew interest versus some of the other students. There are still racial structures that picture me as more exotic or interesting and it was strange to grapple with legacies of colonialism while trying to focus in on Afrocolombians. "

"I found being from Kenya was a really good conversation starter with some of the Afro-Colombians I interacted with. It was an amazing opportunity for cultural exchange and for us to learn from each other. "

"Student activism in the Colombian context has forced me to rethink ways about organizing and collaborating at my university. Also my time with my roommates and having daily interactions with people here has caused me to reevaluate my own Latinidad and has been paramount for my own personal endeavors and growing culturally."

"I´m a black queer woman. Learning about Black people and Black women outside of the United States was very interesting and I love being able to learn more about the diaspora and see the similarities and differences between Black communities around the world."

"As a white Colombian-American, my identity framed my ability to engage with both my American peers and Colombian peers. Through my familiarity with Spanish, I was able to have serious and academic conversations regarding topics that are incredibly important to me. Nevertheless, I also often felt like a gringa, which was a bit disheartening as a U.S. Latina."

"Every day I am learning something new about myself and have to reflect on what this means in the Colombian context versus in the United States. For the first time in my life, I have been academically pushed to think more critically about Black topics because I am no longer the only person with that identity in the room, which I am extremely grateful for."

TALK TO ALUMNI

Chat with alumni about their experiences abroad. Once you start an application, your online CET account will give you access to the following resources:

Alumni Support List: A directory of students who have volunteered to chat about their experiences abroad in Cali.
Identity Abroad Support Network: A group of students who have volunteered to discuss their identity-related experiences in Colombia. This is a volunteer-based program that started in 2019. Volunteers can also opt to have their contact information kept privately by CET staff and only shared when certain lived experiences are asked about.

Don’t see anyone listed for the Identity Abroad Support Network? Call CET for more information and resources. Consider joining after your program to support other minority students abroad.