Written by Jasbeth Medrano, (University of Texas at San Antonio), Student Correspondent for CET Colombia, Spring 2025
Hello! My name is Jasbeth and I am a political science student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. My parents are both Mexican, therefore my first language was Spanish. My career goals are to become an immigration lawyer and to advocate for equitable policies that prioritize migrant’s humanity. I love love love cats, and fashion is my passion <3 I also love singing, dancing, thrifting and anything artsy.
Now, I remember that when I was sifting through the student blogs, I really wanted to hear more about the living arrangements so I am here to answer (ideally most) of the living questions you may have as a prospective student!
What are the apartments like?
All of the apartments have the same elements, just different layouts: 3 bedrooms, a living room/dining room, a full kitchen and 2 bathrooms. Each apartment houses 4 people, meaning that two people will get their own rooms and one person will be sharing with a Colombian roommate. The buildings have elevators and stairs.
Where are they located?
Depending on the semester and the amount of students, the cohort will likely be split in between a couple of different complexes that are 8-15 minutes walking distance. All of them are less than a 20 minute walk from Casa CET and about a 20 minute drive from UAO. The complexes are all located in El Ingenio. They are also all surrounded by supermarkets, panaderias and even a luxurious mall called Jardin Plaza that has homeware, trendy stores and even an enormous supermarket.
Where can you get groceries?
Each complex will have a supermarket that is nearest to them. For people living in Torres de San Joaquin, that will likely be Cañaveral. It is a smaller supermarket, but I have happily found just about everything I’ve needed there (minus chiles secos para hacer pozole o asado). There is also a super cute coffee shop called La Sebastiana with a delicious Cobb Salad and some Chai Tea. My friends and I have definitely done 8+ hour long study sessions there.
Do they offer any amenities?
Yes! While it depends on the complex, most of the apartments offer group fitness and have access to a pool. The Torres pool is absolutely stunning and is surrounded by palm trees. We also have yoga classes, aerorumba (basically Zumba), and cardio classes on different days of the week for less than $4 a class. But, if that’s not enough, UAO offers free classes for students (you would just have to cover transportation; if you go with friends, it can be pretty cheap!)
Does the apartment come equipped?
Yes! The apartment comes with towels, bedding and everything you could need to cook and clean. CET equips the apartments with pots, pans, utensils, mugs, plates and even toppers. They also provide trash cans, brooms, mops and in some apartments, even coffee makers and a panini press. You mainly have to worry about covering the cost of groceries/perishable items and cleaning chemicals.
What the heck is “Rappi”?
Rappi is a delivery app that delivers just about anything and everything. From food, to water shoes, to projectors, Rappi truly has everything. Of course, you have to pay for the delivery fee and the tip to the driver, but honestly it is so worth it for the days you just don’t want to leave the apartment.
What do y’all do for water?
Water in Cali is potable! I would suggest drinking bottled water for the first couple of days, and then slowly transition into tap water. My trick is to get a large bottle, fill it up with tap water and put it in the fridge. That way, you can have nice cold water all the time.
What is it like sharing a room?
It can be a learning adjustment! I haven’t shared a room with another student since my freshman year of college. However, if you are respectful of each other’s schedules, and keep up with chores, everything should be fine. I personally love my roommate and would say that our schedules are rather similar, so the transition really wasn’t bad.
I’ve also turned to new (probably more productive) ways to destress since I’ve shared a room. For example, one of my biggest flaws was that when I was stressed, I would typically just lay in bed all day and end up feeling even worse about myself. However, now when I’m feeling stressed, I’ll do a couple laps around the perimeter of the pool and feel so much better.
Are there any rules?
Similar to any rooming arrangement with multiple people, you will have to come up with a system for delegating chores. My roomies and I have found that having one person sweep, mop, take out the trash and clean surfaces every other day has been very effective. I’ll attach our chores chart if anyone needs inspiration. Apart from this, the apartments typically have quiet hours you must abide by, as well as very strict no smoking rules for students.
How’s the hair care?
Okay, most people probably don’t care about hair care, but I just have to tell y’all that Colombia has the best haircare omg! I always knew I had curly hair, but in the States, I just could not find products that worked for me. Anyways, I got here and tried the L’oreal Elvive pink hair cream and guys, my hair is BEAUTIFUL. My curls are so bouncy, beautiful and soft. Needless to say, I’m bringing back a carry-on full of this hair cream and hair mask.
Overall, living arrangements in Colombia have been great. CET does a really good job of ensuring students are compatible with each other. If you are worried about the living situation, I can assure you there is nothing to be worried about.
Also, I want to start sharing some of my favorite songs I’ve picked up from Cali! These will mainly be songs that I hear from neighbors, out on the streets and on outings. First one I want to share is a song that you may be familiar with already, but maybe not the version. Anywhere they are playing salsa, this song WILL play: Careless Whispers – Orquesta La Palabra.