After having developed conversational proficiency in Spanish through my studies in the U.S. and in Mexico, I would like to travel to a different Latin American country to continue learning the language while also broadening my horizons. Colombia seems like it would be a country that is not so all-too-well known as Mexico and is also famous for having a very neutral and pure form of Spanish. Here are some of my thoughts based on the impressions I have gotten so far, but please give me your input and correct my presumptions where they're wrong.
The cities on the coast like Santa Marta and Cartagena might be safer because they are more touristed, but I would like to see mainstream Colombia and not just the tourist side of the country. I also hear that the coastal cities would have the fast and chopped Carribean accent.
Bogota is the capital and the city with the fame for having a more high-brow and pure form of the Spanish language. However, the city would be huge, the weather cold and cloudy, and the people less friendly.
Medellin would be a more medium-sized city with a more spring-like climate and friendlier people. However, there is a rise in crime there lately and I have gotten the impression that visitors could be mistaken for being one of the influx of sex tourists that enter the country (sick!).
Cali is another more medium sized major city but I have the impression that the city is still a somewhat dangerous place to be.
Any suggestions? Or is Colombia maybe not the best option in the first place and I should look more at other countries to go and visit?
The cities on the coast like Santa Marta and Cartagena might be safer because they are more touristed, but I would like to see mainstream Colombia and not just the tourist side of the country. I also hear that the coastal cities would have the fast and chopped Carribean accent.
Bogota is the capital and the city with the fame for having a more high-brow and pure form of the Spanish language. However, the city would be huge, the weather cold and cloudy, and the people less friendly.
Medellin would be a more medium-sized city with a more spring-like climate and friendlier people. However, there is a rise in crime there lately and I have gotten the impression that visitors could be mistaken for being one of the influx of sex tourists that enter the country (sick!).
Cali is another more medium sized major city but I have the impression that the city is still a somewhat dangerous place to be.
Any suggestions? Or is Colombia maybe not the best option in the first place and I should look more at other countries to go and visit?