Trump’s measures in his recent days of government

By Laura Camila Morón Herrera (1^st semester FIGRI student, level 3 English)

Recently, the world has to come to terms with a new American president who makes controversial decisions that have global consequences. One such example is the Immigration reform, introduced last Monday, which forbids entry to the USA to people coming from seven majority Muslim countries, Yemen, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Somalia; this legislation also reduces the number of permitted refugees and Green Card holders from these countries.

In the first place, this topic has been of great shock for the world because it clearly exposes an order which is prepared to attack fundamental human rights.  It also ends up being unconstitutional; the federal demands have been multiple; however, it is the majority republican congress that makes decisions.

Nevertheless, the most important part of this case are the refugees and immigrants that have been affected by this policy, and the deplorable situation they have been put into. Aside for being a war on refugees, migrating to western countries often results in discomfort and a feeling of unworthiness as a result of culture clash and bigotry, added to this, there is the the process of adopting a new model of society. Looking at it from the point of view of these people, and not forgetting the immigrants that have a green card or even nationality, we are looking at a constitutional problem that violates the rights of the American population and also breaks international treaties such as the Geneva Convention.

Trump has sought to change the image of the USA in front of the world, closing its doors to those he considers an imminent danger to the nation, with his measures being completely the opposite to those his nation professes in its constitution. His objective of fulfilling his campaign promises, and his promise to “make America great again”, have turned into a declaration of war against the vulnerable, but at the same time, this might be an effective fight against terrorism that could possibly lead to Trump becoming an American hero.  

If I had a lot of money

By Harold Andrés Moyano Niño (Level 4 English student)

If I had a lot of money, I would buy a huge house surrounded by tall shrubs. The house would be on the outskirts of the city. Maybe, it could be in Holland. The house wouldn't be located in the city centre because of the traffic and the parking spots, but it wouldn't be situated far from downtown.

My dream house would have two floors with a terrace, a big garage and a blue swimming pool bordered by a garden full of plants and trees, and a path of pebbles that would lead from the main gate to the main door of the house.

Inside the house, there would be huge French windows with long curtains and stylish furniture. On the first floor, there would be four bedrooms with huge beds and spacious wardrobes, and two bathrooms (one of them with a jacuzzi). The kitchen would have a two-door fridge and a stove with an oven. Also, there would be a living room where friends could visit. This would have big sofas and a giant TV where we could watch movies.

On the second floor, there would be a games room where I could play with my friends and my family. There would also be another bathroom, and office where I could work and study, and finally a little room where I could do exercise. This would have several machines and a good stereo to listen to music while I work out.

The terrace would be on top of the house, with shade from the sun and a tanning area.

It would not be a house just for me, but also for my wife and our children.

13 Going on 30

By Estefanía Vargas Galvis (level 4 English)

This film, 13 Going on #0, was directed by Gary Winick. The film has won important nominations and three interesting awards: a Teen Choice Award, a People's Choice Award, and an MTV Movie Award in different categories.

It's a romantic comedy fantasy film. The film was produced by Revolution Studios for Columbia Pictures. It was released in 2003 and the location was LA, California.

Jenna Rink, a girl who wants to be popular, invites the most important people in her school to a party. She promises to do their homework if they all attend. However, they set a trap for her and she feels disappointed with her life.

She wishes to be 30 years old and her dream comes true. In this moment, she starts to return to get back her past life and her best friend.

I strongly recommend 13 Going on 30 because it has an amazing soundtrack and can make you feel that mistakes aren't bad for your life. You need to learn about them!

Why do you have to visit Villavicencio?

By Ana Lucía Jiménez Cañón (1st semester FIGRI student, level 4 English)

Many people that live in Bogotá have visited Villavicencio yet, but they don’t know how is the importance of visit Villavicencio. First I should say that Villavicencio is so near to Bogotá, the weather is hot, but sometimes it’s cold, it’s delicious. Also, Villavicencio is a place that have the commodities of a city, like malls, and the rural commodities too, like ride horses, bathe in rivers and others.

Why Villavicencio is an important city? Villavicencio is known like the plaid door, with many cultural riches, in landscapes and traditions. The importance to visit Villavicencio is to know the culture, learn about to dance Joropo, a beautiful dance of which we do the international Joropo tournament. It riches includes the food, a delicious meet better known as mamona and a soup call sancocho. 

The best experience that Villavicencio can offer you is that is so near to Caño Cristales, the most beautiful river in the world, which has 5 colors, yellow, blue, green, red and black. There you will see plants, rocks and sand. But you must visit it in the appropriate season to enjoy this wonderful place that only offers you the “Llano”.

My invitation to you is to go there, know about the culture and the important places, but also to know that is a city of lovely people that works for you to take the best of our land. 

Never Give Up

By Ricardo Díaz (8^th semester FIGRI student, English through Multimedia student)

“So thank you for choosing our futures in your present”. As Michelle concluded, the crowd roars with a big round of applause after such a moving speech. She smiles and wipes the tears off her eyes as she steps down from the podium, reaches her table and sits down after hugging her mother.

Michelle is a 22-year-old girl who had to deal with a traumatic event that changed her life forever: seeing how her family was slowly torn apart by an unjust and broken system. To confront such tragedy, she has taken it upon herself to stop such disgrace to befall others in her situation, the deportation of immigrants from The United States.

She was 13 years old when that fateful event happened. As Michelle was in her English class taking the SRI test, a runner came into her classroom saying that she was needed at the main office. It was weird to her since it was Wednesday morning and the only thing out of the ordinary that she had done was to arrive 40 minutes late to school that day.

“As I arrived to the main office, I saw my aunt standing there with a pale face. She looked at me sternly and said, “I do not know how to say this, but… your family has been taken by immigration and want to pick you up too.” As my aunt finished, I started crying uncontrollably while she hugged me. It was all so fast and hard to take in.”

ICE arrived and picked her up to take her and her family to Miami to be processed. “We were treated like criminals the whole time we were under custody. We were not allowed to go to the bathroom alone and were constantly watched by somebody. It was humiliating and horrible.”

At the end of the day Michelle’s family was released under two conditions: Every member of the family was forced to sign a document saying they had to eventually leave the country and one of the members had to stay with the immigration police to be deported immediately. “My father offered himself for our sake. That was the first member I saw being taken from me. I was heartbroken.” she said, as calmly as she could muster.

Michelle’s family lived in fear and constant hiding for years after that until the time arrived for another member of her family to be taken from her: it was her two older brothers who made the choice to leave. “They had both graduated already and with no opportunity to progress as people because of the document they signed years earlier, they did not see the point of lingering any longer. I was fortunate to be young enough during the signing of the papers that I was not forced to sign them.”

As only her mother and Elizabeth remained, feelings of sadness and depression began creeping in. “It was awful because I continued on with my life being known as a loner trying to get by when my whole life I had been associated with two other individuals who were always there for me.”

Although Michelle dealt with a rough teenage, she did not let these hard times get to her. As a matter of fact, she turned these into strengths. She eventually got a job and kept going from there where she made it possible to juggle 3 jobs while at the same time paving her way to college. “It was really hard to deal with all 4 things at once, but I did the best I could. Still, I felt that there was more I could do.”

During her college application process, Michelle met an individual who was part of a group called “Global Education”. “Due to my circumstances as an immigrant and everything I was doing I was offered a scholarship to reward my hard work. This person was also a member of a club called EQUAL, who gets involved in dealing with and making awareness of issues that plague our community on a daily basis.”

Among the many topics that EQUAL dealt with, there was the one about immigration. They delve into the subject from basic human rights being violated to immigrant families being torn apart because of a fragmented U.S. political system. “When I saw that this club was involved in this matter, something deep within me urged me to join. I knew I could not do anything for my family, but I could try to give a voice to those that are currently going through what I was going through and lend them a hand in some way.”

With this conviction fueling her, Michelle joined EQUAL and has been going around different states where a good portion of the population are immigrants to share her story in conferences set up by the club and let them know that they are not alone, they should not give up, that they matter and above all else that it is possible to triumph even if the world seems to be against you. “This journey has not been easy. However, knowing that there are others with a story similar to mine out there that could use a few words of encouragement and guidance to keep going is something I cannot deny them. If someone would have done the same for me, to inform me of what I can do and what I can become, my family would still be together today.”

Yoga + Body + Mind

By María Jose Barón Valverde (3^rd semester Hotel administration student, level 4 English)

Currently, more than a simple trend, practicing yoga has become a lifestyle that can be seen as mystical, maybe because it belongs to a far-away traditional culture very different from our current western world. Nonetheless, with the diverse types of yoga that exist today, anyone can do it.

Doing yoga can be a good idea since it has been shown to bring both physical and emotional benefits. One can say that doing yoga improves people’s brain skills, given that it encourages mental relaxation and changes our feelings. Besides, yoga methods generate positive effects for health problems, so it lets people achieve a necessary balance between soul and body. Each semester at Externado brings you a lot of work and stress, and yoga can help you to survive university life. It is important to dedicate time to yourself, so you can do some exercises at home or, if you prefer, at the university. If you are a beginner, you can follow these steps to enjoy the experience.

1-     Find a calm and well-lit place

2-     Turn off all gadgets

3-     Make sure you have time

4-     Be in a quiet place

5-     Wear comfortable clothes and get a mat

Here are some “asanas” (special postures) to practice yoga.

Goat: with your face down, stretch out your legs. Fold your arms and rest them on the floor. Raising your chest, keep your legs on the floor and lift your chin (for 30 secs).

Tree: stand up with straight legs and put your hands together over your head, folding your elbows. Lift up one leg and rest your sole on the opposite thigh (for 30 secs).

Triangle: spread your legs and raise your arms to shoulder-level. Inhale and forward until you can touch your feet with your fingers. Then repeat on the other side (for 30 secs).

Wild Magic in the Amazon

By Jhon Milton Arévalo Locarno (3rd semester Economics student, Level 4 English)

If you are Colombian or a foreigner with plans to visit this incredible country, you cannot say that you have been to Colombia if you have not visited this charming place.

Colombia has grown in recent years, and now its cities, towns and villages have a personality that attracts more and more tourists. Nevertheless, sometimes not even Colombian people know many wonderful places in the country.

Now the star is Leticia, an unexplored place with strange and delicious food, extreme activities for everyone and many secrets for adventurers. If you like to dance and you always wanted to learn how to do the “samba” maybe this small city could be the best place in Colombia to learn.

Leticia is amazing but the real charm of the Amazon is its river, its skies and its people. Just because of these things, I am sure that Leticia will leave you speechless, particularly if you are young because every night the music, food, dance and a magical show of stars take over the streets and bridges. On the other hand, if you enjoy something more mature and easy-going, the city also offers some places to learn more about the culture.

You can enjoy the beautiful landscapes in the morning, eat delicious traditional food for lunch and go to look at the sky at night. You can be sure of one thing: Leticia always has something for you.

In this paradise, you can always visit the river and see piranhas and pink dolphins but if you want something more extreme, I recommend you pay for a tour of Monkey Island. This is an incredible island with thousands of monkeys. Take care though, because they can steal everything you carry!

This city is not always on the top lists of places in Colombia, but you are invited to swim with dolphins, drink carambola juice and live the first great day of the rest of your life here!

I am sure that if you take my advice you will experience a great moment in your life. Just give this city a chance, and try other flavours, other experiences, and another life.

The origin of music in Colombia

By Camila Valencia (1^st semester FIGRI student, level 4 English)

Nowadays, music is something that transcends in societies. It is a medium that transmits our thoughts and feelings, but also lets us know a bit more about other cultures. Colombia is a multicultural country, which makes our musical genres very diverse. Every department is characterized by having different musical genres to other departments.

However, many of us don’t know where all this music which represents us as Colombians came from! It dates back centuries, when the Spanish conquered us. They brought two new cultures that mixed with our indigenous culture. The first came because of the Africans, who were brought as slaves. They had a big influence in the Pacific Coast, where they mixed their culture with the religious songs and prayers that the Spanish had taught them. This, added to instruments like "marimbas de chonta" and "guases" created currulao.

Vallenato originated from old songs from the livestock areas of Valledupar. It was played with drums with a single lid or "cajas" and the songs were aimed at social criticism, or told stories about the people from the town. Years after the creation of this musical genre, the Spanish brought us the accordion, the instrument that finally completed it. 

These are just a few examples about where our music has come from. It has had different influences since the conquest of Colombia, but now it's our representation to the world.

However, nowadays music in Colombia has changed, and our culture isn’t as representative as it was before. The arrival of technology has brought a wave of new music that is replacing traditional music like San Juanero or currulao. This means that the vast majority of young people from our country don’t even know these genres. Of course, some genres, like vallenato, are better recognized than others, and likewise some singers, like Shakira, Carlos Vives, J Balvin, and Cabas, are representative of our country, even if the music they play isn’t from our region.

It’s necessary to recognize that with the passing of time, customs are changing, and that’s okay. Receiving new cultures is rewarding for our country, but it’s also necessary we show the world our culture too. Every country has things which represent it, like dances, food, landscapes, tourist areas, and even the people. Music has an important role too, and so it's our duty as Colombians to highlight our own music, and have a balance between the things that come from other countries and the things that are born in our land.

THE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!

By Laura Heredia (1st semester Social Communication student, level 4 English)

I want to share an incredible experience that I had on the 10^th of September last year!

That day, I went to Flandes, Tolima, and I was ready for the most amazing experience of my life. I was so excited, because it was the first time I was going to try parachuting.

I went with a friend so that I wouldn’t feel lonely. I was with him when I said goodbye to my parents, who were really nervous and even more excited than me!

After about half an hour, the plane was ready. In the plane, there were four of us: the pilot, my friend, the instructor and me.

We had been flying for an hour when the moment to jump arrived. My friend was at the door, so he went first and then it was my turn. We said goodbye to the pilot and we jumped! I felt a lot of adrenaline, and we were in freefall for more or less 1 minute. Before I landed I enjoyed all the views while we did a lot of spins for around 3 minutes. For most of the time, I was watching the camera that the instructor had on his wrist, which was filming everything, from when we were at the airport until we landed. When we arrived to the ground I landed standing up but there are different ways to land, because when I saw my friend, I saw that he had landed sitting down. I asked the instructor and he told me that he thought that I could do it standing up so I felt really good. I felt like a professional!

I really recommend this experience, because I think that it is something that everybody needs to do. It is so emotional and full of adrenaline, that it gives you the energy to do anything – it’s incredible! I would absolutely do it again without thinking twice!

Students selling at Externado: a need?

By Juan Piñarete (3^rd semester Social Communication student, level 4 English)

Students selling things at the Externado is becoming more common. The reasons why they sell are because they need to be able to continue studying, or simply that they want to save and so be able to buy something they want.

There are university students who need to sell sweets, sandwiches, potato chips and cigarettes, among other things, to make money. Almost always, these people live alone and don’t have a stable job, so they see the need for this “prohibited” work at the university.

Although selling at the university is prohibited, the faculties and administration have accepted that it happens, and understand the needs of the students. However, everything has a limit, because many times selling becomes a compulsive action. We can see this when students are selling during classes, during a speech, or in places where eating is prohibited.

Generally, the students who sell things make our lives easier. They are always at our side offering us their products and being kind to us. Recognising and supporting them would be an important step for the university.

Secrets of La Candelaria

By Laura Santamaría (3rd semester FIGRI student, level 4 English)

La Candelaria is the place that receives the most tourists in Bogotá. Both foreigners and people from all over Colombia feel a great attraction towards this place due to its colonial architecture and because it is the place where, in 1538, Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada founded Bogotá in the heart of La Candelaria, the Chorro de Quevedo square.

However, there are fascinating stories that most people don’t know about, and the truth is that La Candelaria’s ghosts have been present in this area for more than 400 years. They are a traditional part of the neighbourhood, and accepted by the area’s inhabitants.

La Candelaria’s ghost stories start in the block of flats, Calle del Sol, which hides the walls and foundations of the infamous Colombian Intelligence Service (CIS). There, as its inhabitants report, at night it is possible to hear moans and the lamentations of souls in pain, which belong to people who were tortured to death to force them to confess their crimes. “Late at night, we hear shouting and moans and also blows like lashes and guffaws,” says one resident of the area.

Just one block from there, in the square that today occupies the place of a colonial house, the ghost of a blond boy with blue eyes appears early in the morning, carrying breadcrumbs to feed to the pigeons. The legend says that this child believed himself to be the prince of the pigeons. He fed them every day and did not allow anyone to harm them. Even now, the neighbours say that anyone who annoys the pigeons, throws stones at them, or is cruel to them, “has a very bad night,” because the ghost does not let them sleep.

On calle 11, no. 3-90 is the home of the famous painter Gregario Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos whose figure, covered by a black cape, runs through the inner courtyard, where he has also been seen mashing flowers to extract the vegetable paints that he used to make his religiously-themed paintings.

There is also a place in La Candelaria, known for centuries as “the bandit’s house”. This was the house of Dr. José Raimundo Russi, who was shot in 1851 for the murder of Manuelito Ferro, stabbed at the entrance to this house. Ferro’s cries of horror and the sound of his murder are still heard in the dawn in La Candelaria.

But the most awful and horrible of La Candelaria’s ghosts appears in Carrera 4, no. 10-14. This is the home of Viceroy Sámano, who was historically hated because of his anger when facing the Colombian patriots. The lame and humble figure of the old viceroy, his unpleasant spitting and above all the clacking sound of his heels, continues to shock unprepared bystanders who dare to walk on the sidewalk in the wee hours of the morning.

All these stories are part of the history of La Candelaria that few people know. Exploring them is an adventure for all who want to experience the horror of these stories in Bogotá’s icy nights.

My Dream House

By Juliana Guerrero Mejía (1^st semester Hotel Management student, level 4 English)

My dream house would be in Italy. I’d have a vineyard and make some wine to sell in town. I’d probably live with my husband, two dogs and three cats. It’d be a small house, but luxurious, with all the necessary stuff for living.

We would have two cars to go to town because we’d live far away from there. I’d travel all around Europe selling wine and visiting friends.

The house would have a wonderful kitchen. I love to drink some wine while I’m cooking. Our living room would have a big TV and a great sound system to watch our favourite movies. Also, the house would have a pool for the summer and a BBQ. It would have two bedrooms: one for us, and another one for guests.

I really love to cook, so that’s why I’d invest more in my kitchen. I’d buy all the new high-tech appliances for the kitchen and the best and most beautiful tools that are on the market. It would also have all the utilities, plus internet and cable TV.

Level 1 Student Shorts

We’re very lucky for this 20^th issue of Ink to have some great pieces from level 1 English students. Remember that Ink magazine is open to all levels of English, and we’re always happy to receive your ideas!

The everyday life of a bad freshman
By Camilo Andres Cortes Beltran (1^st semester Accountancy student, level 1 English)

The freshman gets up early and sad. He takes a shower and then gets dressed. He leaves at half past five and takes the bus at six o' clock. He arrives at the university at seven fifteen. He usually arrives late to his first class. He sleeps in the first class for two hours, then gets up and goes to the hammocks. He sleeps two more hours and then he wakes up happy and goes to the antenna to spend time with his friends until one o' clock. Then he goes to lunch because he is hungry. He does not attend English class and he goes home at two o' clock.

His absence

By Daysa L. Camargo Peñaranda (1st semester Economics student, level 1 English)

I get up every day with the illusion of seeing you, but you aren't here. I want to hold you, kiss you, see your smile, your eyes and feel safe in your arms; I can’t help living without you. I'm waiting for your arrival and the day my soul finally feels complete.

When Streets Speak

By Angie Melisa Reyes Betancur (2nd semester Social Communication student, level 1 student)

These photos were taken in La Candelaria. This is a beautiful colonial place that sends you into the history of old Bogotá. The streets speak about love, passion and happiness. In every photo that is taken in this place, the photographer tries to show every feeling that these streets keep in their walls. 

Languages: The door to the unknown

By Margarita María Gómez (FIGRI graduate, 2014)

Languages. This word means a whole world. For me, a language is a bridge to another country, a new culture and a new mindset. Learning languages has become a hobby for me so I don’t really have a single motivation as to why I study them. However, my main motivation when I started learning Korean was the Korean War (1950-1953), while learning Japanese was motivated by the different documentaries I watched on Canal Capital when I was 5 years old. Still, talking with foreigners and travelling have pushed me to study harder and has become the perfect motivation for learning. 

Externado University became the perfect environment for improving my knowledge in different languages.  Since I was exempt from taking English, I had many options to study a different language. So, I had the chance to study French (which is compulsory in my faculty), Japanese and Italian. My former exchange classmates were really kind by helping me with my French (which was awful!). Also, through the university I had the chance to do my internship in Korea, which was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my language proficiency, and for my personal development. I cherish my memories of being a student at Externado.

When travelling, the difference between going to a country where they speak your language and going to a country where the language is completely unknown to you is quite big. For example, living in Korea and speaking Korean made my life easier, people were kinder to me and I was able to have new adventures that are not found when you’re just a tourist. But it doesn´t mean that you shouldn’t go to a country where you don’t speak the language. On the contrary! I would love to travel to places where I’m not great at the language, although I would try to get a basic understanding of their language beforehand. Travelling and backpacking mean all the effort you made while studying has a purpose, and you become more open-minded. As St. Augustine said “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”  

I always thought that learning a language was not only about textbooks and conversational classes, but about living the language, absorbing the culture and understanding the mindset of native speakers. That was my main study method, along with textbooks of course! Speaking even if you are not sure if it’s correct, and reading things several times until you understand the message; those techniques are useful for getting your brain used to the language. In addition, technology has become a wonderful tool for learning new things! Using different websites and apps for languages has become an effective and fun way to test yourself and discover new cultures.  

La La Land: About the Soundtrack

By Juan Esteban Guzmán Tovar (1^st semester FIGRI student, level 4 English)

I went with my best friend to watch La La Land recently. The story was nice, however, the best thing was the music. During the whole movie, we could appreciate “live music”. I mean, they did not record the songs in a studio; they played the songs at the same moment that the scene was being recorded.

I’m pretty sure that you will hear that La La Land makes us remember cinema classics, and it’s true, due to the fact that the actors dance while they are singing.

Ryan Gosling stars in the movie, and he said that he had to take piano classes for 6 hours every day to play the piano songs in the movie.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a movie with a soundtrack as good as La La Land. It definitely deserved the Oscar award; the music is excellent, and it’s the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard.

How to survive at Externado

By Angie Yuliett León León (3rd semester Public Accounting student, level 4 English)

Many of us know that the transition from high school to Externado isn't so easy. Adapting is never simple. And it becomes harder when you listen to all the stories and myths that surround this stage of your life. This is why this advice will be really useful for you.

1. You must know the place where you are going to study
This is the way you avoid being late. You won't embarrass yourself, and especially you won't fall for the typical “primiparadas” that first-time students at university can experience.

So… make sure you explore Externado and know how to get to your classes.

2. Have a good place to study and do your homework
If you create a clean and tidy environment conducive to study, without distractions, you can do your tasks while optimizing your time and allowing your mind to be clear and ready to learn.

So… try to have a clean desk with a comfortable chair and a lamp to read and do your homework. You will spend a lot of time in this place!

3. Manage your time
It is not a good idea to study all the time. You have to learn to divide your time between activities that you like and ones you have to do. Spend time with loved ones and study, but make sure you distribute time in the right way that allows you to do everything.

So… make a schedule. This will help you manage your time in the best way and remember not to leave all your obligations to the last minute.

4. Get support from teachers, tutors and administrators
They can be good allies on this path. If you have any problems, do not wait. They will help you to improve, but remember that they will only do it if you overcome your fear and ask them.

So… go to your faculty and ask about the tutoring and assistance available for what you need.

5. Participate in extracurricular activities offered by the university
Don't miss the opportunity to participate in the different activities offered by your university. They will give you unforgettable experiences that will make you grow as a person. This is in addition to meeting new people and spending your time on something that you like.

So… if you're good at a sport or you want to learn something new, or maybe do something you’ve been afraid to try, go to the Externado welfare office and you will find out about all the activities that you are missing.

These are some advice that will help you survive and enjoy your time at university. But don't forget that what you really have to do to survive and fulfill your goal is to study a programme that you really love.

HOT SPRINGS ARE AN OPTION!

By Laura Soacha (3^rd semester Social Communication student, level 4 English)

Within our daily routines all week, going out and taking a break with friends or family is an option. Very often though, the problem is that you do not know where to go. A new place that can produce a different feeling is the Napoles hot spring, which is a great option to get rid of stress.

Just an hour and a half from Bogotá on the road to Choachi, you will find this wonderful place which is surrounded by nature. Napoles offers three adult hot spring pools, a sauna, and a mud pit perfect for beauty treatments!

Hot spring pools offer many benefits for the body. The most recognized of these is reducing pain, in addition to stopping viruses, lowering blood pressure, helping blood circulation and oxidation, and dissolving and eliminating toxins. Leonidas, an assistant and hot springs lover, confirmed to us that for many people who go there with different kinds of pain, this pain largely disappears.

Schedule a date with the ones you love and take this little trip to rest and regain strength for a new week. I assure you that you will be surprised by the beautiful savannah that surrounds Bogotá and this rest will do a lot of good for your health and body.

A Day in Externado’s Cafeterias

By David Ramirez Ocampo (3^rd semester Public Accountancy student)

Rush hour at Externado University is from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. It is the time when you can eat delicious food and spend time with your friends. Yes, I am talking about lunch time.

Although this time is really important, there is something that does not allow us to enjoy it to the fullest: the crowds.

These crowds produce a lot of the problems that make our lunchtime less pleasurable. For example, people cannot walk quietly around the cafeteria and the stress levels are overflowing because there is so much noise that ruins your peace.

So, what is the solution to this problem?

Well, first we must know its causes. Externado’s cafeterias are very small and the students that have lunch there are very many, so the capacity of the cafeterias is insufficient to offer the kind of service we need. This is why we have the problem I mentioned.

For this reason, I propose that we build a bigger cafeteria in H building , which is almost finished.

This solution would help to decongest the cafeterias, would increase the profits of Seralun (the food services provider) and would increase the income of the university.

Everyone would win!