I'm trying to go on an AIESEC work exchange through my university this summer. Although my first choice would of course be to go back to spain again , positions in europe are much harder to come by....so this means I may end up needing to look at something in Central/South America.

A lot of the positions available are in Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia. I'v never been too any of these countries. I think I'd feel pretty comfortable with Mexico, but what about the situaion in other countries, especially Colombia (Bogota)??? I always like trying new things, but am I crazy to consider this?? Lots of people seem to think so....
Thanks!!!
Kelly

I wouldn't recomend you go to Columbia I havent heard very good stories about that country and I don't think visitor safety is one of their top priorities.

I wouldn't select Bogotá. Although it is not in the contested area semi-controlled by the guerilla, it's pretty close (100, 200 miles?) to one of the ends of it, and there is also the scarce possibility of bein affected by a bombing or riot.

So, going to a non-touristy (better watched) area in Colombia, specially those which range from the south-west to Bogotá is pretty risky. Probably nothing will happen, but if it does, it could be a kidnap or a shot. Even majors are killed these days, and not only in hamlets or within the guerrilla area.

Besides of this, you'll have to be very careful on where you go and who with, like in most of the Latinoamerican Countries nowadays, including Argentina, just to avoid muggings and steals. In Colombia it's worse, according to a friend of mine who has been there several times, because of the lack of control that the civil war brings, but Mexico and Ecuador shouldn't be too far in this lastly mentioned dangers.

It's not like in Costa Rica. If you go to some other Latinoamerican country you'll have to begin thinking on wether the city is safe or not itself, like the Caribbean coast in Colombia, the richer areas in Mexico and Ecuador, ..., and keep in mind that the capital in those countries is much more dangerous than samller cities/towns, except for the mentioned about Colombia.

Going to Colombia, seems too close to being crazy for considering it. Going to one of the others, not. But you know what you'll have to watch and what you are exposed to.

One of the things my latino female friends tell me they like about Spain is the general safety feeling. They, themselves, go out in groups, always with men, and (like some told me about Venezuela) people is robbed even in the cities, in the middle of the street, in the daylight. They always have a gun at least in each home, ...

Thanks for the replies...your thoughts on Colombia confirm my gut feeling ...although i love a good adventure, I don't want to make stupid decisions. I'v studied in Spain twice, and absolutely love it there, so if it works out thats where I wanna be this summer. What other countries in latin america should I be careful about? Ignacio do you mean that Costa Rica would be a safer choice?
Kelly

When I was in Peru last month I met a lot of travellers who had been to Ecuador and I generally got an OK feeling about it. I think South America is definitely worth looking into. It's pretty interesting. This may not answer your question at all, but it may give you a feel for South America. It's this website I am addicted to (along with this one). This guy from New York is travelling around the world for 16 months. He has been in South America for a few months now and updates his site almost every day with great stories. I love his writing style and it gives you a good sense of South America. He started in Ecuador and spent a few weeks there so there are several entires (with descriptions and tons of pictures). He is in Peru now and I literally check his website every day to see what he did the day before. It's kind of inspirational too, makes you want to quit your job and travel in South America. It's really long, he is on day 75 but you can go under the "category" section and click on Ecuador and sort through it there. I just love this site:

http://blogs.bootsnall.com/theglobaltrip/

Yes, Kelly. Along a long stay, you'll probably at some moment lose some of your valuables, but experience there will reduce your risks by knowing where you can go and where you can't. Perhaps a good idea would be going on holidays to try to get the 'local feeling', not going to touristic events but moving and behaving like if you were there: using local transport, moving from a neighbourhood you'd live (you could afford) to downtown, hanging out with locals, ..., that would tell you about how your life would be there.

In Perú, I met a european woman (i think from Belgium, about 38 y.o.) who moved pretty swiftly in the local environment, like locals, but even locals have to have some precautions.

As for Costa Rica, yes, my friends tell me it's kind of a exception in Latin America. A country with a higher life standard that is based in North American retired people inmigration (buying property). Thus, it's much safer, the police tries to help, not to repress or just fill the form...

A friend of mine went through all of Central América, and didn't like much Guatemala, Nicaragua, ..., but he did like Costa Rica. he liked the paradisiac environment too, but the cost of living was higher I believe.

Thanks everybody, that is also a GREAT website!! Worth checking out for sure...