By Dave, Medellin Living/TodayColombia
“Two weeks isn’t enough,” I kept saying to myself and friends while visiting Medellin this past September.
I’d returned after a year away, having traveled much of South America, as planned. I even spent 6 months living in Lima, which was totally unplanned.
But the more I saw of South America, the more I realized Medellin truly is a unique city. And it’s still my favorite place to live.
Returning for a brief visit, en route to the USA and Europe, I missed the lushness, the green, the bright blue skies, and the perfect temperatures. I missed the picturesque pueblos like Guatape and Jardin, where one can escape for the weekends.
I missed the lower cost of travel and living (compared to Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile). I missed the nightlife and my old routines. And I missed my friends, and feeling like I had a home, not just a one month apartment rental.
Plus, to my surprise, I discovered there’s a whole new entrepreneurial movement taking hold of the city.
What started out as a party stop on the backpacker trail, and grew into a must-see city for travel bloggers, has evolved into a hub for serious entrepreneurs.
With the buzz continuing to grow, and Medellin shortlisted by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top three most innovative cities in the world this year (alongside New York City and Tel Aviv), I can’t stay away any longer!
As luck would have it, the old room I rented in Poblado for a year has become available again, and I’ve put down my deposit.
I fly to Medellin December 30th, just in time to ring in my first New Year from Colombia, and hopefully catch the Christmas lights on display around the city.
The timing will also coincide perfectly with the release of my new “Medellin Travel Guide: Insider Advice from an American Expat in Colombia.”
I’m looking to release it for Kindle and other e-reader formats the first week of January. I’ll also be working on a PDF version, though I don’t have a timeframe for that version yet.
I’m beyond excited to be returning to Medellin, and for everyone whose offered to buy me a beer over the last 17 months, I’ll finally be ready to collect!
