FAQ's

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Most nationalities can stay in Colombia for 180 days. Upon arrival in Colombia, the immigration officer will stamp your passport with a free PID visa, you must show an entry permission. If you need an extension of your visa while in Colombia, you can visit the Immigration Office a week before the expiration of your visa.

Yes, the house has free wireless internet access.  Plenty of volunteers bring their laptops.  But, if you prefer not to, or don’t have one, there are several internet cafes nearby.  The Post Office is within walking distance from the house.

We expect most of our volunteers to work around 5 to 6 hours a day, Monday through Friday.   Of course, we appreciate if the volunteer would like to work longer hours.  We are more than happy to stay at the projects for as long as the volunteers want to. If the volunteer would also like to take 2 or 3 days off from one working week to tour Colombia, we’ll always help them organize their travels. Once their volunteering time has come to an end, we encourage our volunteers to explore and see how beautiful Colombia is. The full charismatic people rich culture and captivating history is something not to be missed. 

Everybody knows and have heard about Colombia’s history. But that is all in the past.  In 2002, Álvaro Uribe Vélez became the President of Colombia and since his election, the country has become safer by the day. With a massive turnaround in security, Colombia has millions of visitors every year and its big cities are some of the safest in the world. Just like every city in the world, Bogotá, of course, has its troublesome areas but you are highly unlikely to go wondering through them accidentally. As soon as you arrive in Bogotá, the Emerging Voices team will conduct orientation and training with you about everything from the city to the projects. You will also receive a welcome packet that will show you where and where not to go.  There are plenty of places and areas throughout Bogotá to visit with impressive nightlife.  Trust us, you will be pleasantly surprised. 

• Bogotá: Bogotá’s weather is the eternal spring!  Most days are beautiful blue skies.  It can get cold during the night and it does rain.  So, bring a rain jacket or umbrella.  The city’s average temperature is 14 Celcius year-round.  It drops to about 9 Celcius at night and rising to about 18 Celcius or higher on sunny days.  During the day while volunteering, just wear your casual clothes, clothes you do not mind getting a bit grubby!  Also take into consideration, you might join some volunteers to special events.  So, bring at least one of your dressier outfits.  Finally, for nightlife, there is plenty of traditional parties and dancing going on.  So do not forget those dancing shoes!

• Cartagena: Cartagena is a happy place, its beaches are beautiful, the place in general is magical and its people are warm like the weather, so you should consider wearing sunscreen and light clothing and if you want a cap to protect your skin of the sun. At the same way that Bogotá, you will wear clothes you do not mind getting a bit grubby!, Enjoy! This is a wonderful place.

Recommendations in Bogotá and Cartagena: In the case of having visible tattoos or piercings, you must cover them when you go to attend the projects. On the other hand, you cannot wear shorts or sleeveless tops.

We recommend that our volunteers visit their doctor for up-to-date advice about vaccinations.  Do this, as soon as possible, as some vaccinations are given in doses of 3 over the space of months.  The Emerging Voices team advises our volunteers to be up to date with Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B, and Typhoid. 

Not at all!  When working at our projects, you will soon realize that everyone from the elderly to the youngest child cares more that you are spending time with them than how well you speak Spanish.  Many of our volunteers take Spanish lessons at the apartment.  Tuesday nights is Spanish night, at the dinner table, where you can practice with your fellow volunteers.  We encourage all our volunteers to give Spanish speaking a go as it will really add to your experience, whether you a complete beginner or looking to improve your Spanish level. 

You will experience the finest of Colombian cuisine.  There is a wide variety of restaurants that serve delicious meals.  Traditional Colombian cuisine usually consist of chicken, beef, pork or fish wit.

At Emerging Voices we have a regulation for Bogotá and Cartagena, if you want to know more, you can download them below.