Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga

Somos de UNAB

Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga is a private university that has been chosen for me by the Government of Colombia. My first impression of this campus was really nice, the buildings are modern, huge, clean, and very green. Universidad Autonoma de Bucaramanga or UNAB is located in Avenida 42 No 48 – 11 Bucaramanga, Colombia. On a top of a hill near Pan de Azucar an upper-class area in Bucaramanga.

There are three main buildings on this campus first El Jardin, El Bosque, and Centro de Servicios Universitarios (CSU). El Jardin and El Bosque are located in Avenida 42 while CSU is located on higher ground. El Jardin is full of several buildings the main building is Bloque D that full of classes with air conditioners, offices of international relations, administration, lecturers, auditoriums, cafe El Gualilo, bank, and ATM. I think it is also the newest building. CSU contains two main building sports centers there are a lot of facilities like a basketball field, tennis court, laboratories, gymnasium, squash field, classes of art, martial art, and dancing. Another building is full of classes and the office of Bienestar.

Usually every Monday until Wednesday we had class in CSU, and Thursday and Friday we were learning in El Jardin. Most of us loves having class in El Jardin because is more close to our houses but sometimes the aircon of those classes is super cold. We had to bring our jacket, I mean a really thick jacket, not a light sweater, because it was too cold that sometimes we can not even feel our fingers. The funniest part is sometimes our teacher Dilma asked us to dance with her in the middle of class because it was freezing. We’re hoping with a little dance move it can be heating up our body. Well, it only works for a while but at least it successfully boosts our mood. Gracias Dilma eres mejor!

First Day at El Jardin Bloque D

About Us in Campus Magazine "Vivir la UNAB"

Basket Ball Field at CSU

CSU Building

Besides learning Spanish I took another class, Patrimonio Cultural and Turismo y Lengua every Tuesday. The class of Patrimonio Cultural started at 7 am in El Bosque and continued with the Turismo class in El Jardin at 10 am. After lunch sometimes I took another Spanish class that was full of other exchange students from the US, Brazil, France, and England. That class has a higher level but the atmosphere is not as fun as my usual Spanish class with my Indonesian friends. It was quieter and had less energy.

I actually felt so lazy when I have to walk from my apartment to CSU because it was far and I have passed uphill roads. I think for me and my other six friends CSU is too far and spent too much of our energy in the morning. I remember every time I arrived at class I was sweating and heavily breathing after climbing up the stairs to the third floor. Oh yeah one more thing, CSU doesn’t have an elevator and no air conditioner. Dios mio!

Our Campus Bus

But thank god UNAB has a bus to take us from El Jardin to CSU and the other way back. So after class around 2 pm when we are all very hungry and the climate was really hot at noon we took that bus. The problem is there is only one bus operating so we have to wait for quite a while, sometimes even waiting for 30 minutes. La....la....la.....

When I felt super lazy that day usually I took a cab from my apartment to CSU which cost 4800 COP (Colombian pesos). It’s a bit expensive that’s why sometimes I asked my other three friends who live only one block from my apartment to share a cab. It was cheap, faster, and did not need spending too much energy. It took 20 minutes to walk from my apartment in the Soto Mayor area to El Jardin and 30 minutes to CSU. It could be less if I walk faster, like when I wake up late so I have to hurry myself to class.