"Hola! Como estás? That was all of the Spanish I knew before I got to Venezuela. Five months later, not only can I respond to that question, but I can continue the conversation for a long time, more than I had ever imagined. Living with a language, a culture and the people all help you to understand Spanish more quickly and easily. One of the best experiences that I had was going kayaking on the Orinoco river and gettin away from the city to go into the jungle. Apart from living in nature, in the second half of the trip we started to live with the local indigenous people. It is quite moving to see how they live beside the river, surviving with just the basics. Mérida is a lively university city, with lots of good bars and typical music. But that´s not all! It has lots to offer to tourists: hills, rafting, days in the country. One day I will come back to Venezuela!"