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In a conversation on Conexión on Avanza 88.3, Program Director Edgar Zúñiga and Brian Parrott, Director of Evening and Community Programs at the University of Utah’s English Language Institute, discussed a first-ever study tour to Colombia through the university’s Go Learn program.
For the first time ever, the University of Utah’s Go Learn program is heading to Colombia, a country of vibrant cities, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes. “My family’s from Colombia. My parents are from Bogotá, and just the fact that the U is going is amazing to me,” said Edgar Zúñiga, Program Director at Avanza 88.3.
Parrott, who will lead the trip, lived in Colombia for a decade. “I moved here in 2022 from Bogotá. I was living there for 10 years teaching at Universidad de los Andes,” he said. “I love Colombia so much—my best memories are from there.”
He described an itinerary that captures Colombia’s diversity. “We’re going to start in the largest city, Bogotá, atop the Andes Mountains, visiting the Gold Museum and La Candelaria neighborhood,” he said. “We’ll meet university experts to talk about Andean music and food, then move to Medellín to explore street art, innovation, and the city’s transformation. Finally, we’ll end in Cartagena, walking the Old City walls and experiencing the Caribbean’s distinct music and flavors.”
Zúñiga reflected on how Colombia even inspired Avanza’s own branding. “When we started working with our graphic designer, I had just been to Bogotá’s Museo del Oro,” he recalled. “Indigenous Colombians wore beautiful jewelry around their noses called narigueras, and our butterfly logo evokes that nariguera”. Parrott added, “That museum is incredible, you can really see amazing pre-Columbian designs there”.
For Parrott, renewed safety and transformation define modern Colombia. “When I arrived in 2013 the country was not nearly as safe as it is today.”
Zúñiga added, “Colombia sits at the crossroads of Latin America. It’s a fascinating way to understand the region, with influences from the Andes and the Caribbean all coming together.”
Parrott said the timing couldn’t be better: “Colombia is one of the hottest destinations in the world right now."
The trip runs April 6–14, 2026. Details and registration are available at https://continue.utah.edu/golearn/.
