Bogota is one of the fastest developing cities in Latin America. As Colombia emerges from decades of civil war, Bogota is leading the way for the whole country into a brighter future.

Bogota is not known as a tourist hotspot, but for those who choose to teach in Bogota, there is no shortage of things to do. A vast array of restaurants, theaters, museums, and other cultural centers blend into the colonial architecture, for the perfect blend of traditional and cosmopolitan. In the chic northern suburbs, upmarket shopping malls line leafy green parks, and entertainment districts come into a life of their own after the sun has set.

Bogota is not only home to museums and art galleries that house some of the world’s most famous artworks, it is the canvas for graffiti artists with something to say. Street art and murals are spreading throughout the city, as young artists use their craft to tell their stories and share their voices, on subjects ranging from gay rights, to peace, to political corruption. To understand the movements that are taking place under the surface of the city, you just have to take a graffiti tour around some of the central barrios.

Colombians from any other part of the country will tell you that Bogota has a cold and unpleasant climate. Set high in the Andes, Bogota is certainly chillier than the coastal areas, with temperatures never getting much higher than 65 degrees. You will want to pack a good jacket: rain is a frequent visitor to the capital. If you want to escape to warmer climates though, El Dorado airport has connections to almost everywhere in Colombia and surrounding countries (and Caribbean islands aren’t all that far away).