People in the United States may have heard a lot of things about my native Colombia. Sadly, bad news usually travels faster around the world than good news. Although drug trafficking had a vast presence in our past, it is an issue that we have tackled and today it is not nearly the problem it was two decades ago.

Colombia is a beautiful country with shores on both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. We are fourth in the world in biodiversity and, thanks to being so close to the equator, we have tropical weather year-round. From sandy beaches to snowcapped mountains and from rainforests to deserts, we have everything worldly travelers would love to appreciate. There are endless possibilities when you visit Colombia; whether you are a fan of the nightlife or prefer to take in the wildlife, you will always find adventure. You can go to clubs and fine restaurants in the cities, or hike and mountain bike in the Andes. Traveling to the Amazon is also a very popular activity where visitors get to see a wide variety of animals and plants that evidently nobody really sees in their regular day-to-day life.

Medellín, where I was born and raised, is Colombia's second largest city with a population of around two million. It is a metropolis 5,000 feet above sea level in the middle of the Andes Mountains where it earned the nickname “the city of eternal spring." Let's be honest, the nickname is pretty self-explanatory. In 2013, Medellín was named the most innovative city of the year by Citi and The Wall Street Journal, beating out both New York City and Tel Aviv.

However, the best thing Colombia has to offer is our people. There isn't a single place in the world with people as warm and caring as Colombians. No one is a stranger in my country; they're just friends you haven't met yet. If a person in need calls for help, we go out of our way to support and comfort them, but above all, make sure they're having a great time.

It is so hard to cram over two centuries of history, nature, and culture into a short article, but I hope this condensed glimpse into my experience as a Colombian has cracked some of the reputation my country has. I extend a friendly hand to all people and encourage you to look into visiting Colombia. ¡Todos son bienvenidos! (Everyone is welcome!)