This week we get to talk to Briton Vicki Kellaway the author behind the BananaSkinFlipFlops blog (www.bananaskinflipflops.com) about living in Colombia, travel in Colombia and her very erudite and observational writing style. Do you know that her blog has won awards? That she is creating a map for the different districts in Bogota regarding their commerce (Buttons, pets, nuts and bolts, leather jackets and so on), and we feel honoured to speak to this established writer and listen to her opinions and views. And in case you are in two minds about the show, we get an exclusive from Vicki. Look out for this writer, you heard it here first on Colombia Calling, she’s going places.

This week we interview two Englishmen Tim Woodhouse and Milo Butterick who gave up everything in the UK and came out to start life in Bucaramanga, Santander. Amongst their projects a hostel called Kasa Guane Bucaramanga (http://www.kasaguane.com/) and a foundation called Goals for Peace International - Goles por la Paz in Spanish - (www.facebook.com/pages/Goals-for-Peace-Goles-por-La-Paz-Bucaramanga). This is a sport for peace and development project aimed at empowering at-risk youth and children to initiate change, promote proactive reform and develop a culture of peace in their communities through the power of sport. Join me in hearing their inspirational story and involvement in Colombia. 

Not all tales from Colombia re rosy and this week we talk to Chicago native Justin Cohen. Formerly a teacher in various international schools and now a guidebook writer. After publishing the "Explore Travel Guide Colombia" (http://www.gotocolombia.com) he had to flee Colombia for reasons unknown to us. Cohen is putting the finishing touches to his story of the debacle: "My Epic Failure And Slow Rise From The Abyss" He describes it as an inside look into his story including experiences from when he left the United States to when he traveled and lived in Honduras, Colombia, Taiwan, and Cambodia. Fund his project on Indegogo (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/my-epic-failure-and-slow-rise-from-the-abyss/x/642296). Tune in!

In a colourful and insightful show we get to speak to Dutch citizen and Medellin resident Adriaan Alsema who after arriving in Colombia saw the need for an all-encompassing news site in English to cover the reality of Colombia. In 2008 Adriaan set up Colombia Reports (www.colombiareports.com) which is now the number one independent news portal for the country. Routinely taking on international journalism interns, Adriaan talks about his thoughts on news reporting in Colombia, the peace dialogues currently taking place in Havana between the FARC guerrillas and the government and his hopes for the future in Colombia. This is a no holds barred interview where no topic is left untouched. Internationalists and journalists should not miss this!

As anyone who has been to Bogota recently will know, ¡Gringo Tuesdays! (www.gringotuesdays.com) is a huge success. Hundreds of people attend this social language event every week - students, young professionals, established business people, backpackers, traveling business people all flock to ¡Gringo Tuesdays! to practice their English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Italian and talk about life and their experiences in foreign climes, to dance, to party and to generally have a good time. It is with great pleasure that we at Colombia Calling were able to carve out a moment with one of the founders, US citizen Tiffany Kohl, and talk about this phenomenon and how she and her team revolutionized the Bogota nightlife scene.

In this unmissable show, Colombia Calling gets the opportunity to speak exclusively to Richard Emblin of the City Paper Bogota (www.thecitypaperbogota.com) Colombia’s largest English speaking newspaper. We discuss the newspaper, his editorial line, life in Colombia and the real need for an independent English language publication in Bogota and Colombia. Grappling with the tough issues of how to run a newspaper in today’s economic climate and indeed in Colombia, Richard generously shares his insights on the country and offers advice to those wishing to come to visit or to stay. An important show for journalists and expats alike and for all of those with any interest in Colombia.

This week we invite football journalist Carl Worswick onto the show to talk all things Colombia and in particular about the beautiful game here. Carl tiptoes around the topic of Colombia reaching No 3 in the FIFA World Rankings, where to catch a national team game and discusses some of the more sinister aspects of the sport here such as money laundering and the murder of Andres Escobar in Medellin. Carl brings to life the significance and importance of football and politics here and we gain invaluable insights into society and the state of Colombia as a whole through the sport. Not to be missed for football fans and those interested in Colombia.

In April of 2006 travelers Karen Catchpole (writer) and Eric Mohl (photographer) left their jobs and apartment in New York City and embarked on the Trans-Americas Journey (http://trans-americas.com/), a 200,000 mile cross-country and cross-continental overland drive down the Pan-American Highway. We caught up with them for an interview when they came to host Richard McColl's hotel La Casa Amarilla in Mompos, Colombia. Hear about their epic journey - more than 2400 days on the road - and their thoughts on Colombia. We discuss the challenges faced, the challenges to come and their findings on the road in a tanked up silverado truck. For avid travel enthusiasts, this episode of Colombia Calling is not to be missed.

This week we detail the story of Courtenay Strickland (www.barranquillaorbust.com) who upped sticks with her husband and infant son to leave life in the US and move to Barranquilla, Colombia. We talk about culture shocks, the differences between parenting in the US and Colombia, the life she has chosen for her family in Colombia and the staggering lack of Pinot Grigio in Barranquilla. Tune in to learn about life in the Colombia Caribbean's most dynamic city.

This week we detail the remarkable story of See Colombia Travel, one of the most successful blog sites (http://seecolombia.travel/blog/) in English all about Colombia and their travel agency by the same name. This remarkable husband and wife couple Marcela Mariscal of Colombia and Jose Luis Pastor of Peru have created an award winning site all about the good side to Colombia - but without the fluff and with newsworthy hooks and interesting content. We should also mention that Marcela, Jose Luis and the team at See Colombia Travel aided a Colombian lady abducted from her family in Bogota when she was 4 years of age and then given in adoption to a family in the US. They found Nicole's birth family, the tale of which can now be seen on Nat Geo

This week we try a different tact and interview a member of the Colombia diaspora in the USA, Luis Eduardo Villamizar. Many Colombians reside abroad and may be do not have the contact that they so crave with the homeland, Luis falls into this category as a first generation Colombian citizen in the USA. Luis is currently putting together the final plans for his long overdue visit to Colombia, the first time in some 40 years and will go in search of his father’s roots on the Colombian Caribbean coast and in to Bogota. He has been putting in the groundwork and Luis’ voyage is being made into a documentary named: “A Journey to Colombia”. Colombia Calling interviews Luis and asks him about his Colombian heritage and hopes for the trip.

Talking about all things Colombian and to why Spanish Blogger (www.quepenaconusted.com) and American expat Barbara Smalley (www.vacationrentalscartagena.com) decided to move to Bogota and Cartagena respectively. We discuss security, places to travel, travelling with family and dispel a whole plethora of myths and speak of the realities of life in Colombia.

Tackling the always tricky subjects of where to eat and drink in Bogota (there’s now almost too much choice) Diana Holguin of Bogota Eats and Drinks (http://bogotaeatsanddrinks.com/) talks about the internationalization of the the selection of restaurants in Bogota and what to do during Colombia’s 19 long weekends! We are accompanied by Juan Manuel Robledo of Laika Bikes Bogota (www.facebook.com/pages/Laika-Bikes) offering tours around this capital city and determined to show the visitor to Bogota the good side of this many faceted place.

Expat Briton Kevin Howlett brings a wealth of parliamentary knowledge from the UK and is using it for good here in Bogota, his home town since 2011. Talking about what it is like to live and work in Bogota, Kevin speaks of his love for Colombia and why he chose to make a life here. We discuss Colombian politics, the peace dialogues, security in Colombia, the strength of family ties in Colombia, literature and where to travel.