Respectfully, I picked Medellin and think you missed out on better weather and nightlife.

Snag a used Hakko 888 off eBay for like forty bucks and see if it dies on you. I've got one that's been kicking around for five years (dropped it on concrete twice) and it still heats up faster than my buddy's brand new Weller. The secret is buying a couple extra tips and keeping them tinned. Most people give up on irons because they let the tip oxidize, not because the tool is bad.

Wait, free pastries AND coffee for two hours every morning? Sounds like the kind of deal that gets you hooked on cheap travel. Is that something they do year-round or just during the slower season when they have extra food to burn through?