Sunday Reflexions

My life seems to speed up and then slow down again. My mood and emotions go up and down with the scheduling of my weeks, when I stay busy, life is great, but when it slows down it gives me time to miss Elk and all the wonderful people there. However, still, a month in, my life here is far from settled and that is frustrating but I just have to remind myself of the reality of this adventure I have embarked on.


I have worked on this post all morning on and off and it has turned into quite a long one, one that I do not expect everyone to read or enjoy, but it has provoked many important personal reflexions and thoughts... please bare with me as this as become a beautiful outlet for me to put words to my feelings, experiences, dreams, emotions, desires and longings.....


First, I want to add some pictures from small adventures I have taken around the city......


A few weeks ago Meg, Miles and I used our puente Monday (three day weekend) to make a late afternoon mission up Nutibara to Pueblito Paisa, a historic example of what a classic Antioqueño township looks like. At the top of the hill sits a museum style township, and a small park where families come on the weekends to fly kites with their children. I had gone to lunch with my host people and was literally dying of a food coma. I was so uncomfortably full I could hardly breathe and thought moving around might help.

 pueblito paisa.

 Kite flying Colombians

 Medellín from Nutibara looking North

 Despite being in a food coma and hardly able to breathe from the Cazuela I had for lunch, I am able to smile with my new ciudad behind me!

The high rises of El Poblado

Team M.M.S. (Miles, Meg and Serena) also took a trip to Parque de Pies Descalzos (barefoot park). Yes, this is a park devoted solely to being barefoot. There are little pools to put your feet in, and fountains that children run around in getting soaking wet. Although it may not be the most exciting tourist destination in the city it is a fun place to relax and people watch.

 los pies descalzos de serena y miles

Colombian children disfrutando the fountains.

It's Sunday, which in Latin American culture is a day of family and a day of rest, however when I am not hungover and trying to catch up on sleep, I find myself getting anxious on this Sunday morning. I am watching CNN in English with news of Irene battering the East Coast, and thinking about how all my friends and family stranded in their homes as wind and rain pummel the windows, I have been reading the local news of Mendocino County, shocked at the recent tragic murders, shootings and robberies which seem to make our quaint little town rival Medellín as drugs show their evil side, with drug cartels shooting people on Timberland, unbelievable. I'm trying to gather energy to get my 10-pound-heavier self to the gym while waiting for it to be late enough to call home to California to wish my dear parents a "Happy Anniversary" (24 years!), and debating if I want to motivate the Fulbright crew to do something with me today....


Usually during the months I spend at home, I spend my Sunday's hustling and bustling around Queenie's making sure people get their soy lattes, huevos rancheros, water and coffee refills and eggs benedict, the Sunday special. I love Sunday mornings at Queenies, even though at times I want to kill myself as Anne and I run around like chickens with our heads cut off as I too am recovering from the night before. Sundays in Claremont consisted of sleeping in as long as possible, a leisurely breakfast and then facing the reality of the weekend's homework I had put off. Sundays spent doing nothing leave me with an unsettled feeling, part of me truly enjoying the my ability to do nothing, while feeling extremely lazy, lame and inadequate and at times wishing I was somewhere else... today, I've wished I was at home having gluten-free pancakes with my parents celebrating their anniversary........or at Queenie's making some well earned tips and sharing my morning and the local news with some of the most wonderful people I know.........or at Dana Grey watching my two best friends dominate in a women's soccer tournament............ or lastly, waking up to 100 degree sunshine beating in through the sliding glass doors in my Marshall Court bedroom, then retreating to the swimming pool to bronze my skin and "do some reading". I'd never thought I'd miss my Pitzer life, but I really do, especially my life last year. Although it was dramatic, sad in ways and consisted of some of my less fine moments, it was quite a year of change and growth, just what I needed after the crazy adventure Ecuador was and the status it left my body. Many aspects of that life combined with many more aspects of my Elk life are what I yearn for now, but unrealistic possibilities for life in Medellín. Sometimes its hard to believe that life is forever in the past. Some of these aspects I miss are not totally an impossible reality here in Medellín and beginning Thursday when I move to a new part of the city have a more independent life and living with young friends I hope to add these things some of them as simple as cooking myself breakfast and having friends to wake up to.


Today, part of me feels kind of lame considering my weekend hardly consisted of alcohol, discos and reggaeton but I am aware that this is just social pressures and have also impressed myself with being ok with a mellow night that involves good company, crispetas and a romantic comedy that left Meg and I crippled with laughter. Not sure how Miles felt about it, but sometimes good comic relief is just what one needs. Unfortunately, the night ended with a reminder and a scare of the reality of Medellín. Don't worry nothing happened but Meg and I, well Meg much more than I, were taught a lesson and reminded of the Colombian reality.


After the movie, it was raining, we were tired, the mall was closed and we just wanted to get home. We have been told countless times to never hail taxi's on the street, especially at night and to always call them and write down the placa numbers of your friend's taxis so if something were to happen you'd be able to find them. I was warned this same things in Quito, but quickly got lazy and always hailed taxis on the street, late at night and nothing ever happened to me (luckily!). I have already begun to get lazy with my safety precautions here as most people are warm, welcoming and overly kind making me feel quite safe. However, this is Colombia and its better safe than sorry because who knows what sorry really entails. Last night, Miles got in a taxi, Meg hailed a second one and was in the process of hailing a third when i suggested we just share it. We got in, the driver was a little strange but we were together and it seemed ok. He took us through some back roads to get to my house first, but I had a general idea of where we were and I wasn't worried. As I got out of the car there was a flash of lightning and a large clap of thunder, I screamed as I scurried in through the two gates. I told Meg to text me when she got home, our usual method. I got home, got ready for bed and it had been a half hour and I hadn't heard from Meg. Then she called, "Serena, I had to call you and not text you to tell you about that taxi ride. It was so intense!" "Oh my god Meg, what happened?" My heart was pounding for her. "Nothing bad, but as we drove away the taxi driver rolled up all the windows took me the back way home and told me he had to teach me a lesson about Medellín." Meg thought this was it, this was how it was going to happen and she was worried that she only had a few pesos to give him. However, luckily this was not what happened. Instead the man just wanted to tell her that we had put ourselves in danger tonight in the way we hailed the taxi, didn't write down the placa and the fact that we are beautiful American girls. The lesson was certainly one of fear, but a realistic reminder that by being stupid and not extra cautious we are putting no one else at risk but ourselves. As I listened to Meg's story I knew everything the driver said was true, but it bummed me out to remember this reality and the fact that calling and waiting for taxi's as a safety measure just makes being out after dark that much more of a big deal and a big effort.


Friday night was another story, and even though I was home and in my pajamas by 11:30 it was probably my best night in Colombia so far. Jessy Kronenberg (my dear friend, ex-housemate and favorite roadtrip buddy, Daniela's sister) has lived in Medellín a year now and is practically Paisa. She's got the city figured out and she's got a wonderful community and "family" here in Medellín. She has been quite kind and welcoming to me and her Paisa World. Last Friday we met in Envigado (the Brooklyn of Medellín) and spent an hour and a half sitting and "watching life pass by" in Parque Envigado as thunder roared around us. We then headed up the road to her "abuela" Magola's house for tea and dinner. Magola lives in a 100 year old house that is beautifully quaint and classically Colombian. Open to the elements, with an indoor flower garden, slanted stone floors, antique furniture, an outdoor herb garden, two old stoves and a paila for making helado de paila and arequipe outside. She is a wonderful woman who welcomed me a large, blue-eyed gringa into her home without a second of hesitation. This Friday we made a repeat trip to Envigado. I went with Jessy to her English class with three young Colombian boys who are eager and motivated to learn English. We sat and talked about college as two of the boys are graduating in November and looking forward to University life! Afterwards we made our way back to the Park and up to a sweet little old fashioned Tavern near Magola's house where every Friday evening Jessy's "tios" meet to sit outside in the pleasant Medellín climate and drink Aguardiente or Vino. The three men, Alirio, Raul and Jairo welcomed me to the table in as much kindness as Magola had the weekend before. They ordered Jessy and I have half bottle of Vino Chileno to split and then another and then another. In typical Paisa tradition our drinks were accompanied by carrots, mangoes, chips, cheese puffs, popcorn and other small snacks "pa'picar" (this might be one of my favorite parts about going out for drinks here in Antioquia). We talked about everything under the sun with these men and it truly felt like a family outing. Alirio is a business man who has done quite well in life, but uses his wealth to give back to the Colombian people. As is usual, people continuously came by trying to sell lottery tickets and random knickknacks. Most people just wave them away, but Alivio bought something from every one of them even though he clearly did not need them. Some items purchased were: a jesus on the cross wall hanging, a complete needle pack with needles for every kind of sewing necessary, many pirated DVDs, and two lottery tickets. His kindness overwhelmed me. The tavern was decorated with old instruments and portraits of an antique style. The only music playing was played on records leaving us with a soundtrack of music from the 1950s-1970s. As we sat outside with a warm breeze blowing in our faces occasionally an old car would drive by and I couldn't help but feel as if I was sitting in Medellín in 1970. Sure, I was probably safer than I would have been back then, but it was truly a magical night. Two older women dressed up in fancy silk shirts and lots of makeup came in and Raul leaned in and explained to me that these women come in to the Tavern every friday without their husbands, they get super dressed up and come in to share a media botella de aguaardiente. I loved this anecdote and couldn't take my eyes off the women for the rest of the evening, loving the simplicity of their lives. As the night began to come to a close (for Jessy and I, the other men remained) they called us a taxi, a man "de confianza", who they called personally and he took us home. I got home happily buzzed feeling content with a night that included more than juvenile debauchery in Parque Lleras.

 La Taverna en Envigado

 Jessy y yo con los tios Alirio y Jairo

 Truly enjoying the evening

just two girls and some vino.

Saturday began with an early morning alarm (the bane of my Colombian existence), arepa con huevo for breakfast and a frustrated taxi driver taking me to work. I helped in three classrooms, one of which i got to lead the class on my own for the last hour. At the end a beautiful and sweet Colombian girl who spoke the best English in class stopped to ask me if there were any programs like mine that would allow her to travel to the US to work. I told her indeed there were and gave her my email address and offered to help her. I headed back home for a lunch that left me another 2 pounds heavier then headed off to meet up with Jessy to go to see the final film of the Festival de Cine Colombiano which was being screened in a library sitting up above the city on the hillside in a poorer neighborhood of Medellín. To get there we took the Metro almost as far north as you can go (unlike Quito, the North is poorer and the South is richer). We then transferred to the Metrocable (the longest teleferiqo/cable car actually used for public transportation). Yes this is a cable car that carries you up the mountain and people living in these upper barrios ride it to get to and from work or to get down the mountain to go out in the city. It's amazing, and as you rise up the mountain you get a bird's-eye view of orange-colored Medellín and the amazing mountains and landscapes that surround it. Not to mention you get a view of a version of Medellín and an estrata so different from that which I generally exist in.


Jessy explained something very interesting to me about the different estrata's of the city. I am living in an estrata 3/4 of 5 or 6. These estratas are divided by socioeconomic class and in each estrata you live there is a base energy and water rate that all residents must pay. For example, people living in El Poblado (Estrata 6) bay a high base rate and subsidize those living in Barrio Santo Domingo (where we were headed Saturday) who pay close to nothing. In a country and city as divided as Medellín and Colombia this seems like a great set up. We got to the library and settled into the auditorium excited to watch this movie which describes and shows the beautiful rural life of the Colombian Andes while telling a real story of the violence and narco-trafficking experienced here. But, in classic Latin-American style technical difficulties did not allow us to watch the film, so I'm left eager to see this film at another time. So instead, we wandered around this barrio, got some ice cream and stared out over the city as many children and families wandered and played in the park behind us. We then headed back down the Metrocable over an unbelievable roar of children's voices. I was impressed by the sheer number of children living and playing in this barrio, but it makes sense, poorer people have more children and despite living with little money, opportunities and in makeshift brick houses built in the mountainside, these children still have a smile on their faces and are living and enjoying life to the fullest.


Well it appears to be another lazy Sunday on Calle 13 here in Medellín. Sometimes I frustrate myself at my ability to truly "waste time", but then I remind myself that's just the American in me talking and really I'm just doing what the Romans do. Luz Mary has been wandering around the apartment making phone calls, listening to Christian Hymns, reading and relaxing. While Jairo has, for a change, been gone all day "at work", meaning, playing saxophone at a birthday party or some other event outside the city. A lesson I will have learned by the end of this year is to be content and comfortable in the way my days go, to be able to let go of the regret and wishes that I was elsewhere doing other things. Today seems as if it will be a day to ponder life.... if only I had a forest cabin, a puff of a medicinal herb and a dear friend  to do it with.

Daily Observations and Lessons

Today is exactly ONE MONTH since I left California.. or should I say since I got sucked out of my summer. I can't believe how quickly time flies. I still feel like I'm settling but this week has felt more settled, especially in terms of my job and working in the classrooms. However, this feeling of settlement will get shaken again as I am moving next week to a new apartment... an awesome new apartment with two young colombians and a girl from Austria... oh and a pug... yup I, Serena Acker, am going to live with a dog and I think I am actually ok with it, probably because that little thing and all its snorting and hideousness makes me laugh... I love the elder couple I've been living with, but I am tired of feeling like a daughter/child again and although the food they serve me is incredible and I have started to look forward to it every day, for my health and body image I need to stop eating three course meals heavy on the meat.


I would now like to take a moment for a short listing of various things in mi vida colombiana:


Things I see pretty much daily:


Colombian women who have made horrible decisions: Yes this sounds kind of harsh, but i'm not joking. The most common bad decisions are hair color. Why would one zebra stripe their hair? Stripe? yes, stripe literally. horrible horrible decision. Highlights in dark hair turn out to look like zebra stripes. Another one, going blonde!? really, first off when dark haired people go blonde it turns out a weird yellow/orange color and second why would you get rid of your beautiful shiny black hair? On that note i should probably include that the woman i am living with wears a wig when she goes out. At first I was like wow her hair looks really different when its styled, then i saw her pull at it once and all her hair moved, then i saw it sitting in the other room.  Other bad decisions include the amount of makeup they wear, tattoos, the men they date and plastic surgery which brings me to item 2.


Butt implants: I think I mentioned before that Colombia is the capital of plastic surgery. In Ecuador there was a lot of nose jobs as people tried to get rid of the "indigenous nose" to look more European/white. Here you see everything, butt implants being my personal favorite. Can you imagine what it would feel like to sit on silicon balloons all day? I cannot, not to mention it looks ridiculous. At lunch yesterday my host woman says nonchalantly "Well another woman died in El Poblado yesterday during lipo" (El Poblado is the ritzy rich people neighborhood). I choked on my food when she said that.


Used dime bags: Every day as I walk to my bus stop I find new litter scattered on the street.. candy wrappers, cigarette butts and dime bags with a little white powder remaining in the corners. The first time  I saw this I was like "woooahh someone had a crazy night!" Then a few feet later I saw another, and another. Then I said to myself "ok, only in Colombia I guess". Continuing on this topic...


Drug deals at my bus stop: The other day I was walking up to my bus stop and there was an older man sitting there with a wad of cash just blowing in the wind. I thought to myself "dude you are crazy, don't dar papaya like that" (dar papaya means putting yourself in a position to be taken advantage of). Seconds later a VERY young boy on a motorcycle pulls up with a smile on his face. Before the man even gets to him, he pulls a little dime bag out of his pants hands it to the man, the man hands him the money and walks back into la biblioteca (where he works) and the young boy zooms off. I stood there kind of shocked for a second and then repeated the phrase from before "only in Colombia..". I was told before I came that cocaine usage is looked down upon because it has rampaged their country so much. However, this does not mean that it is uncommon and they say its cheaper to buy than alcohol.


Motorcycles and motorcycle crashes: I would venture to guess that 75% of people in Medellín own and drive motorcycles. I have become accustomed to dumb-asses riding around in circles outside my window on their stupid motorcycles or trying to get them to start at all hours of the day. Those of you who know me well know that the sound of motorcycle engines makes me want to kill someone. Furthermore, everyone drives them. Its common to see women in stiletto heels driving around on motorcycles weaving through traffic, which brings me to the second part of this observation. People are idiots on motorcycles (plus they barely wear protection) and I see a motorcycle accident pretty much everyday or almost get killed by one on campus. I'm really not a fan.


Men teaching their children to be machismo: Yes, I know a lot about this topic and its a lot better here in Colombian than other places. But the other day I was crossing the street and this man with his like 10 year old son on the back of his motorcycle honked, whistled and yelled at me, both of them looking back and smiling. Pissed me off.


The most hilarious gym outfits ever!: Pretty much every time I am at the gym a moment arises when I wish I had a camera on my ipod or cellphone so I could document the outfits people put on for the gym. To describe a few: Full piece leotards with open backs (women), speedos and skinny strap tanktops (men), bright colored spandex pants with a matching colored MESH top (women), baseball caps and fanny packs (unisex), spandex pants with tall knee socks... we are in the tropics people!! (women), full blown bike gear for spin class... yea you know those unitard spandex shorts things? with a baseball cap, biking gloves, and yesterday I even saw strap-in biking shoes... FOR SPIN CLASS!


People with braces: I have a feeling orthodontia has just recently come to Colombia because EVERYONE has braces. Taxi drivers, professors, security guards, 25-30 year old men (really quite a bummer since for an American braces= awkward pre-teen or in my case the first 16 years of my life and really takes aways someone's atractiveness). On the streets there are hundreds of places advertising orthodontia without an initial quote or for "súper barata" (cheap) kind of reminds me of the "a new nose in 30 second" advertisements in Ecuador.


Things I've learned in the past month:


Always leave the house with an umbrella (or rain jacket): I have yet to purchase an umbrella and have gotten entirely soaked multiple times because for some reason it decides to start raining the second I leave the gym, or get out of class or get off the bus.


How to Jaywalk like a pro: In California jaywalking is illegal in most cities, like you actually get fined for it. This is not the case in DC or NYC I learned this summer and its especially is not the case in Medellín. In DC and NYC people jaywalk at cross roads, here people sprint across major high ways when there is a small break in the traffic. I'm really good at timing my sprints now.


Shy people cannot be teachers: Good thing I can pretty much be a "one woman show" when I choose to be, I love to talk and I am not shy because a shy timid person would DIE doing what I'm doing. I have become accustomed to basically being an object, to answering all kinds of questions from academic to very personal about my life and basically putting on a show and entertaining the Colombian students. I have been working for three weeks which means I have visited approximately 24 classrooms in which about 75% we had a 2 hour "interview session" with me. I've totally gotten all my answers down too. The one people always judge me most on "Whats your religion?" "Do you pray?" After struggling with this one for a while and being asked rudely "you're not an atheist are you?" Realizing responding with agnostic probably wouldn't fly either I came up with my new answer... "I believe, but I don't belong to an organized religion and I don't go to church". These interview questions have also made me realize how difficult it is to describe my life and my hometown in simple English to people who live completely differently. For one, describing Elk as a 250 population town, but not some weird creepy boondocks town and that there are actually a lot of people and a big community that I interact with is a challenge. My parents occupations, also very difficult cause i can't just spit out lawyer or doctor I have to describe it using words like "water system" "county" "manager" "secretary" "working from home" "pump guy" "wells" etc. Another hard one, "What did you study in University"...... well first of all I didn't go to a University I went to a small liberal arts college... blank stares... I studied Spanish and International Intercultural Studies... more blank stares... First off studying spanish as a career seems very bizarre to them and the words international and intercultural are VERY complicated and they usually can't understand them coming out of my mouth so I write it on the board. Then I have to describe that no its not like international business its more general and "interdisciplinary"... thank you Pitzer.


When a man on the street is going to say something to me: They get a certain look on their face, they do this weird lean in thing and then wait for the perfect moment to make the comment, they almost do it from behind as if they are whispering it into my ear. Super sexy bro I'm definitely flattered...This goes for men in cars/trucks also, they lean up close to the window kind of cock their head strangely and either stare and honk or shout out the window.


I can improvise a four-hour class!: Last saturday I got to campus a little late, just 15 minutes though and that nothing for Colombia. I get to the classroom I'm supposed to be assisting in and my phone starts ringing. I look to see who would be calling me at 8:15 am on a saturday morning and its Edgar my boss. I figure I should probably answer it. I answer it outside and he says "Serena where are you?" I thought "dude I was 15 minutes late how did he know??" I told him I was in Albert's class where I was supposed to be. He preceded to ask me to come downstairs because he had a sort of situation he needed my help with. Turns out a teacher didn't show and his level 3 intensive class was sitting waiting for him. Edgar thrusted their book into my hands and pushed me through the door asking me if I could run the class today. I hadn't showered, my hair smelled like cigarette smoke, I was still half asleep and I had never taught my own class before. But I just started talking and before I knew it 4 hours had gone by and the students LOVED ME. One of them even gave me chocolate afterwards.


Baby talk in spanish makes me want to hurt someone: Whiney baby-talk should be OUTLAWED especially when its a 57 year old woman talking to the 22 year old GRINGA living in her house.


Envigado is the Brooklyn of Medellín and a night that begins or ends in Envigado was or will be a crazy one: As tends to be normal when living in a foreign country your first friends and often your best friends are other foreigners. You are all going through similar experiences and emotions and you can relate on many of the realities of living in a foreign country. We Fulbrights have become good friends or should I say "mates" with two other British ELAs (English Language Assistants) who are here through a program run by the British Council and administered by the same Colombian organization ICETEX that Administers Fulbright grants as well as programs through France, Jamaica and probably other countries. Other than the fabulous Geoff Carter (my favorite Queenie's customer and bar mate at Bridget Dolans)  I have very few good British friends, so it has been awesome hanging out with these lads and laughing at the many un-American phrases they say. Both these guys live in Envigado a city separate from Medellín but pretty much still attached. It is apparently what Medellín was like years ago and also the center of Escobar's drug cartel. But it is beautiful, old and bohemian. I spent an afternoon in Parque de Envigado people watching and then had dinner with a friend in the 100 year old house of her adoptive Colombian grandmother, it was such a classic experience. Anyway, our friends live with a large group of other foreigners (Peru, France, Norway, Uganda, Italy...) and their apartments are often quite an international party. I have taken a taxi home in broad daylight from Envigado quite a few times now (in my defense it gets light at 6 am here every day...).

Photo credit: Meg Frost. International party picture and proof that I had an expander that made my mouth quite large... :)


So there you have it a few Colombian observations and lessons ala Serena. I will be sure to write all about my new apartment next week after I move in. I'm so excited! Alex the guy renting the apartment and one of my roommates is awesome. He's so nice and funny and jokes and makes fun of me all the time, luckily I grew up with Charlie Acker as my father, Holly, Lloyd, Alex and Anna as my best friends and Jonas as my sister's boyfriend so I can handle jokes and getting burned on all the time. His girlfriend is super sweet also, they drove me around the other night showing me where to catch the bus, where to buy groceries, where to grab a beer, which store I can order delivery groceries from (awesome!) and where Crepes and Waffles is! The Austrian girl is also very sweet, funny and so European its amazing and the other Colombian girl from Cartagena is beautiful.


I hear great day in Elk was foggy but great as usual and I must say hearing that it was cold and foggy made me feel a little (only a little) better about missing it.


Love love.

Life Sin Prisa

Here's the problem with being abroad: everyday I experience so many interesting, strange, funny, noteworthy and philosophical moments, conversations, interactions and observations that when they happen I think "oh I want to tell (insert name here) about this" or "(insert name here) would find this really funny or interesting". Then my day goes on and before I have a chance to tell (insert name here) about that moment too many have built up and its impossible to share them all much less remember them all. But, that is why I have my other Fulbrighters, we share daily texts, emails and stories (often over delicious chocolate and coffee) of interesting anecdotes, frustrations and happenings of our days and we can all entirely appreciate and laugh or commisurate and be supportive.


Many things have happened since my last blog post and more than just everyday events and occurrences I have found that I have let go and eased further into mi vida Colombiana. I came to a realization as I was walking to the gym one morning that I had to give up on trying to recreate the California lifestyle I have lived since returning from Ecuador and accept the many realities of life in Medellín that may or may not be entirely ideal to me. Such as the following a) plans you create for the day can get totally shut down and you feel like your day is a total failure b) no matter how hard I try, avoiding meat and fried foods is almost impossible c) everything, I repeat everything, is 1.5-2 times slower here in Colombian than in the US.. except the speed of taxis and buses and d) official dates, times and bus routes are non-existant (can you believe an academic calendar actually does not exist for U de M?).  However, this slowness and relaxed way of going about life (that us American's might mistake as laziness or flakiness) is something I truly admire about South American culture. A friend who has been living in Medellín for a year described to me Parque Belén (a park near my house) as a great place where "in the afternoons you can find old men in their silly hats playing chess or simply watching life go by". This couldn't be a better description of Parque Belén and the Colombian life. I often find myself briskly weaving in and out of people wandering down the street walking at a glacial pace with no hurry to get anywhere while also passing men and women sitting on balconies or outside their shops just observing life. Who knows what they are thinking and pondering, but the point is they are content. There is no where else they'd rather be and even if there is somewhere else they ought to be they are in no rush to get there. I can name a few dear friends who are incredibly good at living this way (often to the chagrin of faster moving others) as this is also a wonderful characteristic of the Mendocino life-style, but for the most part we Americans do not possess this quality.We are always on the go: Starbucks to go, drive-thru restaurants and extreme punctuality. A friend writes about and reflects on this trait in his memoir about biking through the Andes from Ecuador to Venezuela and although it can at times be extremely frustrating it is something that brings back a familiar feeling from Ecuador and something I am sure to ponder and at times hate and admire during the next 10 months. They live sin prisa (without hurry). 


I am now in my second week of teaching at La Universidad de Medellín and things are going well. I work 16 (ish) hours a week on campus which is sure to become more as I begin helping Edgar (my University host) edit the book he is writing, create office hours to help students with whatever English concern they may have and potentially start a casual conversation group for students who want more practice speaking English and talking about US/Colombia cultural differences. My role in the classes is exactly what my title, English Teaching Assistant, applies. I go to classes and assist the professors in whatever they need: I can be a helping hand in what they already have planned for the class, I can plan additional lesson plans elaborating what they have been working on or cultural lessons about the US or I can be used to read dialogues and stories introducing the students to what a true American accent sounds like. I have mostly been pleasantly surprised with the excitement and acceptance of the students as well as surprised by the varying levels of English. Within one intermediate course the competency can range from proficient fluency to an inability to create a sentence and instead a string of practically incomprehensible words. This makes for quite a challenge for the instructors. Another difficulty is that many of the instructors are not native speakers, therefore they do not speak entirely correct and have an accent. This teaches the students incorrect pronunciation and furthers the many common mistakes of Spanish speakers when speaking English. This is why Edgar stresses the importance of my attendance to the classes. This also makes me wonder about language acquisition... who is best fit to be a language instructor? A true native speaker or one who has already learned the language?


In other news, last Saturday we went to the Pitbull concert. If you don't know who Pitbull is, don't worry you are among 85% of Colombians who also have never heard of him. Pitbull is from Miami (I think) and sings his songs in Spanglish. The concert was in a huge venue and only a fraction full. We were in the way back (where the cheapest tickets were) surrounded by Americans and Brits and a few gangster Colombians (literally throwing up gang signs the whole concert.. very strange and kind of scary). We got to the concert at 9:30 but didn't make it into the hall until about 10:30/11:00. By the time we got inside we had missed the first opening band. At about midnight the second opening band came on. Here's how this concert worked: one band played a 1-2 hr set then there was a 1.5 hour break in between sets, then another band played their set, then another 1.5 hour break, then FINALLY the headliner (Pitbull) comes on at 2:15 a.m. plays a short but epic set and I was home by 3:45 a.m. Although Pitbull's set was extremely short (under an hour) I quite enjoyed myself as (I'm embarrassed to admit) he performed half my workout playlist and since there was hardly anyone there I had lots of space to dance and it was basically a zumba class with live performers. 


And here I am on the verge of another weekend in Medellín, who knows what this weekend has in store for me (other than classes 8-12 on Saturday.. womp womp). We have talked about planning a trip out of the city, however there is always so much going on here in Medellín we can always find something to entertain us here. But we do have 10 more months (actually only 9 now.. crazy!) to do plenty of travelling. 


Until next time... love you all....

Feria de las Flores and the Sub 20 Mundial

Me in my beautiful Fulbright t-shirt overlooking Bogotá.

The whole Fulbright 2011 Crew (ETAs and Research students) and Our program director Alexandra.

My two week anniversary in Colombia has come and gone and I get happier and more comfortable in the city of eternal spring everyday. Although like everything there are ups and downs as things continue to settle. The weather is something I definitely cannot complain about, it is perfect. The first few days I was here around 3 or 4 you would hear a huge thunder clap and then minutes later there would be a torrential downpour. This would bring the temperature down slightly, but it'd remain very agreeable. The past week has been hot! Like Quito, the sun is super strong so when you are walking around with the sun bearing down on you it is easy to break a sweat, but as the sun goes down the temperature stays a perfect body temperature, you don't even need a sweater and you are comfortable. Sometimes a soft breeze will blow and we Americans look at each other and say "this is paradise".


As I mentioned before Medellín is busy and hectic, full of tourists who have come for La Feria de las Flores (Flower Festival- July 29th-Aug. 7th) and for the Under 20 World Cup which Colombia is hosting. There are games in all the major cities in the country including Medellín. There has definitely been soccer fever in the air as Colombia has continued to win, as well as lots of national pride and international bonding as Colombians and foreigners go watch the games and cheer for the teams of other countries.


Last weekend I stumbled out of bed Saturday morning (after too much Aguardiente the night before) and made my way up La Ochenta to watch el desfile de los carros viejos (the old car parade). First off, let me say that I love that Colombia is as into parades as Mendocino and Elk :). It was impossible to find my friend in the huge crowd, so I sat alone and watched many old cars (ranging from the 40s-60s) drive by with the passengers dressed in attire of the proper era. Then I took a wrong turn going home and ended up going for about an hour long stroll in the boiling sun (and i got sunburned). Sunday was the final day of la Feria and el desfile de los silleteros. There is no translation that I have come up with yet for silletas (silleteros are those who carry them), they are basically wood framed flower arrangements. They range from emblematic, symbolic or just beautiful. They are made in a village in el campo by peasants who grow all the flowers, put together las silletas and carry them through the parade. These silletas can weigh up to 90 kilos and are carried by children, adults and elders in the warm andean sun. Truly an amazing feat you can see the pain on their faces as the sweat drips off their noses. However, these are farmers, working people, and they have an incredible strength. My camera battery died at the beginning of the parade so I don't have pictures to share, but two other Fulbrighters took lots, so hopefully I will have access to those.

 an old car broken down in the middle of the parade and getting pushed

a very festive paisa woman!

Yesterday, Tuesday, we (the four Medellín Fulbrighters) got last minute tickets to the Quarter-final FIFA game Argentina vs. Egypt. Initially I thought I was rooting for Argentina after having had such a wonderful experience living there in the summer of 2006, however I was warned that most Colombians were rooting for Egypt because Argentina has the history of being the best and knowing they are. Plus if Colombia were to make it to the semi-finals or finals they'd rather play Egypt than Argentina! Entering the stadium is what the American youth might call a "clusterfuck": 38,000 people filing in through 26 or so entrances and trying to find their seats. Furthermore, in classic Latin American style no one really knew what was going on or what they were talking about. Elly and I ran around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to find the right line to be in. We asked a million different people and everyone gave us a different answer. Then a police man said it didn't matter what line we got in, but when we got to the door they turned us away because we weren't sitting in that section. So then we got back in line (these are long lines mind you) and finally got into the stadium (step one accomplished) then we asked one woman working where sector 1 fila P was and she directed us to the complete wrong spot (go figure). So then we asked someone else and she sent us up another flight of stairs to another level. There we were directed a few other times until we finally stumbled upon what seemed to make sense as our seats, but alas there were Colombians sitting in them. We worked everything out and then the other two Fulbrighters Meg and Miles joined us in Fila P.

 The crowd.

 Elly and I, finally in our proper seats.

 I don't know if you all have been following the games (I'm guessing probably not, except maybe Jonathan Shepard) but the game ended 2-1 in favor of Argentina. However, Egypt deserved to win. They played a way better game, had way more shots on goal and more ball possession. Interestingly, all the goals were PKs and there were SIX yellow cards given in the match. It was a game of fouls and the outcome was unfortunately under the control of the referee. However, all the fouls, PKs and yellow cards made for lots of excitement in the crowd. My favorite part of the night was probably the end of the game when Argentina was celebrating and boasting to the crowd (who had not been in their favor all night) and 80% of the stadium began chanting back to them "¡hijos de putas, hijos de putas!" (sons of bitches). After the game we followed a massive flow of people down Carrera 70 to a bar where we and the rest of the city of Medellín watched Colombia play Costa Rica. Colombia is certainly the stronger team but Costa Rica gave them a run for their money. At 70 minutes the score was 2-1 Costa Rica, the four of us looked at each other all thinking the same thing: "we better get out of here, we don't want to be around if Colombia loses". However, luckily as we waited to get in taxis Colombia scored twice ending the game ahead 3-2, they now play Mexico which will be a great and tough game.


Eternally missing the Mendocino Coast, my Elk community, friends and family...Always sending my love from Medellín. 

My first week in Colombia

Its hard to believe that I've been in Colombia for a week, and the strangest part is I can't decide if time is the tortoise or the hare. It seems so long but so short. Regardless, it has been a week since I left the beautiful California coast and there is certainly an aching in my heart for the love that blows in the cool summer breezes that blew away the fog this summer and the simplicity of life along highway one.


The Colombian chapter of my life started off rocky, with a tearful goodbye and feeling like I was literally getting sucked out of summertime by a vacuum. Then an early morning arrival at SFO where the Delta representative almost didn't let me fly (because I didn't have a return ticket nor a visa.. which I was supposed to get there, but the paper I had explaining the agreement was in Spanish) and then told me that in Bogotá they probably weren't going to let me into the country and if that happened I was on my own and they couldn't help me. Images of being contained in Bogotá unable to contact anyone flashed through my mind and I frantically emailed our program director from my ipod (but it was 4 in the morning). I decided not to postpone my flight despite the rep's encouragement to fly later. I woke my mom up another few times as I sat alone at my gate crying with no desire to leave. Not to mention my flight itinerary sent me to JFK and then to Bogotá, completely out of the way and a long day of flying, plus a 2 hour delay in NY because of storms while we were already all loaded up on the plane. Things got easier once I got to Bogotá though and I had no problem getting in to the country. We had a 5 day orientation in Bogotá which was long, tiring and overwhelming. I felt so strange the whole time in Bogotá, uncomfortable, incompetent and homesick. Tears would well in my eyes every time I thought of home and all my friends, plus being with 27 other Fulbright grantees who have all accomplished amazing things was not the best for my self esteem. But, we were fed good food, we went out dancing one night and got a tour of the city which is freakishly similar to Quito only bigger, colder (the people not the temperature) and more developed, modern and clean. We went up a teleferiqo and to breathe the thin, fresh cool air of the andes while looking over the enormous, expansive metropolis of Santa Fe de Bogotá then walked through the Centro Histórico which was a straight up deja vú of el centro de Quito (Quito's is better.. it has more character and Andean funk).


I can't help but to compare Ecuador and Colombia, but every time I decide I like something better about Colombia I feel like I'm cheating on Ecuador. Ecuador is much more raw than Colombia which is both good and bad. I have seen TWO indigenous people here in Colombia and hundreds of blue-eyed, light skinned and even red-haired Colombians. That right there is a stark difference between the two nations and tells you a lot about their history. I keep reminding myself of the long and close relationship the United States and Colombia have had. This relationship has been both good and bad but it inevitably has made Colombia a wealthier and more modernized country. Furthermore, the woman in Colombia certainly live up to their reputation. My mouth has literally dropped at some of the Colombianas I've seen. How is it possible that they can all be perfectly proportioned, with unique faces and looking as though they just stepped out of a fashion magazine? I must also keep in mind that Colombia is the capital of plastic surgery. haha.


The second I stepped off the plane in Medellín I sighed a huge sigh of relief and a one of the first true natural smiles since arriving crossed my face. Medellín is so much more welcoming, friendly and beautiful than Bogotá (I'm speaking like a Paisa already..Paisas (people from Medellín) think/know that their city is the best in the country and are in a constant competition with Bogotá to be the capital of the country.. in my opinion let Bogotá remain the capital and let Medellín remain the smaller and superior city of the two). I was welcomed into Paisa country by Edgar (my university contact) and his daughter Saray. They both exhibit the typical Paisa hospitality and took me out to a delicious lunch which of course consisted of patacones (my favorite thing in the world), arepas (my new favorite thing) and a fatty steak which was delicious but left me full for over 12 hours. The national airport is about 35 minutes outside of the city and I couldn't contain the smile as we winded through the lush, green Andes passing small farms, armed guards on the side of the road and horses wandering aimlessly along the highway. Edgar took me to his sister's house where I am staying for now and then took me around the University,  which is nicely sized with a great view, a TV station and stage and a fabulous pool (two of them actually, and a hottub). Edgar is awesome (and a Jehovah Witness) and speaks fabulous English. His sister Luz Mary is the most friendly and kind woman ever who will do anything for me, and a fabulous chef. Her husband Jairo is hilarious, although I don't always get all his jokes as he speaks very colloquially paisa everyone is always rolling with laughter or rolling their eyes at him. He is also a professional saxophone player, one of the best in the country apparently. I'm staying with them for now in their small two bedroom apartment near the University, I have my own room and a big bed (which is about as hard as sand) but we share a bathroom and are basically right on top of each other, I can hear Jairo snoring at night. For now its perfect as I get settled into the city and try and find my way, but I long to cook for myself, invite people over to my home for dinner parties and unpack my suitcases. One can only eat large portions of meat and carbohydrates and salads that consist of iceberg lettuce and tomatoes for so long before going crazy and getting quite fat. Not to mention the fact that I am gluten-intolerant and lactose-intolerant and very sensitive to food (gracias al Ecuador) is the most bizarre thing to them. They can't imagine that someone couldn't eat wheat and trust me trying to explain it to someone in Spanish is easier said than done. For my mental sanity and metabolism I would like to live more independently. But I think I will definitely be here for two to four weeks, because it is fun to eat deliciously typical Colombian food, chit chat with Luz Mary late at night and watch soccer with Jairo. Furthermore, after having the most amazing family EVER in Ecuador nothing will ever live up to that.


This week is Feria de las Flores here in Medellín. Which is a 60 year old week-long celebration of being Paisa. Saturday I went out with Saray and her friends to la calvagata ( the calvary) a day long parade of thousands of beautiful horses with beautiful riders and one fiesta/concert after the other. We went to a Reggaeton one where we threw back aguaridente to the beats of Colombian reggaeton and classics. As i stood in the crowd of beautiful Colombians in front of the stage watching the performers singing with so much national pride and the crowd singing along and screaming at the top of their lungs, a feeling of nostalgia for Northern Californian summer reggae festivals overcame me. There is nothing I love more than standing in the bowl with all my best friends and favorite people with a smile plastered to my face and singing along to powerful songs as the music washes over us cleansing our souls. I really missed out on that this summer and I partially contribute the lack of those necessary moments to feeling unsettled in my life as I departed on this adventure.


Today, I spent the whole morning 8:30 am-2:00 pm trying to file the paperwork to get my cedula de extranjería (my residence ID). Although any normal Northamerican would have been ready to kill someone after all the different instructions we were given (completely different from what Fulbright had told us to do), the 3 times I went to the DAS office before actually having success, the hour I waited to just get into the office to be told I didn't have any of the proper paperwork, the 1.5 hours I waited to turn in the paperwork, the 25 photocopies i had to make and the 6 taxi rides I took to various banks around the city it barely phased me as I am quite used to the way bureaucracy works in South America and nothing that happened today surprised me. Except the appearingly genius con-artists who hang out outside the DAS office waiting for extranjeros who have no idea what they are doing. As part of the process you have to deposit money in a bank account and then bring the receipt to the DAS office with your application. These guys however make it apparently simple and have bank slips in this little random store/photo shop so you give them money and they fill out the slip and "turn it in to the bank" but probably never do that and just run away with the money and alas you are out 150,000 pesos and your Cédula never goes through because of failure to pay the dues. I believe this is how it works and its genius, however there is a slight possibility that they might have actually had a legit thing going.. this is south america, but it seemed WAY too sketchy to me. Now i only have to wait a month and a half before I actually have the physical identification card.


I don't work this week, which is both good and bad. I know I will spend many hours sitting in my room, on the computer and descansando due to boredom, but it also gives me time to wander around the city and figure it out, deal with all the little things that need to get done, and try and connect with the many contacts I have been given through previous Fulbrighters. But I am looking forward to working, except that I work on saturdays (who has class on saturday's this is crazy). But Edgar told me that if I need some saturday's off to travel thats ok, but in general I do not think I will be able to spend the weekends roaming around the country like I did in Ecuador, also apart from my commitments Colombia is ENORMOUS compared to Ecua.


Well this has been my first blogging experience and the first time I have put words to my Colombian experience so far, it is synthesizing, relaxing and very beneficial to write for me. And since I can get my fingers to click away on the keyboard about as fast as my mind can form complete sentences it is easier to write on the computer than in my journal but also makes me blab away and by the end of everything I have to say I have written a novel. But for those of you who know me well, this shouldn't come as a surprise as I always tend to have something to say, and not much of a filter. For those of you who have read to the bottom of this post, thank you for sticking through it and I promise they won't all be this long. Sending my love from stormy but warm Medellín. <3