Diego and I went to Ibague again last weekend for Nata´s (his sister´s) birthday. (Special shout out to Michelle and Nata for celebrating their birthdays on the 15th!) In order to get to Ibague we have to travel by bus (mini-bus about 15-20 people) on roads that have sharp turns every 50-150ft.....aka A LOT!!! Back and forth, back and forth! After experiencing some stomach issues, I have developed 6 ways to prevent vomiting.
1) Be careful what you eat that morning. Hot chocolate with ham and cheese tastes delicious yes, but it is not recommended if you would like to keep it in your stomach.
2) Sit forward in the seat. Regardless of the fact that you might get lucky and have 2 seats to yourself, you need to face forward. In my mind facing to the side should seem easier on your stomach.....it´s not. I guess we are accustomed to sitting forward.....I recommend you stick with that.
3) Sit up in the seat. Although we like to be lazy and slouch, sitting straight up in your seat utilizes the force of gravity. It will be much harder for stomach contents to rise if they must fight the stongest gravitational pool possilbe.
4) Try to find something in the distance to stare at. This can be difficult considering you are more than likely next to a mountain with things passing very quickly and turns preventing finding a spot in the distance to stare at. But do try. Staring out the window on the side where the mountain is will make you very sick very quickly.
4.A Sit on the side of the bus that is not on the side of the mountain. Or switch seats so that you have something to stare at that isn´t 3 ft away.
5) Be VERY careful when you feel that you have to burp. Burping can be necessary from all the ups and downs of mountain driving....but you could get a little surprise.
6) Finally, pray to god that there will be a semi truck in front of you so that the bus driver HAS to go slower. Although you might appreciate getting out of the mountains in record time....trust me, it´s better to take more time without such quick turns!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
I love the funny little things about culture!
So over the last few weeks I have noticed/verified a few more things that are typical here in Colombia that make me smile. Sometimes I think it's weird and sometimes I think it's genius, but I always smile!
I have mentioned some things before like showers, drinks, and having a portero. Colombians have a social rule that you MUST take a shower in the morning. Diego told me kids get made fun of if they don´t and I thought maybe he was lied to as a kid so that he would take showers in the morning.....but no I asked other people in the office and they all said the same thing. I also mentioned that generally drinks with meals are only drunk after the meal is finished. I can´t quite adapt to that especially depending on the type of food I am eating. And finally, sometimes I am locked inside my apartment building because I have to wait for the portero (doorman) to unlock the door for me. Diego is supposed to be making a copy of the building door key, but I have yet to get one.
First, there is a different way of pointing down here. All of us have had are parents tell us at one time or another that we are not supposed to point (especially in church). Colombians have found a way around that. For the most part they point, not with there hands, but with there lips!!!! It's a little funny to watch....but it is a more subtle way to point. They also sometimes use a combination of eye and head movement which Diego likes to do a lot. He looks at me then looks and nods toward a specific spot. At first, you might think it's a little bossy or weird, but it's all done so nicely that it feels fine after you get used to it.
Second, Colombians make the bed weird!!!! Hehehehe!!!! This is something Diego and I "discuss" often. Colombians, in general, like to align the bottom of the sheets and blankets exactly at the bottom edge of the bed. So your toes can easily lose the blankets and be exposed to the cold air. Diego thinks that I am trapping his feet by tucking in the sheets and blanket at the bottom of the bed, but I just want to make sure our feet stay covered. It makes sense that they wouldn't want to tuck the sheets and blankets, most of the country is in warm, hot, or at least mild temperatures at night.....they don't need to keep out the "cold, night air" like we do in the US and other parts of the world.
As you know I started my new job 2 weeks ago and I was quite shocked when I discovered they have a señora that works at the office all day. She cleans the place which isn´t that strange, but she also serves us water, coffee, or tea and does the dishes as well. It´s quite strange being waited on at work. I do have to watch out that she doesn´t pick up my coffee cup until after I have finished it (especially if it is from the restaurant across the street and I paid for it). Can you imagine being waited on at work? It takes getting used to, because she cleans around you while you are working so for people who like their space and want to be left alone it´s a little difficult.
This next one is pretty funny. So Manizales is mainly one long main street that goes from my side of town to the centro (not actually the center of town). The main street has two lanes for each direction and is normally very busy since there are businesses or apartments that line the entire street. Apparently anyone may stop their car, go in reverse, park, and do god knows what else as long as their hazard lights are on. It´s quite funny to see sometimes because there are dozens of busses that run on that road constantly starting and stopping in the right lane along with taxis. So to see these people parking their cars in the lane like it´s no issue whatsoever is quite funny. So remember, hazard lights allow you to do ANYTHING you want while driving!
A not so large thing, but still quite funny is that everyone here (taxi drivers, store personnel, etc) always asks me how I handle the cold.....like it is really really cold here. I would like to point out it probably hasn´t been below 50F at any point in time here (night included). What I don´t seem to understand is how they don´t say anything about the rain!!! It rains everyday!!! I guess in time I will probably start to feel the cold like they do....but I don´t know if I can ignore the rain like they can.
So last weekend Diego and I went to my very first professional football (soccer) game. It was absolutely AMAZING. I will talk about that more in another blog, but one thing I will mention in this one is that Colombians show displeasure very strangely to me......it actually is quite the opposite of what I would do. Everytime they show displeasure (not including direct insults though yelling) it sounds to me like they are being positive! For example, at the football game there was one player on the opposing team that used to play for the home team.....every time he touched the ball the entire stadium would whistle. Like Dad´s whistle when it was time to come in from playing in the neighborhood when we were little. This is not something good....that meant something very bad....they didn´t like him!!!!! Another example is from my trip during spring break. When a theater performance is late in the Colombia, they don´t talk louder or say anything.....they clap! Yes, an entire theater was clapping to get the performers to come on stage! I have to admit there signs of displeasure are quite nicer than ours..........at least to my ears!
Finally and this is COMPLETELY hypothetical for obvious legal reasons, say that you knew someone that could magically take off 10 years on your driver´s license and every other public record. Would you do it? Just a question I would like to throw out there to the cyber world.
I have mentioned some things before like showers, drinks, and having a portero. Colombians have a social rule that you MUST take a shower in the morning. Diego told me kids get made fun of if they don´t and I thought maybe he was lied to as a kid so that he would take showers in the morning.....but no I asked other people in the office and they all said the same thing. I also mentioned that generally drinks with meals are only drunk after the meal is finished. I can´t quite adapt to that especially depending on the type of food I am eating. And finally, sometimes I am locked inside my apartment building because I have to wait for the portero (doorman) to unlock the door for me. Diego is supposed to be making a copy of the building door key, but I have yet to get one.
First, there is a different way of pointing down here. All of us have had are parents tell us at one time or another that we are not supposed to point (especially in church). Colombians have found a way around that. For the most part they point, not with there hands, but with there lips!!!! It's a little funny to watch....but it is a more subtle way to point. They also sometimes use a combination of eye and head movement which Diego likes to do a lot. He looks at me then looks and nods toward a specific spot. At first, you might think it's a little bossy or weird, but it's all done so nicely that it feels fine after you get used to it.
Second, Colombians make the bed weird!!!! Hehehehe!!!! This is something Diego and I "discuss" often. Colombians, in general, like to align the bottom of the sheets and blankets exactly at the bottom edge of the bed. So your toes can easily lose the blankets and be exposed to the cold air. Diego thinks that I am trapping his feet by tucking in the sheets and blanket at the bottom of the bed, but I just want to make sure our feet stay covered. It makes sense that they wouldn't want to tuck the sheets and blankets, most of the country is in warm, hot, or at least mild temperatures at night.....they don't need to keep out the "cold, night air" like we do in the US and other parts of the world.
As you know I started my new job 2 weeks ago and I was quite shocked when I discovered they have a señora that works at the office all day. She cleans the place which isn´t that strange, but she also serves us water, coffee, or tea and does the dishes as well. It´s quite strange being waited on at work. I do have to watch out that she doesn´t pick up my coffee cup until after I have finished it (especially if it is from the restaurant across the street and I paid for it). Can you imagine being waited on at work? It takes getting used to, because she cleans around you while you are working so for people who like their space and want to be left alone it´s a little difficult.
This next one is pretty funny. So Manizales is mainly one long main street that goes from my side of town to the centro (not actually the center of town). The main street has two lanes for each direction and is normally very busy since there are businesses or apartments that line the entire street. Apparently anyone may stop their car, go in reverse, park, and do god knows what else as long as their hazard lights are on. It´s quite funny to see sometimes because there are dozens of busses that run on that road constantly starting and stopping in the right lane along with taxis. So to see these people parking their cars in the lane like it´s no issue whatsoever is quite funny. So remember, hazard lights allow you to do ANYTHING you want while driving!
A not so large thing, but still quite funny is that everyone here (taxi drivers, store personnel, etc) always asks me how I handle the cold.....like it is really really cold here. I would like to point out it probably hasn´t been below 50F at any point in time here (night included). What I don´t seem to understand is how they don´t say anything about the rain!!! It rains everyday!!! I guess in time I will probably start to feel the cold like they do....but I don´t know if I can ignore the rain like they can.
So last weekend Diego and I went to my very first professional football (soccer) game. It was absolutely AMAZING. I will talk about that more in another blog, but one thing I will mention in this one is that Colombians show displeasure very strangely to me......it actually is quite the opposite of what I would do. Everytime they show displeasure (not including direct insults though yelling) it sounds to me like they are being positive! For example, at the football game there was one player on the opposing team that used to play for the home team.....every time he touched the ball the entire stadium would whistle. Like Dad´s whistle when it was time to come in from playing in the neighborhood when we were little. This is not something good....that meant something very bad....they didn´t like him!!!!! Another example is from my trip during spring break. When a theater performance is late in the Colombia, they don´t talk louder or say anything.....they clap! Yes, an entire theater was clapping to get the performers to come on stage! I have to admit there signs of displeasure are quite nicer than ours..........at least to my ears!
Finally and this is COMPLETELY hypothetical for obvious legal reasons, say that you knew someone that could magically take off 10 years on your driver´s license and every other public record. Would you do it? Just a question I would like to throw out there to the cyber world.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Quick Catch-up
So I know that it has been a long time since I last posted....in my defense there has been a lot going on. A trip to Ibague (great fotos of the park on facebook), teaching class at Bata, an eye infection, starting my new job at Presence. It's been a lot to do and I've been too lazy to get on here and write.
I'll start with teaching an English class at a factory called Bata. It is through an English school here in Manizales and I have to admit that I have had a lot of fun with it. I am known as "crazy teacher" (I believe or at least want to believe "crazy" in a good way) and normally have 2-3 students a day. However, there is a total of 9 students in my class so you can imagine how difficult it is to deal with absences and teaching more advanced material if they weren't there for the previous classes. While I like the class it is starting to conflict with my new job....because its from 6:30-7:30 in the morning.
Shortly after starting the class at Bata I developed an eye infection that looked somewhere between pink eye and the puffiness of a black eye. The doctor said it was probably from the same virus that causes chicken pox, but we're not sure. The medicine he gave me worked and it was gone in about a week.....but for that week I felt like the hunchback of notre dame!
Next comes our trip to Ibague to visit Diego's great aunt and see his parents for a little bit. Ibague is a town about 5 hours south of Manizales, only because there is a giant mountain directly between the two....riding the bus was fun. Just imagine driving through the mountains of Colorado (not the nice freeway parts) for 5 hours....it wasn't horrible but it was not possible to sleep from the constant swaying left to right with all the turns. Anyway....my favorite thing about Ibague was the AMAZING park that they have near the centro. Diego and I relaxed for most of the weekend, but we also saw some potential apartments that his parents were looking at. They have since bought an apartment and are in the process of moving from Bogota to Ibague!!! I also ate lechona.....that is what I talked about in my last post. When you have a pig cut in half and stuff with rice and other food....I have to admit it was DELICIOUS!!! I made sure to walk straight to the table so I didn't have to see the pig's face!
The apartment is looking great....we have curtains and other little touches in the living room for color. I feel pretty good about the place. Of course we are slowly working on the "extras" for the kitchen and the rest of the place, but slowly we'll get it together.
Finally, I started my job at Presence this past week!!! I was absolutely terrified to start and it shows. The two or three weeks before I started the job I pretty much ate everything in the apartment so now I am dealing with the aftermath of that. When it comes to the job, I think I am really going to like it. The first few days were rough because I didnt sleep before my first day and then I was obsessing over what I learned the next few days. I feel better now though and I am starting to really understand the software and what it does. If I haven't talked to you personally about the job, I will give you a run down.
The software from Presence (the name of the company) is used by call centers to expedite the process.... more calls can be received or sent out. It includes phone, chat, and email services. I have to admit that the software does a very good job, but I feel sorry for the people who work at call centers that use the software. Some configurations of the software doesn't allow the worker to wipe his/her butt without someone allowing it to happen. Good for the company....harsh for the workers. My job is to translate the manuals, announcements, and actual screen commands to English (File on your internet browser is Archivo in Spanish so I need to change those things from Spanish to English). It' a challenge but its fun!
Diego and I are doing well....We play pool about once a week and go out to eat once and a while just to have some fun. We ate at an amazing sushi restaurant tonight and it was great to have a date night with him. It's not difficult to work with him at Presence, because he is always so busy and we work in different departments that don't have to interact....which I think is better for us.
Anyway, that is enough for now. Just know that we are doing well and are having fun. We do miss the US at times (especially when people talk about the holidays), but we still love to hear from you!!!!
I'll start with teaching an English class at a factory called Bata. It is through an English school here in Manizales and I have to admit that I have had a lot of fun with it. I am known as "crazy teacher" (I believe or at least want to believe "crazy" in a good way) and normally have 2-3 students a day. However, there is a total of 9 students in my class so you can imagine how difficult it is to deal with absences and teaching more advanced material if they weren't there for the previous classes. While I like the class it is starting to conflict with my new job....because its from 6:30-7:30 in the morning.
Shortly after starting the class at Bata I developed an eye infection that looked somewhere between pink eye and the puffiness of a black eye. The doctor said it was probably from the same virus that causes chicken pox, but we're not sure. The medicine he gave me worked and it was gone in about a week.....but for that week I felt like the hunchback of notre dame!
Next comes our trip to Ibague to visit Diego's great aunt and see his parents for a little bit. Ibague is a town about 5 hours south of Manizales, only because there is a giant mountain directly between the two....riding the bus was fun. Just imagine driving through the mountains of Colorado (not the nice freeway parts) for 5 hours....it wasn't horrible but it was not possible to sleep from the constant swaying left to right with all the turns. Anyway....my favorite thing about Ibague was the AMAZING park that they have near the centro. Diego and I relaxed for most of the weekend, but we also saw some potential apartments that his parents were looking at. They have since bought an apartment and are in the process of moving from Bogota to Ibague!!! I also ate lechona.....that is what I talked about in my last post. When you have a pig cut in half and stuff with rice and other food....I have to admit it was DELICIOUS!!! I made sure to walk straight to the table so I didn't have to see the pig's face!
The apartment is looking great....we have curtains and other little touches in the living room for color. I feel pretty good about the place. Of course we are slowly working on the "extras" for the kitchen and the rest of the place, but slowly we'll get it together.
Finally, I started my job at Presence this past week!!! I was absolutely terrified to start and it shows. The two or three weeks before I started the job I pretty much ate everything in the apartment so now I am dealing with the aftermath of that. When it comes to the job, I think I am really going to like it. The first few days were rough because I didnt sleep before my first day and then I was obsessing over what I learned the next few days. I feel better now though and I am starting to really understand the software and what it does. If I haven't talked to you personally about the job, I will give you a run down.
The software from Presence (the name of the company) is used by call centers to expedite the process.... more calls can be received or sent out. It includes phone, chat, and email services. I have to admit that the software does a very good job, but I feel sorry for the people who work at call centers that use the software. Some configurations of the software doesn't allow the worker to wipe his/her butt without someone allowing it to happen. Good for the company....harsh for the workers. My job is to translate the manuals, announcements, and actual screen commands to English (File on your internet browser is Archivo in Spanish so I need to change those things from Spanish to English). It' a challenge but its fun!
Diego and I are doing well....We play pool about once a week and go out to eat once and a while just to have some fun. We ate at an amazing sushi restaurant tonight and it was great to have a date night with him. It's not difficult to work with him at Presence, because he is always so busy and we work in different departments that don't have to interact....which I think is better for us.
Anyway, that is enough for now. Just know that we are doing well and are having fun. We do miss the US at times (especially when people talk about the holidays), but we still love to hear from you!!!!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Adventures in Grocery Shopping
1) I finally found reusable grocery bags.....if you go to the market everyday they are especially useful. I have about 20-30 that will take a while to be used up as garbage bags so I am excited about saving myself the guilt of having to throw away the extra few hundred that I could accumulate in the coming weeks. The funny part is when I bought the bags, the clerk tried to put them in a plastic bag...not sure if I should make an ironic joke or just blame the fact that reusable bags aren't that popular.
2) I also saw a new sight for me when it comes to meat. During my time in Mexico, I saw cow heads, pig heads, and just about everything you can imagine...or at least that is what I thought. Diego and I walked past a restaurant that had a special pork plate. I know this because there was a cooked pig (head, ears, feet, everything) that was missing his back half!!! I therefore could look into the pig's stomach and beyond....I didn't have my camera on me, but I'll try to find it again, because it was definitely unique!
3) Shortly after the pig exhibit, Diego was invited in to a strip club....while I was right next to him holding his hand. I don't know if that is normal in Colombia....maybe it would be normal in the US, but typically you don't walk by strip clubs so I remain a little confused and a little amused.
4) I have a confession. I am an addict- a guayaba addict. They make these delicious sweets down here that are sugared guayaba "bocadillos" or sandwiches and I am obsessed with them. Typically, you shouldn't eat more than 1 or 2 because it is made of real fruit and lots of sugar so it's pretty hard on the stomach. However, I was left alone with the "bocadillos" for a day....and I had no control!!! I will not mention the number of bocadillos that were eaten, but I will say that the taste of them makes up for the horrible stomach ache I had later that day.
5) Diego and I went out for a celebratory meal when I got a teaching job (just one class) with Cambridge. It was a super cool Italian restaurant that had small doorbell looking things at each table so when you needed/were ready for the waiter, they would come. Super amazing....everyone knows what it's like when the waiter rushes you or keeps bothering you or the opposite when you never can find them when you need them. I think this is a trend that needs to catch on.
Also during lunch, Diego had another "Fez" moment. I have concluded that Diego is my family's Fez. He says things that normally wouldn't be that funny (I'm e-screwed), but for some reason it's hilarious when he says it. Anyway, at lunch he told me,
"I love you even when you are crazy."
"Am I crazy?"
"Yes and I love you when you are crazy and are making movies in your head."
"I make movies in my head?"
"Yes"
"What are they about?"
"CRAZY SHIT!"
Enough said!
6) Ooooooo I almost forgot the other Fez moment!!! So Diego and I are quite focused on grocery shopping intelligently and cheaply. We wanted something to small to spoil ourselves with- ICE CREAM. However a container of icecream is between $5-$9 which means you need to choose carefully so you don't waste too much money. We studied the price per gram for a little while and settled on a cookies-and-cream ice cream. We grabbed the ice cream only to have Diego get really excited and see a "cheap" ice cream of his favorite flavor with Shrek and friends on the container. He was really excited, but the barcode number didn't match up. He went to check the price to be sure and.....and.....and.....it wasn't cheap at all!!! He returned it to the freezer with a "Fuck you, Shrek."
2) I also saw a new sight for me when it comes to meat. During my time in Mexico, I saw cow heads, pig heads, and just about everything you can imagine...or at least that is what I thought. Diego and I walked past a restaurant that had a special pork plate. I know this because there was a cooked pig (head, ears, feet, everything) that was missing his back half!!! I therefore could look into the pig's stomach and beyond....I didn't have my camera on me, but I'll try to find it again, because it was definitely unique!
3) Shortly after the pig exhibit, Diego was invited in to a strip club....while I was right next to him holding his hand. I don't know if that is normal in Colombia....maybe it would be normal in the US, but typically you don't walk by strip clubs so I remain a little confused and a little amused.
4) I have a confession. I am an addict- a guayaba addict. They make these delicious sweets down here that are sugared guayaba "bocadillos" or sandwiches and I am obsessed with them. Typically, you shouldn't eat more than 1 or 2 because it is made of real fruit and lots of sugar so it's pretty hard on the stomach. However, I was left alone with the "bocadillos" for a day....and I had no control!!! I will not mention the number of bocadillos that were eaten, but I will say that the taste of them makes up for the horrible stomach ache I had later that day.
5) Diego and I went out for a celebratory meal when I got a teaching job (just one class) with Cambridge. It was a super cool Italian restaurant that had small doorbell looking things at each table so when you needed/were ready for the waiter, they would come. Super amazing....everyone knows what it's like when the waiter rushes you or keeps bothering you or the opposite when you never can find them when you need them. I think this is a trend that needs to catch on.
Also during lunch, Diego had another "Fez" moment. I have concluded that Diego is my family's Fez. He says things that normally wouldn't be that funny (I'm e-screwed), but for some reason it's hilarious when he says it. Anyway, at lunch he told me,
"I love you even when you are crazy."
"Am I crazy?"
"Yes and I love you when you are crazy and are making movies in your head."
"I make movies in my head?"
"Yes"
"What are they about?"
"CRAZY SHIT!"
Enough said!
6) Ooooooo I almost forgot the other Fez moment!!! So Diego and I are quite focused on grocery shopping intelligently and cheaply. We wanted something to small to spoil ourselves with- ICE CREAM. However a container of icecream is between $5-$9 which means you need to choose carefully so you don't waste too much money. We studied the price per gram for a little while and settled on a cookies-and-cream ice cream. We grabbed the ice cream only to have Diego get really excited and see a "cheap" ice cream of his favorite flavor with Shrek and friends on the container. He was really excited, but the barcode number didn't match up. He went to check the price to be sure and.....and.....and.....it wasn't cheap at all!!! He returned it to the freezer with a "Fuck you, Shrek."
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cleanliness....Who's right? Who's wrong?
So after briefly singing Janet Jackson's "What have you done for me lately" because of the title of the post, I will now focus on some very serious questions at hand.
Diego says that Colombians are very particular about when and how often someone should shower. First of all, he says they must shower at least once a day. Okay, fine. I'll give him that. But more strangely, they must shower in the morning!! He told me that children who go to school without showering in the morning (proof found in the wet hair) are made fun of the way that heavier kids are made fun of in the US!
Considering the fact that I have been a night-time shower taker since ummmm birth, I find that very strange. I personally have severe issues with dry skin after showering once a day. I skip washing my hair one day or try to only wash the key areas so I don't dry everything out so much. I need my natural skin oils!!! That might be "too much information" for some people, but it's the truth. The idea that you would have to shower at night if you were dirty during the day only to wake up the following morning to take another shower seems ludicrous! My skin and hair would all fall out if I did that.
I have to reiterate that this is all according to Diego. Maybe it's something he was told so he would take a shower as a kid. Maybe it's a Bogota thing. I'm not sure....but it seems very strange in deed.
Diego says that Colombians are very particular about when and how often someone should shower. First of all, he says they must shower at least once a day. Okay, fine. I'll give him that. But more strangely, they must shower in the morning!! He told me that children who go to school without showering in the morning (proof found in the wet hair) are made fun of the way that heavier kids are made fun of in the US!
Considering the fact that I have been a night-time shower taker since ummmm birth, I find that very strange. I personally have severe issues with dry skin after showering once a day. I skip washing my hair one day or try to only wash the key areas so I don't dry everything out so much. I need my natural skin oils!!! That might be "too much information" for some people, but it's the truth. The idea that you would have to shower at night if you were dirty during the day only to wake up the following morning to take another shower seems ludicrous! My skin and hair would all fall out if I did that.
I have to reiterate that this is all according to Diego. Maybe it's something he was told so he would take a shower as a kid. Maybe it's a Bogota thing. I'm not sure....but it seems very strange in deed.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
What I'm thinking is......
1) What I'm thinking is that trying to post the pictures of my apartment on the blog is a little too much time. So for any of you that didn't see them yet, go to my facebook page and see amazing pictures of the apartment, city, and a trip to "Coffee World" (that's my name for it at least).
2) What I'm thinking is that Colombians in general do not drink much during a meal....they really only drink their juice, water, soda, whatever it is until after they finish their plate. That's nothing crazy, but it is something that I noticed especially when we were staying at the boarding house with 8 other people.
3) What I'm thinking is that I look better in Diego's jeans than I do in my own. Is it a little depressing that I fit into someone's jeans that is 6 inches taller than me....of course. But do I LOVE the fact that my wardrobe has expanded some.....HELL YES!!!
4) What I'm thinking is that roller-coasters are not as common in Colombia than they are in the US. When we went to the "Coffee World," there were a couple small roller-coasters that normally would be considered the smaller, not-so-scary roller-coasters at an amusement park in the US. The endearing part of it was that each time the small roller-coaster got back the entire crowd waiting/watching cheered the victors for their amazing survival. I'm almost a little jealous of their excitement. It takes a lot for me now to really get my adrenaline pumping. It's like firework shows.....once you have seen Thunder over Louisville it's hard to be excited about any other show.
5) What I'm thinking is that I am a little too competitive. First, it should not surprise any of the family....I had to stop myself from being too serious about a game of pool. One reason is that I sucked....horribly!!!! And if I stayed serious I would want to stab myself with the pool stick. Another is that it was a fun game that we made up so that 8 people could play. Luckily, I was with Diego's coworkers who are so much fun and I had a great time.
6) What I'm thinking is that I want to continue giving English lessons even if I find a different job. There's something about people wanting and excited to learn that will always keep me coming back for more as a teacher. I had my first lesson on Thursday and it went really well. I think I like to make a difference on a more individual basis and we all know that my multitasking ability (in regard to dealing with 20 students at a time) questionable.
7) What I'm thinking is that I am a master cook!!! Not really, but I took off the skin and ribs from the chicken breast I bought the other day.....that's got to count for something.
8) What I'm thinking is that I LOVE our washer/dryer!!! It's amazing when you don't have to wash your clothes by hand or wait 3-4 days for them to dry in a small space with no sun and little air. Plus our washer/dryer sings a beautiful song each time it finishes. I haven't caught it on video yet.....but soon....very soon!
9) Finally, what I'm thinking is that the statues here in Manizales are the funniest, collest statues ever. There are some human statues that look like they have war paint on, there are bulls walking down the side of a building, there are bulls jumping out of a fountain, it so much fun!!! I am going to try to take more pictures to post them soon!
2) What I'm thinking is that Colombians in general do not drink much during a meal....they really only drink their juice, water, soda, whatever it is until after they finish their plate. That's nothing crazy, but it is something that I noticed especially when we were staying at the boarding house with 8 other people.
3) What I'm thinking is that I look better in Diego's jeans than I do in my own. Is it a little depressing that I fit into someone's jeans that is 6 inches taller than me....of course. But do I LOVE the fact that my wardrobe has expanded some.....HELL YES!!!
4) What I'm thinking is that roller-coasters are not as common in Colombia than they are in the US. When we went to the "Coffee World," there were a couple small roller-coasters that normally would be considered the smaller, not-so-scary roller-coasters at an amusement park in the US. The endearing part of it was that each time the small roller-coaster got back the entire crowd waiting/watching cheered the victors for their amazing survival. I'm almost a little jealous of their excitement. It takes a lot for me now to really get my adrenaline pumping. It's like firework shows.....once you have seen Thunder over Louisville it's hard to be excited about any other show.
5) What I'm thinking is that I am a little too competitive. First, it should not surprise any of the family....I had to stop myself from being too serious about a game of pool. One reason is that I sucked....horribly!!!! And if I stayed serious I would want to stab myself with the pool stick. Another is that it was a fun game that we made up so that 8 people could play. Luckily, I was with Diego's coworkers who are so much fun and I had a great time.
6) What I'm thinking is that I want to continue giving English lessons even if I find a different job. There's something about people wanting and excited to learn that will always keep me coming back for more as a teacher. I had my first lesson on Thursday and it went really well. I think I like to make a difference on a more individual basis and we all know that my multitasking ability (in regard to dealing with 20 students at a time) questionable.
7) What I'm thinking is that I am a master cook!!! Not really, but I took off the skin and ribs from the chicken breast I bought the other day.....that's got to count for something.
8) What I'm thinking is that I LOVE our washer/dryer!!! It's amazing when you don't have to wash your clothes by hand or wait 3-4 days for them to dry in a small space with no sun and little air. Plus our washer/dryer sings a beautiful song each time it finishes. I haven't caught it on video yet.....but soon....very soon!
9) Finally, what I'm thinking is that the statues here in Manizales are the funniest, collest statues ever. There are some human statues that look like they have war paint on, there are bulls walking down the side of a building, there are bulls jumping out of a fountain, it so much fun!!! I am going to try to take more pictures to post them soon!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
That Can't Be True!
2) So as I have mentioned before, Colombians eat a lot of food. To the right is a picture of a plate of food that I ordered at a restaurant. It's bigger than it looks...They like to stack food whereas in the US we still like our food separated for the most part. Diego ate his plate and about 1/2 of mine. For the 2 weeks we stayed at the boarding house I finished a total of 3 meals (that was after I told her to give me less. That can't be true!!!! I have decided that there is something about Colombian food that makes me feel it faster so I get full very fast....cause lord knows I can kill 2 plates of Bob Evans "Big Farmer's Breakfast" in the US. And yes I did eat the chicharron (fried pig skin)....that can't be true!!! But actually it can!
3) My husband is an evil dictator wanting to take over the world!!!! See video for proof! That can't be true, can it? Further proof can be seen by his evil joy of the thought of eating little, adorable, innocent bird eggs!4) There are a few things in Colombia that seem backwards to me. First...they do not drink juice for breakfast, but they do drink it for lunch and dinner! That can't be true!!! Second, I cannot get in or out of my apartment building without the doorman. That can't be true!!! But it is!!!! The doorman is the only person who has the key to the building. So yes, that means sometimes I wait inside the building to get the attention of the doorman, who also works the 3 buildings near me, in order to let me out. Btw, the next blog will be devoted entirely to the apartment and furniture!
5) To go to the grocery store I have to climb these stairs....that can't be true!!! But it is!!!! There are 84 stairs plus the two sets of stairs to get in the apartment!! I love the challenge especially 7,020 ft up!! Take that Marie with your little 52 steps to your walk up!! Hehehehe! 
6) This is definitely true!!! I am the clumsiest person ever!!! Diego and I went to get some arepas and cheese along with some beer for our very first meal ever in the apartment. It was raining and I was in flip flops so when I walked down the stairs I slipped and slid down 3 or 4 stairs on my side. I have a large bruise on my hip along with a few other bruises down my leg!!!! Painful...yes. Embarrassing....hell yes!!!!! Luckily the arepas and beer were fantastic!!!!!!7) Finally, a couple pictures that are absolutely beautiful that just don't seem real to me! I love the dog picture, because he was doing the same thing I was.....hanging out in the middle of the road checking out the fantastic views!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)