Can I Really Still Be In the Northern Hemisphere?

My flight back to Colombia ended up being delayed because of the first real snow storm of the year. I really can't complain about it too much because I got to go skiing! On Monday I didn't think I would see real snow or be able to ski at all this year, but on Wednesday I was out doing loops (small ones, but loops on real snow none-the-less) at Elm Creek.

So, I went from, in a matter of 17 hours, this:

To this:

And a temperature change of 90 degrees (-5 to 85 F). Yikes Bikes.

I also got a new room. Here it is!

It is about a fifth the size of my other one. In fact, I had to stand in my bathroom to get the majority of the room into the picture. But I really like it. It is quaint.

There is a different feeling in the hotel now. They have put up Christmas lights (which is a bit strange to see without snow) and they are doing lots of construction. Also, because it is vacation time here, the administration takes advantage of incoming wealthy tourists and kicks out all the hotel residents (I'm still here because I fall into both categories, I guess.) So it feels a bit strange because most of my friends have moved out. However, the first thing I did was swim in the ocean and it was delicious. It's good to be back.

Back in the USSA

So, unexpectedly I have found myself back in the USA for a few weeks. It is nice to be back with my family and friends here (and also to eat Chipotle), but it is definitely bittersweet. My best friend's mom, Jenny Wilder, passed away on November 13, 2009 at 5:00 pm. A service was held in her honor at the arboretum last Tuesday. It was beautiful and I am really glad I was able to make it back in time. Please keep the Wilder family and friends in your prayers.

Jenny died of Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), a rare and aggressive form of Breast Cancer. If you are interested in donating to the "Jennifer Wilder IBC Awareness Fund," you can donate online at www.minneapolisfoundation.org/Giving/DonateNow. You can type in the name and the fund will show up.

I will be home until December 8th, so if you are also in Minnesota, feel free to give me a call and I would love to get together with you!

Megan, Jenny, Lani, Donna, Jane, Emily

I love you and miss you Jenny.

Las Fiestas de Noviembre

In November, Cartagena shuts down for a week to celebrate it's independence day (yes, a separate independence day just for the city) and to host the national beauty pageant. It is crazy! First of all, you need to know that I hate beauty pageants. I think they are dumb. So, to start off the week, I went with a friend to meet all the contestants, and, because I am a horrible person, make fun of them behind their backs.

Meet Las Reinas:

They all look exactly the same. It is disgusting. But... I got a picture with one! (I was originally making a face, but my friend took a really long time taking the picture and I started giggling.)

So, there are tons of parades with the queens and everything, but the best part is that the city just goes into total chaos for the week. Of course, there is drinking and it is more dangerous, but it is also very fun. In the streets people throw water, flour, paint, spray foam, anything on anyone who passes by. You have to wear old clothes because they will get ruined. I don't have any pictures of me covered in yellow, blue, red, purple, etc, but let me tell you, my shirt sure is beautiful! Tye dye! The part that really keeps you on your toes are the "buscapies." These are like firecrackers that people throw on the ground and after a few seconds explode. You have no idea where they are going to go and when they will explode. I may or may not have thrown one...

But these parties last all week, all over the city, culminating in the crowning of Miss Colombia, but I think that by the end, no one really cares who wins. Everyone is too drunk and tired to really pay attention. If you are in Cartagena for this week, I would advise you to be very careful, but just let go and enjoy!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

I have deemed it time to write about the streets of Cartagena. Now, many of you already know about the dangers of transportation in third world countries. Colombia is no exception. And although the drivers are crazy and I have yet to find some sort of rules or method to the craziness, I have to admit that I have not seen any accidents; not even a fender bender or minor tink. But still, the drivers scare me. The part I love best is when we are waiting at a traffic light (yes, they are generally obeyed, except one time when I was in Cali, we were in a taxi that kept speeding through red lights at night and my friend just kept yelling "rojo! rojo! rojo!" everytime we went through) and the very moment the light turns green everyone starts honking, as if the person at front didn't realize it, even though it would be impossible to start up that fast. It makes me giggle.

There are four main forms of transportation in Cartagena. First you have the bus. Many of you may remember my love affair with buses in Argentina. I have developed another one here in Cartagena as well. I love the buses, and this makes everyone here laugh because they hate them. They are loud, crowded and either drive way too fast or way too slow. The thing is, they have a certain time limit in which to make their round and if they are late they have to pay a fine. So sometimes, in order to avoid the fine, they go super fast, weaving, and not picking up people who are trying to flag them down. If they are early, they go so slow, like, never leaving first gear. There is nothing more annoying than getting on a bus when you are late only to find it moving slower than you could walk. The buses have helpers who take your money for you while the driver drives. It cost 1.200 pesos, but they let you pay 1.000, or if you are really cheap and not going very far, you can negotiate. The helpers can be pretty rude people tell me, but I've never had a problem. In fact, they have been very helpful, telling me when to get off if I don't know where I am going and giving me a hand when I get off the bus. The buses are also all decorated to the driver's taste and usually blast music. If the bus is really full and you have to stand, people that are sitting usually offer to hold your bag for you. That's nice. The worst part about the buses is the heat. Especially if it is raining because then all the windows get closed and the sweat just drips down your back. Gross. There are a couple that are air conditioned, but they don't generally go to where I need to go. Plus, I am too cheap to pay 300 pesos more (that's like 15 cents... wow, I am cheap.)

There are taxis, of course, but I generally avoid those because they are too expensive for my taste, although sometimes it is necessary. At night, the buses change their route and no longer pass my hotel, so we have to take taxis, but if you split them between five people, it is the same as a bus ride. Similar to taxis are colectivos. These are taxis that are shared. You can pick them up anywhere on their route, although it is best at the beginning because they get filled and in the mornings you have to wait a long time to find one that has an empty spot. It costs the same as the bus, but is faster and a bit more comfortable. I take these in the morning on the way to the center because the buses don't pass in that direction.

Lastly, there are moto-taxis. These are the most interesting, and definitely the most dangerous. They are motorcycles that carry people to whatever destination they want. They are everywhere! But they weave in and out of traffic like crazy. If traffic is stopped they find their way to the very front, going in crevices I would never dare to enter and over grass and medians. There really are no rules. I have been on these moto-taxis twice, but only when I was traveling with other people. I don't know if I have enough faith to get on one by myself and let him speed off with me. I don't know, I am super intrigued by them, but have received many mixed messages about them from friends.

My absolute favorite part is that on the back of every public transportation vehicle, they have this sign: "¿Cómo conduzco?" and then a telephone number.

Translation: "How's my driving?"

HAHAHAHA!

Quick Mannequin Update

I just need to show these new mannequins I found because they must be shared across the world.

This first one me da mucho miedo. I mean, this is genuinely scary to walk by:

This next one me da mucha risa. I mean, I know motorcycles are a very common form of transportation in Cartagena, but putting mannequins on one? It really cracks me up:

That's all for now. More to come.

ULTIMATE!

It has been a long time since I have posted and a lot has happened including a trip to Cali, a city near the Pacific coast known for Salsa; lots of work; more play; and I have joined a frisbee team.

(The team)

One of my friends, Jota, started a team this year at his university and he invited me to play. We practice on the beach and it is beautiful. I love it! The people are the team are hilarious and a ton of fun. Some know how to play really well and others are just beginning, but we are improving rapidly. It is the perfect mix.

This past weekend we had a tournament in Barranquilla, another coastal city about an hour away. It was fabulous. We slept on the beach under the stars, woke up to the waves and the sunrise, and the first thing I did was go swimming in the sea. So beautiful. We played a pickup game of ultimate before breakfast. Then frisbee all day long. There were 6 teams of 7 or 8 people each and everyone was just so passionate about frisbee. It was such a cool atmosphere. And you could always just take a swim whenever you got too hot. Fantastic.

Anyway, this is how I'm spending a lot of my time now: running around the beach with really cool people chasing frisbees. I love it!

(Barranquilla!)

Manneqphobia

This is my new word for the phobia I am diagnosing myself with. Some of you may be familiar with my fear of mannequins (alright, probably just my sister knows about it), but I have the urge to publicize this fear now because here in Cartagena it is only growing. I mean, the mannequins here are terrifying! Walking down the street to the university I have to pass by many clothing stores whose windows are jam-packed with as many mannequins as they can fit. And they are scary! Take a look:

Here you can see the facial features and elvish appearance that the general mannequin here always has. I mean, what is they guy doing with his mouth? And the poor woman desperately needs a haircut, or at least a wig straightening. But they all have faces and hair like this. Since I walk this street nearly everyday, I am getting used to their penetrating stares and confusing facial expressions, but it still makes me uncomfortable.

Another strange thing I have noticed is the breast size. There are many mannequins here with boobs larger than I have ever seen on a mannequin (or most women for that matter) in my life. I have to question how they do not topple over... I mean really:
There are many other interesting mannequins I have seen wandering the streets of Cartagena including one dressed in a joutfit (sorry Justine and Leigh, I did not have my camera with me for that one) and this pregnant mannequin. (I think she needs a birth control lesson because it looks like she already has two little mannequin children. Plus the straps to her top are falling off and it makes her look a little like a garden tool... Maybe I should talk to someone in the store about it. It is not sending a very good message.)
So anyway, I just want to put it out there that if you have a fear of mannequins like I do, the best way to overcome it, is to make fun of the dumb things until they stop spooking you. Every once in a while I still turn a corner and my heart jumps because some creeper is staring right at me, wearing studded jeans and a tight shirt with his arm pointing at me, but then I realize that I can push him over with one finger and I laugh at him.

No Hay Agua

Last week the water went out in the whole city; no one in Cartagena had water to bathe with, to wash the dishes, to flush the toilet, to drink... Apparently the main water pipe broke that brings water into the city. The water was out for 3 days and everything basically shut down. At first I thought it was funny that students didn't come to school because they had no water, but on the second day, the school was actually closed, and when I went near the bathroom, I learned why. What a smell! It was funny because daily conversation always started with, "Do you have water?" Luckily, the hotel provided me with some water to shower and wash dishes, but farther out in the city they just had to suffer through it. Wilson actually stayed over in the hotel because his mom told him just to stay where there was water. But, no worries, the water has returned, and though there have been rumors of a recurrence of its disappearance, so far, it has been here to stay.

A Pizza Update!

I thought it was about time to update everyone on my pizza search. Since my students now all know about my plight for pizza, I have received many invitations to their favorite pizza places. Some of them have been alright, but none spectacular. When I asked one student what her favorite pizza place was and she told me Pizza Hut, I thought, "Oh great, if that's the best here, I'm screwed." But last night the girls from the hotel had a lady's night (oh, yes it's lady's night...) and we went to Jacobo's Pizza and it was SO GOOD! We had crab pizza, which was so yummy. So, for all of you who are coming to visit me, we will be dining at Jacobo's Pizza.

Also, on my birthday I decided to just go for it and make my dad's pizza. I bought all the ingredients and then solicited the help of some of my friends.

Pablo helped me make the dough:

Vanessa chopped the parsley for the sauce:

El Mono took over the rolling of the dough and the baking process...

... which was done in a covered pan:

Everyone was surprised when it actually turned out really delicious! It almost was exactly like at home. So, now I know that when you want to make a pizza badly enough, an oven is not necessary. Try it!

El Circo Russo Sobre Hielo

So, this is the most random thing ever: last night I went to the Russian Circus on Ice in Cartagena, Colombia. That's right: Russian in Colombia; ice in the heat. It was so bizarre and I need to share it with everyone.

I went with my hotel family Marbyn, Sebastian, Manon, Anita, Pablo, and el Mono.

The opening number consisted of very stereotypical Russians skating on this tiny rink under a tent.

Then this girl came out and did some sweet tricks on this flying hoop. She was still wearing ice skates.

Then the magician came out (on skates remember!) and performed a few magic tricks, including cutting this woman into ten pieces.

Suddenly, we were watching a production of Tarzan on ice. Fascinating. They showed the beginning scene where a gorilla gets killed by a hunter. Then all the gorillas lined up together and skated to Kumbaya. Bizarre, I tell you.

The final act in the Tarzan episode involved Tarzan and Jane swinging around above the rink. I was sure someone was going to get cut by a flying blade. But, the show remained bloodless.

There were clowns of course. They were pretty funny...
...a very strange episode of the Flintstones and the Grim Reaper...

...and a juggler, which was the best act of all.

The finale was not lacking in scantly clad women.

It was a bonding experience for me with my Colombia friends. I had my French friend, Manon, on one side of me and we were snickering the whole time, and on my other side was Marbyn, who that the whole thing was the coolest show she had seen in her life. I laughed a lot, that's for sure. And I just had to share this experience with others. I wish you could have been there!

Beautiful Cartagena

Being the English Assistant at the University of Cartagena has given me some amazing opportunities already. I have met all the head honchos and they have all offered me their services whenever I need it. The rector of the university gave me the best gift: when he found out I wanted to go up the school's tower he called the security guard to personally escort me to the very top to see the most beautiful view of Cartagena. It was fabulous! Here are a few pictures:

First we had to go up this really sketchy stairway...

The inside of the tower is beautiful! I love the windows and the floor.

This is the university from above. Gorgeous!

I live between the tall buildings in the back. Everyday I walk from there to here. It looks a lot farther than it really is. It is beautiful!

The mountain in the background here is called La Popa. This is the highest point in Cartagena and is one of those points that helps you figure out where you are. You can see it from almost anywhere. On the very tip, there is a church, but I don't think you can really see it in this picture.



Beautiful views, eh?

Why I Will Never Improve my Spanish

Everyone here wants to speak English with me! Or, they want me to teach them English. Which is fantastic. Except, when am I going to improve my Spanish?

Actually, it has been going really well, considering. Considering what?
Considering the fact that costeños, or people from the coast, and even more specifically, people from Cartagena, are the most difficult people to understand in Spanish in the world. (I am pretty sure that is a true statement that can be scientifically proven.) They swallow letters, they cut off words, they combine words, they create words, and man do they speak fast! It is beautiful and I love it, and once I learn to understand it, I will be able to understand any Spanish speaker in the world!

Here are a couple important words to know:

¿Qué más? - A greeting which literally means "what more?," but the answer is "bien," which means "fine." So... I am still trying to make sense of this one.

Esa es la que te cae. - "Whatever you say!" Pretty sarcastic, I think.

Bailate ese trompo en la uña. - "Spin that top (like the toy) on your fingernail." It's like, "yeah right, I don't believe that."

Por si las moscas. - "For if the flies." Like, "just in case."

*LUIS- Help me out here! Let me know if I need to make corrections and give me some more ideas! You know best!*

My Friend Wilson

I am supposed to be starting the English Conversation Club this week, but things work a bit slowly around here and we are still trying to figure out the advertising of the club, so, instead of teaching English today, my friend Wilson taught me how to cook chorizo and french fries. (And no, he is not a volleyball!)

Here he is with the finished product.

Wilson is a pretty funny guy. He is 16, in his second semester at the university, and studies history. He is super passionate about learning English, and fairly good at it, which is why I was so surprised when he told me he had taught himself all he knows. Sometimes, I have no idea what he is saying, but often he has no idea what I am saying in Spanish, so we end up just staring at each other or laughing.

Last weekend, Wilson took me to the beach with his friends. The beaches here are so beautiful, but splashing in the waves with 16 year old boys can get a bit awkward, especially when they are scared of you. I did get the chance to teach them the difference between beach and b****, a pronunciation problem I have encountered in all of my Latin American travels.

Wilson also took me to the Inquisition Museum where we played around with different torture instruments as well as a guillotine and a hangman's noose. We also found this cannon.

Most importantly, Wilson loves my glasses. And I must say, he looks pretty good in them too!

A Move... Not So Far

I have been searching for a place to live here in Cartagena for the last two weeks, and let me tell you, it has been rough. It is very expensive here and I would really like to have some money from my stipend left over to eat. But the people here are so friendly! I have so many people looking for places for me:

-the secretaries at the undergraduate school and the graduate school
-my friends Luis and Wilson
-my friend Vanessa

-a taxi driver
-a random lawyer that started talking to me on the street one day

-some random kid whose girlfriend's mom might have a place

People are just so eager to help here! It is amazing. Despite their eagerness, I was still left without a place two weeks after arriving in Cartagena. So, the owners of the hotel told me I should just stay here, in a small apartment. I took them up on the offer and moved all of my stuff (which has already multiplied significantly somehow) 20 feet to my new place.

(This is my front door... not like I have a back door or anything.)

It is great. I have the privacy I desire, but I still have a community here (other people live at the hotel as well, and the owners and doormen take very good care of me), I know how to catch the bus from here to everywhere I need to go, and it is right across the street from the ocean. Plus, they make my bed for me everyday and do a bit of tidying. Nice.

And I have a roommate. Well, he's a lizard, and I would actually rather he went away. He keeps turning up randomly right in front of my face or under my hand and it creeps me out. He needs a good name though...



Best, it has a tiny kitchen. I love to cook for myself. Today I went out and bought myself a pot and a pan and it made me so happy! BAD NEWS: No one here has an oven! I guess people just don't bake that much. It makes sense; it is so dang hot why would anyone want to turn on an oven? But, that means, I cannot make pizza. :( Or cookies or brownies or cakes or empanadas or milanesa.... if anyone has any suggestions, or easy recipes for one that require only a stove, I am all ears!
(Oh, how English has some funny phrases!)

PIZZA!

Okay, so I know my first entry should be about the city and my first impressions, or how I am feeling knowing that I will be living here for the next year... but no, it is about pizza. I love pizza! My dad taught me how to make his own specialty pizza; in Argentina I learned to put hard boiled eggs on pizza; in Mexico I found out that everyone puts ketchup on their pizza (although that still grosses me out).

So, besides getting my visa, getting my Colombian ID, opening a bank account, looking for a place to live, trying to make friends, and preparing for teaching, I have taken it upon myself to find the best pizza in Cartagena. So far I must admit I have been thoroughly disappointed, but then again, I have not been digging too deeply in my pockets.

On my first day exploring the city I realized I had not eaten all day - heat does that too you, have I mentioned it is so so so hot? - and so I stopped by a little window that said, "Pizza y Gaseosa (pop) 3.000 pesos." Conversion rate is approximately $1 to 2.000 pesos. I thought that would be a great deal, but the pizza was crap. Hawaiian though.

I left that place unsatisfied, and even though I still wasn't hungry I figured I should eat more since eating is important. So, I found another place with a similar deal. No good. Some type of meat.

Third place I tried had great crust, super think and fluffy. The toppings were pretty good too - peppers, onions, ham, more things than I can remember. But it just didn't taste very good.

Fourth place was the best yet: onions, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and green olives.

But I am still looking, because I just haven't found that one place that I am going to take everyone to that passes through Cartagena.