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!*