I am a giant in Colombia.

Hello everyone!

I officially have a host family (who I haven’t gotten pictures with yet) – Olga and Pablo, a couple in their 70s who live in a condo in the north of the city.  They also don’t have internet (I’m at the neighbor’s, who’ve been generous enough to let me use theirs for a bit). They do remind me a LOT of my own grandparents – Olga is very social and will often be chatting/gossiping on her phone with friends and Pablo does his own thing and will watch some TV in the afternoon or read the paper or just take a siesta.

They’ve been very accommodating to me, I’m more or less on a Colombian version of my own diet (with a bit of fish, otherwise I’d be hungry and a hungry Sarah = an irritable Sarah). I have two host brothers (both are grown and out of the house), one lives in Barranquilla, near our house and we’ve been to visit several times.  He has three children, though I’ve only met the middle one in passing.  Harold is 13 and Isobela (not quite sure on the spelling in Spanish) is almost 2.  Me and Harold are pretty good buds I’d say – he speaks a little English and he’ll speak that to me and I’ll respond with Spanish (and sometimes vice versa when neither of us knows how to communicate in the other’s language).  The other son lives in Bucaramanga, and I have no idea when or if I’ll get a chance to meet him.

A few pictures before we proceed…

Making some shadow puppets in the hotel because Caitlin and I were in a very giggly mood – most likely after I thought the maids took my sheet, though they had only folded it all the way to the bottom of the bed…

My casa in Barranquilla.

And my little niece, who some days isn’t afraid of me and other days is.

We went to the Museo del Caribe, a pretty cool (chevere) museum about the Caribbean areas of Colombia

After I spent the evening with the extended family and then came home and watched a bit of TV with Olga.  This morning we learned the bus routes with our Spanish teacher and Spanish groupmates.  Our group ended up being a the four girls from our Spanish group and we have a reaaaally easy way to the school for classes and to the office (and will likely be taking a taxi together every day instead of the buses).  So then we went to the mall.  Holy moley do they have some niiiiice malls.  Sure, I’ve been to some nice malls too, but these, I’d only be able to shop there if my parents took me 😛

Also, my new nickname is some variation of Yuca.  Sarita Yuca, Yuckita… sure it’s a root kind of like a potato, but it’s also a slang term in Colombia… for big feet.  I’m kiiiind of a giant here.  Seriously.  I’m a head taller than pretty much all the women, even when some of them are wearing heels.  Soy Sarah Yuca.

Paul, the only guy in my Spanish group, getting some shade.

El Colombo – the training center we’ll be studying at.

This one’s for Georgia ^, and I had subway for lunch.  They have much better lettuce than we do in the states….

I’ll close this up with the more serious side of this whole experience so far.  I’d be lying if I said the last few days were anything but difficult and very trying.  My spanish definitely isn’t up to par and my brain is absolutely exhausted by 6pm.  Even writing this is a little difficult because I’m starting to get used to needing to translate everything.  But it’s coming along. At some point every day I’ve seriously questioned why I’m here.  And because I haven’t had any internet I’ve been journaling.  The other day I noted something along the lines of “I now understand why so many people ‘settle’ and give up their dreams, following them is so difficult”. It’s easier to stay and be happy with the people you love than deal with the homesickness, discomfort, anxiety, fear.  That’s just the tip of the iceberg of a long list of emotions that make this hard.

I want all of my family/friends/mi amor, to know how important your support is to me and how much I love you all.

From Colombia with Love,

Sarah