Portrait and Toenails

Here are the photos by Sandrine (see the link to her site on the right hand side of the page to see more of her photos).

This is for her project "Travels and Travelers," for which she's creating diptics of travelers and something representative of their travels. I got the nails done for the trip, so I guess that counts. Sandrine was so drawn to how I have a "classic," put-together style of dressing, but then I had these shiny gold toenails.

I guess that kind of contrast might be representative of the trip--I didn't think Cartagena was really the kind of city that would fit me. I'm not a huge fan of the beach or of the heat, and I didn't think the laid-back South American (and not just South American, but Caribbean) style would really fit with my personality. I've been surprised at how much I really love it here. I'm surprised at how relaxed I feel--not rushed, not bothered by things not following a schedule or going slowly, etc. I've been going to bed early, haven't been thinking about work or grad school...it has been so nice to be here. The perfect break from routine. A good contrast.

Anyway, here are the photos:

As long as we're on the topic of the toenails...while I was getting them done just before I left, I was warned they would attract attention. As I've explained actually a lot, they aren't polish, but a thin sheet of plastic that is heat-sealed to the nail (they're called Minx). I knew I would be running around in sandals while in Colombia, and I just wanted my feet to look nice without having to paint my toenails over and over. When I went to a salon to get them done, there actually weren't a lot of choices for the color/design, but I happen to like gold a lot anyway, so I was happy with that choice.

But my goodness. First I got a very nice picture taken of my toenails (which, if Sandrine's project goes as planned, will one day be included on her photo website and in a book). The little girls in the family where I'm staying look at them and touch them. When I went to the foundation to start the volunteer project, a group of girls called me over--not to ask me about their little assignment or the topic of our presentation, but to ask about my toenails. And then last night a few people, including Sandrine the photographer, arranged to meet to hang out and go salsa dancing. Sandrine had a French friend with her, and when I met the friend, Sandrine introduced me by explaining to the friend, "This is the one with the golden toes."

Thursday's Post: What Happened Wednesday

            The internet doesn’t seem to be working, so I’m typing this up to post later. I’m sitting outside on the porch of the house (I tried to capture the house with a picture from my computer). The seven-year-old is borrowing my Kindle—I don’t think they’ve caught on yet here, and it seems to be fascinating to people. But then I was totally fascinated when I started seeing them among my students. The grandfather has also joined us, with the two-year-old coming in and out. This is how the evenings have been—sitting outside on the porch. I usually read for awhile. But everyone’s out and about, neighbors talking to each other, kids wandering from house to house.  It rained today, and the weather is cooler then it has been. 

            Yesterday I went to class and got something quick to eat. After that, me and the Swedish girl from my conversation class, H., along with a mother and son pair, got a taxi to “the foundation,” as people seem to be calling it. It’s an organization for young mothers. The Swedish girl and I were to present on customer service.

            We went in a taxi and split the cost. Our next step was to go find the director, but she is a super busy person. H. asked for some preparation time (she was nervous for the presentation), so the director set us down in her office. It wasn’t until a bit later, after a fair amount of confusion about where we were going and when (and what exactly the mother and son—there to help with English—were doing) that we finally discovered that there was actually a full classroom waiting for us.

            The presentation went alright. It was a bit noisy. Most of the presentation was just an activity dividing the students into groups and having them act out customer service situations. It was the first time I’ve ever held a student’s baby so she could do the classwork;)  

            The director told me there is a girl there who received a scholarship to study baking in France for six months, but who doesn’t know any French at all. I think I will end up tutoring her a bit. I’ll probably stop with the presentations. The presentations are fine, I guess, but I just don’t feel that confortable presenting on something I don’t know much about, so I’m relieved.

Settling In

Yesterday after I landed in Cartagena, I took a taxi (from a booth) strait to the language school that organized my program. It was a little awkward getting out of a taxi in the middle of a new place and walking into a new building with new people dragging all my luggage behind me. I had arrived a bit late for the new session that had started that morning, and in addition there was some confusion with working out my expectations with what they offer. I had a few moments of high frustration, but I think things are pretty well figured out. I think.

I took the school's placement test, and answered pretty much everything correct except a few questions that tested the use of the subjunctive. For that reason, the teacher who is apparently in charge of the advanced students seems to be convinced I need a through review of grammar, focusing on the subjunctive. She said I could go to an hour of a grammar class starting at 9:00, after which I'd do two hours of a conversation class with her and one other student. And yesterday I did participate in a conversation class, which I enjoyed.

After that, I took a taxi to my host family. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The last time I had a host family (in France), it didn't go great--I was super shy in the beginning, and by the time I was feeling comfortable about things, the family had given up on me and pretty much ignored me for most of my stay. But this family has been wonderful. I stay downstairs with a couple; their three grown sons live with their families in apartments upstairs. Between them, there's a six-year-old and a two-year-old girl who are fun and seem to like me, and a baby boy who I don't see much of. I also met the maid and one of her daughters yesterday--the daughter and the six-year-old decided to help me unpack. And they literally unpacked my suitcase for me (and got such a kick out of deciding where to put things...which I may or may not have changed slightly a bit later).

The family has been so friendly--they took me on a driving tour last night, gave me a ride this morning, showed me the bank, gave me soap. When the grandfather found out I'm Mormon, he said there was a lady in the neighborhood who was also. And then tonight, when one of the sons and his wife were home, we walked over to the guard at the gate (it's a gated community) to ask about her. It turns out she's moved, but they think they know someone else to ask. They have been so kind.

Back to the language school. I went to the grammar class this morning, where we dutifully conjugated verbs for an hour. I sat there thinking things like, "Hmm...I've actually taught this same lesson before," but that was usually followed by, "well, I guess I could always use a review." I guess it was good, but nothing I couldn't have gained from opening my verb book and looking through conjugations one more time. Which I should probably do. I think I'll start going over some verbs on my own. Couldn't hurt.

Anyway, this was followed by the conversation class. I had been interested in doing some volunteering while here, and our teacher decided that the best thing would be giving presentations on job skills at an organization for teenage mothers. I felt kind of weird about this (why listen to a couple of gringas?), but I guess that's what we're going to be doing. Starting with one tomorrow.

After, I teamed up with three other students who I met in the grammar class--two Canadian teachers who came together, and one French woman who got burned out from her high-powered job, quit, and has been traveling on and off for the last two years or so. She's also discovered a love of photography, and after lunch, while we were waiting for the Canadians to finish a dance class, she asked if she could take a portrait of me. She's working on a project taking portraits of travelers to place side-by-side of something that represents traveling to them. For the latter, she was drawn to my gold toenails that I had done before I left. She said she'd email me the photos. I'll post them when she does.

After the dance class, the four of us wandered around Cartagena a bit. And here are the two photos I took. They are not particularly artistic, but they did document the day:

One of the Canadian teachers with the French photographer

After I took this photo, I found out this was once the slave market. Now, it's lined with booths that sell candy.

Arrived in Cartagena

Sunday was full of traveling. So was this morning. I got up early and flew to Huston, then to Panama City, Panama. I got quite a kick out of landing in Panama. I kept telling myself things like, "I'm in Panama!!"

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see much more than the airport. I am pretty sure, though, that we flew over the Canal and that I saw it.

I arrived in Bogota and got through the passport-stamping thing and then the customs thing (two different stations!) and by then it was about 11:00 pm. Next stop was a hotel I had reserved for a night before getting back to the airport again by 5:30 the next morning. I had read that in Colombia you need to get someone to call you a taxi rather than just grabbing one, but I figured that the taxis waiting after the taxi sign at the airport would be safe. That's legit, right? Taxis at the airport?

I might have been wrong about that. Thank heavens I know some Spanish. And I got to start using it right away. I don't think I actually ever spoke a word of Spanish while I was in Panama--I don't think I said anything to anyone at all. I was getting nervous about speaking Spanish in the airport and on the next flight, but that taxi driver sure got me to snap out of that in a hurry. As he told me how far my hotel was from the airport, and explained he knew hotels that were closer, and started trying to convince me to just go to one of said hotels, I got to say things like,

"I think you just don't know where my hotel is." (I don't think he did.)

"No, $100 per night is too much money. I'm not going to pay that."

"The other hotel was much cheaper."

He kept talking me into a (much closer, he said) hotel that would be $70 for the night (rather than the $56 for my reservation), and finally that's where we went. This got phrases like the following out of me: 

"Is he a friend of yours?" (When he introduced me to the man behind the desk at the hotel)

"Uh...do I get a key?"

The hotel had a grand total of three rooms. It was very nicely remodeled, but...an odd experience. At least I have a good story. Here's me in the room, trying to show my excitement at being there:

I got to the airport again this morning and got on another airplane, this time to Cartagena. So, I thought I read somewhere that (for this program in Cartagena) I could fly to Bogota. Then the school started contacting me about my transfer from the Cartagena airport.

That was when I realized my big mistake. At that point, though, I thought that maybe it would take a bit longer from Bogota to Cartagena, but that the school could send someone to drive the hour or two it would take to come pick me up. Or, if not, that I could hop on a train and be in Cartagena in a few hours.

It is actually an hour and a half flight between the two. I had a window seat, and I saw a grand total of FOUR groups of houses that were big enough to be seen from the air (I don't even know if they could have passed as towns)--the rest was just trees and trees and bits of farmland once we got closer to Cartagena. I was talking to my host family tonight, and they said it would take about twenty hours to drive that distance.

Huh.

North and South

Ok, first I have to explain the sheets.

My car is still pretty new. I've had it for a year. I love my car. (In fact, MSN Auto named my car one of the world's most beautiful. And, if you have not seen my car, I bet that, looking at this article, it will be quite difficult for you to guess which one is mine.) My car also has lovely, tan fabric seats. I agreed that we could take my car on our fantastic road trip to Canada, but I was a little bit worried about these tan seats (considering that 25+ hours in the car would probably involve some snacking).

So I covered the seats with sheets. And yes, the seats are still looking good. (Though so did the sheets when I took them off.)

Anywho, here's a bit about the rest of the trip. My cousin Richard took us around with his gang of friends. This involved such events as playing in a great big fountain (where some people ended up more wet than intended) followed by an introduction to bubble tea (which has no tea in it).

Here we are at the bubble tea place. We are trying to be Asian. Like the tea (that's not tea).

Also during our time, we hit the water park at West Edmonton mall, and the Ukrainian Village and horse races with my aunt.

Here I am at the hobbit house we found at the Ukrainian Village.

The horse race photo was being super slow to load. It was pretty much what you would imagine.

All together, it was a really great trip! It was fun to go and see some neat things, and fun to spend some time with family.

Speaking of family, for the week after I got back, all my nieces and nephews and one of my sisters were in town. It was great to see them all and have fun together!

Now, I'm at the airport waiting for my first flight to get to...Colombia. More adventures to come.

Hello From the North

My cousin Tanya, her husband Rex, and I decided a few months ago that we would drive to Canada. You would think this would be one of those things that you just talk about but never actually do. Yet here we are, in my car at five in the morning, sitting on sheets from the DI that I used to cover the seats. Look how we are excited (no really, we are). Look how I also kind of resemble a watermelon.

We drove strait to the great province of Alberta, where we reached our first destination: Waterton. Waterton is lovely. Even more so once it stopped raining two days after we got here.

We've been doing some lovely things in Waterton. Soon after we got there, we walked around and saw this very friendly deer.

We went on a couple little hikes and talked to two people from Holland who--we gathered--work with greenhouses and as part of their job travel all over the world (Canada, US, Australia...). And then we saw this bear. Bear!! We were in the car at the time. So everyone was safe.

We also went on a lovely bike ride, a lovely boat ride, and saw lots of lovely views.

Hooray for Waterton! Next stop is Edmonton.

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