The Baking Begins

Last year I struggled because I was lacking in close friends here in Bogotá.  Friends I could talk to about anything - friends that would dream with me and sit around a table and talk for hours about life and love.  Of course, some of this was due to my limited ability to speak Spanish, but still it was very lonely at times.  I found myself talking about this last night with folks that have become family and realized just how far I've come and how happy I now am because of the beautiful people in my life.

Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Colombia, but I've decided to bring it to Bogotá and to my friends here.  Thanksgiving is a day to be with friends and family and to reflect on all that you have to be thankful for.  I know how have friends with whom I can share this special day and that's just one of the many things I have to be thankful for.

I've planned the menu and have begun searching for the ingredients.  Today I baked my first pie ever!  It's an apple crisp.  I found the recipe online.  And I think it's going to be delicious!!!

There's something really special about taking the time to plan and prepare a meal for friends.  And I'm hoping that the sharing of the meal and time together will be just as special.

I LOVE Visitors!!!

 So Haley already two posts about her arrival to Colombia and a day in the city, but I still felt that I needed to share my excitement over her visit.   It was a quick day and a half but it was WONDERFUL!


Some of the highlights:

Dinner at Club Colombia.  This is not a place I go to often because it's a liiiitle too fancy for regular visits but it is pure heaven.  Gorgeous inside and out, great food, great lighting, and with Haley and Aly (her colleague traveling with her for work), great conversation as well. 







Drinks at Cafe y Crepes.  I had only been to the sister location, Cafe de la Montaña, but the locations are nearly identical and equally adorable.  Dark, warm, live guitar playing, and delicious beverages that warm you to the core: canelazo and vino caliente.  I know Haley and Aly were exhausted from the flight from Paraguay but it was sooooo nice to have this evening to catch up and talk about love, life, the future, etc. 


Tamales at La Puerta Falsa.


A trip to Monserrate.  I don't think I'll ever tire of this place.  Stunning views of the city and a great market full of typical Colombian cuisine.  We tried the coca tea - and Aly purchased some for her altitude sickness.

 

 

Obleas.  I actually don't think I've ever had an oblea...even after a year of living here.  How crazy because they are delicious...or exquisite as the vendor's cart claimed. 

Worlds colliding.

Onces potluck with my favorite Colombians and my lovely American visitors.  I invited a bunch of my favorite people from Bogotá to bring a dish and share it Sunday evening at my apartment.  The theme was onces and folks brought: hot chocolate, refajo (a mix of beer and Colombian soda), empanadas with ají, caladitos, fruit salad, cheese, guacamole, papas criollas (a special Colombia potato), and more.  The food was good and the company even better.  I love bringing my favorite people together and when my worlds combine and make new connections among themselves I am suuuuper happy. 

Haley and Aly, thanks so much for the excuse to have friends over on a Sunday night and for a great weekend.  It was sooooo wonderful to have visitors and I hope that your next visit will be a bit longer.

More exploring

Since my last visit to el centro, I have been creating a list of all the things I want to see and do.  Surprise, suprise...so unlike me...
Anyhow, at 7:30am Juan Carlos and I hopped on a bus with list in hand and did not stop until 4:30pm when we got on a bus to head back home.  We covered quite a bit of ground and I forgot to take photos of everything!  (Too caught up in the moment!)

First stop:  La Puerta Falsa for the best tamal in Bogotá. Maybe the world.  

Tamal with chocolate and agua de panela accompanies by almojabana, queso, and pan.  This was NOT a light breakfast.

  

Next stop:  Juan Valdez.   La Puerta Falsa does NOT serve coffee, despite being in Colombia.  Loved the restaurant, but still needed the coffee.

Stop #3: BOOKSTORE!  Part of the Centro Cultural Gabriel García Márquez, this bookstore was BIG.  And not every book was wrapped in plastic, per usual, so I could actually peruse for real.  Delightful.

Stop #4:  Popped into La Casa de Moneda...but realized I'd already been.

Stop #5:  Another stroll through La Candelaria.  I just can't get enough.

La Candelaria - I love it!

Stop #6:  Break to try Chicha...at 10am.  Gross on multiple levels.  This is a fermented beverage made of maiz (corn).  It is very strong...and pretty terrible.  You could nurse this over a great conversation on a Friday evening...but on a Saturday morning it's best to take a few sips to say you tried it and dump the rest down the drain.  Thanks to my friend Hillary for telling me about this must-try...check.

Happy to be checking this item off my list.  Never again...well, never say never I suppose.

Stop #7: El parque de la independencia.  It was pretty cloudy and about to rain, so we didn't linger tool long.  Will need to return another day...with a good book.

Stop #8:  El Museo Nacional.  Definitely need Juan Carlos with me for this.  I had a lot of questions about the history and about the vocabulary. :)

The museum is in an old prison.  Absolutely gorgeous inside and out.

Stop #9:  La Macarena for lunch.  It was raining when we left the museum but I wanted to check out La Macarena...so we booked it with my tiny pink umbrella to a street filled with what all seemed like wonderful restaurants.  We chose the Mexican one.  I've been missing Texas a bit lately.

After lunch, the sun was out and on our way to bus I spotted this:
 

Seems fitting for the weekend...but certainly bizarre for the middle of Bogotá.

Great day...but I'm exhausted.

La Candelaria

Sadly, it has taken me 7 months to hop on a bus (only ONE bus) and go downtown (el centro).  This is the heart of Bogotá where the city's first neighborhood was established and where the museums and the government are.  There is so much going on and so much culture.  It's old and run-down in many ways but the beauty in the history of it all is breathtaking.  Two of my new friends, Tiffany and Juan Pablo, invited me to go see a parade downtown.  We went early because I wanted to walk around and enjoy the city.  Here's a glimpse of our 2-hour stroll....so lovely...

Old Convent, converted into loft apartments.  Sweet!

Bucket list: 13.1 in Bogotá!

So... I have been feeling a bit lazy and bored lately (perhaps these two feelings don't go hand-in-hand...but it feels like that right now).  I'm in need of a project.  I applied for some curriculum development projects - but no one seems to want to hire someone who is working in Colombia. :(  I also have been less active than I should be.  So after reading through my Bucket List for the 15th time and being inspired by friend Ms. Sophia Burton, I signed up for the Media Maratón Bogotá.  No I haven't been running, unless playing basketball once a week with 14 year old girls counts (it doesn't in my book).  And yes, the city is located 8,612 feet above sea level, making breathing a bit more difficult.  Still, the bucket list said run a half marathon in another country, so you betcha I'm going to do this.  I mean I've run a marathon before and I've run two half marathons before...so how hard could this be, right?!

Wrong.

Today, I went for my first run.  Runner's World tells me, if I consider myself a beginner (I do.), that I need 14 weeks to train.  I currently have 21.  So I've decided that I need to run 30 minutes 2 times each week and then an hour on the weekends (ideally).  Today I gave myself 30 minutes.  I ended up running 33 minutes and only going 2.75 miles.  That's a 12 minute mile!  Oh dear.  I've got some work to do.  I'm also totally pooped...and sore...and hungry....and I only went 2.75 miles on a completely flat road. 

Still, I have something to work towards and that feels wonderful.  Will keep you posted on my progress and if you have tips on nutrition, cross-training, etc.  I'm all ears! :)

Lazy Sundays

They're the best.

Enjoyed a delicious breakfast: Tomales Tolimense, pan con queso and café con leche. Yum!

Then spent the afternoon reading here, in the courtyard outside by house.

Going to the Dentist - Part 2

My view from the Transmilenio.

So today, I traveled on the Transmilenio alone AND I went to the denist...alone.  I felt so adventurous because the teachers in my van were so impressed that I was taking the Transmilenio alone and going to Quirigua (far, far away).  Really it was not that big of a deal but the weather was perfect and it was mid-afternoon so I was happy.  Also, now that I've identified some of my frustration as part of my stage 2 culture shock, I'm really trying to accept my new home with all its surprises and differences... on my way home, however, I decided that the healthcare system - especially for dental care - is just not something that I will ever get used to.  No. Way.

Two weeks ago,  I made an emergency appointment to visit the dentist because I was convinced I had cavities.  After 2 or 3 minutes of poking around, she told me she could find nothing wrong with my teeth.  She did sign off, however, on x-rays (which I still have not gotten because I have to go to another location and then return to the dentist for her to look at the x-rays....and then of course if I have cavities I have to make another appointment and return to the dentist.  No thanks.

The dentist also suggested I get my semi-annual cleaning, so today I returned this time on my own to get my teeth cleaned.  When I got to the dentist I had to wait about 45 minutes (even though I had an appointment).  The problem was the building lost water for awhile...awesome.  When they called my name, I signed a consent form and then sat in the chair.  The dentist poked around my mouth again, sprayed some water, had me spit every 15 seconds because they don't have that convenient sucky tool, and then she asked me if I brought my toothbrush and floss.  I did because I brushed my teeth at school before leaving for the dentist...but what?!?!  She then proceeded to instruct me on how to brush my teeth using my toothbrush and toothpaste to sort of clean my teeth.  So weird.  Yes, I'm judging, I know.   Anyway, that was it.  An hour to the dentist and an hour back to my house for a lesson on how to use my toothbrush. 

I'm wondering if my complete astonishment with this system is evidence of my privilege in the U.S.  I've always had health insurance and a good job (or parents with good jobs) to cover a large chunk of the expense.  But what is the health care like for folks without insurance?  Or work?  I know there are clinics - many of my students used them in Houston.  Do they also receive this absurdly low level of service?!  Yes my dentist visit was free, but now I'm wondering what I could get if I was willing to pay $25 (the typical co-pay for a visit to the doctor in the U.S.).  In six months, I plan to explore these other options - even if that means paying a little extra...or maybe even a lot extra.  If anyone knows more about the health care system in the U.S., please share.  I've become very curious...

Gringo Tuesday

 So after having conversations with a few different groups of people about Gringo Tuesday, I decided to give a try with some friends this week.

Gringo Tuesday is event (held on Tuesdays, duh.) to bring people from different countries and who speak different languages together for conversation practice.  Colombians go to practice their English, and the Gringos pour in by the droves to practice their Spanish and/or find people to speak English with when their brains need a break.  The event begins at 7pm.  From 7pm until about 9pm, the lights are bright, there are couches, chairs and other comfortable seating scattered throughout the bar - La Villa, and strangers sit down to talk with one another.  After this the lights begin to dim, the furniture is moved piece by piece, and the conversations end so that the dancing can begin.

I didn't arrive until 8:30pm, so I missed out on the quality convos and on a Tuesday night with a full day of teaching to look forward to on Wednesday, I was not up for the late night of partying that so many folks are looking for (because they have no jobs and are simply passing through Colombia for a few weeks...maybe a few months).  Still, I think the concept seems great and will probably give it another shot - arriving at an earlier time.

Que chicharrón!

Today I was finally planning to get out of the house for the night and meet an acquaintance (from when I was here in March) for dinner. It was going to be a restaurant called Local that serves typical Colombian food (yum!).

Was is the key word because today it also rained. Public transportation in Bogota as far as I can tell is pretty terrible. Additionally, there are a LOT of people living in this city and too many cars on the road...and when it is rainy - everyone decides to drive.

This evening my host my called 3 taxi companies for me trying to get me a ride to the restaurant. None had cabs available. Her daughter's boyfriend agreed to drive me. This restaurant is 60 blocks from my house - blocks are pretty small though. After driving for an hour I was 20 minutes late. I don't have a phone yet (getting one tomorrow after I pick up my Colombia ID card which should be ready) so Jose (the driver) called my friend for me. He was still at his office standing outside trying to get a cab - and had been for an hour. Augh.

So, Jose and I returned back to the house - after another 45 minutes in the car of course. It turned out to be a good Spanish lesson because Jose speaks no English and so we did our best to make conversation in Spanish - wish I had it on video!

Still, while there are many wonderful things in Bogota - traffic is not one of them. Today was the perfect situation to use my current favorite word: chicharrón (loosely translated: pain in the ass, complicated/unsolvable situation).

Will have to try being social another night. And I need to figure out the buses - although they also looked like a nightmare to be on today - people were packed like sardines.

Mi Nueva Casa

I know I already wrote about my new home - but I made the move on Thursday. Olgita Lucia- my host mom- cleaned up the room and added a desk next to the windows for me. So nice! She also bought new sheets and comforter and there are about 3 other wool blankets under the comforter as well - nights get pretty chilly in Bogota but not with the bed that Olgita has set up for me. I've included a pic of the room.

Olgita goes away every weekend to her second home on a farm (la finca) in the mountains. Will try and get some pics of her, Camila (her daughter) and maybe even Andres (another teacher who lives on the third floor - but is rarely home). I will definitely get pics of the dogs as well because they are SO cute.

To get to school now I take a bus. It's a minibus owned by one of the teachers. Several teachers and I pay her to take us to and from school. The school agreed to pay my first month of transportation - so I could figure things out. I haven't decided if I will stick to this route or try and make friends to carpool with. The route is pretty convenient but a bit pricey. I do wonder if she is charging me more than the others...but there's really no way of knowing without being rude.

Setting up shop in Bogota

I cannot believe it has only been four days since I arrived - my brain is on fire (constantly translating things from Spanish to English and English to Spanish!) and I've been going non-stop.

On Monday morning I began teaching. My schedule is different each day. Some days I have no classes, some days I have a little over three hours of classes. The students are adorable, incredibly organized and eager to learn. As with all 6th and 7th graders, some of them are a bit hyper and many of them need you to spell out every detail for them - they are not yet comfortable making decisions on their own (Kate, do what's the title? Kate, do we need to copy the instructions? Kate, can I throw this out? Kate.. Kate... Kate..) And yes, at my school teachers go by their first names - I LOVE it.

The school seems to be a really great school. The students have a lot of independence - even as middle schoolers - but they seem to be able to handle it very well. They are punctual and respectful. The staff is also so kind. Many teachers do not speak English and so I am getting a lot of practice and learning new words and phrases each day. My department head has been by my side working every day - helping me get my keys, my supplies, complete paperwork, prepare my scope & sequence, etc. It is a lot of extra work for him but he does not let it show that I am inconveniencing him.

Today I had no classes, so I was given the day to get all my errands done so that my paperwork could be completed. One of the staff members met me at 7:30 am and was with me until 5 pm running errands all around the city. Again - the hospitality is unbelieveable. It would have been nearly impossible for me to get everything done today without her. I should note, she speaks no English. So I survived an entire day in Spanish. It was tough in the beginning but she taught we a lot and we even found ourselves laughing a few times at our jokes. It was great fun. So what did I have to do? First I had to get a medical exam. Then I needed to find out my blood type so I had to go to lab to get my blood taken. (Turns out I'm A+ if anyone's curious) :) Next we had to go to two banks - one to make a payment for my tarjeta de extranjera (kind of like a green card) and one to open a bank account. I then had to get photos made and finally (before lunch) I went and applied for my tarjeta de extranjera. I am now official in the eyes of Colombia because I have my own I.D. number. Hooray.

After lunch Melida and I looked at several apartments and I am happy to announce that I have found one! They were all pretty nice but I will be living in a home with a mother and her daughter who is in college. I have my own bedroom and bathroom and then share the kitchen and other living spaces. It is in a gated community that is absolutely beautiful and is in a more residential area in the northern part of the city. They have two dogs (pugs - so cute!) and the mother is very crafty - she makes jewelry, knits, bakes, etc. She also owns a farm in the mountains outside of Bogota and goes there every weekend. She has told me that I can join her whenever I would like - SWEET!!!!

So a very successful day and successful few days. I will be living in the hotel until August 31 and will move into my new place on Thursday, September 1. As is probably pretty apparent - I am extremely happy and cannot wait to see how things continue to play out.

Why Bogota?!

Tonight I arrive in Bogota. I cannot believe it. Tomorrow I begin teaching and it all just feels a bit unreal but I am very excited. There will be many more details to come as this tale unfolds but many of you do not even know why or how I ended up here in Bogota, so here’s the story (I’ll do my best to be brief, but it’s kind of weird twist of events):

I went to Harvard this year thinking I wanted to return to Uganda to work. All my major papers were written about Northern Uganda – policy and program proposals for how to improve the education and thus the economy and quality of life. Despite this fact, I continued to study Spanish while at Harvard. I felt like the only person in the International Education Policy program NOT fluent in at least two languages and because I already knew some Spanish that seemed to make the most sense. I think my advisor and program director disagreed – but now I wish I had take two semesters of Spanish.

In addition to studying Spanish, I also served on my program’s advisory board. Through this position, I ended up helping to plan an international study trip to Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia to look at the country’s education system and some of the innovations in education taking place there. See the blog our group created if you want to learn more about it. The planning of the trip was supported by Cecilia Maria Velez, a visiting professor at Harvard and the former Minister of Education of Colombia. She is an incredible woman and helped us to put together and incredible visit to Colombia. I fell in love with the country.

Finally, prior to graduate school I taught in Houston, Texas. Many of my students come from families where Spanish is the primary, often only, language spoken in the home. I loved teaching and the work I was doing in Houston but I was constantly frustrated that my lack of proficiency in Spanish prevented me from developing strong relationships with families of my students – relationships that would ultimately have increased my students’ success.

So – studying Spanish, visiting Colombia and not wanting to ever be prevented from communicating with the families of my students – I’ve decided to leave the States for two years. I will be teaching at a school called Gimnasio La Montana. The school is for students K through 11 (which is equivalent to 12th grade in the U.S.). I will be teaching 5th grade geometry (which is equivalent to 6th grade in the U.S.) and 6th grade mathematics and geometry (which is equivalent to 7th grade in the U.S. …noticing a pattern?). Additionally, I will be a part of committee to help the school revise its curricula to incorporate 21st century skills in all that they do. It is still a bit unclear what this exactly means but I’ll keep you posted. As far as housing goes, I’ll be living in a hotel my first week until I am able to look at some of the places my school director thinks are nice and can choose the place that is best for me.

This is what I know.
Let the adventure begin!

Voy a Colombia!

So after many weeks, or actually months, of planning a study trip to Colombia - the time to leave has arrived!

I will be heading to Colombia - Bogota and Cartagena from Saturday, March 12 through Sunday, March 20.

Will do my best to post pictures and updates as I think this trip is going to be fascinating. I will also be contributing to another blog with my study group...which might be updated more frequently and will have the perspectives of multiple people.

Check it out here