Broke Genius

When I first found out that I was going to have to pay to leave the country to get a new visa, I was sooo angry with myself.  As I mentioned I had to both pay a fine AND pay for a very expensive, emergency flight out of the country.  This was no cheap errand.  In the end, however, I’m thinking that I might be really smart.  I tricked my school into giving me a weeklong vacation, without giving me a hard time.  Nice.  And a week with some of my favorite people in Houston was an absolute blessing.  I made the most of this brief time in H-town.  There were so many great things about the trip, here are some of the highlights:

1.     Airport Welcoming Committee:  I did not land, collect my bags and pass through Customs until about 11:45pm.  Still, as I exited security Pears, Lora and Rachael were there to welcome me with a sign that said “Happiest B’s in the Airport” and a bag of Texas goodies including: Texas flag bandana, Bluebonnet seeds, Armadillo magnet, Texas keychain, Texas-sized Jelly Beans, margarita-flavored chocolate bar (not sure about this one), Texas-themed fake tattoos… so fun!  Not only did these lovely ladies pick me up at this crazy hour, they then rallied and took me out dancing until the bar closed.  Woop!

 

2.     Family Dinner:  Pears began this tradition during my last few months living in Houston and has continued it ever since.  She cooks all afternoon, all her friends are invited, we devour everything in about 30 minutes.  The menu:  Pot Roast, mac & cheese, green beans, corn muffins, salad and a delicious peach cobbler for dessert.  YUM!

      3.     A 2^nd Cup:  This place makes me giddy and teary-eyed all at once.  Erica Raggett (who I have known since we met  at the 2005 Houston Institute where we were in the same CMA group) has left teaching and has started a non-profit coffee shop that is working to address the issue of human trafficking in Houston and beyond.  Her coffee shop educates people on the issue and raises funds for programs that support victims of human trafficking with shelter, training, counseling, and more.  The coffee shop is temporary but is super hip  - a coffee shop you’d want to visit even it was for-profit – but on top of that you know your money is going to a good cause.  It is SO inspiring to see someone who has truly found her calling.  Goooo ERICA!!!!

      4.  Breakfast tacos from Chiloso’s:  Eggs, potatoes, cheese, sausage, guac, and hot sauce in a flour tortilla. ‘Nough said.

      
      5.  Mexican Food AND Katie Norwood:  So of course I wanted Mexican food while I was in Texas.  It’s just better than what you can get in Colombia.  And no, the food from all South and Central American countries is not the same….don’t be so foolish.  Well, a person who inspires and who I’ve mentioned on my blog also happened to be in town this week and happens to also have an affinity for Mexican food, Lupe Tortilla to be exact.  So the infamous Katie Norwood joined Pears, Lora, Kat and I for an excellent meal.  The queso was best case…and so was the company.

     6.   Antidote:  Also a coffee shop.  An old favorite.  When I lived in Houston, I could pull up in my car and my iced coffee would be waiting for me be the time I reached the counter.  On Fridays, I’d treat myself to what I thought was a bear claw…apparently, it’s actually called monkey bread or a series of other names…a bear claw is something else.  Still, before both trips to the Colombian consulate I picked up an iced coffee and on one of those trips I purchased that heavenly Danish that I have dreamed of every since leaving Houston.  Worth every calorie.

      
     7.   Sunny days next to the pool.  It is HOT in Houston.  I mean, I-am-constantly-dehydrated-and-dizzy hot.  But I made the most of it by finding a pool for 2 of the days I was there.  Didn’t get as tan as I would have liked but definitely look a little less pasty now.  God Bless Texas.

      
      8.     Cheap clothes.  I really am broke but I had to find a little money in the budget to hit up Old Navy, Marshalls, and H&M.  They don’t exist in Colombia and absence makes the heart grow fonder… updated the wardrobe with a few key pieces: blazers, a pencil skirt, some dresses, and some tees & blouses.    Hopefully, this will ensure that I don’t spend my entire Christmas bonus on clothes (yes, I’ll be state-side again in December!).

     
      9.     Driving.  Yes, there are cars in Bogotá and yes, I have friends who have offered to let me drive their cars but driving in Bogotá is a traffic nightmare.  Driving in Houston on the highway, on the other hand = freedom!  It was so nice to get in a car, drive 70 mph and sing at the top of my lungs without bothering a soul.  (Thank you Pears for taking a risk and allowing me to borrow your car, despite the fact that I hadn’t driven in…ohhh, 8 months?  Thankfully your car didn’t fall to the same fate as your blue stapler)

      
     10.   Visa without a hassle.  I visited the visa on Monday.  I waited 30 minutes.  Spoke with someone for 2 minutes and turned in my papers.  Picked up the visa on Thursday and spent a total of 15 minutes there.  So after $1,000+ spent on travel, I was grateful that I could enjoy my “vacation” stress-free in terms of the visa situation.  Gracias Colombia.

     
     11.  Brunch with Rachael and a Bloody Mary.  It was a lot hotter than I remember but Backstreet Café is the best brunch place in Houston and it was absolutely delicious.  I think I made Rachael a fan too.  She had trouble deciding between the gingerbread waffles and the banana-stuffed French toast…she will HAVE to return.  In addition to the great food and the Bloody Mary, time with Rachael is always a blessing.  She makes me think and motivates me to be a better person.  Love her!

      
      12.   The B House.  So nice to be able to visit a place that still feels like home.  The house still has a lot of my stuff: furniture, dishes, books, pics, etc. and the other ladies act like I totally belong there.  Was so easy to sleep there for a week, even on the air mattress in the dining room.  It was also perfect timing, as the 30th birthday of a friend was on Saturday.  The theme?  His favorite things: Lonestar beer and hot dogs.  Hilarious.

      
      13.  YES North Central.  What an amazing place.  There are a LOT of new faces but it is more obvious than ever that the school is AWESOME.  It was so great to visit, hear the conversations taking place between teachers and administration about quality instruction and how to best support children.  Made my heart so happy.

      
      14.  Law & Order Marathon:  Yep.  A week in Houston and I chose to sit on the couch with some of favorite ladies and watch tv allllll day long. 

I know I’m missing a lot…but this blog is getting ridiculously long.  Thanks to everyone who helped to make my visit amazing!!! 

Idiota!

I'm an idiot.  In my mind, I was certain I had until the end of August to renew my work visa in Colombia.  What I failed to consider/remember is that I received my visa in the U.S. at the beginning of August.  On August 3, I looked at my Colombian ID and read that it expired on August 4.  To renew my visa requires a mountain of paperwork from my employer, so I went to the office about a week and a half later to get my new visa. 

When I arrived at the visa office to get my new visa for this year, they informed me that in order to get a new visa I would have to leave the country.  Awesome....AND in order to leave the country I would need to file for a salvoconducto and pay a fine.  Double awesome. 

So now I have a surprise/forced vacation scheduled for August 25.  In order to make the most of a bad situation, I am flying to Houston, Texas to spend 9 days with some of my favorite people in all the world.  Trying to make lemonade out of this lemon that life (and my own stupidity) have given me...hoping for a problem-free visa application process in Houston.  Stay tuned for the final outcome.

On My Own!

At the same time the new school year began, I also moved to my own apartment.  Because of that life has been crazy and therefore it has taken me until now to write about my new digs.

Anyhow, it is awesome.  I only moved about 8 blocks from my old home but I'm now near everything:  grocery store, Juan Valdez (Colombia Starbucks equivalent), salons, outdoor markets, bars, restaurants, and more.  I also now get to live alone.  I have my own space, I can use my kitchen whenever I want, I can have guests over without feeling bad, and I can sing and dance around in my underwear (if I so choose).   Being on my own also means more responsibility and learning to live in Spanish in new ways:  Calling to get my phone, TV, and Internet set up; paying bills; getting locks changed and new keys made... I love it! 

Here are few photos of my new place...visitors welcome!:

Back to the Grind

Headed back to school today - my month of vacation flew by!  It was great to see folks and the beginning of the year is always my favorite: new pens, notebooks, and other office supplies (best case!) but also a clean slate, an opportunity to start fresh with the students.  Also, found out that I will be teaching 5th grade and will be a course director.  Say what?!?!  This should definitely result in some interesting blog posts throughout the year. 

Last year, 5th grade was a challenge.  They are babies!  I'm hoping by only teaching 5th grade and having more time with them each week, things will be a bit more enjoyable...for everyone.  Also, the opportunity to teach the basics to these little guys will certainly make me more qualified for the stuff I want to do down the road:  train teachers! 

As for the course director part, I'm pretty sure the administration has gone mad.  The position itself is perfect for me - I get to be in charge of a course - gosh, I love control!  I can decorate the classroom, arrange the desks the way I'd like, build up team moral and work on the classroom culture.  I also get to work on the individual improvement plans with the struggling students, work closely with parents, and run the weekly grade level meetings.  This is great stuff and certainly good professional development, especially because half of these things must be done in SPANISH...which is also why I think the administration is off its rocker...SPANISH!!?!?!  Yes, I can order my food at a restaurant, navigate my way around the city well enough, hold a conversation at a bar, and confirm a reservation by phone...but having difficult conversations with parents about their children?  Haha...this is going to be verrrry interesting...