It's clear to me that Colombians are great listeners, because every time I say "no" to something, they fire back at me with "But life's an adventure, no?" The same phrase I use in Spanish on them, they're using on me now. Needless to say, this week, I had many courteous reminders that life is indeed an adventure and worth saying "yes" to in almost any situation.
For that reason, I said yes to skipping a Friday morning class (don't worry... we were watching a movie) and going to the typical Thursday night club I've never been too called Kapitol. All the alcohol is free for woman, yet water costs 5 bucks a pop. The business kid in me definitely spent a minute thinking about how this effects their amount of repeat consumers vs. profit margins. Regardless, we had a wonderful time, laughed at all the lyrics we internationals pretended to know, and definitely worked off some calories.
For that reason, I said yes to skipping a Friday morning class (don't worry... we were watching a movie) and going to the typical Thursday night club I've never been too called Kapitol. All the alcohol is free for woman, yet water costs 5 bucks a pop. The business kid in me definitely spent a minute thinking about how this effects their amount of repeat consumers vs. profit margins. Regardless, we had a wonderful time, laughed at all the lyrics we internationals pretended to know, and definitely worked off some calories.
Speaking of calories, I went to the gym earlier that day, stepped on the scale, and had lost 12 lbs since I left the United States! Tell me that's not thrilling. I attribute it to one of two things: the 6 gallons of sweat I produce each day in this 90 degree weather, or the fact that cookie dough ice cream doesn't exist in this country.
Also speaking of calories, we stood in front of Kapitol around 2:30am, deciding whether to go home or go to our friend Sergio's house. One of his roommates, Cedric, promised us Spaghetti with love (in the absence of sauce), if we chose to come over, so we did. The power was out at his house, so with full commitment to the plan, we innovated and cooked some great pasta by flashlight. I promised him American stardom in return for his creation, so if you ever see him around town, make sure you tell him how much of a household name he is throughout the US.
Also speaking of calories, we stood in front of Kapitol around 2:30am, deciding whether to go home or go to our friend Sergio's house. One of his roommates, Cedric, promised us Spaghetti with love (in the absence of sauce), if we chose to come over, so we did. The power was out at his house, so with full commitment to the plan, we innovated and cooked some great pasta by flashlight. I promised him American stardom in return for his creation, so if you ever see him around town, make sure you tell him how much of a household name he is throughout the US.
We made it home right around 4:15am, felt it necessary to stay up and solve the world's problems until about 5:30am, and then crashed with an alarm set for 10. I woke up, got ready, and looked impressively good for packing an overnight bag in 9"x9" over-the-shoulder. I made my way to UniNorte for our next cultural activity: cooking class. We went to this colorful, enthusiasm-filled place featured below called "Chukuwata".
We left Chukuwata full and happy, practicing our new favorite Spanish phrase "estoy full". None of the Colombians quite understand why it is as funny as it is to us, but it really is. A blatantly english word with a thick spanish accent. They say things here like "full chévere" which means - completely cool, 100% cool, but they don't say "really cool", they say "full cool", just in Spanish. It's hilarious, I promise. Anyway, my friend Claire and I headed back to my house for a girl's night in (something I never believed in until last semester).
We chilled contently by the pool, worked up a little sunburn, but enjoyed a great day of deep conversation. We made our way back into the city, dropped Claire off at home, and me off at my weekend-home, STUDBAQ (home of my blog's famous characters: Naomi, Julia, Manuel, etc.) I ended up going to a place called Lovumba with my Moroccan friend, Oumayma.
We got in the taxi and with stellar accents, told the cab driver we were going to "Lovumba" on 84. We thought all was well-communicated until we pulled up to the gas station and he announced we were here. We didn't see any of our friends, nor the typical loud music, bright lights, or extensive collection of high heels seen on the feet of Colombian woman at all times. A few weeks before, my host mom had told me to take the bus to the gas station and she would drive me home from there. I remembered that gas station is called "La bomba". Sure enough, our taxi driver heard incorrectly (or we said it incorrectly) and brought us to la bomba on 84 instead of Lovumba on 84. With the perfect combination of Moroccan frustration and spanish explanation, we got where we need to be. We found our friends, danced up a storm, and enjoyed the night. We split the time between that place and a bar down the street called Moes. My Northeast, USA-oriented brain immediately associates "Moes" with processed Mexican food, but here, it's quite different. The closest thing to Mexican food I consumed there was a 50 cent lollipop my Mexican friend, Argenis, bought me from a street vender. It was no quesadilla, but it made for a sweet night. |
Later, we walked home in the dark, a group of 6 or 7 of us. When I say home, I mean "la casa de sergio"... where we always end up going for post-club adventure time. This time we weren't cooking spaghetti by flashlight or having a party in the street, we were belting the old American classics in the front yard. I mean, picture this... Mexicans, Americans, Colombians, Frenchmen, and Moroccans, sitting in the front yard of a loosely-fenced-in house at 330 am, discussing how we'll obtain taxis without wifi during the instrumental breaks of the most passionate Alicia Keys hits of all times. Where else are you going to find that?
We eventually flagged down some taxis, headed home, and slept like rocks. I headed out early that morning for a delicious lunch with a Colombian-American friend, Lila. We caught up on life post-cell phone screen crack, and celebrated how well we know the bus routes around Barranquilla by now!
We eventually flagged down some taxis, headed home, and slept like rocks. I headed out early that morning for a delicious lunch with a Colombian-American friend, Lila. We caught up on life post-cell phone screen crack, and celebrated how well we know the bus routes around Barranquilla by now!
I took the bus home and enjoyed the beautiful, 25 minute, up-hill walk home. This walk is a blessing, but possibly the biggest predicament in my life right now - trying to find the perfect speed to minimize the amount I sweat. Walk faster, get home sooner, but sweat a lot. Walker slow, get him later, but sweat less. Quite the analogy for life, no?
And last but not least, a couple other stories to tell about this week. Blessings are flying my way!
As promised, I will get around to the daily life post! Possibly, when I stop running out of other stories to tell!
- I went to the salon on campus to buy my gym pass for 1 month. I handed them a 50, and they told me I was all set. I was sure I'd be getting change back, but they insisted I wouldn't. I told them I changed my mind then, and I'm only interested in a 1-day pass. I paid 5 mil for the 1-day of gym access, and walked out of the salon, realizing I still had the fully authorized month-long access pass in my hand. $2 US for a month of gym access- I'll take it!
- My host mom has been telling me for 2 months now how important it is that I put minutes on my phone. I finally got around to doing it, but skipped the "data plan" and just loaded it up (barely) with phone call ability. I got some message on my phone this past weekend saying that someone had put 30 days worth of data on my phone. Barely anyone has my Colombian phone number, nor do I know anyone who would've done that for me. I was en route to my house on a city bus when they claimed I paid for it. It must have been a blatant error, maybe a typo or a fluke in the system, but it blessed me!
- As American as I look, people have started asking me for directions around here. All the time in my neighborhood, the cars are stoping, asking me for directions. Yesterday, I made friends with a woman on the bus who asked me about the route we were on. I asked if she wasn't from here, because I found it strange she didn't think the "Puerto Colombia" bus went to Puerto Colombia. We talked for the 30 minute ride about 2 main topics; (1 )really skinny girls and (2) the pineapple sauce that you eat with chuzo. I love strangers
- I've been discussing my name a lot this week, about how there is no equivalent in Spanish. Some people call me Jali, some people attempt to say Halle in english, and others just say "amiga". I've been trying to explain the beautiful creation that my little, Juan, (co-ed business fraternity lingo) gave me: Halicia, like Alicia, only with the H. I'm trying to devise a story about how one parent is latino and the other is not, so they gave me a half and half name, and there it is: Halicia. We'll see how much progress I make.
As promised, I will get around to the daily life post! Possibly, when I stop running out of other stories to tell!