Evening of Day 3

Our hosts had a wedding to attend this evening, and we were fortunate to be invited to Steve and Patrice's apartment for dinner.  They are the volunteers from California who are staying on campus for two months in hopes of learning enough Spanish to communicate with their future in-laws.  They are also wonderful hosts and we enjoyed a fabulous meal and conversation.  We learned about their family of one son and three daughters, Steve's second career as a middle school teacher, and that both are better with plastic than glass.  Kailey got to have a second piece of Patrice's delicious chocolate birthday cake and I had my first cerveza on Colombian turf.  We planned our day trip tomorrow which will consist of a bus to the Metro and a tram ride up the mountainside.  We figured out how many pesos to take and Steve offered to take his backpack for any purchases we might make along the way.  I am so excited for this last adventure before I return home on Sunday.  We walked home from their apartment, and took in the breathtaking view once again of the zillion sparkling dots of light on the mountainside.  I could not capture this view on my camera, but I hope it is forever imprinted in my mind.  As we went to the gate, I spoke my favorite evening greetings and struggled with my masculine or feminine tenses of words (somehow, night is feminine and day is masculine...and Kailey thinks this makes perfect sense).  I am getting comfortable with Ciao as no one really says Adios (go figure) and shortening Buenas Noches to simply "Buenas."  Por fa works instead of Por Favor, and I just say "como?" (what?) and gracias a whole lot.  I learned that I use a ton of non-essential words in my daily chattering, and this becomes evident when I am communicating to someone who speaks little or no English.  I think I have discovered the art of "male communication."  Just the essential two or three words will do in most cases.
As I am sitting here at the table, the patio door is cracked so that I can feel the evening breeze and hear the sounds outside.  A fruit bat occasionally dives into the brick enclosed area, and an engine sound or horn is heard in the distance.  I think a parade of musical instruments went by, and I can't figure that one out.  I envy Kailey's challenges, opportunities for growth, and lifetime memories that will come after I leave.  And....a new friend who introduced himself as we walked across the street and into our gated residential area--Ruben (accent on the second syllable) will likely be a part of it all.  Some English, some Spanish, and a class in common makes for the start of a perfect friendship.
Buenas Noches Amigos!

Day 3 Pictures

Breakfast on the patio consisted of yogurt with granola, papaya, pineapple and a cup of coffee.  After all, we had to stay out of Marta, the cleaning lady's, way.

Kailey opens the door of her suite, #416.

Colombian locks must be a little harder to open

The view from Tower 2, where Kailey's dorm room is.

A view from the window

The kitchen area of the suite.  There's a TV and a small table.  A refrigerator is coming.

The view to the left from Kailey's room

Another view from the dorm room

A straight shot out Kailey's window

Down in the courtyard below

Kailey's half of the room....is clean just for now

Her roommate has been assigned but is not here yet.  The room is very much like mine was at Carroll College, and just about the same size.

There are drawers under the beds and shelves with drawers in the closets.

I was so enthralled with the vaulted ceiling.  (Thinking I was glad I didn't have to paint it.)  It made the room feel much larger and cooler.  Actually, there was a nice breeze through the un-screened window.

 

Kailey's room in the suite is down the hall.  There are 4 bedrooms all together.

The bathroom is across the hall.  Good size for all these girls.

There are two showers, with the infamous hot water contraptions.  Kailey is now a proficient user of such a device.

Another view of the kitchen.  (Kailey will watch the Super Bowl with Don, Elizabeth and their friends from California.)

Laundry is done on the 5th floor of the tower.  When Elizabeth first moved here, there was no roof.  A roof comes in handy in case it rains.  Clothes are hung on the lines in each area assigned to the suites.  They dry quickly because it is not very humid and there is frequently a nice breeze.

Maytag or Whirlpool? 

So now comes the move.  Kailey loads her 4 months supply and we truck up 4 flights of stairs.

I just can't get enough of this view.  It is so different from my life.

A place for everything.  And who needs hangers?  A small hanging place will be used for towel drying.  Cross hangers and clothes pins off your list, mom.

This is carved from a tree trunk and is on the campus.

The cafeteria, where Kailey will likely eat lunch.  Breakfast will probably be something light in her suite, and supper has many options.  It will be interesting to see what she decides to do about that meal.

A unique tree in the courtyard.

We went to an art museum in the Plaza, which is in the center of downtown Medellin.  A former student who lives on campus with her husband (a current student) and her two sons (ages 1 and 4) was our tour guide.  She met us at the front gate with her youngest son, Juan Lucas, and we took a taxi into town.  The ride cost a little under $10.000 pesos or about $5 each way.

A street view outside the museum

Fernando Botero is a very unique and famous artist.  He is from Medellin and has donated many paintings to the museum.  He is recognized for his humor and enjoys painting everyone in rotund proportions.  It is a spoof on those who paint thin, beautiful people.

From the window, looking down into the Plaza.

Can you tell why I absolutely loved this piece by a different artist?

Thinking of Kristine....

Can you read the words on the wall?  Kimberly Clark!!!

We walked around the Plaza

The vehicles are so abbreviated!

People were selling things and a vendor was blowing bubbles

This woman walked around with a huge platter of cups of fresh fruit on top of her head.  Never even held it to balance as she wove in between the people.

We left in a taxi, and I tried to capture the proximity of the motor bikes around us.

These bicyclists must be on a suicide mission.  They, too, dart in between the cars and motor bikes.  I can't believe we didn't see bodies and accidents everywhere.  It is totally unbelievable to watch (or not) the traffic.

Finally, the perspective I was looking for.  I don't know how these taxis keep their side mirrors in tact.

Our escorts, Astrid and (a sleeping) Juan Lucas.

Day 3

I will post some more pictures and narrate our day, but first I have learned some more things that are not attached to pictures.

Whenever you charge a purchase, they ask you "Cuantos quotas" or how many payments?  You must decide at that time, for how many months you wish to spread out your payments.  You cannot change your mind, or pay it all off at once even if you want to (unless you've said "uno.")  The credit card statements must look so odd, with all different payments for all different purchases.  For us, it is just "uno" no matter what number we come up with, because that is how our statements are printed in the US.

Remember the laws which are just mere "suggestions?"  Well, the speed limit works the same way.  The numbers are simply decorations on the signs.  For this reason, they scatter "policia acostada" (laying down police), speed bumps, all over the streets.  You drive and then slow down suddenly (not to avoid the buses and motorbikes that are squishing you) to drive over these very rounded speed bumps. 

There are 7 classes of social strata, based upon income.  The people pay percentages of their utlity bills, property taxes, etc. based upon their strata.  If you are upper class (6 or 7) you might pay 20% more of what your bill says, in order to fund the lower classes.  Employers have to supply health insurance and it is a law for employees to have it. (Sound familiar?)  You must pay 12% of your wages for health insurance.  The employer actually contributes 9% and you pay 3%.  The interesting part is that this amount covers all people in your family under the age of 19.  There is a government health insurance that pays for some unemployable people.  There is no welfare or social security as families take care of each other.  If you don't have a job, you figure out a way to earn money.  Thus, the food vendors all over the street sides.  And, there are vendors (candy, gum, breads) at the toll booths and stop signs.  Today, while we were in a taxi, a vendor placed a multi-packet of Chicklet gum (those little rectangle boxes with two pieces each) on the dashboard of the car.  He just reached through the open window and set this packet down.  I wondered if the driver even wanted it, and thought it can't be free.  As the stop light changed to green, the same vendor walked back past the row of cars and took back the packets if money was not extended out the window.  So fascinating. 

I live a very sheltered life.  I must get out more.

Day 2 Evening Pictures

Elizabeth and Don took us out for dinner at Mongoles restaurant.  It is a casual experience with a limited menu which made ordering much simpler.  We had so many questions and they are a wealth of information.  There is a 16% sales tax and they pay their housekeeper much more than others do....at under $2 per hour.  Marcy, we could have someone come every day!  Our taxi ride was another eye-closing event.  I learned that Don and Elizabeth have never owned a car in Colombia.  They are so expensive to keep up and gas is over $5 per gallon.  I suppose that's why there are so many buses and motor bikes.  The cars are all manual transmission and there are so many steep hills.  They all roll back a little when starting off from a stop sign, which is funny to watch.  They must have different emission laws, as there is a distinct smell of fuel in the air.  Oh...and laws....they are sort of guidelines (just like the lane markers on the streets).  They can be manipulated and ignored.  Elizabeth explained this culture makes her teaching of God's law rather difficult.  Biblical law is absolute, but Colombian law is not so much.

20,000 pesos is roughly $10.

This was the restaurant we ate at tonight.  It's very large inside and on Sundays, there is a long line out the door.  Only wealthier people are able to afford to eat out. 

The view from our restaurant seat.  Unemployed people set up carts and sell food all over the streets.

Many laughs with Elizabeth and Don.

Fresh juices would replace my soda intake if I lived here.  Tonight I had freshly squeezed tangerine juice and Kailey had mango.

Instead of a cracker basket, we had bananas and avocados.  There were very plain warm biscuit things that I forgot the name of.  There's no butter served with them so Don puts Picante sauce and fresh cilantro on them.

Kailey's dish consisted of a potato, an egg with a hard center, a fried plantain (YUM!), rice and fresh pork rind.  Muy Bien!

Don and I had the tripe soup.  For the Americans in the group...that's cow stomach.  Do not freak out.  It tasted like a well-seasoned potato and lentil soup.  There was rice on the side and it was very filling.  Also Muy Bien!

Here was a food vendor just outside the restaurant.

Had to take this picture.  The food cart has power, and the vendors have very creative ways to supply their electricity.  Just look at this cord and follow it's trail across the sidewalk and also the street!  It is plugged into the side of a building that probably also has illegal hook ups.

Coke is packaged in plastic.  You buy (2) 2 1/2 liter bottles (why not 2 liter?) and you get this cute little Coke bottle for free.  No 12-packs of cans here.

A look at the street where we walked after dinner.  Open air restaurants that just pull down the garage door when they close for the night.

These little Chevy taxis are everywhere! 

Had to take this of the Sendek's luxury item.

Tomorrow we will find Kailey's dorm room which is on the fourth floor of Tower 2.  Her room number is 416 and mine at Carroll was 418!  There is a professor from California who is most anxious to meet her, and has offered the use of her phone if necessary.  Elizabeth and Don have invited Kailey to watch the SuperBowl along with our new friends Steve and Patrice.  All the problems of the world have been solved.  Ohhhhh, except for the newest tidbit of knowledge.  Talked about laundry on the fifth floor and learned there is no dryer.  Clothes are hung on a line which is fine since humidity is low.  Funny thing though....no washer either.  Laundry is done by hand.  OMG....thankfulness for my front loaders has soared!