Mount Monserrate

 Guillermo and I ventured to the top of Mount Monserrate this afternoon.  He picked me up around 5, a later start than I expected (I have learned that this is the Colombian way).  We arrived to the Mountain and it was still light.  Right before we got on the cable car, BOOM! The loudest burst of thunder....really settling as you are about to get into a small cable car!  Guillermo assured me that we would be fine, so we continued into the car.  The top of Monserrate is 10,341feet above sea level.  Did I mention I don't like heights!

 View as we went to the top.

It quickly became night time and I caught the transition on film, it was breathtaking.  It started to cloud as well, and eventually started raining heavily.  Despite the rain I got some pretty cool shots.

While we sought cover from the downpour, we stood in this area of the church outside, there were lights that changed colors and I tried to capture my favorite color.  Pretty close.

Guillermo translated my 6 page letter that my bm gave me last weekend.  There was a lot of info about her family issues and her struggles throughout life.  She made some really nice statements about always thinking of me on my birthday, and being proud of the person I am today.  

A snapshot of the architecture inside the church.

Back at the base of the mountain, blurry but still a nice pic.  Seeing most of Bogota from late afternoon to evening, rain and shine was stunning.  My ears popped on the way up and down, and I was a little scared of the stability of the cable cars especially in the rain.  I have learned that in life sometimes the most scary things are the most worth it in the end.

Short and Sweet

The kids at Hogar went on a field trip today, so the options for volunteering were between Homeless and Abuelitas.  I chose homeless because it was more up my ally than working with the abuelitas again.  We started helping by peeling potatoes, and I found a worm in one of mine (yuck!) I am not good with that kind of stuff.  A group of kids came in and started helping us cut various vegetables, they were also singing which was a nice addition.  Once the homeless came in, we served them all soup and the kids sung to them.  There were so many hands helping out, during service at times there was nothing for me to do.  Its better to have too many people helping than to have no one!  A woman came in with her 2 sons, younger than 10 I would guess.  I was happy to see the people in the shelter give her extra bread and a container for extra soup.  The homeless people were making sure to give her their leftovers too.  The amount of selflessness shown by these other starving people was moving.

Later Erika and I tuned into Grey's Anatomy which was much better this week than last!  We went to Andres for dinner, it was on the pricier side for Colombia but I still didn't spend more than 30$ US, and it was delish!

 Goodnight!

Fashion Police: Bogota Edition

For those of you who just met me in Colombia, or only have seen me through pics on my blog you would not know this, but I have a passion for fashion!  Most of you i.e. friends and family are familiar with my sense of style, creative nails, and opinions on clothes.  Heck I am even a stylist to my bestie on special occasions.  That being said, I thought I'd step away from all the serious emotional birth family stuff, and my everyday volunteering stuff....so here it is, my take and review on Colombian Fashion...or lack there of.

Lets start with the ladies! Most woman have long hair, and some have dyed it in various unrealistic colors, like bright red.  Most value their natural color, and don't really style it with a lot of products.  Jeans are a constant staple, and oh boy the tighter the better!  I am talking 2 sizes too small, skin tight, muffin top, camel toe producing pants.  Shirts are usually t-shirts or hoodies.  In the area we live similar to the financial district, I have seen much better outfits.  Nothing super special though.  The business attire here is on the sexy side, skirts being way above the knee.  Or the business wear is generic.  From what I have seen woman here do not take fashion risks.  I am underwhelmed.  Something I do appreciate is the nail polish and nail designs!

The men on the flip side are very expressive with their fashion and hair!  Can you say Mullet??!! Oy Vey, I do not think I have seen this many mullets since the movie Wayne's World came out!  Hair gel is huge here for men, and the more the better!  In addition to mullets, and mohawks, there are various gravity defying hair do's.  The men tend to wear skin tight, ever so revealing pants in all colors, mostly jeans and white pants.  Tight t-shirts are a must also, and for colder weather nice fitted jackets and scarfs.  There are plenty of nicely dressed business men here also.  I would define men here mostly as metrosexual for sure!

The most impressive aspect of Colombian fashion has been on the pooch side.  Even in some of the poorest neighborhoods we have been to, I have seen dogs wearing dresses.  The neighborhood we live in is the fashion capitol of the pooch world.  Fitted fall jackets are a must!  Also Colombian soccer jerseys are a huge trend!  I have been searching for the illusive person who sells these jerseys specially made for dogs since week one.  Milo and Mia should not be left out!  I thought I was bad, turns out I need to step my game up!  Thats a challenge I will gladly accept.  (No dogs will be harmed upon acceptance of said challenges.)  Do dogs feel embarrassed?  I am going to go with the assumption that they don't.  Well, that concludes my step away from the usually serious and informative blog post.

In other news: Today I taught 5th & 6th grade, and after school classes.  It went well, I winged most of it.  The program would benefit from a more structured, organized, lesson plan and notes on what the kids know because quite frankly I am aiming in the dark here.  I am confident I was able to at least teach them something in english today, despite the downsides.  Until next time...Night :)

Fingerprints, Lesson Plans, and a Good Cause

Today I finally finished working on the painting project at Hogar.  Erika and Lupe will complete the project tomorrow, I will be at the Soacha project.  Here are the almost complete pictures!

Tutoring today went much more smoothly, I think scheduling it for the middle of the week is a much smarter move.  I was no longer focused on the events of the weekend and I was able to concentrate on the lesson.

I just finished downloading some vocabulary ideas to work on with the kids tomorrow.  Hopefully it will go more smoothly, and I will teach 5th, 6th, and an after-school class.

Erika my friend here in Colombia is walking for a cause close to my family and Erika's best friend's as well.  The light the night event is happening the weekend of October 19th, for more details and to donate please click below.

http://pages.lightthenight.org/ntx/DallasL12/ETrevino

I made a donation tonight in memory of my mothers father, Samuel Broner. I wish I could have had the chance to meet him.  He passed shortly after being diagnosed with Leukemia, many years ago.  I thank him very much for bringing into the world the single most influential and important woman in my life, my mom.  If you haven't been directly effected by this please donate in honor and memory of my grandfather.  Every dollar counts!

I painted this girl from head to toe!

Oh yeah I finished my Country's flag

Goofy

First Time Teacher & Other Insights

Today was my first official day teaching at Soacha.  I was planning on teaching English to 5th and 6th grade, followed later by an after-school class.  Over this past weekend we got 4 new volunteers and all of them were scheduled to join us at Soacha.  I paired up with one of them named Melanie, who is staying in Colombia for 6 weeks.  This is great because the kids have vacation next week, so I really only have 4 classes with them.  These older kids, haven't had an english teacher for a while so it is nice that they will definitely have english classes for the next few months.

The education department of the government was surveying the school today, so it was not an average day.  There were no teachers in the classroom while we were teaching, and we got confused about the length of time each class was supposed to run.  We ended up teaching 5th grade for too long, and did not go to sixth.  After lunch the after-school class went much more smoothly.  The kids who attend class after school choose to be there, and are pretty eager to show off their english skills.

5th Grade Classroom

This is my after school class.  Very smart kids!





I look forward to continuing with these kids, and planning some lessons for them based on the assessment of the knowledge today.  As far as 6th grade is concerned, I am going to plan a lesson for them to and adjust it if need be come thursday.

We did not get back to Los Rosales until late this afternoon.  I rested for an hour or so before dinner.  Then I began looking for volunteer opportunities in Boston.  I would love to volunteer at the children's hospital, or something similar.  I will have to wait to find a position on the career path I am looking to start, before I can commit to volunteering anywhere.  I love volunteering with children, but I have to make sure I can do it consistently because I would like to build relationships and provide support.  I am feeling more positive than ever about the direction of my life.  This journey has verified that giving to others in return also gives something to yourself.  I am not a changed person but I am a more fulfilled person, I have more purpose, and more security with my decisions past, and security in the decisions regarding the direction of my future.  I am constantly grateful for the life I have in the States, for the friendships I have built, and my unbelievable family.  I have gotten some answers to questions I have had about my biological family, and though I am still processing everything, and have more concerns and questions, I am more at peace with the mystery that is adoption.

Trying To Balance

It is hard going from a draining weekend straight to volunteering.  I realized later in the day how utterly exhausted I am, and emotional about everything that has happened in the last few weeks.  I would not change a thing, but I haven't slept well and haven't really processed anything yet.  I had a spanish lesson for 90 minutes this evening and he was like why didn't you study?  I thought to myself, when could I have possibly studied.  I just felt disappointed about sucking at spanish and exhausted about everything else.  I spoke to my parents, who always make me feel better.  The reminded me to try and do things for myself while I am here too.  Monica the hefe (boss) here told me to write down all the things I want to do while I am here, and she will help me figure out how and when to do them.  It dawned on me that with all my anticipation about this trip and with everything happening so quickly, I didn't research the sights to see, or fun things to try.  I need to do that now, and try and explore more.

Today I helped tutor a boy who is being adopted to Texas in a few weeks.  Lupe and Erika have been working with him for almost 2 months now, and it was great to see all the things he knows.  Part of this program is passing the torch onto other volunteers when they come in and you are leaving.  I am honored to witness all the work they have done with these kids, and to help continue teaching these kids when they go.  Volunteers are like a revolving door here, new ones always coming in and older ones leaving.  It must be difficult for the kids, but I know it will also be difficult for me to say goodbye.

One of the girls that is tutored at Hogar, broke the rules and left the orphanage on thursday with some other girls.  She might not be allowed to be tutored anymore, and earlier today we were told she might not get adopted because of that decision.  She is 11 and has been communicating with the family for months and has met them in the states.  She is the sweetest girl I have met so far here, and it broke my heart to think that one stupid adolescent choice could change her life forever.  We all left Hogar today, upset, defeated, and scared for her.  Later we found out that they are not messing up the adoption, and that they want to scare her.  I am so relieved, as I am sure the other volunteers are too.  We plan on talking with her wednesday about peer pressure and making decisions in the future that are more responsible.

The whole incident got me thinking about how decisions really can change the course of your life.  Luckily for her in this case it doesn't effect her future in the dramatic way it otherwise would have.  The other girls might have ruined their chances of getting adopted, they might be transferred to a different orphanage as an example.  I understand the orphanage's need to be strict, and their position that there are so many kids and not enough getting adopted so those who don't behave don't deserve to be adopted.  On the other hand I feel that there are no bad kids, every kid has had a life before they ended up at the orphanage and is going to react differently to being there.  I wish they had people that could work one on one with these children and get to the bottom of why they are angry, or struggling.  They need love, support, and therapy.  Its a sad situation for these kids and many of them will not get the opportunity to be adopted.  To the families out there that are adopting or have adopted older children, I commend you.  I think it says a lot to take in a child or children that are older, and even more when they do not speak english.  These kids are really great and deserving!

When I got back to the apartment I decided it was time to leave my handprint on the apartment...literally.  There are handprints in paint all over the apartment with people names and year that they volunteered.  Everyone is decorated differently.  I decided to make mine with all the flags that are a part of me, Colombian, Israeli, and American.  I messed up a little but it came out ok.

Trying to leave my stamp on Colombia, in more ways than one.

Life Isn't Always Gumdrops and Arequipe

Yesterday Erika went in search for the store we bought some futbol (soccer) jerseys last week.  It is hidden in a mall, downstairs in a booth.  I have been on a mission to get my dogs some, after seeing a few dogs sporting them here.  I was told that they are children's jerseys, so we ventured to purchase some.  After we walked the streets and looked at scarfs, and other things people were selling.  We saw another dog sporting a jersey and I asked the owner, he said it was made for dogs and there was sometimes a woman selling them on the streets but it is hard to find.  He told us the location, and we decided to walk.  We didn't find the jerseys :( but we stumbled upon a great street filled with craft stores, and stores that have traditional Colombian items.  We did have much cash on us, but we spent what we had and decided to come back next weekend.  On the way back to the apartment we stumbled upon dog store row, literally a whole street with dog store next to dogs store.  Puppies everywhere, and yet still no jerseys (apparently I am searching for the holy grail!).  I had to keep reminding myself that I have 2 babies at home, because these dogs melted my heart!!

We had lunch at Masa, which is a great restaurant near the apartment that also has wifi.  It was there that I received my translated letters from Guillermo.  Ordering a customized salad there was an interesting experience, and good practice for new vocabulary words.

Guillermo picked me up at 3:15, our plan was to park near the Trans and take that to the Gold Museum.  The street that the gold museum is on is shut down to cars, there are a lot of stores and street artists.

Cool Photo I snapped from the Museum

This room went pitch black and then water sounds
 with a light show, I snapped this picture during it.

This was in the dark room too, layer and layers of gold.

Faces

So alpaca isn't a Colombian thing as Guillermo informed me, but I had to snap a pic!

New Justice Building (I think)

After we got some doughnuts from Dunkin, and some hot chocolate mmmmmm.  Then it was off to Magnolias.














I had been feeling quite anxious in the week leading up to this sleepover.  As my best friend warned a few nights before the sleep over, it is a lot very fast to take on.  Well, as usual she was right.  I thought it would be a "getting to know you" weekend, but it just didn't work out that way.

My bm really wanted to take me to Usme, the neighborhood Guillermo and I went searching for Magnolia the night before we located her.  It is not a safe area, in fact my brother was killed there.  I understand my bm wanting to show me where I would have lived, and where she is from.  Even though I appreciate her feelings, I expressed to Guillermo that I am not ready to go there with out him.  My lack of the language really makes me uncomfortable as it is.  When Guillermo dropped me off at Magnolias, they were talking about it, and Magnolia got very defensive and angry towards Guillermo about the whole situation.  As the conversation was getting more heated, a can backed into Guillermo's car.  UGH!

Even though it did break up the argument, I felt horrible and somewhat responsible.  Guillermo drives me there and has done so much for me.  I really wish this didn't happen to him.  The people that crashed into his car were pretty nice.  Guillermo called the police and the insurance company.  About an hour later the insurance lawyer arrived.  The temperature outside was dropping and we still hadn't eaten anything it was about 10pm, so Magnolia, Juliet and I went upstairs to eat.  While we were inside Magnolia asked me how much money my parents make, if I have a car, and if they have a car.  The questions felt intrusive and made me really uncomfortable.  We headed back outside to check on Guillermo, still no police.  Guillermo could tell I was bothered, but we couldn't really talk about it.  The driver and Guillermo worked out an agreement, and 10 minutes after the driver left the police arrived.  It was about 3 hours after the first call to the police.  Guillermo finally headed home for the night, and the rest of us retired to our chambers.

I was bothered by the intrusive questions, because they do not have anything to do with who I am.  Magnolia is constantly pressuring me to go to the neighborhood that I do not want to go, and instead of accepting that and just being happy I am there she is upset about it.  Then she questions me about money and things.  She never asked me how my week was, or what kind of volunteer work I am doing here, or my favorite music etc.  Throughout the time with her this weekend she has eluded to taking a trip to the US to visit me, and me visiting again soon.  I know she can not afford to visit the states, so it made me uncomfortable again.  I really wish she would try to know me as a person on a human level.  She keeps pilling on these expectations, presumptions, or hopes that we will provide some experience.  If she was more curious about me, like how I was raised, what I studied, what I do for work, or anything about me, maybe the money questions would have bothered me less.  My sister does not care about those things, she just enjoys my company and wants to be around me as a person.  I am not in any way saying that my bm doesn't care about me, or want a relationship with me.  She made me beautiful boots, and fixed my old boots for me.  She is very giving to me, and opens her house to me so obviously she cares about me.  That being said, she seems to be focused on money, and what I have.  She also piles on expectations, and is always questioning when am I visiting again etc. 

I was also introduced quite a few times this weekend as a friend from America, who doesn't speak much spanish.  How are we going to build any type of deeper relationship, if I am always a friend from America.

When I was saying goodbye this afternoon she asked through Guillermo if I travel to different countries every year.  The questions do not come from a place of curiosity about my life, but a place of assessment of what I have.  She wrote me a 6 page letter in response to my letter that I posted on my blog previously.  I know already that a lot of it is about the difficulty of her life, and all of her struggles. I know that she has had hard times, and I feel for her in that respect.  I also know that my adoption was a choice she made because she needed to, and I am proud of her choice.  I think that she has had a lot of guilt over her life about the adoption, and now I'm back in her life all of the sudden and its overwhelming the thought of loosing me again.

On the way back to the apartment with Guillermo I expressed my discomfort with the questions.  He said that it is ok to feel disappointed also, I didn't recognize my emotion about it until he said it.  I am disappointed in Magnolia.  She was not trying to get to know my character, my likes, and dislikes.

I decided even before this weekend sleepover that I would be taking next weekend "off" of birth family duty.  It is exhausting never quite knowing what is going on, and constantly being quiet due to lack of words in the language.  Now I know, in addition to all of that, I also need time to process everything, and time for myself.

I hope that Magnolia tries to know me on a more human level, its not about what you have in life, its about who you are and how you treat others.