A different kind of home

Hi friends,

I told you I wouldn't be good at keeping up a blog, but I persist.  :)
I'm now approaching the month mark of being in Cartagena.  Each week there is something else that makes it feel just a little more like home.  I'll explain a few of seemingly insignificant "events" that have made our apartment and life in general feel like a place I'll be for awhile...

1- Soft lighting!
When Lindsey and I moved in, our apartment was FULL of those horrible florescent-like energy-saving lightbulbs.  There are few things in life that I hate more than harsh lighting.  I've been on a constant search for soft lightbulbs (luz caliente) that fit all of our sockets.  We've finally arrived a good place, and I don't dread nighttime when I have to turn the lights on.  Ah, home.  :)

2- Work
I finished my first full week with students.  I love, love, love them.  I finally got "that" class, which doesn't mean the "special" one like it did the last 5 years of teaching.  They're good, sweet, and hard-working and their accents make me smile.  I love being called Miss (which actually comes out as "Meeees...").  I realize that I'm still in the honeymoon stage and that things change, but it's fun.  My alarm clocks (yes, I set two) do sound at 5:30, so vacation is long gone...  Home.

3- Cooking
We have some spices in the cupboard, condiments in the fridge, and a semi-fully stocked kitchen.  I like to cook and I like more to cook for others.  I've gotten to do both.

4- Down time
I've had more time to sit and relax and have the space to do it.  We got some softer pillows for our couch and converted our extra bedroom into a sitting room of sorts.  If you come visit, you can sleep there (there's a bed), but I call it the "skype-room" for now.  I even rearranged our living room (Mom, you should be proud) and set up our tv/dvd player.  I could stay here for awhile...


But then there are things that make me realize that I'm in a different place...

1- Showers
I don't really love to take time to shower that often in the states...  if I'm not dirty or greasy, I don't shower.  That is out of the question here.  I'm am ALWAYS either sweaty, greasy, or wet.  I even sometimes shower twice in a day (gasp!).  It's ridiculous.

2- Beer
I don't really like beer in the states...  Here, it's everywhere.  It's cheap and cold and everywhere.  I drink way more beer than I ever thought I would and even enjoy it.  That's not to say that the beer actually tastes any better...  the opposite might be true.  We even did happy hour sitting on the wall around the old city drinking beer....  And there's no nursing a beer either.  It goes from cold, to cool, to lukewarm, do downright steamy in 5 minutes flat.  Different.

3- Prep time
A lot of it...like 2-3 hours a day.  If I'm not a good teacher this year, there's no hope for me.


There's a bit of an update!  I love that it's Saturday today.  I have some serious plans to catch up on rest, with maybe a little work thrown in.  I love to hear from you....  comment, email, or skype.  I'm on skype often in the evenings, so sign in once in awhile.  My username is michelle.burkle.

Un abrazo.